Do this....Remove the starter from the bike, clamp it in a vice, use one of your batteries and a set of cables to get power to it and then use a third wire to touch current the solenoid terminal.

If the started doesn't spin, it's toast.

 

I'll try it tonight, to confirm what I already suspect... it's toast

I'll have to go with the $363.76 solution instead of the $24.61 one.

 

Sometimes the **** just goes that way...Be careful next time you "free spin" a motor to build oil pressure.


But I guess you already know that.

 

yep, I do now. I've done it before and all went well but last winter I added a Jagg oil cooler so I guess it takes more time for oil to fill up the whole circuit and build enough pressure to turn the light off.
Oh well lesson (expensive) learned.

 

I wouldn't be so quick to throw in the towel on the old starter. It can be removed without too much effort but I would 1st jump it to make sure it just doesn't have a bad connection. remove the end cap from the solenoid and use the eraser end of a wood pencil to push in the solenoid. If it turns over it could be the starter relay in the fuse box or again a bad connection. I ended up buying a plunger for mine and can use it to bypass the start switch and relay in an emergency.

 

I'll examine it for sure before I throw it out.

 

I wouldn't just toss it, if I were you.
I used to have a guy out in California that would pick up my dead starters and rebuild them for me at a far lower price than it cost to buy new.

It is after all, just an electric motor...Any electric motor rebuilder should be able to rebuild it, preferably auto electric.

look around, you probably have one nearby.

 

It was the battery, the starter works fine. Still can't figure out what the burnt smell was though.

 

Good deal...It's nice when it turns out to be the cheap fix!

 

Just an idea for everybody. I used to carry a piece of 12 ga solid copper wire about 6-8 inches long with the insulation stripped about an 1/8" on each end. It can be thrown in the saddlbag and doesn't take up any room. The rubber boot on the top of the starter is a direct connection to the battery +. The little green and black wire that connects to the front of the starter comes from the relay and fires the solenoid. By taking the wire and bending it in a U shape you can jump from the terminal on the top of the starter to the connector where the black/green wire is attached to the solenoid. Make sure you are in Neutral and the starter will turn over bypassing the relay and starter switch. I've had issues twice that I never did figure out and this little trick saved me a tow both times. I've since installed the solenoid plunger for little of nothing but of course, I haven't need it since.