[MSMStannyl]

Edited to add video link of cranking:

2005 Speed Triple won’t start

Here’s a 2nd video. Battery fully charged on the tender. This is what it’s been sounding like! Definitely doesn’t sound good, right? Or is this normal triumph stuff?

Screeching Starter

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So, I came across this website while searching for information on this issue. I just spent about 2 hours perusing the forums and it sounds like others may have had similar issues. That said, I wanted to start my own thread with the specifics of my issue, in the hopes that I might get some help with it, so here goes...

I just got my motorcycle license a couple weeks ago. Was looking for my first bike, mainly an SV650. Then I came across this Speed Triple and fell in love. The bike is a 2005 and now has just under 15,000 miles. Always garage kept and clean. When I went to look at it, it cold started right up and ran beautifully. No issues. Bike has a brand new battery that the owner put in a few weeks ago. It's a Duracell Platinum AGM.

First day I had the bike was this past Tuesday. Owner rode it down to my office for me. That evening, I wanted to take it for its first ride, figured I'd ride around the parking lot for a while to get acquainted. It had some issues starting up. I had to crank and crank and crank and finally it kicked on. Once running, it purred like a kitten. Rode it around for a while. Turned it off once or twice and then started right back up no problems. As it was getting later in the evening, I made the decision to ride it home then. I went to start it and again had a lot of issues with it cranking and cranking and cranking but finally started.

The next morning, Wednesday, it started up with no issue and rode to work. Rode it at lunch time and no issues starting. A couple cranks and it kicked on. End of the day at work, time to go home, and again cranking and cranking and cranking and cranking and cranking. Obviously I would stop after 5-10 cranks to let it rest before trying again. FINALLY, it started up and I rode it home where it say for a couple days (in my garage) because it was raining.

Yesterday, Saturday, I decide to take it for a spin. It starts right up at home and I hit the rode. Do a bunch of backroad riding, some practice in a parking lot. Also filled her up at the gas station. In each case, I shut the bike down and each time it started right back up. Decided to get a haircut before riding to my dads house for dinner. Parked the bike, got my haircut, came out probably 30-40 minutes later and bike won't start. Just crank and crank and crank.....wait a bit....crank and crank and crank...wait a bit. I keep going with this because, as this has happened to me before, I figure it would finally start up....it didn't. As a matter of fact, I think this went so long that the battery level dropped to the point it couldn't even really crank. It would do a single crank and then the gauge would reset (and you'd hear the little audible tones that you hear when turning the bike on).

I'm sitting out in the hot sun so I figure I'll let the starter cool down. I roll the bike off to the side of the building to get it and myself into a bit of shade. I wait a while and try again. Same issue. Can not get it started. There was a slight grade from where I was that went behind the building so I even tried a roll start in 2nd gear but couldn't get enough speed so that didn't work.

I call my coworker (he also took the MSF course with me and just got a used dual sport bike). He lives nearby and comes over with his car and a little jump box/pack. We hook up the jump pack to my battery and right away you can tell that it worked. It would now go back to its full crank and crank and crank (instead of one crank and a gauge reset). Still no luck. We then tried jumper cables from his car. Same result. Had enough juice to keep it cranking but it just did not want to start.

At this point I'm thinking I need to call for a tow but as a last resort, with his help, I try roll starting it down that grade a bit. We get the bike to the top, I get on, he pushed as I roll down the hill and I pop the clutch in 2nd gear when I feel I'm going as fast as I will get. I get a little sputter but not enough to catch. Try again....nothing. Try a third time and boom! It started! I was so happy! As usual, once it started, the thing sounded beautiful and had no issues staying running. At that point I knew I wasn't turning the bike off until I got it home. Rode around for about 1.5 hours and then got it home. Shut if off in preperation to roll it in the garage. Figured that, just for fun, let me see if it started back up. Hit the starter and the damn thing fires right back up!

