Just a click to the starter relay

[DEEBS11]

AGM battery. Question: What amperage setting is your battery charger on when you charge it? Is it an automatic unit or manual?

I just had a similar situation in the shop last fall and the customer argued for a few days back and forth on the phone that his battery was fine and that it was fully charged. He would charge it and get one start out of it and no second start. Classic bad battery. Voltage means nothing without amperage from letting it sit for months with no charge. The plates will sulfate and short internally. He brought it in to me and I put a battery load tester on it and it immediately failed. A new battery was installed and off he went. You should load test that battery.

[cajun31]

It is an AGM battery from oreilly, I’ve had it for about 6 months. The battery was out of the bike for the last 3 weeks while I was putting new gaskets in the engine. I live in socal, and put the battery back in and the bike had a sluggish start and then went to do it again and no start

As Deebs and I stated get that battery checked. It is just a good first step in diagnosing. Knowing the battery is solid rules it out of the equation. Otherwise you will be chasing your tail. OldYam, Peter, suggested you check the right hand switch assembly. Not a bad idea. On these old bikes the solder joints can come loose on the connections and just re doing the solder joints is not that difficult and is something you should check anyways. I had a bike that would not start after riding it and the bike getting up to operating temperature. I thought I had a bad starter or starter solenoid and it ended up being those connections in the right switch. Easy fix really and while you are in there you should check the contacts on the starter button itself. You can buy a replacement button fairly inexpensively on Ebay (yamaha xs1100 starter button for sale | eBay). As Diveray suggested It is never a bad idea to go through the bike and clean every electrical connection. I use Caig Deoxit D5 and have for years. It is a great product and gives you peace of mind that your electric is flowing well throughout the bike. deoxit d5 - Google Search.

[cajun31]

One other thought that came to mind after making my last post. Under the right side cover, what kind of fuses are on the bike? If the old glass type, well, that can be a source of problems. Most replace that old fuse panel with the mini atm blade type. 6 Position Mini/ATM Compact Fuse Panel (1 per pack) | eBay. Shop around Ebay and other sources to find the best price on this. I just posted this one to show you what most of us use as a replacement.

[DEEBS11]

[Bsinden]

I put the voltage tester to the battery and hit the start button and there was 12 volts. I then tested it to the terminal that connects the starter motor to the starter relay and that when below 2 volts.

[Bsinden]

Thank you for all the help so far!

[Bsinden]

AGM battery. Question: What amperage setting is your battery charger on when you charge it? Is it an automatic unit or manual?

I just had a similar situation in the shop last fall and the customer argued for a few days back and forth on the phone that his battery was fine and that it was fully charged. He would charge it and get one start out of it and no second start. Classic bad battery. Voltage means nothing without amperage from letting it sit for months with no charge. The plates will sulfate and short internally. He brought it in to me and I put a battery load tester on it and it immediately failed. A new battery was installed and off he went. You should load test that battery.

It was a battery charger and tender that’s suppose to keep it charged on post. I’m still going to take the battery to get load tested and see how that is and go from there. All your advice has been great

[DiverRay]

Probably bad battery cable. remove the negative and then the positive off the battery, and then remove the positive from the relay. Clean and check that you don't have a broken wire at the connector.

[Bsinden]

The answer to the question you keep asking:

Yes, the starter could be bad, but you have no reason to conclude that yet.

If it were me, I would jumper a car battery across the motorcycle battery and see how it behaves. It it starts normally, then your motorcycle battery is bad.

If it doesn't start, apply the car battery voltage directly to the starter terminal. If it still doesn't turn over, then connect the car (+) to the starter terminal, and touch the car battery (-) to the starter case. If it still doesn't turn, then you know the starter needs attention.

Otherwise, move to the next diagnostic steps.

Thank you very much for this! I followed it exactly and found out my starter is bad and put a new one and no problems now.

[cajun31]

depending on what all has been done on your bike I would still do many of the things mentioned. If they have never been addressed it will give you peace of mind knowing that you have checked everything out. Good to hear you have the problem isolated. No need to worry about the battery.

[oldyam80sg]

I have had at times due to medical issues not rode the bike for some time, but never had a starter go bad. Batteries yes but a starter no.I actually have a starter just in case. I have owned my 80 SG since 1986.

[DEEBS11]

Sigmund Freud once said "Sometimes a cigar (starter) is just a cigar (starter).

[Bsinden]

I have replaced the starter but now when the bike starts it immediately high revs

[DEEBS11]

The first possibility could be a throttle cable that is too tight. The second is an air leak.