[apagios]

Damn bike wont start. Its been giving me crap for past couple months, but was only couple times and spaced out so I was hoping it was a fluke thing. Now its been 4 times in the past week.

I turn the key to on, push the starter, and the solenoid clicks but no turning of the engine. Battley replaced the battery for me about a month and half ago thinking that was the problem. I have been religously plugging it into the tender though, and the tender says its fully charged. It happened last week, it started up fine before the MAD meeting, then when the meeting was over it was dead. push started it, rode to a MAD members house for safety wire stuff, started up fine 3 times after the push start that day. once this past week it didnt start up after washing it (I was very careful with the water) so I left a hair dryer on it for few hours thinking maybe I got it wet some how. It started up later so I let it run for a few minutes then turned it off and plugged into the tender until this morning. It wouldnt start, push started it rode to work, then thought I should try it again make sure it will start after work, no dice, so I push started it again and rode it to battley's to drop it off (their techs will be in tommorrow). Tried it again just for kicks in battley's parking lot, same deal no crank over, just clicks.

Sorry for the long post, was wondering if anything similar has happened to anyone else, I'm thinking either the tender is somehow burning up batteries (this current batt is only a 6 weeks old) or the starter is dead? I'll be calling battley's in the morning and figured if anyone has any advice mention it to them and see if they can check it out. Thanks for listening to the whole ordeal.

...And I thought my last gf was high maintenence... but then I thought, Nah the plus side to a Ducati is I get to ride her whenever I want; apparently my bike has been talking with the ex ("What?! Bikes can't have headaches!")

 

[zooom]

did you push the little white connector back onto the solenoid that sometimes works its way off?

 

[apagios]

Hmm I did not know of such a connector until now, I'll check that/ have them check it. And know to keep an eye on that in the furture. When I hear something from battleys ill post what they think it is. thanks.

 

[Turbo]

I've had something similar happen to me twice before and both times, my sidestand bypass caused it!

I don't know what bike you have, but I have a 2002 ST4s. In stock configuration, you can't start the bike with the sidestand down. This is a pain in the butt if you want to let the bike warm up while you get ready and you don't have it on the center stand.

Anyway, there are aftermarket bypass kits that link the sidestand to the neutral light. I have this on my ST4s. With the bike on the sidestand and in neutral, it will start. If you leave the stand down and put it in gear, the engine will cut out.

So, in my case, on 2 occasions, I had the bike on the sidestand and in neutral and when I went to start it, nothing happened!! Both times, if I sat on the bike and kicked up the sidestand, it started.

You might have a similar problem. You sidestand interlock may be malfunctioning, i.e. the bike thinks your sidestand is down when you go to start it.

 

[apagios]

interesting idea, thanks for the heads up. I have an '05 SS1000. Though I am pretty sure the side stand lock out would prevent the solenoid from clicking correct? I had assumed since the solenoid clicked, that the lock out from the side stand was not an issue. I know they had fixed the side stand starting thing I think in 04? the new supersports as long as your in N you can start the engine with it on the side stand as I do this almost every day letting it warm up for a minute or two while I put the helmet and gloves on.

But I dont really know enough about the starter system to diagnose whether some how my new battery is crap or the starter is bad. I know it clicks, but makes no attempt to turn over.

 

[jack]

Check the obvious things first, battery terminal connections, solenoid connections, starter connection, engine to frame connection and then the stater switch and light gauge wires. It sounds like a loose or dirty connection, especially since it works sometimes, but not others. If all the connections seem fine, put the garden hose on the side stand switch. It's probably something very simple. BOL

 

[apagios]

Thanks for the help guys, it ended up being the engine to frame ground connection was loose.