Why isn't my motorcycle starting?

I thought it was the battery, so I bought a new one and it still won't start? It was turning over then now when I hit the starter button I get nothing. The headlight dims when I press it but nothing else at all… Thoughts? 1995 Honda Shadow 1100

Think you need to clean a few battery cable connections. Mains to the battery and the lead cables to the frame/ground and the starter. Also clean or replace the starter button, the connections in the button housing can also corrode.

(or you can push-start the bike than ride it to my house with a 12-pack of good IPA and I ll fit it for you).

You've run the battery down trying to start it. If you have left it stored for more than a month, you might need to clean out the carburetor and make sure the fuel is getting in there where it is supposed to. Just for general knowledge, Gasolines with ethanol are very bad to sit and "wax up", or varnish and stop up fuel lines. If you are going to store it for any length of time, use a fuel additive that will neutralise this, or just run a couple gallons of real (no ethanol added) gasoline. Smaller engines are not made to run on ethanol, although tye won't tell you that when you are buying it.

Could be the starter switch, could be the solenoid, could be the earth to the starter motor, could be you didn't charge the battery.

You need basic diagnostic tools. Get a multimeter and check the battery charge. Charge the battery if required (less than 12.4V). Check the fuse. Clean the battery posts and replace or clean the battery terminals. With a test light (connected to battery negative terminal), check for power at the fuse. With the multimeter or test light (connected to battery negative terminal), check for power (12V on the multimeter) at both terminals of the starter solenoid when starting. If there's power at both terminals, check if the starter is getting a good ground, (connect the test light at the battery positive terminal and touch the starter, test light should lit). If the ground is good and the starter is not cranking. The starter has failed.

If there's no power at the terminal with the bigger wire (B+ terminal), check for continuity on the wire from the battery to the solenoid. If there's no power at the terminal with the smaller wire (S terminal), check for continuity at the start button when pressed. If the starter button checks ok, check if the start relay is getting feed power, control power and control ground when the starter button is pressed. Check for an "open" in the control wires. Check for continuity at the ignition switch. Until you get power at both S terminal and B+ terminal, the starter will not crank.

Turn the right handlebar switch to "RUN".

Starter relay… Have you jump started it lately when you thought the batty. Was dead? If so, it knocked out your starter relay, always shut the motor off from the good batty BEFORE you try to jump start any bike.

Any number of reasons, including no petrol reaching the cylinder. You need to get the bike to a clued-up mechanic.

You are just burning out the battery and the starter. So it needs fuel. Make sure the fuel taps are turned on to reserve, maybe you are that low on fuel.
On many of the bikes they have a choke button down by the carbs that you pull out. You do not crank the throttle when you hit the starter button and the choke is enough to get the bike to start. When it starts you start to slowly push in the choke until the bike idles with the choke all the way in. Engine is now warm.

Also on the handlebars there may be kill switches to shut off the motor's spark. My 1975 bike had 3 extra switches or buttons beside the ignition key so I had 4 kill switches. They must all be on… Or the thing won't run.

It SHOULD BE THAT SIMPLE A PROBLEM. If you have the owner's manual or handbook; NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO READ IT. For, I can't see any other reason WHY IT WON'T WORK.

The handbook will give you all that nifty knowledge.