Anyway I do not need to replace my ignition switch?

I have to keep a constant (not real hard) pressure against my key (turned basically to the right in the ignition position) in order to my motorcycle to start and stay running.  If I just turn it to the ignition position like a normal person, only the running  lights go on.  This happened last winter but if I held it in the position for a minute or so while things heated up I could release pressure on the ignition and be fine.  Now it will just die if I let off the pressure on the key.  Any way this is being caused by something other than a bad ignition?  It's not something I am looking forward to replacing.  Luckily I have my 07 CBR600RR to ride but I need to get this fixed.
Thanks

Have you tried spraying electrical cleaner into the contact area.... sounds like you may have crud not allowing a connection......

one of the wires may be loose.. remove your top clamp.. remove the switch.. look at how the switch is put together.. take it apart the bottom where the switch plate is..and clean up the contacts and check wires.. put back together.. :laughing6-hehe:

[image: View Post]gll429, on 24 August 2010 - 10:56 PM, said:

one of the wires may be loose.. remove your top clamp.. remove the switch.. look at how the switch is put together.. take it apart the bottom where the switch plate is..and clean up the contacts and check wires.. put back together.. :laughing6-hehe:
I guess considering that I don't have to ride this I can take it apart and leave it apart if I end up not being able to fix it with the old parts.  As you know, you need to drill out the screws in order to remove the ignition from the top clamp.

you dont have to drill.. cut a slot and use a screwdriver.

[image: View Post]swimmer, on 24 August 2010 - 11:14 PM, said:

[image: View Post]gll429, on 24 August 2010 - 10:56 PM, said:

one of the wires may be loose.. remove your top clamp.. remove the switch.. look at how the switch is put together.. take it apart the bottom where the switch plate is..and clean up the contacts and check wires.. put back together.. :fing02:
I guess considering that I don't have to ride this I can take it apart and leave it apart if I end up not being able to fix it with the old parts.  As you know, you need to drill out the screws in order to remove the ignition from the top clamp.

[image: View Post]gll429, on 24 August 2010 - 11:26 PM, said:

you dont have to drill.. cut a slot and use a screwdriver.

Double no. The bolts that hold the ignition on are either 6mm allens or standard Torx bit size(can't remember at the moment if they used to use allens, and switched to Torx or vice-versa).

No drilling or cutting needed at all. They are held in with Loctite, but that's about it.

Do you store the bike outside much? It's not really old enough to be having ignition problems?

Then again, you live in Tucson, so you must be storing it inside, or it would have been stolen by now...

Is your key very worn down? Got a spare that you can try, to see if that might be the issue?

[image: View Post]SEBSPEED, on 25 August 2010 - 05:44 AM, said:

Do you store the bike outside much? It's not really old enough to be having ignition problems?

Then again, you live in Tucson, so you must be storing it inside, or it would have been stolen by now...

Is your key very worn down? Got a spare that you can try, to see if that might be the issue?

In the one year that I have it had it has always been kept outside in my car port. I am sure it happens but I don't know of anyone who has had their motorcycle stolen here.  Having 1) a VFR and 2) a VFR with side cases makes it pretty unlikely that it would ever be stolen.  

It's a newer key that I am using.

The ignition on the Katana I worked on was held on with 6mm security torx bits. Can get them at HF. They were held on from the bottom, so you'll probably have to take the front fairing off for easier access.

[image: View Post]swimmer, on 25 August 2010 - 10:36 AM, said:

[image: View Post]SEBSPEED, on 25 August 2010 - 05:44 AM, said:

Do you store the bike outside much? It's not really old enough to be having ignition problems?

Then again, you live in Tucson, so you must be storing it inside, or it would have been stolen by now...

Is your key very worn down? Got a spare that you can try, to see if that might be the issue?

In the one year that I have it had it has always been kept outside in my car port. I am sure it happens but I don't know of anyone who has had their motorcycle stolen here.  Having 1) a VFR and 2) a VFR with side cases makes it pretty unlikely that it would ever be stolen.  

It's a newer key that I am using.

I didn't mean for that too sound too negative; I have a friend in Tucson whose F4i was stolen. The dealership that he picked his new helmet up from(the day after the bike was stolen) told him that the average lifespan of a bike kept outdoors in Tucson was 90 days...

Don't really know what to tell you, except to pull the ignition & have a locksmith check it out. Not sure if you can order a new one from Honda with the same key code, so you might end up buying a used lock set. (ign, gas cap, seat lock)

[image: View Post]YoshiHNS, on 25 August 2010 - 10:53 AM, said:

The ignition on the Katana I worked on was held on with 6mm security torx bits. Can get them at HF. They were held on from the bottom, so you'll probably have to take the front fairing off for easier access.

It's much easier to just pull the handlebars & top clamp.

In the center of the picture are the screws I was talking about.  It appears they do not fall into any of the previous guesses as to what type of screws they are or how to get them off.  Ron Ayers list them as one-way screws.
[image: Posted Image]

The special torx screws with the center pin seem to be used hold the contact side to the lock side.  I guess I will find some of those tools to get them out to see if I can then access the contacts or what.

FWIW, I believe I fixed this problem.  I took apart the ignition.  I cleaned the contacts as best I could but what I think really fixed it was stretching out the spring inside the ignition that keeps the key �stuck� in each position as it is rotated.  The same spring that provides the resistance when you push down to move the key into the lock position.  Now the key seems to have more positive positioning as I turn it through the positions.

What about the "one-way" screws?

[image: View Post]2thdr, on 07 September 2010 - 11:12 AM, said:

What about the "one-way" screws?

I did not have to remove the ignition portion for this.  The contact assembly unscrews off the bottom via the tamper resistance torx screws at which point the spring comes out.