If your hear the solenoid click, the solenoid contacts are probably ok. Since the starter isn't turning, you need to pull the starter motor to check/clean the commutator and brushes. It actually sounds like an arc spot on the commutator. It can happen when the bike is jump started from, say a car battery/charging system. I'd be willing to wage a bike with those few miles has been jumped more than a few times. Battery, cables and grounds would of course be checked before you even posted, so I'm thinking you already did that... you did that right?

 

Yeah, I did clean that one up as well Hawkds, even scraped the paint off the frame around the earth post, but you're right it is a tad on the short side and has a heck of a tight bend in it. I did pull the insulation back though and the connection looks good and solid, but I will put a longer cable in there to get a better curve. I've got some battery cable here in my workshop so I'll make one up when I get time

Clicker, I don't think the bike has ever been jump started in the 5 years before I owned it - it sat there under a tarp, forgotten about doing nothing as I understand so I wouldn't have thought the starter motor was the problem. But, thanks for the input I'll bear that in mind. Since cleaning everything up I've not been out on it but it has been spun over a few times (not started) and it spun up just fine every time so far - fingers crossed it's now sorted

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions - where would we be without forums like this?

Derv

 

That's great news! "If it ain't broke - don't fix it!" Good job Derv!

 

take the solenoid end cap off and pull the spring and the big copper contact ring out.
take it to a wire wheel and put it back together.
it'll be fine.
the big copper ring gets all nasty from all the contacts.

 

Starter's begun playing up again chaps, I'm going to try a new starter relay in there before I go through the bother of pulling the starter motor / solenoid ......Try the easiest thing first is my motto! It looks like some cheap cruddy Chinese thing anyway.

Does anyone happen to have the part number to hand - 2002 FXDL? Yeah, I know - "Go buy a manual"

Derv

 

Hey Derv, maybe I didn't see it it but how old is your battery? Have you charged it with a smart charger to a completely charged state (12.8v) then take it to a auto repair facility or a good bike shop and do a load test on it. If this is the original battery maybe it's time for a new one.

 

Here's another approach, check out the testing procedures in the DIY section of testing the stator and rectifier/regulator. You can test for voltage to the battery while the bike is idling (13.2v-13.4) and above 2000 rpm (14.2v- 14.4v). Keep the battery connected to the bike, just go across the top of the posts.

 

First thing is to load check the battery. Take it to a motorcycle shop and they should be willing to check it on the spot even if they are very busy. It only takes a couple of minutes and if it's bad they get a battery sale out of it.

Then, if the battery checks fine do exactly what Tech is telling you and your problems should vanish.

 

It sounds to me like a bad connection when the solenoid engages. When you hit the starter the solenoid is energized and shoots the starter teeth into the ring gear(clutch basket teeth) and at that point the starter motor should engage but if the contact is not good it will just click and not spin the starter. that is where i'd be going first. You might be lucky (only 1500 miles on it) and be able to clean the contacts to fix the problem.

 

Battery was new last October when I bought the bike SSG (genuine harley one) - I insisted on it before making the deal. And yes it's topped up periodically with an "Optimate" bike charger. It's def not the battery though, something is just not making a good connection, when it makes the battery spins everything up just fine.

As the fault is intermittent it's either the starter relay or as Jax says a bad connection in the solenoid. I'll try the easiest first which is to replace the starter relay as that's just a "plug it in" job. Just need the part no so I can get one ordered.

I've just returned from a 200 mile ride out, and every time I turned the ign off, it wouldn't re-start first time - took several presses of the button before the motor spun over. I've had a similar problem before on an old BMW and that was caused by the starter relay, but just to be sure I'm going to take it out tomorrow and put a meter across to see what happens. Problem with starter relays is that it could meter out fine on the bench, but could be collapsing under load - maybe better metering it in-situ (sorry just thinking out loud )

Derv