My starter motor has started to play up recently on my 06 ZX-14. When I hit the starter button, the starter solenoid buzzes away but not firing in and turning the motor. It's done it a few times recently but seems to be getting worse.

I rocked it in gear in case the starter was stuck, but this doesn't seem to be the problem.

Pretty much gave up on it today before it finally got itself together and started. And what was really weird was the temperature readout started flashing inversely - upper then lower.

The temperature readout weirdness aside, anyone had any issues with their starter motor? I still have the tail end of my five year warranty, but am interested to hear any feedback.

Cheers.

And what was really weird was the temperature readout started flashing inversely - upper then lower.

Battery is how old as in original??? Go to the dash, display the volts readout. Hit the starter button. Watt are the volts reading under starter-load?

Hey Hub,

Still the original battery, but spent most of its life on a battery tender.

Turned the key on, showed 12.1 volts. Hit the starter (as luck would have it, started straight away this time), stayed on 12.1 during starting, then shot up to 13.9 a few seconds later.

After the other times when it wouldn't start, when it does eventually start, it has the usual enthusiasm of a good battery - not the slow turnover of one near death.

Cheers.

Does she code when you crank for any extended period of time without her firing?Not immediately,but within ten seconds of continuous cranking.(I know,it's a long cranking time...but it may just be getting ready to code just as yer stopping).See if it'll code by keeping the starter depressed for at least 8-10 seconds.Let the starter cool for a couple of minutes,then try again.If she doesn't code that way,stop running the starter(until she cools again).You can also try opening the throttle while cranking a couple of times.Open/closed/Open/closed.Continue cranking while doing that...see what she does.That should throw a code of some sort possibly related to your starting issue.You'll get a red light coming on the left side dash there.And an FI error in the display.Push both buttons(reset,mode) simultaneously after(if)she codes ,with key on(engine off),and see the code number displayed.Then look in the manual in the DFI error codes section.(towards the beginning of the DFI chapter).Maybe you'll get er sorted by doing this.Any smell of "electrical" parts,wires cooking,sounds of solenoids catching or anything while cranking?Something's up when the readout begins to display something completely different than what's happening.(your temp guage).It definitely SHOULD NOT be acting like that....BUT....as Hub said....it COULD be yer battery...yep.....not enough power to do what yer asking it to do,but enough to cause an intermittant signal to something else in the harness.I know when they get "low" sometimes,they will do some strange things to the display.Even reading 12.1v.These batteries are strangely touchy.If they're not at the right power output,they won't fire...no matter what ya do other than a jump.And 12.1 is right at the line if I remember with mine.Anything less,she won't fire,even though she's still crankin "okay".

* Last updated by: blue07 on 6/10/2010 @ 1:24 PM *

Well, that says the charging is good. No worry there.

Lets load that battery real hard. Now you are going to run the bike with key on only, kill off. You will have to start the bike to turn the headlight on, so start it, wait for the headlight, then kill the engine. Remember, key on, and now we have the headlight on, tail light on, dash on, and telemetry needing their voltage.

So, switch it to high beam, step on the back brake or tie the front brake with a zip-tie. Sip some suds sitting on the bike. What is the volt read now in 5 minutes?

Page 164 of the owner's manual that came with the bike says, "Where is 12.8v?' 'We need our points in 10th's of volt.' 'We do not receive that stable 12.8v or say we have almost a 13.0v battery all up to snuff, anything below that will snuff out the spark calc.' 'We no longer run a set of points to flush a coil wind waiting to go to ground.' 'Oh no, we run in the 10th's of volts and we need that .8th of a volt not .1 of a volt, whicht is almost at a high 11.9v, give or take a volt." Is what the book says, but all I could find was 12.8v or charge it to that number is what it said really. Just figured we no longer have the luxury to fart out a spark pulling two sticks apart wired to a flucking fluxing coil anymore.

She starts right up. Charges right up. The battery is 4 years old. She has how many miles times the months that bike was assembled you can read at the front neck of the bike, right side. No smoke coming off the wires but blue smoke off his keyboard. Watt say ye? Bat Tear We lock and load some wattage. Find out for sure?

* Last updated by: Hub on 6/10/2010 @ 3:52 PM *

Ya,I was gonna say almost the same deal.10ths of volts.That 12.1 aint much from 11.9.Exactly right!Definitely gotta have the right voltage.Mine NEVER will fire at 11 something.

Hey fellas, thanks for taking the time to put together the replies, and as always, really great stuff. I'm going to go with the assumption that the battery's knackered and replace it. I'm guessing that the battery tender kept it on life support when it was connected, but I agree, it is four years old.

Replacing it is also the path of least resistance - if it's still playing up afterwards then I'll deal then with the potential agony of a warranty claim. However, you guys are "all things ZX14", and sounds like starter motor issues is not a common problem. If it's still an issue after replacing then I'll add to this post.

Thanks again.

Cheers.