I was having intermittent starting problems so bought a new starter relay and fitted it this morning. Went for a 30 mile ride this afternoon and towards the end of my ride the bike started misfiring and eventually cutting out completely - I turned off the ignition and the starter motor started cycling as if I was pushing the starter button - this went on for a minute until the battery died! - its a LiLon battery and when I checked the voltage it read 0V!
Connected my ohm meter across the starter relay's output terminals and this showed a short! even with the ignition switched off.

Managed to start the bike using a pair of jump leads from the AA (UK's emergency breakdown service) - disconnecting the lead to the starter motor and using the jump battery to direct connect to the starter motor.

So suspects could be the automatic decompression control and starter control box or the starter switch? BUT how could this be with the ignition switched off? and the clutch not held in? - has any one encountered such a weird fault?

Cheers! -I'm checking all my wiring now but can't trace the engine earth - where does it go once it goes from behind the oil level window?

It runs from the bolt near the oil window to the neg. battery post.