Help with '99 vstar 1100 please...

[mcycle_kb]

Hello All,

I am having some problems with my '99 1100 vstar. It started up fine last weekend, but yesterday after I turned on the ignition as soon as I hit the kill switch I heard a clicking sound coming from around the sidestand. It had never made this noise before and it only lasted about 6 seconds. When I tried to start the bike it wouldnt. It is turning over but just not starting. Each time I turned the start/stop switch off then back on the clicking sound would start, last a few seconds, then quit. Bike still not starting. I removed the left side cover to figure out where the noise was coming from. The fuel pump is the culprit. I am not an experienced mechanic by any stretch of the imagination but intelligent enough to do some things myself. Is this something that would indicate the pump needs to be replaced or are there other things to try before replacing a part that may be fine? Thank you very much for any help...

[Clint]

Sounds like the battery to me. Since you didn't fill out your profile I can't speculate as to wether it's winter-related. Stop at Batteries Plus and get a free check. The clicking sound is your starter solenoid. It engages every time you start the bike, but now that there's not enough power to crank the engine you can hear it.

[mcycle_kb]

I had the last battery out of the bike on a trickle charger over the winter and I tested it and it was bad so I replaced it last week before I took the bike out the first time this year. The bike is turning over fine. The noise occurs when I turn on the start/stop switch, before I press the starter button. I included a pic of the part thats making the noise, you can actually see it jump and feel it vibrate when the kill switch is turned on. The service manual and the fuel lines running into and from it say its the fuel pump. I have only ridden it once this year and that was last weekend...all was fine.

[KingAZAZ]

This is an old post but by golly nobody ever posts when their problem is fixed so they can say what it took to do it.

I noticed the exact same clicking coming from my V-Star but it didn't seem to be a problem. I've been wanting to get the bike in for a tune up and inspection since I bought it a month ago, but I've been crazy busy lately.

It pulled the buzzing trick on me once and I hit the kill switch and looked at it, willing it to behave. When I turned it back on it started up no problem so I assumed that the switch had been only half engaged or something trivial like that.

Now that it won't start at all and just buzzes at me I replaced the battery with no luck. I'm going to check the ground wire when I get home, but I don't have a manual to tell me everything to look for at the moment. What ended up being your resolution?

[Aussie Steve]

Seems to me you both missed the obvious...try the kill switch...most here don't use them as they become faulty...for some reason...and cause all sorts of problems...yours truly included.

Good luck. Hope its simply the switch!