[csbdr]

hey all!  Bike was running fine. Parked for a few weeks (I know, I know....) came out to dead battery (expected)  Charged it up and wont start.  I can hear the starter solenoid (I think) clicking (under one of the side covers) when I hit the starter button,  but no action from the starter motor on a now full battery. Was working fine before. No problems.  Any suggestions? 

[Ducati Scotty]

First, make sure the battery is really fully charged.  To test it, turn on the ignition and lights and let it sit for a minute.  A real minute, 60 seconds.  Check the voltage at the battery.  If it's not 12V or higher your battery is weak.

I had the exact same symptoms and for me it was a solenoid.  You can get a replacement under warranty or buy any larger, aftermarket scooter/jetski solenoid at a local shop or on the net.  I know of several that have been replaced.

I believe one or two riders also had a flakey starter, just a bad spot on the commutator.  Put the bike in gear, force it forward just a bit to turn the engine and starter, then back in neutral and start again.  If this starts the bike then it may be the starter motor itself.

Another tip that can help with both issues is to remove the shunt behind the headlight that forces the lights to be on all the time.  SinghG5 has posted a videon it.  Then you can turn your lights off when you want and get all the juice from the battery to start the bike.  If either the battery or solenoid is marginal this may get you rolling.  If either is really crapped out it may not.

Regardless of which problem it is you can always kick start it

[Marrtyn]

Just connect with jump leads to a car battery. If it starts then its the bike battery, if it does'nt then it's something else. Perhaps start with the solenoid.

[barenekd]

Sounds like the solenoid is working, that is the clicking you hear. There's just not enough juice in the battery to spin it. The car jumper will confirm this.
Bare

[Ducati Scotty]

Sounds like the solenoid is working, that is the clicking you hear. There's just not enough juice in the battery to spin it. The car jumper will confirm this.
Bare

That's what I thought but it's not the case.  I got a reliable think from the solenoid every time I hit the starter.  I  even checked all the resistances and they were in spec but the bike did not start reliably until i got a new solenoid.  The battery can be easily and definitively tested as noted above.  If that's ok then get a new solenoid.

Scott

[TCP]

The clicking should be the starting relay.

Are you getting any humming at the starter motor?

Basic electrical checks below.

Check for blown fuse.

I all good, test for voltage at the starter to see if it is a wire break somewhere in the starting circuit.

If no power to the starter, you  need to backtrack to the starter relay.
It sounds like the relay is activating (click) so you have to see if you have power in and out (in from 12VDC - power through the relay & out to starter.

I don't want to be pedantic, but not everyone knows how a relay operates, so here goes.

Relay has a magnet coil and switch contacts.
The coil operates when the activating switch is pressed.  In this case the starter button.  

The switching contacts change state when the coil pulls in (energized by the switch)
The input generally comes from a separate point of power and is turned on and off by the relay operation.  

The load of the relay coil is very small and allows a smaller gauge wire to be used for the "pilot" circuit.

The switched contacts are rated at a higher amperage to accommodate the load to be served by the relay.  

This scenario eliminates the need to run larger wires all throughout the system.

Sorry about that - I drift off sometimes.

If you have power at the starter and try to start unsuccessfully, the starter should be getting hot as in trying to start against a locked rotor condition.  You don't want to do this test for long, because locked rotor currents are multiple times higher than running currents and you will likely pop the fuse if you do or damage some wiring.  

It has already been discussed on other topics how the wiring on these is just barely adequate.

Next would be to remove the starter and bench test it with 12VDC power source.

Best to do this in some kind of vise.  Careful to protect the starter body from scratches with some kind of pad or heavy cloth.  Starters are a bit torquey, and could jump out of your hand and bite you.  Also, just touch the terminal momentarily.  Starters are not made to run for duration.

If all this works, and you still can't get the motor turning, something is drastically wrong internally.  I doubt it though, since you were riding a few weeks ago.

Good luck.

Caseman

[csbdr]

Thanks everyone!  This gives me some direction. i am getting absolutely nothing at the starter motor....zip. I'll try top shut the lights off. I already made that mod. Hadn't thought of that. I should be able to jump it then, if it's the battery? OK, I'll give that a go. Unfortunately I have  C5 so cant kick it. believe me, thats one thing my POC Ural does have over this bike!

Where is the starter relay on the C5? i have storage issues lately so it's been out in the rain more than a few times lately. my ural would fry starter relays if they got wet. But, when that happened nothing would respond. No *click* from the solenoid.  

[csbdr]

oh, and the clicking doesnt sound like a relay click. I know what those sound like. This is a more "solid' sound, like the solenoid moving when it gets juice.

[Ducati Scotty]

Sorry, thought you were a G5.  You're a C5 just like me.

Your solenoid is mounted to the frame on the left near the back of the seat.  There will be two large wires and two small ones going to it.

There are different types of solenoids, some expose the battery wires and some do not.  If you can see the terminals where the battery wires connect you can use a screwdriver to touch the two terminals at once and bypass the solenoid.  This will send full battery current right to the starter.  PLEASE make sure you're in neutral before you try that and know that there will be a shower of sparks.  If the wires just disappear into the black plastic of the solenoid you have a sealed type and jumping with a screwdriver is not an option.  Push starting is

The more symptoms you list the more it sounds EXACTLY like the problem I had.  Test the battery with the lights on as noted above, try starting with the lights off, but I'm betting your solenoid is done.

Scott

[Arizoni]

The clicking does sound like the starter solenoid relay is getting power from the start button but if it has an internal problem making contact between the battery input terminal and the starter output terminal that would explain the non starting issue.

Perhaps giving the body of the solenoid a whack with the handle of a screw driver while the starter button is being pushed will allow the contact that's connected to the solenoids armature to make contact?

If that works, it is definitely the solenoid.

[TCP]

Very old school approach.

Always worked with my old Chevy.

Had to climb underneath to do it.

Two man operation that one.

This can be done on your own.

Caseman

[Sub]

I had this issue! But mine wsa sort of a slow death.. it would not work some days and work others.. here was my fix till I got a new part:

try: taking a screwdriver and whacking the cover of the start motor. Give it a good whack or two and hit the starter button. If it works, then your have the problem where the contacts or whatever inside are in just the right spot to not do anything. If it starts after (like a miracle - I know whacking it sounds funny), then you need a new starter motor. I had mine replaced and I haven't had an issue since.

Could also be kickstand switch.

or solenoid as some mention.

or wiring harness is frayed - look carefully inside the fuse box area.. pull the wires out a bit and hit the starter. Mine were shorting against the metal (had dug into just the right wire about 1/2mm (barely noticeable) and my bike died mid run and wouldnt start, almost stranding me! But I was blowing fuses then - so check your fuses too. If I recall, It was clicking too when my fuse was blown.

Could this be wiring harness or starter button related - I know yours was replaced.

Good luck!