Hello, i have a Kawasaki vulcan 500 year 1994. Yesterday i was riding around, just practicing my riding im rather new to it. Just doing some basic take off practice mostly. Bout an hour or 2 into riding i parked the bike, turned it off to go use the bathroom. Came back to it turned the key, and went to hit the start button and all it made was a clicking noise from the starter relay solenoid. When i got this bike, the previous owner put a new battery in it as i picked it up. With help from friends when i first got it we put in a new starter this was 3 weeks ago. Its been ridden around for those 3 weeks without issue from starting. But now everytime i hit the start button the solenoid clicks once and the lights all dim until i release the starter button. Any help would be appreciated.
I bought a new battery hooked it up, same thing. Once click at the solenoid and lights dim. Nothing turns over no other sounds. My next idea is replacing that relay.
I havn't bought anything else besides a battery. Do not have a meter but i can go pickup whatever meter ill need. I put in a new starter motor listening to my mechanic friends advise. He said it sounded like the motor was grinding and it was a sign that it was going bad.
hmm was unaware of that. I know if your vehicle is there theyll come out and test whatever needs testing. I meant to go pickup my friends meters though.
These bikes don't charge well when idling round....If you were just going slow you may of just killed the battery from low RPM......With bike idling should show around 13 volts......Around 14,2 to 14.6 when reved up.......My guess is just idling low killed the battery.But best to check with a meter & be sure......If not charging than regulator is first suspect.
Well i had a new battery pre charged and hooked it up and it still did the same thing. I didn't get a hold of a multi meter today so couldn't check the volts in those stages. But with the new battery would if of not started right on if it was the battery?
1. When you get the meter, post back with make and model of it for my reference.
2. Did the new starter fix the grinding?
3. Did you take apart the old one to verify problem?
4. How many miles on the bike?
The new starter fixed the grinding. I do not have the old starter, at that time a few weeks ago it was at my friends house and i went over there to work on it and i am guessing he took the starter and junked it without my say so. The bike is old, the speedometer on the bike wasn't hooked up when i got it previous owner didnt use it he used an app, but it says 24k on that. Title says 40k so unsure of the true miles on it.
Ill put the battery on the charger for tonight and try again in the morning. I have 2 different set ups, an actual battery charger and a battery tender that can act as a charger. Should i just throw it on the actual charger?
I let it charge overnight on that tender. Put it on and still just clicked. But also when i hit the starter button all the lights on the bike dim or turn off till I let go the button still.
I got my hands on a multimeter and tested some things. The battery not hooked up to the bike was giving 13volts. When hooked up to the bike ranged from 12.3 to 12.6V. The solenoid was giving 12.3v. And to the starter motor i am getting 4.9V
Replaced the starter motor, bike runs fine now. Thanks for all your help guys.
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