Mrs. G started doing a bit better today, post surgery. I got some time in the garage with the other patient.
At this point the seat, tank, tool kit, battery cover are off.
After getting the old bars in situ, installing the stock throttle cables, cleaning up the L&R switches, I finished putting LEDs in the speedo. First, the blue high beam indicator, was good. Then the turn signal indicator told me the new LEDs were smaller than the old incandescents. I squeezed the bucket a touch. The bulb lit. I did the same with the neutral light, squeezing the socket to make sure the bulb had a good ground. Tested it. No green light. I knew the trans was in neutral. I pushed the lever to first, then up to second then down to neutral. Then I switched on the ignition again. The N neutral light was on.
Knowing that a bad neutral switch can stop the show I decided to see if the starter would crank. I pulled in the clutch and gave the starter a quick shot. It cranked! Next make run session should get this puppy ready for an oil change and the new chain.
"Guaire -- since the restoration sequence I recommended isn't being followed, your continued electric start failures are putting both the starter and sprag clutch at risk of damage." The only risk here was my feelings. The sprag doesn't break down when it's not used. A lean condition, creating back fires against the tiny sprag during a start can break it down though. Taking a long rest doesn't risk damage or create its destruction. Take a look at the pics of my '04 iron barrel. Unfortunately, I know how a sprague clutch breaks. So far so good with this one.
At no point did I indicate I would be restoring this machine, overhauling everything. Having been a mechanic, working mainly on Brit bikes, as a tech, I would get a work order that said, "make run". (Scotty Brown knows where I was.) My intention has been to do a "make run". Nothing major will be done, until it is running. This C5 will show me what it needs. It is going to be the test bike for developing products and techniques for ACE Motors.
https://acemotorsonline.com This Bullet has done a good job of surviving the reported weather horrors of central North Carolina. For the East Coast, central NC is pretty good weather wise. The east can get a lot of moisture, humidity!, from the ocean. Around there is the Carolina side of the Dismal Swamp, that starts in Virginia. Out west, you get colder in the Smokey Mountains. In between, where this bike came from, the winter is easier than Ashville, and drier than the Outer Banks.
In the headlight nacelle I noticed these two leads. I will try to figure them out, but are they pos and neg always on with the head light?
Cheers,
Bill G