Suzuki VL125 Electrical Starter Issues? Advice Needed.

[Spk93]

Hello all, I'm looking for some advice.

On Thursday and Friday after two perfect starts in the morning, both evenings my Suzuki VL125 struggled to start in the evening after work. Pulled clutch in, ensured the stand is up/not out, checked the bike was definitely on and when pushing the electrical starter button, it did nothing. After re-checking things and trying again eventually it worked.

Over the weekend, I cleaned up the bike and charged the battery and checked it's health - all good. I went to start the bike and nothing. No dimming of lights and all other electricals are fine. All the sparks are fine and new, the cables from the battery are healthy, the clutch too seems fine so it's not that. The trip counter no longer works but I'm not sure if this is related?

I've checked out a bunch of pages of this forum and others and Googled but it seems no one has practical advice so now I'm needing to ask - What could/should I be doing to check and find the fault? Or do I need to admit defeat and pay a professional?

Please help me get back on the road. There's some lovely weather I'm missing out on.

Thanks.

[jaffa90]

How old is the bike?
Did you bypass/bridge the safety cut out switches ?

"""the clutch too seems fine so it's not that.""""??????????? What do you mean?

[Spk93]

[jaffa90]

Sounds like a safety switch and all need bypassing /checking one by one.

[Spk93]

[Islander]

If it recurs and you're happy that the clutch switch/stand switch is working correctly, check for voltage at the starter itself when the button is pressed. If you find voltage there, and it's 12v-ish, then the starter brushes are probably worn. If you find a lower voltage there then check the high current connections. If you don't find a voltage there then the solenoid isn't pulling in or the contacts are burnt out.

If that's the case, check the control wires to make sure it's getting 12v (or connection to ground depending on the way it's connected). If all is good there then it's probably a failed solenoid.

If the solenoid is suspect then you can test the starter by shorting the terminals together with an old screwdriver - be careful not to touch any ground points if you do this!

[redeem ouzzer]

FYI your back is electric start, not electrical start. There is a difference.
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Be a REAL MAN!

[Islander]

[WD Forte]

17 years old eh?
Good job starter motor brushes never ever ever wear out
so no need to check them
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bikers smell of wee

[Octapode]

If you just want to ride, push-start it.

I've got a similar age GN125 that similarly had an intermittent starter issue, seems in my case to have been the solenoid's contacts burning out (waiting on replacement to know for sure). You should be able to hear if the solenoid is pulling in or not, if it is then check the voltages as Islander said.

If you don't like shoving screwdrivers in contacts, a jumper cable from the battery to starter motor positive tests the motor just as well.

[ART-ADS]

sounds like the starter motor, had similar issues with a bike but turned out to be really fuckin dirty down there where the tart was kept, and pretty sure that was fucking with it, replaced the starter real cheap and works now
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98' RZ50, 92' H100S2, 03' VT125, 59' Jubilee 250, 05' varadero chop,

[Spk93]

Well, after getting help with some of the above and looking at things on my own, I did end up calling a mechanic. Basically, the inside of the electric* start housing, was caked in dust and debris somehow. It caused shortage in the wires. It's all been cleared out and resealed and waterproofed. Thankfully not a major issue.

Thank you all for your advice.