Lost starter button.

[rainycity]

As most of you know I broke my back in February and was told by my doctor and the neurosurgeon that there would be no riding this year but that's not going to happen. Anyways, I went out today and uncovered it to at least start it up and the starter Button's gone. How in the world would it fall out and can I fix it or do I need to buy a new housing and everything?
I was able to start it by sticking a pencil in the hole on the spring and pushing it in but I don't want to ride around with a pencil in my pocket.lol

 

[mrtwowheel]

I carved one from a piece of plastic once, it turned out white.

Scott

 

[rainycity]

I just found the button but I can't get it stay in the hole.

 

[5twins]

It broke. They are top hat shaped with a lip around the bottom that holds them in. Yes, you can just replace the button. I scrounge them from other old switch assemblies. A horn button will work too, they're the same. If you do want to buy one, I recommend an aluminum replacement, it should never break .....

http://www.freewebs.com/kibokojoe/

 

[Mailman]

Wow! How do you find this stuff? That's pretty cool, what a thing to specialize in.

 

[fredintoon]

Hi rainycity,
like they said, the button is top hat shaped and the hat-brim on yours fell off which let the rest fall out.
Like Scott sez, you can make a new one. I used a 1/2" drill as a lathe and used a file to turn a new one from the
red plastic handle of a cheap screwdriver. That was in 1970. It's still on the bike and still working.
Or of course you can always buy a new one.

 

[mrtwowheel]

I carved one from a piece of plastic once, it turned out white.

Scott

Ah, now I remember, that button wasn't made from plastic, it was BONE !! I had some cow shin bones that I had been making fiddle parts from.

Scott

 

[kshansen]

Ah, now I remember, that button wasn't made from plastic, it was BONE !! I had some cow shin bones that I had been making fiddle parts from.

Scott

Like it, sort of caveman engineering! Just keep an eye out for a good piece of road kill and make your own!

 

[Boots69]

Mine is broken as well; I used a hex key that I happened to be holding in my hand at the time. Sure, just swap in a horn button, it's the same. I don't know if you can just buy the button.

 

[aldo5468]

Mine is broken as well; I used a hex key that I happened to be holding in my hand at the time. Sure, just swap in a horn button, it's the same. I don't know if you can just buy the button.

I don't think the OEM button is available as a stand-alone part. The horn button is the same, so you can get a usable starter button that way, or check out Kibokoejoe's website - he sells both plastic and aluminum replacement buttons.

 

[ThatXS650Guy]

Wow. I wish I had known about Kibokoejoe's stuff. I just used a new horn button I got from Mike's.

 

[Brassneck]

Yep, just get the horn button...it's the same. I replaced mine last summer when it broke on me. Super easy. https://www.mikesxs.net/yamaha-xs650-button-with-spring-starter-horn-oem-27010-1009.html

But the aluminum button is the bee's knees!

 

[robinc]

Here's what I did.......

 

[mrtwowheel]

robinc, anti-theft device

 

[jetmechmarty]

Wow. I wish I had known about Kibokoejoe's stuff. I just used a new horn button I got from Mike's.

You should have asked me, but you didn't.