Intermittent Beta electric starter problem or issues?

[mill]

Pull the wiring harness apart at at the steer tube right where it flexes. All the ground wires are spliced together in that area, which includes the ground wire for the starter relay. That's what it was on mine, intermittently had no starter.

I was also having intermittent starter issues with my 2016 Beta 300RR Race. By my 4th ride on the new bike, I was having problems. I checked all connectors, greased them, and zip tied them back together but was still having issues. After reading your post, I decided to see if I could isolate it to a break in the harness next to the steering neck. When I removed the instrument cluster bracket and flexed the harness, the starter failed. After messing around with it for a bit, it went from intermittent to complete failure (apparently I finally broke the wire in the harness). I didn't really like the idea of having to strip back the factory harness, much less test each wire until I found the break so I started following the schematic for the starter relay. Here's what I found, and my fix.

There are 3 wires @ the starter relay connector. The Grey/Black & White/Orange wires are the starter switch circuit (12V), the black wire is the ground for the relay. Testing continuity from ground to the black lead, I got an open reading. For troubleshooting purposes, I took a jumper and ran it from ground to the black lead @ the relay and hit the start button. BINGO!!!! The bike fired up.



Why Beta decided to run the ground for the relay all the way through the harness and up to the front of the bike is beyond me. Again, I didn't want to splice into the harness, so I created an easier fix. I simply ran a ground wire from the negative side of the battery, directly to the black lead wire @ the relay connector. I found that a small ring connector would slide securely into the back of the relay connector over the top of the black wire that is already in place. This way I could keep everything stock without having to hack and solder. We'll see how well it holds, but from what I can tell it's not going anywhere!







Hopefully this helps others out that experiencing the same issue. Maybe Beta will get this addresed in the future. This was the first bike I ever bought new and was a bit pissed that I was already chasing electrical faults after only 28hr runtime!

[MorBeta]

Had the same thing happen to my 2015 300RR. Followed the advice on here, but, and for various reasons, I just didn't have time to break the harness near the steering neck. So I called the shop where I purchased it in June 2015. He (Jared at South Mtn Cycle in Dillsburg PA) told me to bring it in and they'll swap it old harness for a new one. Swapped it out (for a very minimal fee) and I've had no problems since then. Have had the bike back for a month, and have had ZERO problems. Rode today -- no problems.

[Johnno]

Mine started doing this recently, I also lost the head tail and brake light. Oddly the park light still works. Guess I'll be looking at wires at the steering head...

Edit: loose negative terminal..

[primorec5]

Hi,

To come back to starter issues, on my RR300, 2016 recently happened twice that when cold, I can only here relay switch when I press the button start. Nothing else happen, even a small effort from el. starter could not be heard. After 10-15 min of riding, when engine becomes hot, el. starter works normal, starting engine most of the time. Even if I let the bike to cool a little bit down, 15 to 20 minutes, e. starter still works fine.
Battery is new, cables at the sterring are fixed.

Where could be the problem, it does seems to me that engine needs to be heated up, for el. starter to work normal.

Thanks in advance,
Good ride!
Ales

[bikesparky]

Hi,

To come back to starter issues, on my RR300, 2016 recently happened twice that when cold, I can only here relay switch when I press the button start. Nothing else happen, even a small effort from el. starter could not be heard. After 10-15 min of riding, when engine becomes hot, el. starter works normal, starting engine most of the time. Even if I let the bike to cool a little bit down, 15 to 20 minutes, e. starter still works fine.
Battery is new, cables at the sterring are fixed.

Where could be the problem, it does seems to me that engine needs to be heated up, for el. starter to work normal.

Thanks in advance,
Good ride!
Ales

If that is the case, the issue is at the starter itself. Need to come out and checked.
It's easy really, put a test light at the connector for the big cable on the starter motor (need to pull that rubber off).
When you hit the starter button and the light comes on, means the relay and all else works up to there => Starter motor is the problem!
Make yourself a 12V test light or buy one, diagnoses 90% of the problems on these bikes! Best $20 spent.

[primorec5]

Thanks for the idea, probably it is something with starter, as it seems that heat is the only factor changing here.
As I am thinking and reading around, could it be, that the starter/Bendix is blocked by old grease, which than melts with temperature rising?
I have not experienced this problem before, but now temperatures in our area dropped and I park the bike in the unheated garage.
BR

[Pinesport]

Seems like the 2022 models aren't any better, mines just off for a new loom under warranty as it's been diagnosed that an earth is 'missing'. Getting a kick start fitted at the same time so at least if the electrics fail, I can still go and ride!