No lights, unable to kick over

PatMat

PatMat

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Dec 28, 2025
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I have recently acquired a 1970 Norton Commando 750 Roadster. It has been running fine. Recently, turning on the ignition I am no longer getting any lights, headlight and brake light. It is also not kicking over. I pulled out the ignition switch and cleaned the connectors. Nothing. The battery is new, a couple weeks old. It has an electronic ignition, I believe it is a Boyers. What else should I be checking?
 
Check fuse. Check battery voltage, charge the battery. Do you have spark? Check your grounds. Do you have a multimeter?

I also own a purple 70' bike.
Are you in NY?
 
Got a nice spot inside for that bike? I'd be at your doorstep if I still lived in Brooklyn.
 
"Not kicking over"

Do you mean the motor has seized. ? It does not turn over?

Or do you mean it does not start when you kick it over?

i read it as the first ie the motor doesn't turn over. If that, and all the electrics are gone, I would check the rotor and stator on the end of the crankshaft drive side.

They can seized if installed with insufficient clearance.
 
Last edited:
Cleaning ign switch extermal spade connectors may not be sifficient...originals can jave worn/corroded contacts inside the casing. Test with ohmmeter from external connections. If bad either search for disaasembly instructions or buy a new one.
Try bypassing ign switch entirely to see if you can get lights again.

My bet is a blown fuse/corroded fuse contacts or ign switch internals.
If replacing fuse, note the brit standard rating is for immediate blow amps while North American spec is for operating amp limit...so a stock 35 amp brit fuse will be roughly 15 amp North American rating.
 
johnm said:
"Not kicking over"

Do you mean the motor has seized. ? It does not turn over?

Or do you mean it does not start when you kick it over?

i read it as the first ie the motor doesn't turn over. If that, and all the electrics are gone, I would check the rotor and stator on the end of the crankshaft drive side.

They can seized if installed with insufficient clearance.
Click to expand...
Thanks John,
It doesn’t start while kicking over.
 
Semantics.

Some people have said (regarding automobiles) it won't turn over. I show up ready to help with jumper cables, and the car whips over smartly, but doesn't start. (Out if gas)
Lay people never taught the meaning of what is happening with their engine. (And most couldn't care less)

Now I have the quiz for them. Does it turn over? Fast? Slow?
Sound like if usually does?
I have them imitate the sound. 🤣
Saves a lot of wasted motion.
 
Assuming still positive ground and standard pre-71 wiring, you should have Brn/Blu wire from the battery negative to the fuse. Then a Brn/Blu from the fuse to the ammeter. Then Brn/Wht from the other side of the ammeter to the ignition switch. Check the voltage at the ignition switch Brn/Wht wire to the battery positive. That voltage should be the same as across the battery. If not then you have a bad connection in that path. If that's good, turn the switch on and check the other side of the ignition switch to battery positive. Again you should have battery voltage - if not, then the switch is bad.
 
Has your battery discharged? A quick test is to turn on the headlight. It won't tell you if the ignition voltage has been interrupted some how or if you have the necessary 12V. Get a meter.
 
concours said:
Semantics.

Some people have said (regarding automobiles) it won't turn over. I show up ready to help with jumper cables, and the car whips over smartly, but doesn't start. (Out if gas)
Lay people never taught the meaning of what is happening with their engine. (And most couldn't care less)

Now I have the quiz for them. Does it turn over? Fast? Slow?
Sound like if usually does?
I have them imitate the sound. 🤣
Saves a lot of wasted motion.
Click to expand...
Yup. I read it and thought the motor has locked up. And then every reply was about wiring which to me ignored the main issue.

But them I realised all the answers came from North Americans and I began to wonder if there was a bonnet/ hood boot/ trunk thing going on.🙄

Certainly down here if someone says it can't kick over it means it's locked up.

But anyway. Clear now and time to get the multimeter out and trace a few wires.

Don't know what kind of fuse is fitted but I always prefer to change to a modern blade fuse instead of the glass tube ones which can be a bit unreliable. And check the battery.
 
johnm said:
Yup. I read it and thought the motor has locked up. And then every reply was about wiring which to me ignored the main issue.

But them I realised all the answers came from North Americans and I began to wonder if there was a bonnet/ hood boot/ trunk thing going on.🙄

Certainly down here if someone says it can't kick over it means it's locked up.

But anyway. Clear now and time to get the multimeter out and trace a few wires.

Don't know what kind of fuse is fitted but I always prefer to change to a modern blade fuse instead of the glass tube ones which can be a bit unreliable. And check the battery.
Click to expand...
You're not wrong. I wouldn't use "won't kick over" in this situation either, "bang off" maybe.
If my engine seized I wouldn't go straight to the ignition switch, or mention the battery. Had to be electrical
 
Update: All is well thanks to the advice I received from all of you. First of all, my knowledge of electrics is less than rudimentary at best and that added to my challenge.
I looked at the fuse first and it was fine. The battery, though, was dead. After charging it I went to put it back in. This time I had to take the left side panel off to hook the battery strap back on. There I noticed the ground wire had come off the capacitor next to the battery. That may have vibrated off since it had a loose fit when I placed it back on. ( I tightened it up before placing it back on.) Then, magic happened. One kick and it came back to life. I have not had this bike for long but it is rare that one kick would start it. I'm a happy man.
Thanks again for all of your advice.
 
PatMat said:
Update: All is well thanks to the advice I received from all of you. First of all, my knowledge of electrics is less than rudimentary at best and that added to my challenge.
I looked at the fuse first and it was fine. The battery, though, was dead. After charging it I went to put it back in. This time I had to take the left side panel off to hook the battery strap back on. There I noticed the ground wire had come off the capacitor next to the battery. That may have vibrated off since it had a loose fit when I placed it back on. ( I tightened it up before placing it back on.) Then, magic happened. One kick and it came back to life. I have not had this bike for long but it is rare that one kick would start it. I'm a happy man.
Thanks again for all of your advice.
Click to expand...
Glad you got it running that Matt. Tell us more about your previous Motorcycle ownership, your history, your experience.
 
Great you got her running again .
If the battery was found to be completely dead , yet a full charge up got her running again , you may consider a new battery seeing as batterys don't like to be left fully discharged for any length of time . Put a voltmeter to the Batt. terminals and see what it settles in at . Let us know .
 
PatMat said:
Update: All is well thanks to the advice I received from all of you. First of all, my knowledge of electrics is less than rudimentary at best and that added to my challenge.
I looked at the fuse first and it was fine. The battery, though, was dead. After charging it I went to put it back in. This time I had to take the left side panel off to hook the battery strap back on. There I noticed the ground wire had come off the capacitor next to the battery. That may have vibrated off since it had a loose fit when I placed it back on. ( I tightened it up before placing it back on.) Then, magic happened. One kick and it came back to life. I have not had this bike for long but it is rare that one kick would start it. I'm a happy man.
Thanks again for all of your advice.
Click to expand...
If you like the bike you should spend some time here learning... lest you lose a ground on the BQE at 4:30 on a Friday.
 
Torontonian said:
Great you got her running again .
If the battery was found to be completely dead , yet a full charge up got her running again , you may consider a new battery seeing as batterys don't like to be left fully discharged for any length of time . Put a voltmeter to the Batt. terminals and see what it settles in at . Let us know .
Click to expand...
Thank you. Will do. I don't know if it makes a difference but the battery is literally three weeks old.
 

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