Today, Sunday, I went back out there with my multimeter. Figured that hopefully I could get it started to go for a nice ride but also wanted to get some general measurements. Here is what I measured:

• Bike is off, the battery is at 12.77V.
• Key to "on" (engine NOT running but headlights and lights are on), battery is at 12.23V
• When trying to actually crank and start the engine, the voltage was dipping to around 11.2V - 11.5V.

Bike would not start. Just crank and crank and crank and crank....wait a minute, crank and crank and crank....wait a minute. Finally, the same thing happened as yesterday where with all the cranking, I drained the battery down enough where it could only give one measly crank before resetting the gauge cluster.

I hooked up my portable jump pack/box. Voltage now showed up to 13.93V and was actually climbing a bit as it sat on there. Tried again, and as before I know the voltage is good because now it's back to crank and crank and crank and crank but will not start.

My neighborhood street has a pretty decent grade so I rolled the bike up to the top, got on and rolled back down trying to roll start it in 2nd gear. Almost worked. I heard that sputter that it was about to catch but didn't. Rolled it up again and back down...nothing. That was it. I was by myself and exhausted by this point. I didn't have it in me to try again although I assume that at some point I would've been able to start it that way.

So, I'm at a loss. It sounds similar to other peoples issues. I don't think it's the battery. Could it be the starter? I need help as I really love this bike but I simply can't use it for reliable transportation with issues like this. I can't risk getting stranded somewhere. I'll take any suggestions I can get!

Thank you all!

P.S. - I have a video of what it sounds like when I tried starting it today with the jump box on the battery. However, it seems like it's too big to let me share it (37mb). Not sure if someone knows how I can share that. Let me know. Thx

 

[dr_gallup]

I think the battery is fine and probably the stator & RR since they seem to be charging the battery. Also does not sound like anything is wrong with the idle speed controller as it runs fine once started. Are you doing anything with the throttle? You don't even want to touch it until the bike is running. I would start with the safety interconnects, there is a switch on the kickstand and the clutch.

 

[MSMStannyl]

I think the battery is fine and probably the stator & RR since they seem to be charging the battery. Also does not sound like anything is wrong with the idle speed controller as it runs fine once started. Are you doing anything with the throttle? You don't even want to touch it until the bike is running. I would start with the safety interconnects, there is a switch on the kickstand and the clutch.

Thanks for the reply! No, wasn't doing anything with the throttle. My understanding is that since this is fuel injected, messing with the throttle during startup isn't really necessary.

I'm really at a loss at this point. I really want to get this thing working as I've been having a blast learning to ride on this bike. I just can't trust to take it anywhere even if I can get it started (which at this point, I can't).

Thinking through my timeline, I feel like this issue was definitely getting worse and worse day by day until basically Saturday and Sunday where it just won't start, period. Just for fun I tried starting it again this AM but I guess I drained down the battery yesterday trying to crank it since it was back to the single crank and then gauge cluster reset before giving me a single crank and resetting again.

Is it easy enough to check the condition of the starter by removing the little round cover plate? I don't know how far down the rabbit hole I should go trying to mess with this myself. There is a Triumph dealer not terribly far away. I'm thinking if I can get it started one more time, to maybe take it straight there.

 

[MSMStannyl]

I think the battery is fine and probably the stator & RR since they seem to be charging the battery. Also does not sound like anything is wrong with the idle speed controller as it runs fine once started. Are you doing anything with the throttle? You don't even want to touch it until the bike is running. I would start with the safety interconnects, there is a switch on the kickstand and the clutch.

I couldn’t figure out how to directly upload the video here but I uploaded it to YT and linked it at the top of my original post. Let me know if that sounds weird to you.
I’m 99% sure battery is not the issue. After more research, I’m thinking either starter teeth are ground down or maybe sprag clutch? Was debating just ordering all the parts as well as oil/filter to replace. Would definitely appreciate any insight from more experienced people. Thx

 

[dr_gallup]

If it's turning over it's not starter or sprag clutch unless you just killed it. When the battery gets low to the point of the single crank that's what kills the sprag. You either have a spark or fuel issue and I suspect it's spark which is why I suggested checking those safety switches as they can kill the spark. You can check the output of the stator at the connector, all three legs should be equal. But the stator has nothing to do with starting, you can start the bike with the stator completely disconnected. All it does is charge the batter and power the electrics while the engine is running.

