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Battery showing 11.7 volts but the starter just clicks away and it won't start. Hopefully something very simple and common but I haven't had time to look through the manual etc. Any ideas please? This happenned last night so put the Optimate on overnight but still the same today. I know 11.7 volts was OK but tried it anyway.

Can you be more precise?

The starter only makes a 'clicking' sound OR it spins away but is unable to start the bike ?

It's just a clicking noise, no spinning at all.

There are wiser than me but...

11.7V does not mean a thing. The battery could be dead anyway.

But if it doesn't even try to spin the engine, it means that it's not a battery but either:
- a tip-over sensor (small rattling box positioned in front of the battery)
- or the sidestand switch failure (and the light may operate normally, there is a separate circuit killing the engine).

Check these two before you start tearing your hair.

If it's the tip over sensor how do I reset it please?

Alkydale wrote:If it's the tip over sensor how do I reset it please?

I think you can disconnect it and short the pins, just like side stand switch, but confirm it with others before!

Thanks Sab, can anybody else enlighten me further before I short out something else and never get to ride her again please?

Have you tightened the battery connections? Did you test at the battery terminals or across the leads as they were connected? If you tested on the terminals of the battery, rather than on the leads, it could show 14v for all it mattered, but if the connection was loose or dirty, it still may not start.
Sometimes the basics can be forgotten in a whirl of worrying about other components..

The volt reading is of no value.

What is important is how well the battery does under load.
It could well be that the volts drop when trying to start.

Hook up a voltmeter directly to the battery and look at the reading when starting.

Good luck,

I just luv simultaneous posts.

I don't have a volt meter, just looked at the display on the dash. Will try tightening the leads and fiddle with the sensor whilst crossing my fingers and hoping for the best!!!!!

What type of clicking are we talking here - is it a single clunk every time you push the button (starter relay) or a rapid clicking?

If it is the latter then this would suggest a lack of battery power. If it is the former then the relay is engaging okay but the starter motor is not getting enough power in which case try cleaning up the two studs on the bottom of the relay and the connection at the starter motor. If that doesn't do the trick try shorting across the two terminals on the bottom of the relay with something hefty and metal (a large spanner willl do the job) - it will spark a bit and you need to make sure that it doesn't weld itself on but if the starter springs into life you need a new starter relay.

It's a really fast clicking noise like a machine gun.........

and the best replacement is the yamaha one - ALOT cheaper than the aprilia part

Alkydale wrote:It's a really fast clicking noise like a machine gun.........

But the Optimate says all is fine