xvs125 starting fault

[stew-pid1]

hi could some shine a little light on my problem. my xvs 125 starter motor spins but does not rotat engine. i have had the side cover of and all looks ok. if i bump start the bike she fires and runs ok.

[Silverclaws]

Am not particularly familiar with bike mechanics,but they can't be that much different from car mechanics.From what you say it sounds like a sticking solenoid.Someone correct me if I am wrong,but the solenoid is supposed to chuck out a gear to engage the starter gear on the engine,so there is less current drain on the battery caused by a constant meshing starter gear.

Remedy,try cleaning the terminals on the solenoid,and the wires to it,with sand paper until they are bright and shiny,reconnect and smear with vaseline,tighten nuts.Try it,it might work,it might just be dirty or corroded contacts.If it doesn't,there are voltages that can be checked

[simon_t]

The solenoid is just a heavy duty relay, so that the large current drawn from the battery during starting does not pass through the main wiring loom. It is not connected to the starter motor other than through electrical wires.

I would imagine the spinning starter but no engine movement means the starer clutch is dead\stuck.

[Luimni]

Yeah it sounds like the starter clutch to me too. The idler gear could be stuck.. You can check it by taking off the alternator cover and intermediate gear and shaft (small gear to the left). you should be able to rotate the idler gear (large gear) anticlockwise but not clockwise. If not then its the starter clutch.

Make sure the starter gears are catching too, it could be slipping gears.

Best of luck with it..