Urgent!! Bike cranking with ignition off

yes, thats what i mean, the starter is probably taking a few too many amps than it should, overloading the relay, which in turn is getting hot, then sticking on. and also, the relay that has been fitted could be some cheap part, made for starter motors that draw much less current. follow me? go to maplins and see what big relays they have, they will have ratings on them. also, does your bike start straigh away? or does it take a few moments before it does? because if you have been previously trying to start it for an extended time, the start motor will for sure be worn out, thus needing extra juice? still follow me?
but like i and scootz said, stick a switch in on the battery, mine is wired to the earth, its one of those with a red key like an emergency off switch for a machine, wire that in and your extra safe, saves having this problem again.
failing that, just remove the lead from between the start motor and relay and just use the kick start instead

 

If i stick the switch on the battery then id still have to unscrew the battery cover to get to that.

So you think maybe the starter motor is faulty and is causing the relay/solenoid to stick due to over heating?

In the meantime if i just use the kick starter i bypass the start button, the relay/solenoid and the starter motor right? So i can just use the kickstart only until i can find the time to repair it?

Thanks to everyone who helped, this is very much appreciated.

 

you dont mount the switch on the battery, you mount the switch somewhere else and run the lead to it..... somewhere you can get too easy

 

Well i cant get the plastics off myself so that just isnt possible for me right now unless i get a mechanic to do it.

 

Yep I am in Camden mate
Trouble is once the relay is burnt out it struggle to make the contact and start and does end up keep on sticking

 

Bought a kymco people 200 starter solenoid off eBay. Wire is shorter but it fitted when I turned it around the other way and plugged it in.
So far after 7 starts it hasn't stuck!

Does it matter which way around the solenoid is plugged in as there are no identifying marks for which is live and neutral on the solenoid.

 

normally a relay is marked up, but i have a slight feeling they work with opposite polarity.

 

Solenoid can be any direction, as there is no polarity.

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If that's the case then why do they bother making the wires that lead to the solenoid red and black?

 

Yep, good catch.
Reading up on the matter indicates:
The smaller wires can go either way.
The thicker wires need to be as indicated, because the coil must be first energised to throw the switch to close the circuit.




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Reoccured twice since then, no idea what the problem is.

I bought a new starter motor maybe its faulty, will fit that soon.

 

I would bet on the starter button/switch cluster. If you have a working kickstart take off one of the small wires from the solenoid/relay. Please tape the loose terminal on the wire with insulation tape so that it doesn't short out on the frame.
Now try using the kickstart for a few days and see what happens.
If the fault doesn't come back then it's either a faulty starter button/switch OR you have a short on the wire going to and returning from the starter button.
Only cure for the starter button is a complete new/used cluster.

 

Oh i can use the kick starter just fine thats pretty much what iv been using since the issue first occured years back, trouble is thats taking a toll on my knee. I taped it but its one of those plastic connectors with the two pins inside the plastic sheath (male and female) so even if i didnt tape it theres no way for it to short on anything, i just taped both ends to protect them from any dirt and water. If i take off any other wires (theres 3 two thick red and black ones and a smaller red one) then the bike is dead. I only disconnected the cable leading out of the solenoid/relay leading to the starter motor to stop me being tempted to use the electric start in future.

Surely if it was the starter switch cluster then it wouldnt keep cranking with the key off? I had it in for servicing a while back to get the rear tyre changed after a punture and they couldnt figure out what it was, they said they started it 100 times (probably an exageration) and it issue never occured, i then continued to use the bike and it occured again a few months later. I guess ill have to bring it to another garage and see what they say.

I cant get the plastic frames off without snapping the clips so theres no way i can trace a short in the wires unless its at the very ends of the wires which both sides look like.

Is there no way it could just be a dying/faulty starter motor causing the problem?

 

Ah you didn't explain that you already had the relay/solenoid disconnected. That was all I was trying to eliminate. If the relay was isolated by taking the smaller wires off and the relay was in good condition there is no way the starter can get power.
The only explanation I can see is that something is connected wrong and my next port of call might be the ignition switch. The starter button shouldn't be live and anyway if the relay is disconnected even if the button was faulty no power should reach the starter??
The starter cannot get power if the relay is disconnected. You have fitted a new relay so ,I assume, that is not faulty.
Therefore the starter(faulty or not) cannot get power.
I assume the small red wire is connected to one of the thick wires? That is your power supply to ignition/starter button. If you disconnected the other thick wire that runs to the starter It simply cannot get power and you should still have ignition.

 

Its probably not the same as your problem but mine did that the other day and it was my starter relay.
If you think when you bridge the 2 posts with the ignition off it cranks the bike over still.
My relay just popped open tho and nearly killed my wires lol

 

Iv already mentioned replacing the relay a number of times and the issue reoccurs.

 

Oh yes sorry. It was late when i was reading the post.