@Chris - I saw that thread; I think his issue was that the starter motor didn't do anything most of the time, cleaning the switch seems to have cured that. In my case, the starter motor always did something but it didn't result in the bike starting! Cleaning the switch is cheaper though... @Ben Mallinson - yes, I have a set of Stu's leads, fitted a couple of months or so ago. They did make a difference, but I suspect the damage to the sprag was done ages before they were fitted.
I think you would’ve got used to the sound the engine/starter makes when churning normally, did it sound any different to usual?
Not sure I understand the question, but now it turns over, albeit slowly, until it starts. Before, it would sort of cough and bang and ultimately not start. If that makes sense. The bike I had before the 1198S was a BMW S1000RR - you only had to touch the starter button and it burst into life. I guess V-twins and IL4s are quite different in that respect. Interestingly, my SP3 is sort of in between.
you didn't mention smelling fuel after cranking, did you hear the pump prime?. maybe worth looking at that area including the fuel pump rely. if the fault returns out on the road before diagnosis i would be kicking one of those two components.
I said in the original post that there was a strong smell of petrol on the day it wouldn't start. The pump ran as usual - I suspect the engine flooded on that occasion?
doh, the two relays including the fuel pump seem to bee a firm favorite for renewal when it comes these kind of faults.
