Bad Starter?

Got on the bike and road today and it started immediatley. Was about to leave my friend's house, and wouldnt start. Sounded like the starter wasnt working right or engaging at all. Could it die this easy? I used the starter quite a bit a few months ago when I was testing it and getting it to run right. Could it be blown? What should I check for? Is there a way to get the bike running so I can get it back home without using the starter (cause it doesnt work)?
It was also very humid out today; could that be a factor?

Thanks
Dan

Oh and by the way, I ran a 9.44 in the 1/8 mile Wednesday!

 

take a screwdriver and short the 2 screws coming out of it... It'll spark... make sure the bike is on "run" and on... if it starts then most likely you're starter solenoid is bad....... Also charge your battery- I would do that first

 

Before you go replacing that solenoid, check and make sure you have voltage going to it on one of the soldered connections when you turn the key on. Has to be in Nuetral or clutch pulled in. If so try and ground the other soldered connection and see if it turns over. If it does, I'd be looking at the starter button as they get corroded and wont ground the circuit properly when pushed.

 

Put it in second gear and hold the clutch in. Have someone push you and pop the clutch once you get moving. It should get the bike started, and it should keep running provided your problem isn't electrical aside from the starter or starter solenoid. That will at least get you home.

 

Search: "Chinese Puzzle" in the archives.

Author: RickCoMatic

That will get you the play by play for cleaning the Starter and checking the Brushes.

(I hope the Starter Motor wasn't spinning with the Engine not turning-over.
That would NOT be good news!)

 

Rick, your "chinese puzzle" is in the post "starter rebuild" xj chat,
I recon i found it by accident.

 

Thanks for your advice everyone. Someone who lives near me happened to be parting out there bike, and I was able to obtain the starter. I swapped it out, and the bike started. I cleaned the terminals etc., checked teh relay (looks brand new), and retested my original starter because I was paranoid about it, and it still didnt work.
For some reason, however, my battery was juts about dead. I had to jump start it to get power. The battery is only 3 months old! I went to my friends house tonight, came back out and the bike was dead. I did the run start and it worked.
Anyways, any ideas why the battery might be draining? I noticed that when putting the bike in the locked position, if I click it one more notch the rear brake light will stay on. I am pretty sure I did not do this the past couple nights because I think I would have noticed the bright red light just as I accidently did a couple minutes ago.
Thanks again for your help!

 

maybe your alternator is going.