Clicking and not turning over

[SketchyTattoo13]

Hi, I'm having an issue with my 850l, I try and start her but all I get is a clicking sound from the solinoid, battery and solinoid are new and starter works when connected to a battery but it's not turning the engine over. Any help will be appreciated!

[dgates1]

Check all connections to the starter.. Lead from the solenoid, ground cable for starter, starter button, etc..

[salty_monk]

What about with the plugs removed? What about if you put it in gear & "bump" the engine a bit & then try again?

Maybe the motor is not getting full torque as well... Either connections as suggested above or the motor is worn out / dirty / worn out commutator

[rphillips]

You can arc across the 2 big posts on the solenoid, if it cranks doing that your new solenoid is not working. Don't let the sparks scare you.

[oldGSfan]

Share more info. Did it crank over the motor when testing the starter? Or was it just a starter bench test? Did you bypass the solenoid as per rphillps or what? Easy to test starter and solenoid, but that can be done individually, together, and with the motor. I'd take plugs out, put the bike in gear, and bump it to make sure the motor isn't seized, then go after the electric stuff. But that's just guessing as to what the condition of the bike is, and what you know about it.

[chuck hahn]

And try putting a jumper from one of the selinoid bolts to the neg battery post. sometimes they need a good grounding

[SketchyTattoo13]

I've gotten the starter to work but now it's spinning the wrong way, I have no idea what's the cause, any ideas?

[oldGSfan]

I've gotten the starter to work but now it's spinning the wrong way, I have no idea what's the cause, any ideas?

Is it a rebuilt starter? Guessing that it is something internal, magnets or brushes in wrong perhaps.

[rphillips]

Wondering what it took to get the starter working??? How sure are you the starter is turning backwards??? The rotation of the starter will be opposite of the rotation of the crankshaft, the direction is reversed as it goes thru the starter gear.

[SketchyTattoo13]

There was a loose connection on the positive post, resoldered it and it works but turns cw so starter gear just spins free, needs to spin ccw to crank

[Big T]

Wondering what it took to get the starter working??? How sure are you the starter is turning backwards??? The rotation of the starter will be opposite of the rotation of the crankshaft, the direction is reversed as it goes thru the starter gear.

Your bike doesn't have an idler gear?
Every GS I've seen does

The starter turns in the same rotation as the crank

[Big T]

There was a loose connection on the positive post, resoldered it and it works but turns cw so starter gear just spins free, needs to spin ccw to crank

You sure the starter clutch hasn't malfunctioned?
How do you know your starter is spinning backwards?

Your original post indicates the starter clutch has failed

[rphillips]

Think about that BigT !!! If the gear on the starter motor turns one way the gear on the starter clutch has got to turn the opposite direction. ..Don't it?

[KiwiAlfa156]

Ninety nine times out of 100, the solenoid (actually a starter relay) click and no crank, with a good battery a starter that spins when connected directly to a battery is a bad earth between the solenoid bracket and the negative pole of the battery. Try running a wire directly between the bracket mounting screw and the -ve terminal. Report back.