Starter just makes click sound everytime I press it

[Jtech88]

Hey everyone

I'm new to both this site and to the motorcycle world so bear with my noobness.

My bike has been doing this thing recently where I get on, go through the start up procedure correctly, my lights turn on, my horn works, but when I press the electric starter, it just clicks once. All my lights stay on. Every time I press it, it clicks but my engine doesn't fire up. Is it my battery? I thought since my lights and everything were on it might be something else? Any help would be great! Thanks!

[Dupo]

Battery is dead. Lights will still work, not enough 'umph' to crank the starter though. Most likely needs to be replaced.

[alanmcorcoran]

Jtech,

Just in case: Do you have the kickstand up? Is it in neutral or is the clutch pulled in? The GZ has an ignition lock. If the kickstand is down, you have to be in neutral. If up, you can start it in gear, but you have to have the clutch in.

Assuming you are well aware of the above, you might want to check out how to "push" start the bike. I left my rear lights on overnight and killed my battery about four weeks after I got mine. I was able to push start it and re charge the battery. The experts recommended you push start in third. I got mine going in first, but I used a very gentle slope to get going. Key was finding the right balance in letting the clutch out: too fast and you immediately stop, too slow and the engine won't catch. Good luck.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by Dupo

Battery is dead. Lights will still work, not enough 'umph' to crank the starter though. Most likely needs to be replaced.

:plus1:

Most probably correct.
If you could have someone watch the headlight, it is probably going almost OUT when you push the start button. It normally dims a bit but not much.
A small battery charger connected for a few hours should get you going temporarily.......enough to make it to a battery shop for a test.

[Water Warrior 2]

Originally Posted by alanmcorcoran

Jtech,

Just in case: Do you have the kickstand up? Is it in neutral or is the clutch pulled in? The GZ has an ignition lock. If the kickstand is down, you have to be in neutral. If up, you can start it in gear, but you have to have the clutch in.

Assuming you are well aware of the above, you might want to check out how to "push" start the bike. I left my rear lights on overnight and killed my battery about four weeks after I got mine. I was able to push start it and re charge the battery. The experts recommended you push start in third. I got mine going in first, but I used a very gentle slope to get going. Key was finding the right balance in letting the clutch out: too fast and you immediately stop, too slow and the engine won't catch. Good luck.

Just a bit of clarification. The clutch must always be pulled in to start the engine. Will start in neutral with the side stand down. Will not start in gear with the side stand down. Added safety measures for legal reasons. Too many Darwin Awards issued in years gone by.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by Water Warrior

Just a bit of clarification. The clutch must always be pulled in to start the engine.

But the sensor switch is associated with the LEVER on the handlebar, right?

I was thinking about the thread about broken clutch cables.......and remembering how, in the days of old with no clutch safety, you could fiddle with it until you got it in say 2nd or 3rd gear and then START IT IN GEAR and stop with the kill switch. I was thinking that would NOT work anymore............

BUT, now I think it might if you have the clutch lever "pulled in" so that the safety is defeated.
Yes.....no.....maybe ?? :??:

If it does work, that is an easy way to limp home; even did it once with a VW beetle. Not so good if you are on a freeway, of course......and maybe not enough battery on the GZ to make very many stop/restarts on the way.

[patrick_777]

I was thinking about the clutch and clutch safety switch today in regards to the broken clutch cable as well. If you accidentally kill the engine without a working clutch cable, starting it might be next to impossible.

I'm going to lube my clutch cable as soon as I get home now.

[Jtech88]

Ok guys

well I tried several things to no avail. I charged up my old battery which initially worked for about a week and then that same single "click" sound from what I think is my starter relay. anyway, I bought a new battery and wired it up and it still makes that click sound. I checked my spark plug and its not sparking. So is the probelm my relay? Sparkplug? any help would be awesome.

Thanks everyone

[alanmcorcoran]

Couple of things from Dr. Obvious here...

I'm assuming you charged the new battery, yes? Sounds like the battery is not being re-charged by the charging circuit. See other threads about the electrical circuit, such as viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1893

Also, make sure your bike does not have any mods that overtax the charging system - which has little tolerance for anything not stock. Simply putting the wrong bulb in the headlight can draw off too many amps. Some of the foreign bikes had some different parts than the US version (CDI) so be advised.

[alantf]

How many miles on the bike? Same thing happened on my last bike, which was ancient when I bought it. Took it to the shop, & they found that it needed new brushes in the starter motor. Not expensive over here. No problems after they replaced the brushes.