This means I need a new starter right?

what kind of wind does it take to knock a bike down?
You may have to invest in some anchors and tie downs like they use on light planes.

LOL
Well I think my rear suspension is sagging- the kickstand keeps the bike fairly upright. So it took a good gust of wind, but it was bound to happen.
I put on the shorter kickstand from my '79 850 and turned my rear shocks to the "4" setting in the mean time, til I get new ones.

Oh, and the bike fired right up with the new acid. Didn't even need to jump it, and also found the main engine ground and cleaned that up good.
Thanks for the help everyone!!

-Noah

alright I just went out and had an idea- took the battery out- it's completely dry.

I forgot that the wind blew my bike over twice- the over flow/vent tube must have drained out.
I'm gonna go fill it and see what happens...
That would make perfect sense why it tests fine but doesn't have enough juice to turn over. *d'oh!*

wish me luck!

what kind of wind does it take to knock a bike down?
You may have to invest in some anchors and tie downs like they use on light planes.

I forgot- it's a bad habit to jump a bike with a running vehicle, especially a car. You could possibly get a voltage spike from the car's alternator which might overwhelm the bike's electrics.

hope everything is alright- no fuses have blown.

If my battery is beat- at least now I'll know why. I put the new acid in a half hour ago so I'm gonna go put it all together and cross my fingers it works out!

[tom203]

Lights do dim when it's whirring. I jump started with both running vehicle and with battery booster, both with the negative jumper on the battery and on the frame,
-Noah

I forgot- it's a bad habit to jump a bike with a running vehicle, especially a car. You could possibly get a voltage spike from the car's alternator which might overwhelm the bike's electrics.

[tom203]

alright I just went out and had an idea- took the battery out- it's completely dry.

I forgot that the wind blew my bike over twice- the over flow/vent tube must have drained out.
I'm gonna go fill it and see what happens...
That would make perfect sense why it tests fine but doesn't have enough juice to turn over. *d'oh!*

wish me luck!

I doubt your battery will recover from this ordeal. Follow large wire down from battery negative terminal to where it hits engine block- clean it!

alright I just went out and had an idea- took the battery out- it's completely dry.

I forgot that the wind blew my bike over twice- the over flow/vent tube must have drained out.
I'm gonna go fill it and see what happens...
That would make perfect sense why it tests fine but doesn't have enough juice to turn over. *d'oh!*

wish me luck!

Back up a little- when you press starter do your lights stay bright while your starter is "whirring" ? Any extra amps from jump starting pushing thru the solenoid would probably cook it or the starter motor if either was defective. Are you jump starting with a booster battery or a running vehicle? Are you attaching negative jumper to bike's battery or to a frame ground?
Have you cleaned your main ground connection- the one that's near the starter? I know- too many questions!!

Lights do dim when it's whirring. I jump started with both running vehicle and with battery booster, both with the negative jumper on the battery and on the frame, both start the same. Bike fires right up NO prob.
Cleaned all the wire connections- maybe I missed, but don't remember seeing a main ground near the starter... took the cover off and cleaned the connection on the starter itself (but it was shiny clean anyways)...
At this point when I push the start button I get a buzz from the solenoid area and thats it- not really any spinning of the starter, but I think the battery is getting weak from trying at this point.
I'm gonna go out and see if I missed the main ground you are talking about- but I think we cleaned them all.. give me a location to find the main ground to double check.
Thanks for keeping with me on this, I miss my bike and it's starting to hit 30's and 40's at night here
-Noah

[tom203]

The battery has not drained- I've had this problem for about 5 days now, trying to crank it over and it's just whirring.. Lights are bright, the battery is about 2 months old. It always started awesome, just one touch of the starter button, just until one day it started whirring, like the battery was dead- but it's not.
Could it be a bad solenoid and the extra amps from jump starting it pushes thru/by-passes the bad solenoid?
The starter spins right over when I've got booster cables on.

Back up a little- when you press starter do your lights stay bright while your starter is "whirring" ? Any extra amps from jump starting pushing thru the solenoid would probably cook it or the starter motor if either was defective. Are you jump starting with a booster battery or a running vehicle? Are you attaching negative jumper to bike's battery or to a frame ground?
Have you cleaned your main ground connection- the one that's near the starter? I know- too many questions!!

Surface charge? a battery should not drop that much at all.

Repeat the starting test every 5 minutes and you may see that your battery has no signifigant ability to hold a charge.

I bought a nice new battery this summer went from dragging to cranking like a bat out of hell

oh yes and starting with a single touch of the starter button.

The battery has not drained- I've had this problem for about 5 days now, trying to crank it over and it's just whirring.. Lights are bright, the battery is about 2 months old. It always started awesome, just one touch of the starter button, just until one day it started whirring, like the battery was dead- but it's not.
Could it be a bad solenoid and the extra amps from jump starting it pushes thru/by-passes the bad solenoid?
The starter spins right over when I've got booster cables on.

I am just confused... I've read thru the stator papers, haven't seen anything with this symptom except this post.
Electrical stuff is the bane of my existence.
Luckily I've a 79 GS850 parts bike... but it sat outside for a while- so I don't know if swapping parts would tell me anything bc they too might be bad.

the battery tested 12-13 volts... when we crank it over it draws almost to "0" on the meter- then is right back to 12-13v...

figured bad bearings in the starter? everything tested fine

Surface charge? a battery should not drop that much at all.

Repeat the starting test every 5 minutes and you may see that your battery has no signifigant ability to hold a charge.

I bought a nice new battery this summer went from dragging to cranking like a bat out of hell

oh yes and starting with a single touch of the starter button.

Well, if it starts fine with booster battery, there is something wrong with your new battery , despite any volt meter conclusions. Don't rip out that starter just yet.

the battery tested 12-13 volts... when we crank it over it draws almost to "0" on the meter- then is right back to 12-13v...

figured bad bearings in the starter? everything tested fine

[tom203]

glad I found this post-my bike just started doing the same exact thing.
Turning over slow and weak, but the battery is fine, tested all connections w/ a volt meter. Everything is good, wires are good, cleaned all connections, Battery is brand new.
If I jump start it it starts and runs fine, but can't turn over and run by itself.

Well, if it starts fine with booster battery, there is something wrong with your new battery , despite any volt meter conclusions. Don't rip out that starter just yet.

On my bike I just removed the tensioner and was able to get the back two bolts out no problem. I don't know how what your bike is like though.

@JEEPRUSTY Thanks for the info!

I did all the tests, it was all OK and I cleaned it up good. It turns but slowly like the battery is weak. I replaced the battery last weekend and cleaned all the connections between it and the starter. I checked the starter clutch and it seems to be working properly. I think I just need a new starter.

glad I found this post-my bike just started doing the same exact thing.
Turning over slow and weak, but the battery is fine, tested all connections w/ a volt meter. Everything is good, wires are good, cleaned all connections, Battery is brand new.
If I jump start it it starts and runs fine, but can't turn over and run by itself.
How hard was it to get the starter out? I was wondering about getting to those 2 bolts in the back w/o taking carbs off- any info would help.
Thanks!
-Noah
(also - would a starter from a 79 gs850 work on my 83 gs850GD? My part bike is a 79)

Some of the parts I will keep just in case, but I also need the money. I have to find a balance.