DON'T DO IT!!!

[YAM277]

For those who want to remove the starter for lighter weight (just buy a lighter battery), do yourself a favor and don't remove these gears and shaft, you'll thank me later and so will your wallet! Yes I had to split the cases twice! Like others, my leg got tired of bending, jumping, and becoming sore at the most inconvenient times! Not to mention the cost of relacing the gaskets and seals twice! Lesson learned.

 

[rsor]

I have learned the hard way myself many times over. Good luck with this!

 

[takehikes]

We learned ling time ago to keep the starter. Not worth getting rid of it.

 

[fredintoon]

E-start is the next "how could I have lived without it?" upgrade after rear suspension and front brakes.
I still know how to kickstart a twin, a multi or a big single and my XS650's kickstart still worked the last time I tried it
but it's only there as low battery insurance.

 

[xjwmx]

15 yrs ago when there was a wave of removing the starter, some kind of back to nature movement I guess, the forum advice was leave the shaft you're speaking of in. I guess hard core hippies need that shaft out too.

 

[nhsteve]

Probably the only reason I could think of for doing all the work would be for racing?

A long time ago, I came into possession of a very early ('69?) XS motor that did not have the e-start feature. As I was not ready to use it for anything I sold it on to a racer, who was pretty pleased to come across it I guess(?).

 

[Grimly]

When I removed my starter I left the shaft in.
Whenever I get around to fixing the starter and replacing it, all the bits are in a tray ready to go back in place.

 

[FLEA]

yrs ago way back in time ..ie late 70-80s none of my cheap xs650s had a working starter motor and i never bothered to fix them (a true bikie kicks his bikes over) , now days a e/started is a must even without upgrades being done ,, height of embarrisment few weeks back , bought a xs250 with a dodgy starter but owner started it for me without me even trying or thinking about it.. on way home dropped it off at a shop for a rego inspection in which they let a few things slide including non working starter , next day picked it up meaning to ride it hope .. had to ask them to kick start it for me as just couldnt do it with the doddgy legs , worse than the xs650 before the 750 upgrade , then after starting the 650 would have to sit down the next day ...VIVA LA STARTER MOTORS .. long may they rayne

 

[gggGary]

Darned Yamaha left that shaft out on the 70-71s.
Two years of riding the 70 and it really wasn't that bad.
The Nortons on the other hand can be real beee-itches. 10 minutes and I'm pooped.
Madness with high compression 750 jugs is also much more of a chore, not Norton bad but I'm real glad it has an E-leg.
You can put an E-start on the Nortons, a mere $3K and 4-5 days work and bingo bango!
Count your blessings.
Even on an early XS; a later E-start motor, several hundred to freshen the top, a couple days work to swap in, a bit of electric work and vroom vroom.

 

[nhsteve]

Totally agree with you on the Norton bit. I have an Atlas, and unless I am totally primed and ready for it, she can be very reluctant (although it has a K2F magneto, and the capacitor could very well be on it's way out.....)