Hard start on m900 '95

[erkishhorde]

With the temps dropping I'm having trouble starting the bike again. The last time I went to SLO and the bike had to sleep outside I couldn't start it in the morning. I get lights with the ignition on and when I thumb the starter the lights dim a bit and I'll get 1 or 2 cranks and then a click followed by a humming noise kinda like something just gave out on me. After about a minute of trying to start the bike, it acts like a dead battery and won't start up.

Bringing the battery in for the night and leaving it on the tender will help sometimes not 100% of the time. Also, I have no problems starting the bike later in the day.

I can't remember when I last replaced this battery but if I had to guess, I'd say it's about 3, maybe 4 years old. Think the battery is shot? I was contemplating upgrading my battery cables since I've heard that helps sometimes but I'm not exactly positive what this entails.

[Howie]

I can't tell over the internet, but the hum you are hearing might be the starter motor if your sprag is not engaging.

[Speeddog]

You're toward the outside end of battery life at 4 years.

A ground cable that goes direct to the cases, like the newer monsters, will help.
Getting rid of the connector for the positive cable will help also.
I did both on a '96 900SS.

[erkishhorde]

You're toward the outside end of battery life at 4 years.

A ground cable that goes direct to the cases, like the newer monsters, will help.
Getting rid of the connector for the positive cable will help also.
I did both on a '96 900SS.

Can you elaborate please?

Got a favorite place on the case to ground to?

I was looking at the positive cable and couldn't figure out what to do with the little black box that the cable goes into. As far as I can tell it's a splitter and from there the cable goes to the starter solenoid and somewhere else. If I were to upgrade the cable, do I just cut red one that goes to the battery and splice on something bigger or do I need to open the box and remove the red cable all together?

[erkishhorde]

I can't tell over the internet, but the hum you are hearing might be the starter motor if your sprag is not engaging.

So... what's the fix for this? I had replaced the starter motor about 4 or 5 years ago too because I thought it was bad.

[Speeddog]

Late model Monsters ground to the cases next to the breather valve, there's a boss with an 8mm threaded hole there.

I removed the 'black box', it is indeed just a splitter.
IIRC, I made a single large wire that went directly from the battery to the solenoid.
Spliced a bit of wire and a terminal onto the smaller red wire, again going direct to the battery with it.

Before you go down that road, make sure all of the ground and starter cable connections are clean and tight.

[Howie]

So... what's the fix for this? I had replaced the starter motor about 4 or 5 years ago too because I thought it was bad.

If the sprag is shot the fix is either a new $prag or there are two cheap fixes. one is to shorten the spring, the other is a spring off some seal that I do not recall, and I can't research it now.  First get the battery problem sorted out.  Start by charging and load testing the battery.  Then let someone listen to the "hum" to confirm if you still have that problem before attacking the sprag.