SOME aspects of a motorcycle you can use "close enough" parts and be OK. The electrical system, engine, and (for the most part) frame geometry are not very forgiving of poorly executed creative solutions. No offense intended here, Josh. I don't want to see you or others get injured as a consequence of mis-matched parts. (Connecting a car battery to an engine full of starting fluid with a KNOWN backfire problem, is literally a hand grenade with no pin...) Get it repaired properly or get a different bike.

Sorry; upon a more thorough read, it sounds like you have the bike in reasonably running order. Glad to hear. Be careful.

 

what? it gets cold there?

Are you sure that your choke is adjusted correctly and that you have the proper start and pilot jets for your location? That bad boy should be starting up just fine with the proper battery and adjustments for your locale.

 

That gave me a few ideas regarding what to inspect on my own bike: a 03 1500 Mean Streak. I've tried everything electrical, but as you pointed out, it could be a combination of things.

But if anyone has any ideas as to why my bike won't start, or even turn over (just the classic rapid clicking sound). Replaced the starter relay, and am about to replace the starter motor and battery unless I get some other ideas.

Glad to hear you're back on 2 wheels again!

 

Yeah, i replaced everything with the correct parts...i don't mess around with that. I prefer to have everything in the correct order and working the right way...plus i tend to forget things, and if i start mixing parts/models/years...i would never be able to get it right again


As far as getting cold in Korea, yeah, its been below zero for a few weeks now. If i ride everyday, it starts and runs without a hitch...if it sits a few days or more, its more difficult. if i only drive back and forth to work, the battery drains within two or three starts...the ride to work is less than 2 minutes, so i only drive if im wayyyyy toooooo late to walk to work in time.

i drove it all last winter. never had an issue. this year i barely drove it due to living close to work. now i wish i would have lived further away from work

 

I've been reading other threads, and a bad or faulty ground cable can cause starting problems (or a bike to just quit running altogether) that act just like carb issues. I'm trying to figure out where or how to rewire a ground directly from the negative terminal. Any suggestions? I'll read some other posts to figure this one out.