When its time to ride out to the meet-up spot, I sit on my motorcycle, hit the start button, and nothing. Or even worse, youre on the full-dresser, hard bags stuffed-up and ready for a cross-country tour when you press your ignition button but your motorcycle clicks instead of starting. If the wind is too low, you could need a new battery (which is convenient because youre already at a parts store). Turn the ignition on, kill switch off, transmission in neutral, etc. The exposure to oxygen eventually changes the chemistry of gas which can lead to gum and varnish deposits. If youre lucky, the problem is just a low charge. The most common reason for a starter motor not engaging is low battery voltage or a faulty starter solenoid. If they do roll, your engine is fine. Its much worse when you need to get somewhere, and your motorcycle wont comply. coming from. Reconnect it and try again. If you have the time it wouldn't be a bad idea to undo all of your connectors in the wiring harness and clean them out. You need a fully charged battery in the bike.Your bike does not have an alternator it has a generator. First, if your battery is low, check the charging instructions for. Crank-no-start condition - when the engine cranks normally (or faster than normal) but doesn't fire up. The motor could be worn if the solenoid is worn on the used starter. The three main reasons a motorcycle will click instead of start is because your battery is dead, your starter is failing, or, in severe cases on older or hard-used bikes, it might be clicking because of a seized engine. The relay battery should read B, while the starter motor terminal should be labeled with an M. Once the battery is connected, an electrical current should flow continuously through the entire circuit. The best offense is a good defense; routine maintenance per your bikes OEM-suggested spec intervals includes frequent oil changes and inspections. and the solenoid is polarizing the starter motor just fine. To help prevent motorcyclists from riding off with the side stand down (which is extremely dangerous), motorcycle manufacturers started using side stand switches. Starter Clicks Rapidly, But Bike Never Ignites, 4. battery connections are good & tight, properly lubricated, no corrosion. In this situation, deciding what to do can be difficult. did you try push-starting the bike?clean & dry the spark plugs with a propane torch. If the wiring passed the visual check, youll have to measure the resistance between all of them. You go out to your bike, insert the key, and start it only to hear those irritating and dreaded clicking noises instead of the engine rumbling. If you have power coming from your start button it should be measurable. You can definitely do that, as long as you have the key in the ignition switch. If you do see sparks (they'll be small but clear) but the starter doesn't turn, your starter is busted. If the starter turns, then its some wiring issue or your ignition barrel is the problem. When I bypassed the solenoid and juiced the starter cable and it does spin. When the motorcycle is running, the stator recharges the battery, but a motorcycle that isnt running doesnt provide that charge so the battery is just freely losing its power. How To Downshift On a Motorcycle Swiftly? Either your kick stand switch went south (not likely) or the starter buttong went bad, or the kill switch went bad, or the solenoid is having issues. The starter should now engage and turn over the engine. Chat us for guest posts and personalized ads, Motorcycle Starter Relay Clicks But No Crank, When you try to start your motorcycle It clicks. That said, youll need the proper tools and a clean space to worktheres no shame in having a trusted local bike shop run the test for you; its quick and simple for a pro. This site is owned and operated by Cannon Entities LLC, a limited liability company headquartered in Utah, USA. Now just because the relay doesnt click doesnt mean its the fault. If you get no response to your test light the solenoid contacts are bad. I have ran into this problem many times myself through the motorcycles Ive owned these past few years. You go out to your motorcycle, put in the key, and try to start it only to hear those annoying and dreaded clicking noises instead of the rumbling of the engine. But before you even do this make sure the battery is fully charged, that can also be a major factor in a starter failing. Youll have to improvise with this one. If its any lower than that, you likely wont be able to get it started at all, thus you hear the clicking sound. Touch the 86 wire to the battery's positive post, and the 85 wire to the battery's negative post. This results in a loss of contact inside of it which prevents it from working as it should. Also check ground strap from engine to frame. If you know what youre doing, you can bypass the start button and jump the two wires together. 