HELP - 2016 Hawk 250 Starting Issues

[TCalYen]

Hi all!

I’ve read a bunch of threads and still have issue.

So the Hawk starter button over time just stopped working. Now it does nothing when pushed… does not turn over at all. Kill switch is not engaged and the bike does kick start but it’s a PITA.

The battery is fine as well and I’ve had zero indication of any melted wires.

I’m good with wrenching but not the intricacies of the Hawks ignition system.

Did something just go bad, come unplugged, etc?

Can any of you experts tell me what the issue is?

[Megadan]

Probably just a bad contact at either the starter relay or possibly the button itself. Continuity test both. I would start with the starter relay myself. They are well known cheap units that tend to go bad over time.

[bigdano711]

Megadan The Man The Myth The Legend

Originally Posted by TCalYen

Hi all!

I’ve read a bunch of threads and still have issue.

So the Hawk starter button over time just stopped working. Now it does nothing when pushed… does not turn over at all. Kill switch is not engaged and the bike does kick start but it’s a PITA.

The battery is fine as well and I’ve had zero indication of any melted wires.

I’m good with wrenching but not the intricacies of the Hawks ignition system.

Did something just go bad, come unplugged, etc?

Can any of you experts tell me what the issue is?

How long have you had the bike? 7 years? How many miles? Is this the first issue, or the first one you needed help with?


I'm about to pull the trigger on one tomorrow. It's like Christmas x1000

[Thumper]

You can bypass the starter solenoid/relay (at the starter solenoid/relay) to see if the starter will turn. You just need to power the starter directly (that big thick red wire!). Do this with the ignition off so it doesn't start. Just make sure it is in neutral when you do it

Then power the input 12V on the solenoid to see if the solenoid itself just isn't triggering (possible bad relay as Dan mentioned).

If directly powering the smaller 12V wire activates the solenoid and starter, then your issue is upstream (that smaller wire, or the button possibly). The relay just allows the power to the starter to be a big thick wire since it draws high current and would melt a small wire (the solenoid trigger wire).

[N7sithis]

Not sure if it's related to your issue, but I had issues with the oem Start/kill switch.
Sometimes it wouldn't do anything when pushing the start button, sometimes you turn the ignition to "on" and the bike would start trying to start itself without touching the start button at all.

I never found a short, exposed wire or anything, I just followed the wires and wrapped them in electrical tape to separate them from the rest of the wires they touch/pass.

Still dunno what the problem was, that was about 8 months ago and the bike has never repeated the problem lol.
I'd just replace the start/kill switch if I had to do it again.

[TCalYen]

Thanks guys…! Sorry I disappeared yesterday. Forgive me but where is the starter relay and selinoid? I could rip everything apart and 100% figure it out but I’d rather not. I’ve got aux lights and Bluetooth speaker wires running throughout.

I’ve never had any issues with the bike. Has about 4500 miles. Did all the easy upgrades Mega recommended and it gets me up to about 70 and i weigh 230.

[Thumper]

The heavy cable from the starter goes up to the relay/solenoid. Just follow it back. There is a direct heavy cable from the battery goes to the same starter relay/solenoid. As I said. This is a high amperage circuit. The solenoid is a high amp switch, triggered by low amp 12V power from the starter button.

[TCalYen]

Ok cool… I’m going to mess with it tomorrow night. Stand by for an update and thanks for the help everyone!

[Magician16]

The starter relay went to hell on my Storm.

[Thumper]

Originally Posted by Magician16

The starter relay went to hell on my Storm.

Fortunately, the starter relay is a generic item. And cheap. A relay for virtually any small motorcycle has three (or 4) connections: 1) input from battery (+) which is a 6 gauge beast, 2) output to the starter, same gauge, and 3) the 12V starter button connection. There might be a 4th (ground) but the relay is mounted to the frame which often covers that.

The relay just triggers a solenoid which slams a connector inside the device to connect the battery (+) to the starter. This is a high amp device (the starter), so you do NOT want to have that current going through the starter button

Horn relays are based on the same principal if you are driving a loud honker! That isn't necessary for the meep meep horns on our dirt bikes

[Magician16]

I replaced my relay with one for a GY-6 off Ebay. Cost like $8, just had to replace a pins in the connector.

[wally]

Late to the party.



Mine gets sticky if the bike sits. Tapping on it usually fixes it, or just kick starting it and riding for awhile.



I assume the stock unit isn't weather sealed very well, and it's getting slightly corroded inside. I bought a replacement from Amazon but have not installed, here it is if anyone would like it for reference: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016W7GUGW

[TCalYen]

Anyone have a link to a relay that will work? Thanks for the selinoid link. I’m just going to swap them out. Still haven’t had a chance to look at the bike. If it kick starts it starts lol.

[Thumper]

Originally Posted by TCalYen

Anyone have a link to a relay that will work? Thanks for the selinoid link. I’m just going to swap them out. Still haven’t had a chance to look at the bike. If it kick starts it starts lol.

The relay has the solenoid inside it. The solenoid is the thing that gets thrown to connect the battery wire to the starter wire when the coil is charged. This is not the ignition coil. This coil gets magnetized when it gets 12V from the starter button, which throws the connection together.

https://startersolenoid.net/how-to-t...starter-relay/

[Magician16]

I used the one that Wally supplied the link for above.