Fails to start...

[edc]

Hi all,
 
My knowledge of bike mechanics is very much limited.
 
But on trying to fire the beast up, when I press and hold the starter button, I hear a click (presumeably the starter motor relay) - then nothing - rather than the click-click-vroom etc that I used to hear.  Not sure if I can hear it turning over at all.  Should I be able to?  But if I use a bit of throttle the bike fires up.
 
Dodgy starter motor?  Brushes need cleaning?  Any suggestions welcomed!
 
EdC
 
 

[Captain Haddock]

If the engine is spinning over you will hear it, just a click usually means the battery is flat or a crappy connection of the battery leads, but you say it starts if you open the throttle a bit which means it must be spinning over?
Unless the battery is at the point where the inlet vacuum is enough to stop it spinning of course but wouldn't have thought it'd make much difference on a 4 pot motor (my xt600 spins much quicker with the throttle open).