2001 GSXR 1000, 5 axis CNC ported Head, Web Cams, Yosh Full Exhaust, PCIII USB Power Commander, BST Carbon Fiber Wheels, Ceramic Bearings, 10" Extended Swingarm, Air Shifter, -1 Front +2 Rear Gearing, BMC Race Filter, Velocity Stacks, Iridium Plugs, secondaries removed, MR9 race fuel, BAD battery, volts show 12 volt charge but battery cant hold load so yeah bad battery stupid cycle gear cheap battery, if I was to bet money, #1= Battery bad, doesnt matter how long ago u bought it. Read the labels to tell which is which. Third, remove your primary cover (follow the step-by-step instructions in your manual) Fourth, remove the compensating sprocket nut and clutch hub lock ring. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. First, disconnect your battery. Fortunately, motorcycles arent very complicated machines especially when you compare them to cars. Copyright 2020 - 2022 Webnews21 (GMW). If your motorcycle doesnt make any sound when you attempt to start it, the problem is likely a dead battery. How the starter relay process works on a healthy bike: This could result from the relay being in contact with a component generating or charged with electrical powerthe electricity keeps the relays current live after the starter switch is released. 12.2 is already only partially charged, as 12.6% is what they call a fully charged battery. Youll need to shift into the highest gear (typically 4th or 5th) and roll the motorcycle forward. Those clicking noises can rapidly spoil someones day. no dimming of lights in the process (no clutch switch, kill . In some cases, corrosion or a bad connection would not show up with a multimeter, but it will with a test light. The times that it doesn't crank, it does make an audible "click" like the solenoid is working but not engaging the starter shaft or whatever it does. Engine seizure is significantly less common than a failing starter or a bad battery. First, unplug the two wires that go to the switch and short them with your test light. Turn the key again and the car fires right up. Move the wheel and turn the key again and all good. Lets cut to the troubleshooting process and break down the symptoms of a bad starter relay and look at the specifics. Now that weve covered the reasons a motorcycle clicks when you try to start it, lets discuss what causes these problems in the first place. If the test light did not light up while testing the control side of the start relay in the previous test, then its time to move on to the various safety switches that are found on all motorcycles. Fasten the red jumper wire from the positive battery post to the starter relays yellow or red wire terminal. Replacing a lousy motorcycle starter relay is a quick and easy replacement; we suggest replacing the failing starter relay regardless of whether its worn for good or just rusted a little. Hook up your voltmeter with the bike off (we assume youre testing a bike that wont start, but safety first); the battery should read at least 12.5 volts. You removed it and worked on it so likely something went wrong there. Unstabilized gas in a motorcycle can start going bad in about 30 days. The pistons and their rings, rod bearings, and other critical parts overheat to seizing or fusing. This can lead to it intermittently working. So it won't crank. Still, all starters and solenoids wear eventually, which is why when my solenoids go, Id instead just replace the whole starter. Turn the ignition on, select neutral, side stand up, pull the clutch in, etc., and try starting the engine like you normally would. By continuing to use this site you consent to the use of cookies on your device as described in our cookie policy unless you have disabled them. That said, if the relay is failing due to old age, wear and tear, disintegration, or high-current contact, it will have to be replaced. They both tested good. Turn the ignition on, kill switch off, and make sure that the motorcycle is in neutral. The primary and most usual reason is that the battery has died. Youll need to put the motorcycle in the highest gear (usually 4th or 5th gear) and roll it forward. The starter relay should click. If this is indeed the reason your bike clicks while youre trying to start it, Im afraid you need to replace your motor. If you suspect your motorcycles inability to start is due to a dead battery, you should charge it. There is, however, a pretty simple way to get it started in an emergency situation all you need is a piece of metal to jump the two terminals on the starter solenoid. Hearing clicking without the starter motor moving means the solenoid is transferring the electricity, but it may not be enough. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. A battery that is low on voltage will cause the injectors not to fire. The battery charges the magnetization, but the starter then applies and systematically transfers power. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. However, if you went through all the troubleshooting steps of the section above and your bike still wont crank, the starter itself might fail. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". 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