1983 Nighthawk won't turn on

boyer242 · 11-01-2007, 06:22 PM

I'm wondering if I can get any suggestions on why my nighthawk won't even turn on. I know that the battery is charged right now and it still won't work. A couple weeks ago it showed some signs of life when I turned the key on, but bit by bit when I tried to start the bike it died. Now not even the headlight or the controls react when I turn the key. Any advice would be great! Thanks.

KLN · 11-17-2007, 05:09 PM

silly question but important....is there gas in the tank???? Other than that not sure. been told it could be a bad starter or carbs that need cleaning.

slicknick218 · 11-18-2007, 12:53 AM

It wouldn't be out of the question for the ignition switch to be going bad. I do know that the nighthawk will still fire with the fuel tank off because I have an 83 nighthawk 550 project in the garage right now. I can't say for certain on the honda but it does hold true for suzuki of the same era that if the headlight switch is broken or not making proper contact through it connections you can get a LOT of really wierd, seemingly unrelated issues.

cecilbdml · 11-24-2007, 05:36 PM

Either your ignition switch or your main power module (just after the battery) are failing. Neither one is particularly cheap to replace; neither one is particularly DIFFICULT to replace.

Considering the fact you have one of Honda's best, the expense, IMO, is worth it.

CB750F · 11-24-2007, 05:58 PM

Check the battery cables first. Sometimes a dirty or corroded one will do that. Sometimes they get corroded at the terminals where they met the plastic and you can't see that they are broken.

11-01-2007, 06:22 PM	#1
boyer242 Registered Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 1	1983 Nighthawk won't turn on I'm wondering if I can get any suggestions on why my nighthawk won't even turn on. I know that the battery is charged right now and it still won't work. A couple weeks ago it showed some signs of life when I turned the key on, but bit by bit when I tried to start the bike it died. Now not even the headlight or the controls react when I turn the key. Any advice would be great! Thanks.

11-24-2007, 05:58 PM	#5
CB750F Shantytown Mayor Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Huntingdon Co, PA Posts: 4,721	Check the battery cables first. Sometimes a dirty or corroded one will do that. Sometimes they get corroded at the terminals where they met the plastic and you can't see that they are broken. __________________ 07 Ninja 500 98 ZX6E

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11-17-2007, 05:09 PM	#2
KLN Registered Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: upstate new york Posts: 2	silly question but important....is there gas in the tank???? Other than that not sure. been told it could be a bad starter or carbs that need cleaning.

11-18-2007, 12:53 AM	#3
slicknick218 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: ohio Posts: 383	It wouldn't be out of the question for the ignition switch to be going bad. I do know that the nighthawk will still fire with the fuel tank off because I have an 83 nighthawk 550 project in the garage right now. I can't say for certain on the honda but it does hold true for suzuki of the same era that if the headlight switch is broken or not making proper contact through it connections you can get a LOT of really wierd, seemingly unrelated issues.

11-24-2007, 05:36 PM	#4
cecilbdml Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 348	Either your ignition switch or your main power module (just after the battery) are failing. Neither one is particularly cheap to replace; neither one is particularly DIFFICULT to replace. Considering the fact you have one of Honda's best, the expense, IMO, is worth it.