starter just clicks - anti climactic rebuild

I recently just finished assembling my 79 SR (after complete disassembly and resotration) and the other night after finishing up the wiring, all my lights and stuff worked, but when I hit the starter button, all I hear is a "click". So I immediately thought battery issues. So I charged up my new battery again (it was already charged) and still the same thing.

So I'm wondering if the starter is having trouble engaging.

The engine turns over fine with kick starter. And I know the starter worked before I took the bike apart.

My wife is losing confidence in me (She told me I would never get the thing running again!!) Help me prove her wrong!!

It may be the starter relay. Turn on the key, pull in the clutch and jump the relay lugs. If it spins over then you know the relay is bad.

tap on the starter soleonid the tend to stick sometimes
it is a easy fix if you need toreplace it

to be honest I don't know where the starter relay and solenoid is. Are they both on the starter itself?

thanks

Probably under the left hand side cover. Follow the big wire from the battery positive terminal, it connects to the relay/solenoid.

Same symptoms, mine was/is the starter. to test, take out the starter, hook up jumper cables to the positive lug and negative to the mounting hole, other negative to your motorcycle battery, and touch the positive lead to the battery. If it spins hard, then you could be OK, but lets check something else first.

take the two long bolts out so the endcaps can come off of the starter. If the endcap opposite of the gear is full of black powder, then you need to replace your brushes.

Thanks for the help guys. I jumped the lugs and sure enough the starter kicks in. But my starter button on my handle bar doesn't work.

Would that still be the relay, or did I just do a bad job of wiring?

Thanks again, I'm a beginner when it comes to the electrical stuff

Thanks for the help guys. I jumped the lugs and sure enough the starter kicks in. But my starter button on my handle bar doesn't work.

Would that still be the relay, or did I just do a bad job of wiring?

Thanks again, I'm a beginner when it comes to the electrical stuff