Make sure your battery is good.

 

Battery is good. I've had it not start from a bad battery, and the starter relay usually buzzes when that's the case.

 

Had the same kinda problem with my Kawasaki last fall. For me it was the starter.....not to say that is what yours is for sure. If you know where the starter relay is, make sure that when you are hitting the start button that you see 12 volts across the coil contacts. Then with the meter check continuity across the contacts that go to the starter. that should change from 12 volts when it is open to 0 volts when you hit the button and close the contact. If all the voltages check out....then you may definitely have a bad starter.

If it is a starter, aftermarket starters are not that expensive.

One more thing....when mine died.... it was when I was trying to start the bike....it cranked and cause the bike was cold did not start the first time....when I tried again....nothing except for a faint buzz sound down in the starter area. Lights went dim everytime I hit the button.

 

I think you are assuming the battery is good bit it sounds like a battery issue. Mainly because of the lights dimming. Testing the battery should be the first test IMHO.

 

Here is a quick test. Get a 12 volt test light touch it to the battery positive post= it should be good and bright. Then touch it to the starter terminal on the starter, when you hit the switch does it light at all, or dim, or nothing?
If nothing, go back upstream to the starter relay and check both side as you hit the start switch, if it is bright there it is most likely that starter. Just make sure all the grounds are clean and tight.
On my 83 750 it still cranks with the kill switch off but won't fire up. Also look at the headlight brightness. It could be an ignition switch issue or start switch issue also.

 

Update: finally got around to putting the multimeter on the bike. 0 volts at the starter, but I get 12.9 on one side of the relay. Thoughts? zero change in voltage when start button is pressed.

 

Your bike is a 19?? or 2???. model is a VT????.

 

'83 vt750c

 

Ok thanks. Just wondering what you were working on.

 

If you have battery voltage on the side of the relay from the battery, but get no volts on the output side of the relay to the starter, do you hear the relay click when you hit the switch? If it does, then the contacts inside it are bad. If no click, you have to check for power to the small trigger wire to the relay. You can get a small jumper wire and connect one end to the battery and touch the other to the small trigger connector and it should click and crank the starter.

 

Update #2: I have an 84 Shadow in boxes in my shed. Pulled the starter relay off it and hooked it up to my 83: fired right up. Back in business!

 

"I love it when a plan comes together" !!!

I am glad we had a plan. LOL