Bear with me as this will take a bit to explain what I have already done and symptoms.

Riding home. Up the steep driveway I killed it in first gear as I was coming into the driveway. (Dumb on my part didn't bring in the clutch enough)

Suddenly bike won't start again. As I attempt to start the bike I hear this buzzing sound when starting and nothing happening. Had to push it in the garage. Waited until morning with no luck.

So here is what I have done. I took off the primary after draining fluid. Attempted to start the bike briefly. Saw the starter gear pop out then do nothing. Buzzing sound continued. (this was only a second or so).

Asked some friends. Someone mentioned potentially that compression could be keeping the starter from turning. Suggested I pull one plug (the rear plug) and attempt to start it to relieve the compression and see if it will fire. No luck there.

Plans are when going home tonight, to pull open the primary again (change fluid while I am doing this) and then advance the engine manually a half turn. Then attempt to start with or without the plug.

If this fails I am left with two or three theories told to me by others. One that it could be the clutch of the starter that has failed, or the entire starter is bad (which seems possible) but the solenoid seems good since the starter gear came out.

I am open to suggestions. Ideally I don't want to spend a tone of money since the starter never indicated problems before. However, I know that is how things fail. They just stop working.

Thanks in advance.

 

Sounds like starter clutch, if it doesn't turn with both plugs out and you get that buzzing it will be starter.

Might be solenoid, it depends on how you interpret "buzzing".

 

The buzzing is hard to describe in words. But the persons I have described it to say sounds like the sound coming from a starter. Sounds clearly like that to me as well.

Starter clutch is cheaper than the entire starter but hoping not to have to go that route. Trying to eliminate everything possible before I have to spend money on something that isn't broken.

 

If you want to rule out the starter pull it and have it bench tested.

 

Thanks HillCountry I didn't know that was possible.

Wonder if HogAlley can do that here in Georgetown....

Thanks!

 

Or pull it and take it apart to see if clutch is broken......

 

They probably can.
I think they can also do it at an auto parts store.

You can also do as Spanners suggests which is just take it apart and look.

You ever get out west of Austin?

 

How far west of Austin? Johnson City? Ridden there a few times.

 

I wished there was an easy way to take out this starter without removing the clutch. getting out of my depth here. I can do it, I have the manual, but I am not totally familiar with this. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be an easy way to do this.

 

Nevermind that last post. I managed to get it out without removing the clutch. Stupid manuals. RTFM can kiss my ***. I figured it out. So now off to get the starter tested. The starter clutch or rod whatever you want to call it seems to be completely serviceable. So it will remain.