Ended up having AAA bring me home. Start switch failed. I started the bike and heard an odd howling noise. MMmmmm... Shut the bike off, went to start it again, and when I turned on the key (without hitting the start button) it started and the starter motor remained engaged. I tapped the starter motor, tapped the solenoid, and flicked the switch (which popped out part of the way but not enough.) I gave AAA a call and waited 2 hours. I wish I had thought of pulling the button out and taping it that way to get me home - but I didn't think of it until I had some time to ponder the problem. When I got home I open up the switch housing and the clear plastic that holds the start switch internal stuff was cracked and the button would not completely pop back out after it was depressed. Does anyone know of a switch that will work to replace my start switch? The whole assembly is $105 from bike bandit, but just because it is listed on their website does not mean it hasn't been discontinued. So I am looking for a very close to OEM work around for this problem. Any ideas?

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Shalom, Marc

1975 GL1000 "Dresser"
1976 GL1000 Project Bike
1979 GL1000 Naked
2007 Triumph Bonneville
1970 Norton Commando

Found one when I needed it at the local moto recyclers.

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77 gl1000 naked

Marc - do you need a switch housing? ..or just the internals to one?

Let me know. I've spares. I can send you housing internals, or the housing itself...

pm sent

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Shalom, Marc

1975 GL1000 "Dresser"
1976 GL1000 Project Bike
1979 GL1000 Naked
2007 Triumph Bonneville
1970 Norton Commando

If you end up buying a new one, why go to Bike Bandit? They're buying from Honda, jacking up the price, and re-selling them. Go to a Honda dealer. This dealer sells them for $83.: http://www.westernhonda.com/fiche_section_detail.asp?section=145161&category=MOTORCYCLES&make=HONDA&year=1976&fveh=3426.

But first, why not try to repair yours? You said the button would not retract. That sounds like it just needs cleaning and lubrication. Regarding the cracked case.... If it's not shattered into pieces, the case can be repaired with super glue and then reinforced by layering on two-part epoxy on the exterior of the housing. Like yours, mine cracked and failed. I disassembled it, cleaned the parts, glued the case together and painted it with epoxy. It's working good as new.

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Placerville - 1976 Yellow

Survivor - BOTM - May 2011

New and Confused ?
Push the Big Button

If gregh doesn't have what you need, I have a right-hand switch from my '78 I could send you as well. You'd have to do a bit of soldering since I cut the harness to wire in a different switch, but you could probably just strip the internals and swap them into your housing instead.

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Steve

1978 GL1000 - Gallery
1993 GL1500 SE - frame-up restoration in progress
1983 CX650C

Radio shack sells a switch that works and fits in the same space some one here did one and posted a part number and picture. I'll look for it later.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=31908

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81 DAILY RIDER sold her ((!
80 REBUILT SOLD
81 REBUILT SOLD!!!
81 REBUILT SOLD!!
82 REBUILT sold!!!
83 SOLD
78 REBUILT sold!!!
79 IN BASKET PARTS FOR SALE
75 REBUILT SOLD
76 SOLD/PARTIAL REBUILD
76 REBUILT AND SOLD
75 REBUILD SOLD
99 1500 SE SOLD
97 SE 1500 now my daily ride..not very naked

FAIR WINDS,
RB

I too have a complete set up from a 79, harness and all intact.

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1976 GL1000 (project)
1977 GL1000 (sold)
1978 GL1000 (current ride)
1979 GL1000 (sold)
1982 GL1100 (painting)

Got my OEM Honda start switch in the mail today ... very disappointed. OEM bag with made in China stamped on it. The top and bottom of the housing does not fit well, the knob is purple (not read), the button is black (not red) and it is overall very cheaply made. (The tag in the package said, "Substitute Part;" it should have been advertised that way but was not.)

Placerville, I will listen to you next time. This one is going back and I will try to rebuild the one I have. If it is too far gone there a few good forum members that have offered me switches for very little cost. THANKS.

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Shalom, Marc

1975 GL1000 "Dresser"
1976 GL1000 Project Bike
1979 GL1000 Naked
2007 Triumph Bonneville
1970 Norton Commando

The old switch came out in many little pieces and the plastic pieces were very brittle - a difficult rebuild. So I put in my new OEM, made in China, switch. It works just fine even though I had to use some gasket material and a little, very little, silicone to fill in the gaps between the two halves of the switch housing. Fired it up and all was going well until I noticed a bit of gas dripping from fuel pump weep hole when I gave it very much throttle and my headlight is burning very dim. Back to work.

_________________
Shalom, Marc

1975 GL1000 "Dresser"
1976 GL1000 Project Bike
1979 GL1000 Naked
2007 Triumph Bonneville
1970 Norton Commando

_________________
Robert White

This is from the 78 shop manual page 17-10...

Power comes in through a black wire. When the button is pushed then contact is made to the Yellow/red wire to the starter solenoid. When the button is released power goes to the headlight through a black/red wire.

The radio shack button should have a diagram on the back of the package. The common terminal gets the black wire. The Normally Closed terminal (button released) gets the black/red headlight wire, and the Normally Open terminal gets the Yellow/red solenoid wire.

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2006 GL1800 (Brutus Maximus)
1978 GL1000 (White Trash)
"My Effort" The White Trash Album
....Sharing some thoughts....
"Venting GL1000 Rotors" Hole templates for front and rear (45 holes) and how to use them
"Side Stand Indicator Light" For those of us who can't remember...
"GL1000 RearSets" Photos, CAD drawings and instructions (click "No Thumb" and then "Download Doc")

Hey, I'm Italian. Of course my wiring looks like spaghetti.

The problem with the "radio shack fix" is their button is two terminal with one set of normally open contacts that are pushed closed - you have to start with the hightlight on, or rig another switch. I'm sure a better replacement switch could be found but I haven't been able to find it. The Chinese did when they made the OEM one for Honda. It's out their somewhere??

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Shalom, Marc

1975 GL1000 "Dresser"
1976 GL1000 Project Bike
1979 GL1000 Naked
2007 Triumph Bonneville
1970 Norton Commando

Marc, the Radio Shack 275-1549 is SPDT with three connection points. It's a bit bigger than the stock unit and some dremel work is necessary inside the housing.

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2006 GL1800 (Brutus Maximus)
1978 GL1000 (White Trash)
"My Effort" The White Trash Album
....Sharing some thoughts....
"Venting GL1000 Rotors" Hole templates for front and rear (45 holes) and how to use them
"Side Stand Indicator Light" For those of us who can't remember...
"GL1000 RearSets" Photos, CAD drawings and instructions (click "No Thumb" and then "Download Doc")

Hey, I'm Italian. Of course my wiring looks like spaghetti.

That switch is only rated at 3-amps. Probably not enough for the headlight over the long term. You could always kludge up a relay to handle the current else look for a different SPDY switch such as Cherry.

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1975 GL1000 Sidecar Outfit
2001 GL1800 MotorTrike
1956 Francis-Barnett Falcon 74
2006 Vespa LX150

St. Louis, MO

The dude abides.

Ride Free on Three
Brothers of the Third Wheel - Gateway Chapter http://www.btw-trikers.org
Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club http://www.vjmc.org
Francis-Barnett Owners Club http://www.francis-barnett.co.uk/
Antique Motorcycle Club of America http://www.antiquemotorcycle.org/
Vintage Motor Cycle Club http://www.vmcc.net