bear tracker 250 Bear Tracker doesn't start with neutral light

[gt_jacket]

Hi,  

I have an 04 bear tracker, with a minor starting quirk. It starts in gear with brake in.  Neutral and Reverse lights work.   

But when trying to start in neutral, there is no click or attempt to start with the push button. 

However if i pull up on the shifter (not hard enough to shift into first though) the neutral light goes off and the start button works and it starts fine.

All gears shift fine with no issues,  has anyone seen this before?  Just wondering if it is a bad sensor or something needs adjusting. 

Thanks for any help you can provide.

[Mech]

I can't think how it would/could cause it, but I think I'd suspect the neutral light switch. I'd test that idea by by-passing the switch with a piece of wire I could earth out. If it worked normally with the wire earthed then I'd figure the switch was not making proper contact.

[AnthonyT]

Try to find a wiring diagram for it on the inter web. Follow the wires and color connections. Check if anything is wired incorrectly. I bet something is wrong. 

[Savage3]

On 1/16/2025 at 12:42 PM, gt_jacket said:

Hi,  

I have an 04 bear tracker, with a minor starting quirk. It starts in gear with brake in.  Neutral and Reverse lights work.   

But when trying to start in neutral, there is no click or attempt to start with the push button. 

However if i pull up on the shifter (not hard enough to shift into first though) the neutral light goes off and the start button works and it starts fine.

All gears shift fine with no issues,  has anyone seen this before?  Just wondering if it is a bad sensor or something needs adjusting. 

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Check the neutral switch. The switch may have failed and is grounding the spark.

In your case, I'd look at starter button as well on handle bar. If I remember correctly, I believe the neutral switch is wired to the button and a cut off relay as well. Check the wiring diagram first. 

 

I believe Mech is on the right track.

 

Edited January 19, 2025 by Savage3
Misspelled

[gt_jacket]

Thanks for the help,   Looks like the switch had been replaced before as there were some "homemade" connectors to hold the wire on.  I replaced the connectors and my neutral light went off completely. which was new.  Ordered a new switch on amazon.  Replaced it and now the light is always on (but the electric start will not start) regardless of gear.  Pulled it, touched the sensor to the engine and the light went off, which was also strange.   Either way if i disconnect the neutral switch i can start it in gear with the electric start no problem.  Reverse light works when it is in reverse.     Going to recheck the wiring diagram, strange, but still a minor nuisance as it will run fine.

 

 

[Mech]

That sounds as if the neutral light works by shorting to earth in every gear except neutral, and in neutral is is open/not connected to earth. I didn't now they worked like that, most I've seen have shorted for neutral.. Talking all makes here..

I'll have another look at the wiring diagram and get back to you after a think..

[gt_jacket]

 

Yeah it was strange to me as well it could be the neutral switch i got from amazon is useless. Been too cold here to mess with it for very long at a time lately

[Mech]

Ok, so I rechecked. I don't have that year but I looked at several years and although their wiring differs a little the neutral switch always shorts to earth to make the light come on and to allow the starter to operate. The rear brake lever on the bars also has a switch that earths when you pull that lever that also allows operation of the starter even if the bike's in gear. Between the neutral switch and the brake switch there is a diode to prevent the power going through the neutral bulb feeding back and putting the neutral light on every time you use the brake. In the diagram the diode look as if it's built into the relay. The other relay the bike has doesn't have a diode built in. I wonder if the two relays have been swapped ? Without testing the relay connections with a gauge I can't tell where the connections/pins on the relay are, and so can't figure whether it would cause the problem, But it's probably possible it could cause it. You could check one relay does have the diode.. I'll attach a wiring diagram, it'll be the same in operation as your one I'm sure... If the diode was just blown and allowing power both ways, it would only cause the neutral light to come on when you used the brake, but, depending on it's pin arrangement, if it got swapped it could cause some weird symptoms.. 

output.pdf

Edited January 24, 2025 by Mech

[Mech]

Doh !!  I just looked at that diagram one last time and I see that the second relay isn't a relay at all.. it's the starter solenoid..  Haha.. Disregard all this last bit.. 

I'll better keep thinking  .

[Mech]

Have you tried disconnecting the neutral switch and shorting the bikes wire(the one that goes to the switch) to earth ?

That should make the neutral light come on and the starter to work..  That;s the first test I'd do..

[Savage3]

54 minutes ago, Mech said:

Have you tried disconnecting the neutral switch and shorting the bikes wire(the one that goes to the switch) to earth ?

That should make the neutral light come on and the starter to work..  That;s the first test I'd do..

Exactly sir! Or run a jumper wire......the neutral switch has a bad chassis ground. 

 

The switch is wired into cdi, no ground equals incomplete circuit. Incomplete circuit = no start.

 

The cdi is shorting the ignition circuit because it thinks the bike is not in neutral.  Therefore, the ground fault is the problem.

Test circuit and switch.  Test from negative battery terminal to neutral switch for good ground. Key on, run switch on....etc

 

Test switch itself as well, keep testing until you find the bad ground.

 

Read no spark thread I listed above, most likely testing procedures in that thread.