So I rode my bike in to work today (2 miles, < 10 minutes on bike), no problems.  I had not ridden it in about a week, maybe two.

At lunch I came out to ride it to a restuarant to meet a friend.

I inserted the key, turned to ON, the lights came on (front, front parking, Neutral, Oil) and tried to start it.  The started sounded normal but the bike did not kick over, sometimes/often does that on the first couple of tries.  After about the third or fourth try I started getting worried.  At one point the engine caught but maybe only did one revolution before stopping, just enough to think that if you gave it some throttle it might catch.

At this point I started to notice that the starter sounded like it was really struggling, kinda like what you would think if its low on battery charge. Having not been able to get the bike started, I called the friend, and waited around.

I tried it one last time, (of course) and this time I noticed a new sound, after letting off the starter button I hear a very slight whirring sound.


I am hoping this is just a battery, I think it is the original from 2004.

Going to walk the bike to a battery store that is 1/4 a mile and see if they can test.

Does anyone have any thoughts/advice?

Mmm probably the battery .. Whole you at the battery store ask them to do a charge check etc and make sure the bike is running smoothly before you head away from there ... Watch what they do to test the charge etc and ask questions if you need to .. Then soon as you can get a basic multimeter for future use

If the bike won't start after a new battery then check your fuel level and fuel tap position .. And correct as you need to ... If that not work then ask more questions!

Oh and don't assume your fuel level ... Actually look and check .. If its below half then to it up s bit anyway 

Check water level.  I thought mine was dead, and the water was low.  Now, if it's original with the bike, yep...toast.

Also helps to be in neutral when starting. Stuck clutch plates put a terrible drag when trying to start in gear with the clutch pulled in (plates get stuck together).