Ok, here's the deal. I haven't started my bike since about this time last year, but it ran fine then. Now, having issues. Mainly, I can't even get a crank out of this bitch.
Last week when trying to start I heard some crackling noises, then touched all the relays til I found the starter relay was doing it. So, replaced that yesterday but still no crank, no click, nothing. Battery is my next target, though I have it sitting on the charger for almost 2 days before I have tried using it, it was brand new 2 years ago but am going to get it tested anyway. All fuses are good, have checked them all.
Any other areas to check besides battery then starter?

 

Best place to start is your battery. Bust out the voltmeter though and see what it is saying just sitting there and if you can get an extra pair of hands what it reads when you press the starter button. If you have a bad cell (which can easily happen) then it doesn't matter how long it sits on a charger...not gonna start. What do your lights and indications do?

Also, your grounds for your starting system?

 

Voltmeter is showing 11.79, not quite the 12 it should be. Lights do appear to be very dim, even after it has sat on the charger. I'll be getting it tested this week, and probably picking up a new one (damn it).

Good call on the grounds, I'm gonna check the whole electrical system this week.

 

Your battery sounds like it's bad....especially since it's been on a charger and it's only at 11.8V. What is the voltage when you hit the starter? What kind of charger are you using? I'd take the battery to an auto parts store and have them load test it.

A Battery Tender is probably the best electrical investment you can buy for your bike, especially for people who have long winters. Just keep it plugged in for the down time and you'll be good to go first day, providing you have fuel stabilizer in it.

 

Under 12 after being on a charger? Thats your problem....dead battery. When a bike battery goes you get nothing from it...not like a car where you get poor cranking for a bit before it is toast. These things just go

 

Well just as everyone thought, battery is dead. Took it to get tested, girl came back out and said yea, it's junk. Now do I spend $50 on a battery just to get going or spend a little more on a good one that I don't have to worry about for awhile?

 

Spend 50$ on the battery and buy a Battery Tender. The 50$ battery will last you longer than a $100 Yuasa without a tender. Been there done that. Glad you found the culprit and its not the bike!

 

Ended up spending $76 on a gel pack batt, bike fired up first try! Running a little rough though, got my buddy coming out this week to check it out, think I need new plug wires, almost seems like its not running on all 4 cyl's

 

if you had it sitting for a year and all ots doing is running rough, first chang the fuel in the tank drain the carbs and add fresh fuel with come carb cleaner mixed in run the bike problem may clear up the carbs are probably a bit gummed up from sitting. Idk where you are located but since they added ethenol to the gas it will absorb moisture and can be a pain in the but. If it rode great when you parked it i would bet this is your fix.

 

Fresh fuel was used, cleaned out the carbs as well, not the issue. Discovered I'm getting weak spark at one of the plug wires, need a new ignition coil, can unplug #3 and it doesn't change the idle, it's not even firing. So now I'll be ordering a new coil, just add it to the list of things replaced