2019 forman 500. Not starting in gear

[murphy 2]

I have a 2019 honda 500 which recently would start in gear, just clicks like the battery is week. I have tested the voltage on the  battery cold and running, all good. The bike does start in neutral sometimes and other times it just turns over. When the bike starts the engine light, temp light and temperature is on full but only when she first starts then that goes away and she runs fine. Has anyone encountered a problem like this? Bike only has a little over 3000 km's and hasn't seen much mud or water. See attached picture.

[Fishfiles 20,145]

Hi Murphy , welcome to ATVHonda forum ------  personally don't know a lot about the 500s , we have members here that do , @jeepwm69 is one of them that comes to mind and I just hailed him --- I know the micro switches or the wires at the brake levers can be a problem ----- I think I might check the connection where the negative battery cable attaches to the crankcase

[jeepwm69 7,622]

Sounds like a weak battery or loose/corroded battery connections to me. 

 

Remove and clean/wire brush your cable ends and battery terminals, and charge your battery off the machine.  If that doesn't work, have the battery load tested.

 

You can also get a voltmeter and when it clicks trying to start in gear, have someone else hit the start button and hold the brake lever, and see if there is power on both lugs on the starter solenoid when the start button is pushed.

 

As far as not starting in Neutral, when that happens do you have an N on the dash and a good strong green Neutral light?  These machines don't get spark unless the ECU sees that it's in a particular gear.

[murphy 2]

I will check those things when I get home. Already had the battery terminals off and they are perfect.  Checked the voltage on the battery cold and when it was running and that was good to. When it doesn't start in neutral it still turns over fast, neutral light is bright with the N on the dash. I loaded a picture of that, not sure if it showed on the post. I would also think weak battery but don't understand why it's saying she's hot, that throws me off a bit. 

[ATC4ever 1,083]

Have you tried boosting it with another battery just to see if it will start? 

[murphy 2]

No I have not but I will be trying that later when I am off work. It has been plugged in to a trickle charger for a couple of days now. If that doesn't make a difference ill try boosting. 

[murphy 2]

Bike was on trickle charger for a couple of days. Went out and she started right away in gear, tried a bunch of times in different gears. Then i turned on the lights and it wouldn't start but still would in neutral. So battery is absolutely weak. Thanks to all that helped. Still threw me off that she would start in neutral and the temp was showing hot. It never when it was fully charged. Weird. Thanks again.

[jeepwm69 7,622]

4 minutes ago, murphy said:

Bike was on trickle charger for a couple of days. Went out and she started right away in gear, tried a bunch of times in different gears. Then i turned on the lights and it wouldn't start but still would in neutral. So battery is absolutely weak. Thanks to all that helped. Still threw me off that she would start in neutral and the temp was showing hot. It never when it was fully charged. Weird. Thanks again.

 

Glad it was something simple.  The newer machines have a lot of electronics on them and have to have a good strong battery for all of that stuff to work properly.

 

I'd be battery shopping were I you.

 

I keep all of my ATV's on tenders all the time.  Attach a pigtail to the battery, run it out from under the seat, and I just back up next to the shop where I have the wires from the tenders run through holes in the wall.  Plug them in and leave them that way.

[murphy 2]

Yes I'll be getting a new battery tomorrow and I will hook her up to a trickle charger as well. I do have one there. Thanks again.