Well, what a frustrating start it has been to having this bike! When I collected it from Rob's it had been sat for a couple of weeks under a cover in the cold and rain. When I started it, it was very sluggish but did eventually start - Rob and I looked at each other and said "new battery".
We made it home ok and then she took up residence in the shed. Each time I tried to start it, things were the same and I actually had to pull the clutch in to take a bit of load off before she would even turn over. I gave the battery a good charge and it was no different.
So I bought a new battery - no difference.
So I bought a new starter solenoid - no difference.
So I swapped the new battery for a "better brand" as recommended by the forums - no difference.
So I tried using my boost pack - no difference.
So I cleaned all of the relay connections - no difference.
So I gave every earth point a really good clean back to bare metal - no difference.
So I connected a jump lead from the battery earth to the engine earth - no difference.
So I removed the starter motor, connected it directly to a battery and it span freely. Replaced it - no difference.
So (clutching at straws now!) I checked the valve clearances (they were very tight) - no difference.
So I checked that the engine was turning freely and there was no undue resistance - there wasn't.
So I concluded that the starter motor is stuffed and can spin up when off the bike but not when there's any load on it. I've ordered a new one from Hitchcock's. If that doesn't sort it I can't think of anything else to do.
IT DIDN'T SORT IT!!!!
So I checked every electrical connector I could get to; pulled apart, cleaned and reconnected - no difference.
So I disconnecetd the heated grips controller from the headlight feed circuit in case that was pulling too much power somehow - no difference.
So I gave up and took it to a bike shop.
I got really messed around but eventually after about 3 weeks they had a look at it and.....
... found that the earth from the engine to the frame was non-existent and the earth from the battery into the loom was puny and probably partially broken or corroded somewhere so could take "normal" load but not the starter load. They connected a nice meaty old earth cable directly from the battery to the starter motor and BINGO! I still can't understand why my check on that by connecting a jump lead in the same way didn't work - maybe the jump lead is crap. In fact, I've never had much success using those leads so that could be the case actually.
Anyway, finally after about 2 months, she's sorted. I now need to get over the frustration I've felt and try to bond with her after quite an inauspicious start to our relationship.
