Bike not starting, though starter relay clicking

[Mig21]

Hi

I rode my bike (a 2005 Vulcan 500) from work today and left it sitting out in the sun for a couple of hours while I had dinner.

Then I was going to leave and it wouldn'd start. When I press the starter button there is a very fast clicking noise I've never heard before but not the strong, turning noise of the starter I'm used to.

After trying many times I managed to start to hear the turning noise, felt like almost long enough for the engine to start, but not quite.

I think I traced the clicking noise to the Starter relay on the side of the bike (not the starter circuit relay inside the junction box), this is the part that makes it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onHSKQCt4eE&feature=youtu.be

The question is - is it likely to be a relay problem? That would probably a relatively cheap part to replace and no need to tow the bike to the shop. Or is it just a symptom of a problem somewhere else, like the starter motor itself?

The manual has a test for the relay, but that test doesn't involve the starter button, so I'll run it tomorrow but I don't expect that to give me a 100% sure answer.

Any ideas appreciated, thanks in advance!

 

[bitzz]

It is likely a battery and /or charging problem.

 

[frekeyguy]

No sound on my work computer.

But clicking = battery is not strong enough to star the bike. (WHY)

1. Is not charging properly.
2. Battery is weak/old
3. Parasitic draw.

Try putting the battery on a charger - and see if that resolves the issue. This just sounds like a battery issue. If it start us - check to see how well it is charging.

 

[defect_9]

+1 for everything frekeyguy said.

 

[skip]

Yup you have a weak battery. The question is why. frekeyguy gave you th possible reasons.

 

[Mig21]

Yep, it was the battery, thanks guys! I was overanalyzing it, should have tried the obvious first