I've been a bad first season motorcycle owner. I bought a used and oft abused Ninja 500R last season and stored it in a garage without doing any winter prep work. Even worse, I never stopped by to start the bike throughout the entire winter. The problems started a few weeks ago:

I stopped by to start the bike and nothing happened, put the key in, no lights so I plugged it into a battery tender.
Next day I went over, and the indicator lights were active, and when i turned the key the bike just made a clicking sound but wouldnt start, sounded like it wanted to though. As I didnt have time to continue to troubleshoot I plugged it back in and left it.

Yesterday, I went back (few weeks of being plugged into the tender) with the intention of performing a good bit of maintenence. I changed the oil, added a fuel filter, changed the spark plugs, and the spark plug wires. I then attempted again to start the bike and had the same issue with the clicking. With the key in and at the 'ON' position, the indicator lights were on but the headlight does not come on. The turn signals work, and the brakelights work, so here is what we tried (by we I mean my dad so im going to try to explain it as I understand it)

First we tried to jump my bike using my brothers R6, same clicking noise
So we then tried to jump it from my dad's car, it started for a quick second then died immediately
Here's where I dont quite understand what happened because it had to do with solonoids or something -- We exposed a screw after taking off the faring thats near the starter, from what I understand by applying power to this screw the bike should have started on its own, but it had no reaction what-so-ever.

The clicking seemed to come from the starter area.

Any ideas/suggestions? My dad knows a thing or two and told me to find an electrical diagram of the bike, does anyone know where I might be able to find one? He said its either the starter or the battery, and doesnt want to play a guessing game.

Thanks,

Jeff

 

probably a combination of the battery and old gas in the carb bowls

 

^ +1. battery might be shot. and trying emptying the bowls.

 

you should be able to get the whole manual from the site drag posted under his "manuals" post in this gen-tech section.

as for power to a screw.. depends on what and where.. should be more like a 10MM nut and stud.. insulated from the starter body.

there shouldn't be a click from the starter.. its constantly engaged and has a one-way clutch.. theres no bendix and throw-out like on a car starter.

the click should be from the solenoid.. def should try a new batt first.. carbs are varnished for sure as well. i bet my mom on it. might wanna take them off and blast em (the insides..)with brakleen, and re-install..

keep us posted man! and welcome to KF!!