Hi trying to start my piaggio x9 125 2001 turn key hold in brake leaver all I here is click click from the relay at back so I took relay of and bridge the red wires lots of sparks and smoke but this turned the bike over can some body tell me is it the relay that has stopped working just clicking many thanks

Roy, April 2016

If you hear the relay click then it's working
If you hear the relay go click click click it's working but very probably dropping out because as it sends power to the starter the battery voltage drops to too low a value to maintain the relay - so the relay drops out - and the battery voltage goes up and the relay gets activated again and so it repeats.

It seems to me that the battery does not have enough power to turn the engine over

Look to your battery - the clicking from the relay is normal - you just don't usually hear it because (a) it only happens once and (b) the noise of the engine turning over drowns it out.

This happens on my car when the battery runs out of power click clickety click.

Good Luck..., April 2016