Won't Start - Clicking Sound Only

[davelondon 48]

HI,

 

My 2013 nc700x dct is not starting and I'm ashamed to say my mechanical skills are zero!

 

I turn on the ignition and the dash and lights all go on and you hear a noise as always.

Press the starter button and I hear a loud regular intermittent clicking  sound but engine does not start?

 

So my first guess is I need to check the battery?

 

Stupid Question 1.

 

How do I check the battery (location and access)? Its in the frunk, correct? Do I have to undo bolts to get to it?

 

I dont have a voltage checker so I was going to just put it on charge whilst in the bike, would that work?

 

& any of ideas before I have to pay stupid money to have it towed to a garage would be helpful?

 

Should I try a jump start from a car - any dangers to the bike with this?

 

Any ideas appreciated  

 

thank you (blushing)

Edited January 19, 2016 by davelondon

[PNE 96]

Sounds like there's not enough power in the battery.

If you look in the frunk and take the tool bag out of the way there is two Phillips type screw's remove them and pull the cover away you will see the battery. I would take the battery out to charge it and that is just two more screw's and a strap to release.

I would not jump it as it advises against it in the manual.

Not that hard really.

Edited January 19, 2016 by PNE

[Englishman 165]

Has the bike been standing i.e. without being used for some time?

[Guest miguelsanchez666]

There is no need to remove battery from the frunk. Just make sure that you use correct charger. I can recommend Oxford optimiser. It does come with handy lead with socket that you can hide somewhere behind fairing and get your charger connected any time without getting access to the battery compartment.

It's "intelligent" charger so once battery get charged it will stop charging and keep maintaining optimal voltage.

https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_rev/46459

Edited January 19, 2016 by miguelsanchez666

[aquaboy 105]

Yes flat battery, the clicking is the solenoid trying to engage the starter. Once it engages, the motor  try's to spin and takes all the available power (not enough available because the battery is down) so the solenoid lets go.  Because the motor is disconnected

again then the current is just sufficient to pull the solenoid again. This repeats continuously and its what you are hearing when you press the starter button.

 

If I was going to jump start it I would put the earth clamp down on the engine some where and put the positive on to a substantial

screw driver so I had a in effect a positive probe.  The battery terminals are so small you cant really get car type jump  leads on safely.  Its all such a tiny set up the amps are not huge to kick it into life.  Make sure you get the righty terminal tho/   

[bikerbampi 542]

How's about checking that the battery leads are done up tight before anything else?

[Guest The Ronin]

Spooky! The same thing happened to me today. That icy weather really kills the battery.

[Rev Ken 6,343]

If you want to jump start it from a car battery do as suggested above (although I usually manage to attach the jump lead to the battery terminal making the screwdriver redundant). However one warning.... DO NOT have the car engine running! As has been said bike batteries are small and if you run the car engine you can do a lot of damage - hence the recommendation not to jump start as Honda want to reduce the possibility of damage. Still if you get an optimate and top up your battery that is the ideal way so long as you don't need your bike immediately. Oh and I've never had to take a battery off to charge it - I don't like unnecessary work! 

 

(If you have to buy jump leads they should come with simple instructions on the recommended order of connecting them - but ignore the idea that you should run the car as that is for car to car, not car to bike!

[bazza 3,629]

On a general note there are boosters being sold that simply plug into the accessory point ( sold mostly for cars) . I dont know if these are any good -can anyone say who has one?

[roddy 845]

Same thing happened to me yesterday as well, going to check battery today to see if it loses its charge? If so its a new battery

[bazza 3,629]

Same thing happened to me yesterday as well, going to check battery today to see if it loses its charge? If so its a new battery

Roddy I had a dead discharged gel battery a few years back that I was going to ditch ( sorry recycle)  - but was advised to put it on a  very low tickle change and forget it.Weeks later it was back to full working order.

Tricky if you need you bike every day but maybe then it's worth keeping as a spare battery back up?

I am lucky as I have mine on an intelligent charger when not on the road so always perky when the key is turned.

 

bazza

[roddy 845]

As I live on a hill I rolled it down put it into seconds and after 3 or 4 tries on the ignition it fired up. It started fine today but will still get the battery checked to see if it holds it charge on really cold days?

[roddy 845]

Bazza that is a good idea going to look into that as well , I do use my bike everyday though

[Mike5100 2,061]

Roddy I had a dead discharged gel battery a few years back that I was going to ditch ( sorry recycle) - but was advised to put it on a very low tickle change and forget it.Weeks later it was back to full working order.

Tricky if you need you bike every day but maybe then it's worth keeping as a spare battery back up?

I am lucky as I have mine on an intelligent charger when not on the road so always perky when the key is turned.

bazza

Yes i have accidentally ended up with a spare bike battery and a car one for the same reason. I keep thembothcharged and that has prived useful on a few occasions. In particular i have used the spare car battery to jump start my owncar as well as two others as I am conscious of the slight risk of frying things if you do a more traditional jump start

Mike

[bazza 3,629]

Bazza that is a good idea going to look into that as well , I do use my bike everyday though

My van battery is being changed today -its lasted 5 years and 170000 miles so I reckon thats not bad.

it has to turn over a 4 cylinder 2 litre VW motor but would laugh at spinning a Honda bike motor over.

i am not electrical but if anyone wants it to use for an emergency they are welcome to it!

[Joeyjoejnr 96]

My first thought would be the starter motor.  Davelondon, when you hold in the starter button try tapping the startermotor with the rubber or plastic end of a screwdriver. As you sit on the bike the startermotor is located on your left hand side.  It is a cylinder shaped object.

[Dave H 2,022]

As I live on a hill I rolled it down put it into seconds and after 3 or 4 tries on the ignition it fired up. It started fine today but will still get the battery checked to see if it holds it charge on really cold days?

 

That can be a problem with fuel injected bikes as the fuel pump needs sufficient voltage to prime the system.   You could end up pushing it back up the hill.  Just saying.

[roddy 845]

Ha ha luckily my bike dealer is at the bottom of the hill..!! 

[Dave H 2,022]

Ha ha luckily my bike dealer is at the bottom of the hill..!! 

 

Is he open 7 days a week?

[Guest Lozzles]

Mine did this too, on New Year's Day, I charged the battery and it was good for a week til it happened again, same again about a week later

New battery is in place now and all is well with the world

[davelondon 48]

ok so i recharged my battery and it took 15 mins to charge so thinking battery might be ok. So refitted it and rode ok for week or so. Regardless ordered another battery as lost confidence in current one. Fitted all ok and bike feels a little more responsive, is that a placebo effect?  So hoping all end ok, no answer but have not had the ice cold start freezing morning since so maybe the cold did something. Will come back if things change.  Thanks all for the help.