 

[MSMStannyl]

If it's turning over it's not starter or sprag clutch unless you just killed it. When the battery gets low to the point of the single crank that's what kills the sprag. You either have a spark or fuel issue and I suspect it's spark which is why I suggested checking those safety switches as they can kill the spark. You can check the output of the stator at the connector, all three legs should be equal. But the stator has nothing to do with starting, you can start the bike with the stator completely disconnected. All it does is charge the batter and power the electrics while the engine is running.

Can you point me to any guides or how-to's for checking/cleaning the safety switches? I'm not really sure what I'm looking for. I'll try to get an updated video uploaded today. I really feel like something doesn't sound right during the start up procedure. Really bummed. Haven't even had the bike a week and it's a paperweight in my garage. Was really enjoying learning to ride on it.

I ordered oil and filter, as well as a new gasket set. My plan is to remove the cover from the starter/idle gear just to take a look at the condition of the gears. Is that ok to do with oil still in it? I assume it will all be pooled in the pan since the bike has been sitting for a few days. Figured I'd get a look at the condition of everything. Also need to find a how-to on changing the spark plugs. Maybe that's worth a change as well.

 

[MSMStannyl]

I was talking to the guy at NAPA who is also a motorcycle rider. I let him hear the video I linked in my first post. He thought it sounded like it was getting power (battery is good) and starter sounded good. He's thinking that the issue may be fuel. As in, the engine isn't getting any. This may also explain why I'm having issues roll starting it now as well (it just won't start up).

When the previous owner rode the bike down for me to my office last week, he stopped at the gas station right down the street from my office and filled it up (premium, per my request). Right away I started having occasional starting issues where I might have to crank it for quite a while before it caught. This also seemed to get worse day by day until, as pointed out above, I simply can't get it started at all now. Starting to wonder if he happened to get gas when the station tank was low and got a bunch of sediment? Maybe a clogged fuel filter or strainer?

 

[MSMStannyl]

If it's turning over it's not starter or sprag clutch unless you just killed it. When the battery gets low to the point of the single crank that's what kills the sprag. You either have a spark or fuel issue and I suspect it's spark which is why I suggested checking those safety switches as they can kill the spark. You can check the output of the stator at the connector, all three legs should be equal. But the stator has nothing to do with starting, you can start the bike with the stator completely disconnected. All it does is charge the batter and power the electrics while the engine is running.

updated video for you. This is with battery fully charged up. What is that screeching sound!? That does not sound normal but it’s basically what I’ve been hearing since having the issues.
Screeching Starter

 

[Bad Santa 1050]

I've not had a starter sprag clutch issue so I cannot comment to that. Not sure about the screeching noise. Your garage seems to exacerbate the noise so I cannot recognise it.

I would however suggest that the bike doesn't need premium highest octane fuel - which can hinder performance.
I would also suggest checking your Fuel Pump Relay. The relays are located under the seat in a row. Check they b are all plugged in properly.
Can't remember which one is the Fuel Pump one, but when you turn the ignition you should feel it click as the fuel pump starts to prime.
Alternately, identify the headlight relay by switching the headlight from low to high beam, then the turn signal relay by switching a turn signal on. Then check which of the remaining ones click as the fuel pump primes.
It is possible for the fuel pump relay to fail intermittently. I had mine give me grief for several months, where it would fail intermittently. Basically, it would work, right up until the starter button was pressed. It also wouldn't roll start either.

One you've identified the fuel pump relay, swap it with the headlight relay and see if it starts. Could be a 10 buck simple fix. Hopefully.