Starting issues

[templ8]

Hi folks, it's been a while since i last posted but i'm having issues with my little used VTR.
Last week on the way to work I'd ridden about 2 miles when it cut out all of a sudden as i stopped at some lights, was running fine then as soon as i pulled the clutch in as i was coming to a stop it cut out, no carb fart, as though i'd hit the kill switch. As I hit the starter button it was sluggish to turn over and wouldn't fire, the additional volt meter i'd fitted ages ago showed 7 volts whilst cranking. The second time i pushed the starter button it started right up and only dropped to 10.5 volts whilst cranking. The rest of the trip was uneventful. On the way home after my shift it started and rode perfectly.
I tested the battery which is a 10 year old Exide and it was showing 100% health, however with the age i ordered a new Yuasa anyway.
Fast forward to this morning and it was sluggish on a cold start, voltage dropped to 7 volts again on cranking and didn't start. Left it a few seconds and it fired right up with 11 volts during cranking.
It was fine on the way there and back.
I've since tried cranking with a clip on ammeter on the starter cable down at the motor and it pulls 160 amps first crank, lowering to about 75 amps on subsequent attempts. To me that's a lot of cranking current for a bike.
New battery tested and again showing 100% health, tested the battery tester on an old car battery and it showed 30% health so i trust the tester. My current meter is a proper Fluke unit and is calibrated so i trust that too.
I'm leaning towards a bad starter motor. What are your thoughts/experiences.

[templ8]

Thought I'd better add, the starter was taken apart and a stainless bolt fitted as well as a new crimp eyelet to repair a corroded connection in the past and is still in excellent condition.
The bike does have manual cct's and have been set up with the required chain slack between the sprockets.
I've owned it for 17 years next month and haven't experienced this issue in the past.

[tony.mon]

The large lead between the starter relay and the starter motor can decay, this leads to higher current draw and sluggish starting.

[sirch345]

Hi folks, it's been a while since i last posted but i'm having issues with my little used VTR.
Last week on the way to work I'd ridden about 2 miles when it cut out all of a sudden as i stopped at some lights, was running fine then as soon as i pulled the clutch in as i was coming to a stop it cut out, no carb fart, as though i'd hit the kill switch. As I hit the starter button it was sluggish to turn over and wouldn't fire, the additional volt meter i'd fitted ages ago showed 7 volts whilst cranking. The second time i pushed the starter button it started right up and only dropped to 10.5 volts whilst cranking. The rest of the trip was uneventful. On the way home after my shift it started and rode perfectly.
I tested the battery which is a 10 year old Exide and it was showing 100% health, however with the age i ordered a new Yuasa anyway.
Fast forward to this morning and it was sluggish on a cold start, voltage dropped to 7 volts again on cranking and didn't start. Left it a few seconds and it fired right up with 11 volts during cranking.
It was fine on the way there and back.
I've since tried cranking with a clip on ammeter on the starter cable down at the motor and it pulls 160 amps first crank, lowering to about 75 amps on subsequent attempts. To me that's a lot of cranking current for a bike.
New battery tested and again showing 100% health, tested the battery tester on an old car battery and it showed 30% health so i trust the tester. My current meter is a proper Fluke unit and is calibrated so i trust that too.
I'm leaning towards a bad starter motor. What are your thoughts/experiences.

I would have replaced a 10yr old battery too, and it would have been a Yuasa
7 volts at cranking is too low.

I would have thought a draw of 160 amps at first crank to be about right, as iirc the OEM Firestorm battery (the 16ltr fuel tank earlier models at least) have 180 CCA battery.

I'm not sure if you have refurbished the starter motor since this issue, or you mean it was done before all this happened?
One thing I do know that can happen is, if you allow the live (+) terminal bolt you replaced to spin when tightening it up, you can crack the insulator for that bolt inside the starter motor.

What Tony suggests to try sounds like a good idea, you can use a heavy duty jump lead direct from the battery to the starter motor terminal to see if there is any change, attach one end to the battery and just touch the starter motor live terminal.

One other thing, I'm guessing the bike's charging is within spec 13.5 - 15.5 volts?

Chris.