starter will not engage as if the safety switch isnt working

I am new to working on motorcycles but have learned alot over the past few months from reading VFRWORLD experts.

I have an 84 Vf500f. Yesterday it started right up and I let it run for about 15 mins. I shut it down then hit the start button a few seconds later and nothing. I have a fully charged battery, the bike in neutral, kick stand up, clutch pulled, and kill switch off, still nothing. The starter relay doesnt even make a sound but does have power to it to the main post just not the post that goes to the starter. I was able to get the starter to engage by bypassing the starter relay with a pair of pliers but it won't run and the plugs wont even fire. This leads me to believe it has something to do with a safety switch wiring issue issue. The fuses are all good(unless there is a line fuse i missed) and the lights come on when the key is on, the headlight even goes off when I push the starter button. I messed with it all night.

Some wierd things that happened while I was trying to figure it out last night:
1. the neutral light will now come on when I pull the clutch lever even if it is in gear.
2. I did get it to fire once with the starter button (not sure how or why) and it ran for about 6 seconds then died and now back to starter not engaging.
3. one time when I hit the starter button the tach needle went all the way up then back down even though the starter didn't engage.

FYI: I did order a new relay which will be here next week but I am not convinced it will change anything since it won't run when I bypass the starter relay to engage the starter. I did have CDI box go out recently but replaced it and it ran afterwards just fine. I wonder if whatever made the CDI box go out is now causing this issue.
Thanks for the help.

 

I think you are on to something there TinkerinWstuff. I was able to get the bike to start by using a Flathead screw driver to do the job of the starter button tab. I took the button apart to clean it and bend the metal tabs for a better connection but it still won't work without the screw driver being used so I am just gonna order a new starter button.
Thanks for the help. At first I was skeptical this would work because when I was bypassing the starter relay I couldn't get the plugs to spark. Again thanks for the advice.

 

Picking up on the clue that the neutral light comes on unexpectedly, i conclude that your starter relay interlock DIODE must be replaced.

 

I have a starter relay and start button in the mail. They should be here anyday now. I got a start botton from a 4th gen VFR. I couldnt find much about compatibility with my 1st gen but I think it will work. I will let you know what happens when the parts arrive. Thanks for all the input.

 

Reg71, I think you jinxed me. lol. I guess the problem wasn't that easy.
I put a new stater relay on and no change.
I put the new starter button on and no change.

I am thinking the problem has something to do with a safety switch. The reason I think this is because when I run a wire between the "black wire" and the "black and Green wire" in the start switch, then press the start button the bike starts right up and runs fine.
I would just leave this wire jump in place but I am afraid it will drain my battery or worse cause something to overheat when riding. I am going to find a wire diagram and try to track the issue down. Any suggestions?

 

Ok, It is now back to life and I feel like an idiot.
It was the fuse for the ignition. I had visually checked the fuses initially and they all looked fine. The starter even worked 2 times using the using the starter button. I pulled the fuse today to check it with a voltmeter and it shows bad. The metal inside the fuse was barely separated (the reason I thought it was good) and I assume that it was so close that sometimes the arc would jump the gap and the starter would work.
Not all bad though. I needed to change the starter relay because someone had taken the fuse box off and ran a wire across anyway.
As for replacing the starter switch, the new one came with throttle cables and my cables needed replaced anyway because the casing was cracked.

TinkerWstuff: I also found out that a starter switch from a 4th Gen WILL work on a 1st Gen.

Thanks for all the help. Next time I will take my time and check the easy stuff (Fuses) better.