Strongest Starting System

[magoconnor]

Hello. 

I have a few wiring questions, I hope you guys can help me with. 
Im just doing a few upgrades here and there, and being I cant kickstart my bike, im trying to get the strongest starting system possible (within reason). 

1. Is it better to run the ground from the starter motor, directly to the battery? Or does the frame do just fine. 
 
2. My bike came with just a standard square starting relay, but no solenoid. 
    Would adding a solenoid improve the output to the startermotor? 
     They are both essentially just switches, but I cant really find a clear answear, and most scooters seems to come with a solenoid.

 3. How thick should the wires be, for optimal startermotor function? 

I have upgraded the rectifier and the battery. 

Any other advise would be greatly appreciated. 
Cheers mag 

[rancevas]

1. Grab a multimeter. Check resistance between the negative terminal of the battery and the negative terminal of the starter motor. If there is 0 resistance - you don't need to redo any connections. If there is resistance - clean the connections (between the battery and the frame; between the frame and starter) with a solid wire brush and try again.

If there still is resistance, which there shouldn't be, connect it directly.

2. Starting relay and solenoid are the same things. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I am pretty sure that they are.

Solenoids/relays are there to basically allow electricity through only when a certain variable is applied.
Such as pressing the brake.
Pressing the brake connects the circuit to the starter button, which then allows the electricity to go to the starter (when starter button is pressed).


3. Now, you'll have to check the manual for the correct info, but I think that the electricity goes from the battery to rectumfryer and then to the starter itself. Which means it feeds it AC. Now, there are many calculators which would calculate the apropriate diameter of the wire itself, such as this one

myelectrical.com/tools/cable-sizing-calculator

[GrumpyUnk]

Define 'relay' and 'solenoid'. In auto terminology, the relay would connect the fat battery cables from, generally, the '+' terminal of the battery to the large cable connected to the starter. The solenoid would actually be the mechanical device that pulled in its core, moving a lever, which had the starter Bendix drive gear on the other end. Moving would engage the starter motor gear with the ring gear, and ALSO close a large terminal built into the solenoid which would pass big amps to the starter motor.
So, I don't think solenoid applies to the majority of these scooter.
Most have a relay mounted on the frame, quite near to the starter motor(generally on the other side rail).
Most also have a ground from the cam cover to the frame, or directly to the battery '-' terminal. Either should suffice, but a direct-to-engine cable would give the best conduction. Cu is better at carrying current than Fe. Most installed cables can carry the current for short periods with no problem. You could increase the gauge, but I doubt it would make much difference. I don't think they heat up with longer than normal crank times.
tom