Hey guys,
Ran into some trouble with my bike over the last two weeks. I've been driving it around town for a few months with no issues. I took it for a longer ride last week (1 hour, 60 miles). Drove fine, parked it and turned it off like normal. Came back to it and it wouldn't start.

It would try, just wouldn't fully kick over and go. I tried pop starting it, also no luck. I shifted it up and down gears, tried using the starter some more until the battery died. Tried popstarting it again and jamming on the shifter a bit and on the 9th try of popstarting it started and ran fine.

Drove it around town a few more days without issues. Took it for a long drive again today, same thing. Drove good, turned it off, left it for a few hours, came back, tried to start, but wont. Tried the same things, checked all the fuses and wiring. This time I hooked it up to my car to jump it (after I tried starting it so many times that the battery died.)

Even connected to the car it wouldn't start. Finally, while I had the key turned, I started stomping down on the shifter. On a real hard kick down, I heard the fuel pump prime. Tried to start it and it started right up, drove normal.

Does anyone have any idea what may be going on with my bike? Why would I have to jam down on the shifter to get the fuel pump to prime and the bike to start?

 

Im guessing the jamming on the gear shift only wiggled the bike and disturbed a short , or bad ground somewhere. Since the shifter really has nothing to do with the fuel pump.
The pump should prime regardless of what gear the bikes in. I'd be checking the wiring.

Start wiggling the harness by the pump, kill switch , ignition , bank angle sensor etc.. see if you can get the pump to prime consistently.

Id say the kickstand as well, but by the sounds of it , the problem is there in neutral as well, so the kickstand wouldn't be the cause there.

Really the only thing that makes sense to me , considering the circumstances.