Possible Starter Motor Issue

[Strife]

Hey guys, I have a bit of a puzzler here. I'm working on my CB650 cafe and I am currently redoing all of the switches up front to new push buttons, toggles, etc. I've been cutting wires and reworking everything to the new switches that I've bought. I started with the engine start, connected it, and got the bike to fire up right away. Initially the bike had had a bad starter solenoid, so I replaced that, and had been getting the bike to start up perfectly. I also installed an aftermarket Reg/Rec from http://www.oregonmotorcycleparts.com/ .

I moved on to the other switches like the turns, hibeams, horn, kill etc, and am now having an issue, the bike won't start! When I hit the engine start, I can hear the starter solenoid activate, which if the bike weren't grounded properly. I've also crossed the solenoid with a screwdriver, which bypasses the solenoid and starts the bike (this is how I got the bike to start back when I had the bad solenoid), so I know the solenoid is good.

That is the only noise I can hear when I hit the start. The bike's battery is fully charged, so that's not the issue. I'm thinking that the starter motor might be dead, it is the original from the bike (it's a 1979), but it seems weird that the starter motor just up and died so suddenly. Any thoughts on what the issue might be?

 

[crazypj]

solenoid contactor is worn out, just get a new solenoid

 

[Strife]

Yea I originally couldn't get the bike to start because of the solenoid and I replaced it a couple of months ago. Do you think that one has already gone bad?

 

[hillsy]

Could be the starter switch on the handlebars. Take it apart and clean it so the contacts have a good connection. If that still doesn't work, maybe another solenoid.

 

[Strife]

The starter switch is an aftermarket one, and brand new, so it should be fine. I've been mostly getting the advice that it's the solenoid, which sucks seeing as its a brand new one, but I guess its possible I got a bad apple. The thing isn't older than a couple of months and has only been fired up 10-20 times.

I've crossed the solenoid to try and get it started though, and I was under the impression that doing that effectively bypassed the solenoid, so if that is the issue, then crossing it should start the bike up, which it doesn't.

 

[interceptor]

Sorry about that man. That sucks. But I'll give one more crack at it. Maybe starter isn't grounding to engine properly? Did you repaint engine recently? In the beginning I was thinking it was maybe that the bars weren't grounded properly, or maybe you painted bars or risers while you changed electrics. Anyways, good luck.

 

[Strife]

I painted the engine but that was some time ago, and it fired up plenty of times with the painted engine. The not grounding thing is what I was thinking was the problem. Some of the seals and whatnot in the starter motor are thin and old. I'm thinking I am going to grab a rebuild kit and see if that works, it's only $30.