Motorcycle Repair: Honda VT1100 will not start..., honda vt1100, starter motor

Question
Chirs,

My bike (Honda 1998 VT1100C3 Aero) has been sittiing in the cold weather (moderately cold) for about a month and a half to two months.  I am having trouble getting it started.  It will not crank...when i press the starter it sounds like electrical cracking w/o the starter motor kicking in...Sounds like faulty starter motor?  Anyway to verify this with a test and how can i fix...Any help appreciated...Thanks...

Jeff

Answer
Hi jeff.
 There are a few tests that need to be performed to find out the exact cause.  There are a few things that can be eliminated right away until tests prove otherwise.

1)  Since it started up correctly before you parked it (you didn't say otherwise), then it is not likely to be a bad starter motor or solenoid.

2)  It is not likely to be a short in the system for the same reason.

Now on to testing.

Using a battery hygrometer (available at any auto parts store), check each cel of the battery.

 If any of them are not showing good, then you have a bad battery.  Make sure that you have a fully charged battery when you do this test.  If the battery is bad, replace it.

 If you left it sit that entire time without charging it at all, then I guarantee that the battery has insufficient charge to start the bike.

Start with the battery and if nothing is wrong, then start checking for bad connections, broken/arcing wires and/or bad connections.

Let me know what you find.
Good luck.
FALCON