Possible starter solenoid issue - M900

[TimM900]

Has anyone had a solenoid fail on an M900? A couple of rides ago I left my M900 parked for 2 hours or so, on return to it there was no life whatsoever from the starter button- no clicking, no dimming of lights or anything. I switched everything on & off, kill switch too etc., loads of times but nothing happened. It started immediately with a push start, fortunately.

As soon as I got back home I tried it again and it worked perfectly, and has done ever since. I've checked the solenoid connectors and had a look in the handlebar switch & everything seems perfect. I wouldn't think it was the starter motor itself as there was no dimming of lights or clicking.

Do the solenoids ever have an intermittent problem like this, or start to fail in this way?

Thanks

[Dukedesmo]

Is the small white connector/plug firmly seated?

[Mr Gazza]

There is another thing that it could be.
Monsters do suffer from broken cables in the harness, in the area where it passes the headstock. This is where it flexes when the bars turn.
In your case it could just be the cable from the starter button, as I gather your lights were on at the time.
If it happens again, try turning the bars slowly from lock to lock with the button pressed and see if it makes a connection at any point.
If it is that then you'll have the joy of finding where the break is and splicing a bit in, but it will be in the 6" round the headstock. Identifying the starter cable colour would help too.

Regarding the solenoid; they can sometimes stick, but can be persuaded to work with a sharp tap if you can get to it.

[utopia]

The white plug connector to the solenoid does have a habit of coming loose, as Dukedesmo suggests.
My 750 has suffered thus a few times in the past.
Its not easy to get at but a poking stick (literally a twig from a nearby tree) can reseat it if you're caught out away from home.
Following advice from others on this forum, I wrapped a zip tie around mine years ago and its been ok ever since.

I've also had the wire breakage around the headstock that Gazza describes and I concur with his suggestion that holding the starter button down while waggling the bars from side to side will almost always get the engine to fire up, after which it runs faultlessly.
Its a pain to fix permanently. I eventually did so but I'm ashamed to admit that I managed with the bar waggling cure for well over a year.

[TimM900]

Thanks all. I've been through the things suggested, can't find any problems at all alas. The white plug isn't the tightest thing, but it would have had to have made it's way off then back on again. The wiring seems ok too, lots of wiggling hasn't shown anything either. For the time being I have got a couple of old Honda starter cables and joined them together so they are long enough to reach from the +ve battery terminal to the starter motor, I can carry them under the seat and still start it if it plays up again.

[Darren69]

Have you checked the charging voltage with the bike running? The earlier pre 2000 bikes had flaky single phase generators and reg recs later ones were a bit better but the reg rec plugs can still cause issues with battery charging.

[Mark64]

I had an issue with my M900 starting, turned out to be the starter motor brushes, cheap easy fix, it is possible to do with the starter motor in situ but tricky, removing the starter motor involves removing the alternator cover because there's an allen screw inside that retains it

[Mr Gazza]

Originally Posted by TimM900

....I can carry them under the seat and still start it if it plays up again.

Lifting the tank to jump the starter would work for sure but bear in mind that if you're any more that half full of petrol, that there is a very real risk of splitting the hinge spot welds and ending up with a leaking tank. You can minimise this if the bike is on the centre stand if you've still got that fitted, but the little prop still tries to twist the hinge.
Besides you're not going to learn anything from jumping it off.

The joy of an intermittent fault is that it is, er, intermittent! If it plays you up again, then is the time to try the bar waggle and wiggling the white plug. Doing one at a time and try the starter each time.
As Mark mentioned, there is also the possibility of an issue with the brushes. It's possible to nudge the armature a little and therefore the position of the com' relative to the brushes, by putting it in gear (say 2nd) and pushing or pulling the bike to turn the engine a bit. (Then obviously back into neutral to try the starter.) Come to think of it, jumping won't work if it's the brushes, so that could be another pointer.
At least that way you stand more chance of finding where the problem is. Hopefully.

[utopia]

And even though you suggest that the solenoid plug appears to be making contact, appearances can be very deceptive.
Of the two bikes that I have known to experience this fault, in both cases the plug has looked as if its in position but has failed to make proper contact.
Might be worth carrying a poking stick as well as the jumper cables and trying pressing the start button while simultaneously physically pushing the plug into good contact.

Also, although I've never tried it with a 900, my 750 will bump-start surprisingly easily, even without having a pusher to help, particularly if you have any down gradient on your side. Might save lifting the tank and messing with cables.

[Zimbo]

I've had to replace a couple of starter solenoids over the years. They are £40 new from Ducati.

[jerry]

Dont need ducati priced one many jap bikes use same part but less than £15

[Darren69]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/166255958...mis&media=COPY