starter running backwards???

[rkubik]

Hello again, I am in the process of fixing my starter, which has stopped "starting."

After fitting a new, fully charged battery (the old one was shot anyway) I took off the sidecover and observed how the starter worked.

1. There is an arrow on the alternator coil which says it is meant to spin "forwards" i.e. clockwise when you look at it. OK.
2. But the starter gears spin "backwards" i.e. counterclockwise when you look at them. Seems wrong.
3. There is only one wire connection on the starter, so I don't think I could have gotten that wrong. But one never knows.

Any advice most appreciated. Right now I'm off to the country for a long walk in the sun!

BTW the new battery is a Yuasa, and highly recommended because you can actually see the level of the electrolyte in it. I had a cheapo before, and you could never easily tell if it was full or not. Yahoo Yuasa!

[chuck hahn]

The starter has to turn one way to turn the idler gear the other way, which in turn spins the starter clutch the right way to engage on the crankshaft..follow me??

[Buffalo Bill]

Check the cables?

One of the silliest mistakes I discovered from a PO was he had swapped the cables on the starter solenoid, so when the start button was pushed the starter spun backwards.
I figured it out when I had the stater out, put my finger in the hole and found that the drive gear would spin freely one one direction but not the other. I checked the cables and found the mistake. I couldn't believe it, I got a great bike for the cost of the parts!
Bill

[rkubik]

... a PO ... had swapped the cables on the starter solenoid, so when the start button was pushed the starter spun backwards.

Ooops. Me being the PO, I'd better check that!