Won't Start, get sinlge click, 2003

Just bought a 2003 and having starting issues from the get-go.

Turn on key, lights and FI go, hit start, and get a loud, single click from back in the battery/relay area.
It did this 2 weeks ago and wouldn't start for about 12 hrs, then all of a sudden decided to start. I've started it about 5 times since and it seems to start weak. Then, today, nothing but a loud click again.
Battery tests good.

What's my issue?

Thank you,

Jake

 

New battery my brotha.....bring yours in and have them check it...hopefully thats all it is. Good luck
Oh, pictures of said bike man

 

Your starter relay is back there, check 30 fuse there, check output of relay with meter.

 

Sounds like you have a bad connection somewhere. Even though they may look good and seem tight double check your +and- cables on the battery by loosening and them re-tightening and the + connection on the starter relay.

 

Make sure the bike is in neutral and jump across the solonoid, if it cranks over problem is in the solonoid

 

check the key switch. of the 4 wires coming out of the ignition lock cyl 3 recieve power in order to run the bike. my bike had a wire not getting juice for whatever reason. changed it out, easy day.

 

but you get a click, so it's prolly not the ignition switch. I'd go through your relays as others have said.

and get that new battery tested, just because it's new, it doesn't mean it's not garbage.

 

Could be starter, if solenoid is working, and you are getting 12vdc at output, starter is intermittent.

 

Had this exact same thing happen to me 3 times, it happened to be a loose allen head bolt connector at the relay / fuse junction where it clicks. the retards who did that harness recall probably didnt tighten it down enough and it worked its way loose. I tightened mine up and havent had a issue since. Next time it does that take the seat off and while holding down start button jiggle that harness or tap that area where the green fuse block is at, it will start up. It might be hard to see the allen head bolts as they have a rubber boot cover thing on the top but lift it up and youll see 2 small allen screws at the green fuse block. lift the rubber cover under that yellow circle.

 

Starter Location:

Per your PM

 

Thank you for all of the great replies! It sure helps a new owner. After looking all the over all of the connections and the relay, I pulled the starter motor and tested it. Starter motor is junk. I'm looking online for a new starter motor. Any recommendations out there?
Thanks again.

 

Sorry to hear it's shot, but glad you found problem. How many miles on your 2003? I have got about 35K, so I wonder how long these last.

 

I would start with ebay. Otherwise good sites for new parts are ronayers.com and partzilla.com.

 

Only 17,000 miles.

 

Check your PMs, I made a PDF of the starter motor dis-assembly. Worth trying first, could be something simple.

 

Thanks again for all of the great help. It was the starter motor. To get my VFR back on the road quickly I bought a used starter on Ebay and had it shipped to me in 2 days for $50. I am going to go through the old starter motor sometime this winter.

Enforcer