Starter clicking noise

Hello - I just recently purchased an 85 - 500 interceptor. It was in good shape when I bought it (no issues that i could see). I rode it around - and it had no problems. Yesterday I was ridding the bike and I ran out of gas - so I left the bike over night on the side of the road and walked back to my home (which is about a mile and a half walk). I went first thing in the morning and i put gas in it, took me a few tries to get it started - I let it sit with the choke on for about 2 minutes or so to let it warm up. Then the bike was fine, I was riding it back to my house and I was going up a slight hill - i had it in first gear, and I guess i didn't give it enough gas and the bike stalled, but then it wouldn't turn on after that. Every time I tried to hit turn it on it would just hear some clicking noises, but nothing would turn over. Now I am not that familiar with motorcycles - I am a beginner. Before I purchased this motorcycle - I had only rode my brothers motorcycle around a few times, so my motorcycling riding/maintenance experience is only a few days long. I had stalled the motorcycle a few times already and never had this problem before. I am worried that I may have broken the starter though when I had been trying to start it when it was low on gas, but if I broke it doing that I figured it would of not started at all (which it did).

Doing a general google search on this problem - i found answers ranging from the problem might be the battery - to a bad solenoid to a bad starter or even fuel in some sort of air box. I know virtually nothing about motorcycle mechanics - so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks allot.

 

It really sounds like the battery to me. Not sure where you live but I would take the battery out and have someone test it for you. I have a place called batteries plus near me and they can test m-cycle batteries. I doubt its your starter. But your first lesson in m-cycle mechanics is check the simple stuff first.

 

definitely sounds like not enough juice to crank it around. new battery for you.

 

Test the battery with your multimeter !

Multimeter (volts, ohms, etc.) ownership as well as a battery charger is absolutely required for Honda motorcycle owners !

Chances are that you could have a charging system problem, verifiable with the meter. Always charge your battery first before deciding that it needs replacement, and always test the charging system output both before and after changing batteries.

Get ahold of a service manual for your bike if your new to mechanics. It will answer most of your questions and may prevent you from screwing a few things up.

 

Thanks allot for the replies every one. I am pretty sure its the battery as well, because I checked the bike after a few hours and this time the engine turned over and started, but then died out - so I think (although could be wrong) the battery is pretty much dead. Id like to test it with a multimeter - but they are like 150 dollars - couldnt afford to buy it right now, but I do have an extra battery - I have a motorcycle battery in my garage that my brother purchased like 2-3 years back, that has just been sitting there - the electrolyte fluid was never put in to the battery.

Do these battery acids have a shelf life? Aside from having sat there for like 3 years, the battery/acid is new.

 

WAITAMINUTE ??

Bunky, you think a good meter costs $150 and you can't afford it ?

I'm usually one to knock Chinese products, but i can state i've had 5 or 6 years steady, reliable performance from the meter i bought at HF for $%. Cheap, but all you need, and you can't get far without one.