The starter relay is designed to redirect power from the battery to the starter solenoid, which then activates the starter to spin over the engine. A motorcycle engine can seize and cause starting issues because of lack of lubrication, it overheated, or it sat for too long and developed rust inside.

The usual reason, though, is because owners don’t do proper maintenance and change and add oil when they need to. Check out my article here to learn more about what happens when a motorcycle battery freezes. The exposure to oxygen eventually changes the chemistry of gas which can lead to gum and varnish deposits.

Adjust voltmeter to DC volts (20 volt range). This site is owned and operated by Cannon Entities LLC. Some days it will work fine and others it won't. I put a button on the end of the solenoid just in case. Want to sell Cyclepedia Manuals?

If you have a kick starter engine, a good way to tell if the engine is seized is the fact that the kick pedal will not move at all because the components inside the engine are stuck in place. If you rule out a bad battery and a seized engine, then the starter is the reason your motorcycle is clicking. Arrowolf Member. It’s harder to start, harder to brake, more... My name is Kyle Cannon and I love everything about motorcycles. I have replaced the starter thinking that was the issue. 12.4 volts is considered 75% charged, 12.2 is considered 50% charged and so on.

Stabilized gas should not be used after 6-12 months. Rode it 200 miles the other day making a couple stops, no issues.

Hast the starter where the the starter and solenoid are one unit. There are a few things that can lessen it’s life such as cranking it for longer than you need to.

I did that second thread, never seen Creepers stick art animation of ChrisC's ambidextrous side, http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=366313, http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=139171, (You must log in or sign up to reply here. Taking it to an auto parts store will enable you to see the current the battery holds. ). For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Will the engine turn over? Battery reads 12.6 volts. Meter the current at the solenoid. Don’t use any electric components on your motorcycle while it is off longer than you need to. I have been able to, at times, click the starter switch several times and would get lucky. Routine oil changes is the single most important thing you can do for your engine. Then I'd use an old butter-knife that I kept in the car to link the negative and positive on the starter and make the starter crank over; if the car's warm, it would startup, otherwise I'd swing the key again and pump the accelerator and it would startup.

link to Why Won't My Motorcycle Start In The Cold. Here are some ways you can prevent that from happening. link to Can You Jump Start A Motorcycle With A Car? Why is my motorcycle clicking when I try to start it? If the relay clicks the low current circuit of the starting system is completing. If the battery doesn’t give enough power, that magnet doesn’t have enough power to turn the flywheel of the engine. The contact points inside the relay can get burnt and even though the relay is working to close the high current contacts ( that's the click you're hear), if the contacts are burnt they won't transfer enough voltage to activate the device they are controlling, i.e.,the starter. Sent from my Motorcycle iPad app . There’s also a phenomenon called parasitic drain. Anybody got a idea? Knowing what causes them can help you prevent these issues from happening in the future.