Hi all

my friend's KLX runs great, but after sitting for about a year it now turns over very slowly when you hit the starter button. Here's a short youtube video we made to demonstrate the problem:
We installed a brand new battery and cleaned all the connections in the starter circuit (battery terminals, solenoid, starter motor, and ground wire back to battery). Didn't help. So now we're thinking it's either the starter motor or the auto compression release.

To test it, we removed the spark plug and cranked it over. It turns over a lot faster with the plug removed, in fact it sounds more or less normal. Here's the video:
So now we're trying to figure out what to do next. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide!

 

How old is the battery?

 

Before you installed the new battery, did you fully charge it first? Or can you check the battery voltage? Your first video doesn't sound completely unreasonable, just sounds like a partially discharged battery cranking.

I doubt it's the compression release, as many KLX owners deactivate or remove the KACR and the bike starts fine (or even better than before).

Let us know what you find, and welcome to the forum!

 

Most batteries need to be charged first. When mine went dead last month, I got a new one and noticed they want you to add the electrolite and then let it set for an hour to soak in before charging.
I guess that is why the battery only lasted about 1 year, I changed it in the middle of a DS ride in the parking lot and rode off immediately.

 

Battery is about a month old. Pretty sure it was charged before it went in the bike. Bike behaved the same with old and new battery.

 

Try jumping it from a car battery, but don't have the car running.

 

Any engine will turn over faster/easier with the plug removed.
like IDRIDR said, try jumping it with a car battery.

 

If you have access to a voltmeter, check voltage at solenoid lug and neg. term on battery. Compare that voltage while cranking with neg on terminal and then on engine case metal. If the voltage when grounded to case is more than .5v less than at battery terminal you may have a bad ground connection on the ground cable. Is the bike even trying to start?