super beginner question about restoring a 79 suzuki gs 550

I recently was given a 79 suzuki gs550 as a gift(person was going to
junk it.) It ran 2 years ago, but it has sat in a driveway in Texas for
2 years. There is a bit of restorative work to be done on it, but I'm
interested in getting the engine to start first. I don't know much at
all about repair and maintenence but I'm wanting to learn how to get
this one up and running. (I'd like to make restoring bikes a hobby)

Anyhow enough backstory, here's my question:

When I turn the key, all of the electrical will come on, with the
exception of the horn. However, when I hit the start button, nothing
happens.

What I would like to know is what are some of the obvious issues I
should look for?

 

Some models of the GS550 had a safety interlock which required you to pull
in the clutch lever before the starter would operate. That's probably the
first thing to try.

 

Well apart from pulling in the clutch and making sure the kill switch is
ON and the battery has charge <whew> the three first stops are the
starter switch (1) the starter relay (2) and the battery terminals (3)

(1) only carries low current for the upside of the starter relay but
they still get corroded and gummed up. You can strip the switch but they
are full of tiny springs and ball bearings (pingfuckits). Easier to give
it a good flush through with a contact/electrical switch cleaning
aerosol.

(2) These can be part of or seperate from the starter motor, in either
case they can have their own fuse somewhere on the casing (you have
checked the main fuse board haven't you?)

(3) corrosion between the battery posts and the connecting terminals can
allow low current to pass but baulks at starting loads. Remove
terminals, clean both sides with wire wool, do not allow wire wool to
short to earth as it burns nicely )

 

Different type of starter engagement mechanism entirely so doesn't apply
at all. Other than that, not bad.
--
Dave
GS850x2 XS650 SE6a
Every post contains Nutri-Ceramide-R and Pre-Biotics
for your reading pleasure.
Folding@Home Team UKRM
http://vspx27.stanford.edu/cgi-bin/main.py?qtype=teampage&teamnum=47957

 

We got a good reading off the battery when we tested it - is there a
chance the rest of the electrical is giving me the problems?

 

It's a GS - if nothing else, the alternator and the reg/rec will be
shagged, or about to be.

On general principle, clean up all connectors in the loom and clean all
the earth points - they're chronic for corrosion.
--
Dave
GS850x2 XS650 SE6a
Every post contains Nutri-Ceramide-R and Pre-Biotics
for your reading pleasure.
Folding@Home Team UKRM
http://vspx27.stanford.edu/cgi-bin/main.py?qtype=teampage&teamnum=47957

 

Thus spake Hog () unto the assembled multitudes:

This is exackerly what happened to me last year with my Trident 900. The
starter had been steadily deteriorating for a couple of years, with
sluggishness especially in winter, culminating in complete deadness one
morning, which made me think something really nasty had happened (thanks
again to the regulars here for their advice at the time). The simple act
of cleaning it up gave it a dramatic new lease of life and it's been fine
ever since. Thinks: must grease the terminals one of these days...