Topic: Solenoid clicking

[B.O.X.N.I.F.E.]

I tried starting the bike today for the first time in weeks after a full rebuild. Nothing, just solenoid click. Checked some connections, still nothing.

I jumped the terminals on the solenoid with the ignition off (should have been on though I think). Realized my mistake and turned the ignition on. Before I jumped the terminals I thought I'd try to start it again for the hell of it and it wa-la, started turned right over.

So what was the likely culprit here? It's working now, but having not discovered what the problem was it seems likely to retun at some point.

[750goes]

I'd clean all your connections from the Positve battery terminal and solenoid...nice and clean and firm contacts...and make sure the battery is fully charged. then if still clicking - time to pull the solenoid apart, or replace it.....

[lordmoonpie]

I just had the same issue but on my Ducati - cleaned all the wiring from battery through solenoid to starter and same clicking. Replaced the solenoid and it fires first time...good luck!

[Tretnine]

Give it a love tap. Show it you love it but you're not going to take any crap.

[Johnny5]

Mine did this after putting the bike back together. Turned out I had a bad ground.

[B.O.X.N.I.F.E.]

Mine did this after putting the bike back together. Turned out I had a bad ground.

Where at?

From the above posts I figured it was the solenoid (i gave it a love tap too, forgot to mention that).

But I had the bike out today, stopped for gas and turned off the lights like I always do (leave it running during refuel). When I turned the lights back on it revved way down and almost died. Turned them back off and some of the cluster lights stayed half lit. Weird??!

[750goes]

That sounds like a bad ground or you are losing electrical contact somewhere.....

[Gorms]

If the solenoid is clicking, it is obviously getting power.  The solenoid should be the only thing between the + battery terminal and the starter motor (which is grounded by the engine case).  If it clicks and the starter motor doesnt turn, it seem like the only two problems could be the solenoid is clicking but not actuating (solution = fix or replace solenoid) or the solenoid terminals or wire ends are corroded and not making contact.

Im a noob with these wiring harnesses but I just went through something similar today when I couldnt get the solenoid to work at all.  Turned out to be the main fuse that was corroded and not seated properly.  But I went through every possible troubleshooting process I could think of first.  

[Johnny5]

Yep, my bad ground was the "big one" coming off the battery. I had to scrap a little new paint off to expose the metal.

[Hush]

Everyone is on the money here, clean terminals, tighten ground wires, pull fuses and check for bad connection, charge battery to full.
After that it's take the solenoid apart, it's not that hard and you can just ease the top half away from the bottom half to clean the big metal pads inside it if you don't want to de-solder the wiring.
New one's are available and not a bad investment in a 30 year old bike.