new battery - clicks - nothing else

Bike ran fine last fall. '83 KZ 440. Put in a new battery this spring, charged it fine. Got lights and all that. Push starter button and it clicks but nothing else. I don't have any testing equipment and don't know much about electrical systems. Any suggestions as to where to start or do I let a "pro" handle it?

It might be your starter solenoid. Try shorting across the two big copper lugs with a screwdriver. If your starter turns over, then that's your problem. If not, then your starter could be the problem...

Thanks for the response. Can you be more specific about the 2 copper lugs? The ones on the side of the starter/solenoid? I thought I had the right ones and got a shower of sparks - so . . . maybe I didn't. Thanks.

Welcome to KZr gooter.

If the connections to the battery or solenoid aren't completely secure, or are corroded and/or grounding out, the battery can still provide enough current to power the lights but not enough to fully energize the magnet located within the starter solenoid when the starter button is pressed.
So I'd first suggest on checking ALL of the connections to the new battery and the solenoid to make sure they're secure, not corroded, and aren't grounding out against anything metal like the frame or bottom of the seat pan.
Now if everything checks out there, you'll want to move on to testing the battery itself for proper voltage and amperage. It's not very common, but also not unheard of for a NEW battery to be defective.

Now if everything above is found to be OK, then you can try "jumping" the posts on the starter solenoid with a plastic handled screwdriver.
The two posts on the solenoid you'll be wanting to "jump", will be the one that has the thick red (positive lead) wire hooked to the positive side of the battery, and the thick black (ground lead) wire hooked to the engine case/engine mounting bolt.
With the ignition key on and the handlebar switch set to RUN, place the tip of the screwdriver end on one post (it doesn't matter which one) of the starter solenoid, then lower the screwdriver so that it touches the other post on the solenoid, effectively bypassing it and providing a continuous flow of power to the starter. You may see some sparks when it first touches, but as long as it stays touching the two posts continuously it shouldn't spark anymore than that.
If it spins the starter, then that solenoid is suspect as being worn/faulty.
If it does spin the starter and starts the bike, be sure to remove the screwdriver from the posts right away so that it doesn't overheat the solenoid or the battery.

Post edited by: RetroRiceRocketRider, at: 2006/04/23 11:30

Thanks for the info. I got a used solenoid and switched it out, hoping that was the problem. Nope. Same clicks. Jumping the solenoid posts did nothing. I tried to push start it and pop the clutch. I could get the motor to turn over and after a few tries the starter would barely make some noise. All connections are tight and battery is good. Just sounds like the starter is stuck. I'm thinking bad starter. I'm going to try to pull it out and take it apart even though I have no clue what I'm doing. However, I can read and will be consulting previous starter posts and my Clymer manual. We learn by doing right?

did you add the electrolite and charge the battery for about ten hours on a 2 amp charger?

When you pull the starter out, clamp it in a vise and hit it for a couple seconds with some jumper cables off your motorcycle battery and see how it spins. Then hit it with jumper cables to your car battery and compare the results. If the starter behaves the same with either battery then take it apart and check stuff like the brushes and bearings and suchlike...

I've got a 1.5 amp trickle charger. Could that not be "enough" to thoroughly charge the battery?

Nope...a 1.5 amp changer is perfect for a smaller battery,so don't worry abou it not being powerful enough.Charge it overnight with the caps loosened off(lay a rag or a paper towel over the top to prevent acid droplets from splattering around)

OK, I've got the starter out. Takin' things apart and haven't broken anything yet! Now, how do I check it with my motorcycle battery and jumper cables? Can I use regular car cables? I'm thinking I hook the positive to the wire connect on the starter - what do I do with the negative?

i would hook the negative to the starter shell and the other end of negative to the battery.have the positive end on the battery and touch the other end of the positive end to the lug on the starter.the starter should spin freely and quick.make sure its held down good and be ready to unhook quickly

Got the starter out. Tried jumper cables from m/c battery - nothing. Tried cables from car battery - a low growl from the starter but no spin. Sounds like it's frozen. I guess it's time to open up the starter and see what the guts look like.