I recently started repairing my bike from an accident. Everything looks fine (mechanically), however, when I press the starter, I can hear a tick come form under the my front seat. The bike doesn't crank, and I only hear the tick once. It seems to be coming from a little green box sitting next to the batter. What is that box? Could it be causing the problems? How might I fix it?
Can't get it running
1 - 20 of 43 Posts
Joined
·
17,602 Posts
Your battery terminals are loose, or your battery is bad.
Take a 10mm wrench and tighten the bolts holding the leads to the terminals. Do NOT use a Phillips screwdriver--you won't be able to tighten it enough before stripping it out.
If that fixes it, you're golden. If it still won't start, get a battery tender. You should have one anyway, a $30 investment will lengthen the life of your battery by one to three years when used regularly. Hook it up and let it charge until the green light comes on.
Try it then.
If it still doesn't work, your battery is probably bad. Only way to test that is with a multimeter.
Take a 10mm wrench and tighten the bolts holding the leads to the terminals. Do NOT use a Phillips screwdriver--you won't be able to tighten it enough before stripping it out.
If that fixes it, you're golden. If it still won't start, get a battery tender. You should have one anyway, a $30 investment will lengthen the life of your battery by one to three years when used regularly. Hook it up and let it charge until the green light comes on.
Try it then.
If it still doesn't work, your battery is probably bad. Only way to test that is with a multimeter.
Joined
·
17,602 Posts
I missed that question. As Doxie said, it's the starter relay. The wires coming from your ignition switch are too small to carry the current needed to start the bike.
So, when you hit the starter button, it closes a circuit inside that relay. Power flows through it, which then creates an electromagnet. That electromagnet then closes a switch that allows a LOT of current to flow to the starter. The thick cables you see attached to it are coming directly from the battery. I think they're 6awg? Somebody wanna double check that? The wires coming from your starter switch are only about 18awg (the smaller the number, the thicker the wire).
If your battery is low or the connections are bad, just enough power will flow to the relay to close that switch, but not enough power can flow to turn the starter motor over.
Yes I meant to do mention that information on the first post. The battery went dead, so I charged it. Then I played around with it enough to kill it again, but charged it again. It appears to be holding a charge well. It was at full capacity the last time I tried it. The wires seem to be connected well, and if I remember correctly I screwed the wires back on well enough. I can double check again to see if everything is still connected well. O, and the fuses inside the box are working and in place ( I had to put them back in, they were jarred out, but not damaged)
I'll try to tighten it all again. I have a multimeter so I'll check the batter as well.
If it's not the battery or wires, what should I do?
Joined
·
17,602 Posts
If that doesn't work, your starter motor might be stuck. Get a RUBBER mallet and tap it a few times. Then try starting it. If that makes it work, your starter is dying. That's pretty rare, though.
I bet it's either a low battery or a bad connection. Check the connections at the battery, at the starter relay, and at the starter motor.
If you charge it, and it reads >12V when the bike is off, good. Keep the meter probs on the terminals. Hit the starter button. If the meter reads really low (<9V or so), and nothing's happening, your battery is bad.
The starter motor circuit is incredibly simple. It includes the starter button/switch, clutch safety switch, kickstand/neutral safety switch, battery, starter relay, and the starter motor. That's it.
I bet it's either a low battery or a bad connection. Check the connections at the battery, at the starter relay, and at the starter motor.
If you charge it, and it reads >12V when the bike is off, good. Keep the meter probs on the terminals. Hit the starter button. If the meter reads really low (<9V or so), and nothing's happening, your battery is bad.
The starter motor circuit is incredibly simple. It includes the starter button/switch, clutch safety switch, kickstand/neutral safety switch, battery, starter relay, and the starter motor. That's it.
Ok, I'll check what the voltage is like when I try to crank it. Everything seemed fine the last time I was down there( connection and battery wise, even made sure the battery was good and in there). I know the starter motor works, I connected it to my car batter and it went a buzzin. I'll come back with a battery report while trying to crank.
Joined
·
26 Posts
The suggestions about checking the battery voltage are good, a fully charged battery should be around 12.6 volts+. You may want to check to make sure the bike is in neutral and the clutch is in when trying to start it. If the battery is good and it does not turn over and just clicks, pull the plugs and try it then. You may also want to put it in gear and push it with the clutch out to see if it is locked up. This will also sometimes free up a stuck starter. You can also wire around the clutch safety switch with a circlip and check the kick stand safety switch. good luck< MST
Joined
·
17,602 Posts
If any of the safety switches (clutch, neutral) aren't working properly, he won't even get a click at the relay. I doubt it's one of those.
So I just went and checked it.. My tester wont gauge what the batter amperage is like when it actually clicks. I gave it a few tries and tested it, after about 3 tries it was down to around 10 - 11 amps. Then I tried starting it again, the voltage regulator started tapping rapidly (like machine gun fire). I held it down for a second or two and then it quit. Afterwords I checked the battery and it was down to about 8 amps.
Ok. I hooked the bike up to my car's battery. It still gave a popping noise out of the voltage regulator. once I believe it started to get some power to the starter, but it was very very short lived. Is there anyway I can check the voltage regulator? Can I take it off? Should I take it to a shop? (I'd prefer not to take it to a shop)
Joined
·
10,486 Posts
That's not necessarily true. some car charging circuits won't allow enough current to start a bike without the car running.
If the battery is registering less then 12.5 volts at rest and then drops below 9 when you try to start it, the battery is toast.
You can take the battery to Advance auto or autozone and they should be able to test it for free.
1 - 20 of 43 Posts
Join the discussion
