If you're like most riders, you've been bitten by thestarter relay bug at some point in your riding career. You've seen those little green lights on motorcycles and wanted to know what they meant. Or maybe you were just curious, and now you're not sure how to fix it if it's broken. In this article, we'll teach you everything you need to know about starter relays (and a few things you don't).

What are starter relays?

Starter relays are small electronic devices that help start a motorcycle. They're important because they can fail in cold weather, which can lead to difficult starting.

When the starter relay fails, it sends a signal to the engine controller telling it to turn off the ignition. This prevents the engine from turning over and damaging components.

If you experience any of the following symptoms when trying to start your motorcycle in cold weather, it's probably time for a new starter relay:

- The engine won't crank

- The engine sputters or stalls after starting

- The bike won't stay running

How do they work?

A starter relay is a tiny device that helps start your motorcycle. When you turn the key to the "on" position, the starter relay sends an electrical signal to your battery. This causes your battery to create enough power to turn over the engine.

If something goes wrong with your starter relay, it may not be able to send this electrical signal. In that case, your motorcycle won't start. 

There are a few things that can cause a bad starter relay:

- A worn or defective switch. If this switch fails, it won't send the correct electrical signal to the starter relay.

- Damaged wiring in the system. The wiring can become damaged due to corrosion or moisture infiltration, which will prevent your bike from starting.

- A broken wire inside of the starter relay itself. If this wire breaks, it will prevent the proper electrical current from reaching your battery, and the engine will not start up.

What should I do if one of my starter relays is broken?

If one of your starter relays is broken, you may experience a range of symptoms on your motorcycle.

These can include:

- Loss of power when starting the motorcycle

- Sluggish acceleration or deceleration

- Inconsistent or stalled engine speeds

- Hesitation when trying to start the motorcycle

How to test a starter relay

If you're having problems starting your motorcycle, it's likely that one of the starter relay contacts is bad. To test whether this is the case, first try to start the bike by turning the key in the off position and then pressing and holding the starter button while turning the engine over. If you hear a clicking noise from behind the cover of your starter motor, it's likely that one of these contact points is defective. You can replace this contact point with a new part or replace the entire starter relay assembly.

In this post, we’ve discussed what starter relays are, how they work, and what to do if one of them is broken. Testing a starter relay is a crucial part of maintaining your motorcycle’s safety, so make sure you know how to do it. Thanks for reading!