The famous starter click

[Chip]

Just a FYI; I had more trouble with my starter clicking when I had the 1.4kw motor installed.

I recently added a 2nd positive cable (already had 2 negative cables) and switched back to the 1.2kw motor.
My starter has only clicked once since doing that (very hot motor) and it started right up after rocking it one time.

I think our engines are almost too big for a motorcycle battery; so any kind of borderline capacity/charge or resistance issue causes a click.

When I keep my battery on a charger; not a trickle charge; I don't seem to have problems.

All of my starter clicks happened with a HOT engine. (the 1.4kw starter motor is a lot closer to the exhaust crossover)

Summer is almost over this year but late next spring I'm buying a new battery regardless of what my current battery reads.

The idea on the battery not equal to the task of handling a 2.3L engine has always bothered me. The H. D. 1450 c.c.. takes the same battery as my Rocket. Every time It gets around 50 degrees I have trouble starting. Anyone know of a better battery?

 

[R3T-Too]

The idea on the battery not equal to the task of handling a 2.3L engine has always bothered me. The H. D. 1450 c.c.. takes the same battery as my Rocket. Every time It gets around 50 degrees I have trouble starting. Anyone know of a better battery?

Man; this is part of what makes this such a frustrating issue.

I ride all winter as long as the roads are dry and the temp is above 30. (TX winter is barely winter at all)
I had a battery give up the ghost about 4 years ago during cold weather. Other than that my bike starts all winter without issues... It's summer that causes me headaches.

 

[Tripps]

One other thing to consider is the condition of the flywheel ring-gear and starter drive teeth. They should have a clean bevel to the gears to aid in meshing. Since the solenoid forces the starter drive to mesh with the ring-gear before it can spin, the condition of those teeth needs to be relatively good. No mesh = click, click.

Anyone know if the starter will engage with the engine running (I've never tried). If so, doing that a few times (by accident) will quickly destroy the ring gear and starter drive.

No, I've hit it by mistake

 

[Tripps]

The idea on the battery not equal to the task of handling a 2.3L engine has always bothered me. The H. D. 1450 c.c.. takes the same battery as my Rocket. Every time It gets around 50 degrees I have trouble starting. Anyone know of a better battery?

Motobatt. What brand of AGM battery is best? • Tech Talk • goldwingdocs.com

 

[Pete]

@Rocket Scientist
Mittzy is on the money with his comments. I took over a month to solve the dreaded start click and after replacing the battery, dismantling and cleaning the starter (twice), replacing the start solenoid contacts, installing an additional earth cable, repairing chafed ignition switch wires, cleaning starter button contacts, cleaning start circuit loom plug terminals - I found that cleaning the spade terminals on the start relay under the roadsters right side cover made the fkn sun shine again

The click appears to be caused by low volts to the start solenoid allow it to close (Making the “click”) but not providing enough volts to turn the starter. I opened the start button and found 12v at the terminal before closing the button and 8v when the button was held on. Of course this only happened 50% of the time, the other 50% the motor started like nothing was wrong.

Thanks to help from mittzy, ozrider and my beer fridge my mental health was maintained throughout the process.

 

[Chip]

Motobatt. What brand of AGM battery is best? • Tech Talk • goldwingdocs.com

I started to purchase this mottobatt battery. I looked at the specs on it and the length is a problem. The battery is listed at 8.07 inches long. My box is only 7.25" long.

 

[Tripps]

IDK, I'm on my second one, but in a Touring, I looked it up by my model and year on their site, and ordered what they said fit.

 

[Rocket Scientist]

@Rocket Scientist Fred, check and retention all connectors in the relay mount for your starter curium located left side cover towards the rear 5 pin standard relay.
your relay may not be providing enough grunt to the starter solenoid.....

@Rocket Scientist
Mittzy is on the money with his comments. I took over a month to solve the dreaded start click and after replacing the battery, dismantling and cleaning the starter (twice), replacing the start solenoid contacts, installing an additional earth cable, repairing chafed ignition switch wires, cleaning starter button contacts, cleaning start circuit loom plug terminals - I found that cleaning the spade terminals on the start relay under the roadsters right side cover made the fkn sun shine again

The click appears to be caused by low volts to the start solenoid allow it to close (Making the “click”) but not providing enough volts to turn the starter. I opened the start button and found 12v at the terminal before closing the button and 8v when the button was held on. Of course this only happened 50% of the time, the other 50% the motor started like nothing was wrong.

Thanks to help from mittzy, ozrider and my beer fridge my mental health was maintained throughout the process.

Thanks Mittzy, that sounds like it may be my problem, then reading Pete's post I'm sold. I'll tear into that relay and let you know what I find.

 

[Jabo75]

@Rocket Scientist
Mittzy is on the money with his comments. I took over a month to solve the dreaded start click and after replacing the battery, dismantling and cleaning the starter (twice), replacing the start solenoid contacts, installing an additional earth cable, repairing chafed ignition switch wires, cleaning starter button contacts, cleaning start circuit loom plug terminals - I found that cleaning the spade terminals on the start relay under the roadsters right side cover made the fkn sun shine again

The click appears to be caused by low volts to the start solenoid allow it to close (Making the “click”) but not providing enough volts to turn the starter. I opened the start button and found 12v at the terminal before closing the button and 8v when the button was held on. Of course this only happened 50% of the time, the other 50% the motor started like nothing was wrong.

Thanks to help from mittzy, ozrider and my beer fridge my mental health was maintained throughout the process.

Pete, any chance you can show us a pic of the correct relay? There are several under that cover.

 

[Pete]

Pete, any chance you can show us a pic of the correct relay? There are several under that cover.

I’m out on the road with the bike this weekend so I won’t be able get a photo until Monday.
Mine is a 2011 Roadster with two relays side by side in rubber holders under the right side cover. The one closest to the rear wheel is the start relay.