Bloody bike won't start!

[wildpudding]

Hi everyone,

Last 2 weeks had the bike resist starting on a few occasions, just makes a "click" noise when the start button is pressed. Did manage to get it going eventually, but today no luck. When it has started normally it sounded a bit sluggish, like the battery was running flat, but its fine. Fiddled around with the kickstand switch on another occasion and it worked after that, but took it off the bike now and still just a bloody click.

Oh and I tried to push start it, but there is some mega resistance with the clutch in and in gear, very unusual couldn't build up and pace. Almost started immediatly after that but died then did the clicking thing. Driving me nuts!

Help would be appreciated, bloody annoying being intermittent, but i'm guessing something wrong with the starter motor?

Cheer,
Stefan

[James Deuce]

Definitely sounds electrical. If you've got a battery charger (not a car one) hook it up overnight and see if that sorts it. If it really is OK (the battery) then you'll need to check everything from fuses to the the current arriving at your plug caps.

That click is probably the starter circuit trying to engage but it doesn't have the juice to turn the starter over.

As Frosty is fond of saying Electrics are easy. Power in, power out, just like water down a stream.

[wilber]

Sounds very much like mine ,got harder to start and just died at an intersection coming back from a ride,would light up controls push starter and would click,traced fault down to battery after charging it failed.

[FROSTY:Me]

if it were me --Id use a light duty set of jumper leads and connect it to a car battery.
If the bike fires up with no problems it right away says there is a battery associated problem -if not then it might be the starter solenoid or the starter itself.
me id start with a new battery

[madmal64]

Could be a solinoid problem.

[KLOWN]

the starter motor on my car used to do that, turned out to be the battery.

[Crasherfromwayback]

Oh and I tried to push start it, but there is some mega resistance with the clutch in and in gear, very unusual couldn't build up and pace. Cheer,
Stefan

Rule number 1 thru 101 mate.....never bother trying to push start a bike in gear with the clutch held in. Even IF the clutch is well adjusted there's too much drag. Push it with the bike in neutral until you get up to a good speed, then as you jump on the seat either side saddle or normal, kick it into second as you put all your weight onto the seat to load the back tyre. Kawasaki's are the exception with their 'positive neutral finder'.....

[xwhatsit]

Rule number 1 thru 101 mate.....never bother trying to push start a bike in gear with the clutch held in. Even IF the clutch is well adjusted there's too much drag. Push it with the bike in neutral until you get up to a good speed, then as you jump on the seat either side saddle or normal, kick it into second as you put all your weight onto the seat to load the back tyre. Kawasaki's are the exception with their 'positive neutral finder'.....

Heh, I can do it easy with the clutch in and in gear. In fact, that's the only way I do it, as I'm too uncoordinated to be able to change it into gear before the bike has slowed down heaps. Of course, my bike is very light and single cylinder.

[Crasherfromwayback]

Heh, I can do it easy with the clutch in and in gear. In fact, that's the only way I do it, as I'm too uncoordinated to be able to change it into gear before the bike has slowed down heaps. Of course, my bike is very light and single cylinder.

Cool......

[surfer]

Definitely sounds like a battery problem.

Check the cells to see if the battery is ok. Sometimes a cell can be damaged and this will affect the load that it can belt out and also store, and don't forget to let the battery breathe when charging it up.

Make sure you disconnect the battery if you are charging it in situ in your bike before you connect it up to the battery charger.

[wildpudding]

The battery isn't too old(brought in august), and I've got a decent digital charger(CC/CV) for it, and it looked ok to me, voltage is about 12.5v at rest.
I'll buy a new battery anyway today and try it out(need one anyway for the other bike...), but failing that, where do I find the starter solidnoid?

Thanks heaps

[crazybigal]

did you check the voltage when the bike is at idle? if its not charging then it maybe your batt is fine but is being run flat when your riding.
check the chrging circuit before you go replacing the battery

The battery isn't too old(brought in august), and I've got a decent digital charger(CC/CV) for it, and it looked ok to me, voltage is about 12.5v at rest.
I'll buy a new battery anyway today and try it out(need one anyway for the other bike...), but failing that, where do I find the starter solidnoid?

Thanks heaps

[wildpudding]

Brought brand new battery today, same result just the click. Ok sweet as chuck in the old battery and see if I can crash start it. Nope, but hold up, the starter now works normally. Cool. Cranking, cranking, cranking, why wont it start now. Aaarrrgggh...

Pulled tank off to check for obvious shit, looks like theres fuel in the filter, so fuel supply doesn't seem the problem. Check for spark next, pulled out the number 2 plug and held it close to the engine and cranked a few times....and nothing! No bloody spark! This is starting to drive me nuts, and of course the weather turns good. Typical.

Um so yeah kinda a bit lost now, how would I sort this spark issue out, wheres good places to check?(mind you I'm not overly clued up on this electricity buissness)

Cheers,
Stefan

[T.W.R]

Pulled tank off to check for obvious shit, looks like theres fuel in the filter, so fuel supply doesn't seem the problem. Check for spark next, pulled out the number 2 plug and held it close to the engine and cranked a few times....and nothing! No bloody spark!

Just because there's fuel visable in the filter doesn't mean there's fuel getting to where it's supposed too, unscrew the float chamber drain screws a few turns on the carbs to see if the fuel is actually flowing through the carbs (e.g: bleed off some fuel).

Holding the plug close to the engine isn't going to help, you have to ground the metal shell ( the hex head & threaded section) of the plug against the engine to complete the electrical circuit (that's why the metal tab at the bottom is called a ground electrode).

[wildpudding]

Saturday pulled the tank off again, had a wee fiddle with things, didnt actually do anything, put it back on and fark me it started...!? Buggered if I know what was wrong, which concerns me.

Meh it goes now(well last time I tried). Not quite fully normal, but ok for the meantime I spose.

Cheers anway

Stefan