Motorcycle Repair: Starter, starter solenoid, starter button

Question
I have a 1981 Sportster that sometimes the starter won't spin when I depress the starter button. Sometimes it works ok. There is no way to tell what it is going to do until I press the button. If it does not work ok, I keep on pressing the button and let up, after a while it starts spinning. Could that be the starter relay? If so where is it located?

Answer
Looking at the starter you will see two wires going to it. The large one is from the battery and the small one is from the relay. remove the one from the relay. With a test light, check to see if you have power going to the starter when you hit the starter button. If not, then the relay is bad. It should be under the battery box. Or you can follow the wire to it. If you do have power then you will have to pull the starter and have it tested. the starter solenoid might be bad
Good luck and happy riding
Mike