Just back from back surgery on 8/31, Doc did great and I was eager to take a short jaunt, bike was a no start.
Battery was dead, so checked the tender, showed green until turn on switch then goes away so check battery, dry as popcorn. WTH? Less than year old so refill, put on a trickle charger and take to the shop to verify will hold a load and is OK so far. Reinstall battery, go to start and click. Now the starter won't even pull thru, hard hit click and no crank again WTH so I think someone is trying to tell me NOT JUST YET!
Bike sits, have a starter ordered with primary case gaskets, will work on this in a couple weeks when weather is crappy and I do not need to go for a ride.

 

Before digging into everything you might look at the sticky about adding a second relay ... if you haven't already added one ... it might save you a lot of work ... it has solved my starting problems

 

If your bike is the same as mine.......Under your seat you've got 2 or 3 relays (black square ones,) tucked into sleeves of rubber. Push the starter and one of them will 'click'. Switch that one with one of the others next to it and test your starter again.

 

First what year/make/model are we dealing with here??
Second get rid of that trickle charger as it is obviously defective.
I say that because it overcharged your battery causing the fluid to boil off.
Third did you even pull out a volt meter before deciding your starter was the problem??
I'm willing to bet not and I'm also willing to bet your starter isn't the problem.

 

IME, "load tests" performed by the local auto parts store are worthless. Time and again I've had them tell me a battery is "good" and it still wouldn't start the bike. I install a new battery and BAM! Instant start!

i seriously doubt you need a starter. I suspect your battery is cooked.

 

I've never used a battery tender and never will... Tell me, do you use one on your car? How well is that battery holding?

Glad to hear your doing good....

 

My thoughts exactly. I'd put in a new battery before replacing the starter.

In three decades of motorcycling, all in cold weather climates, I've never used a tender. Never had a problem with batteries failing either.

 

I only use a battery tender when I pull the battery out of the bike and store it over the winter.

 

See if you can jump start it off of a vehicle.

Don't have the vehicle running, matter of fact don't even have the keys in the ign switch.

My bet is the battery

WP

 

Had the tender on for around three days, like to start my rides on a full charge as lessens the amp draw hit. 1993FLHS, 81ci EVO. Had a start issue before, once in awhile would find a weak or dead spot where starter would clunk in, not just a relay and yet not crank but would bump thru if cycled start switch, did draw a reasonable amount of amps enough to dim the headlamp just not crank. As to battery, not certain if was dry before or after the tender, may have a regulator going south but not running cannot as yet tell. Battery volts after I charged it 12.9, drops to 12.0 when starter engages but does not turn over, rebounds right back to 12.8 and handles the lights with no issue. Was a wrench on trucks/cars and heavy machines for decades before moving into power generation line, know when a starter is not functioning but is getting power. Solenoid section of starter is getting signal, line voltage at starter motor is just as at battery as checked both ends of cable.