How to Replace the Starter on Bikes

In general, the Yamaha bike motor provide several years of reliable service. However, the Yamaha bike is sensitive to heat, much of which is generated by extended or improper usage, which damages the carbon brushes that spin the motor. Most failures normally appear as a sluggishly-turning motor or a complete lack of movement, both of which require total replacement of the Yamaha bike. Fortunately, the Yamaha bike is mounted to the front of the Yamaha bike motor, simplifying its replacement.

Under The Hood:

• How to Replace the Starter on a Honda Goldwing
• How to Change a Starter on a Kawasaki Prairie 300 ATV
• How to Replace the Starter for a Suzuki Intruder 1500
• How to Replace a Starter on a Yamaha V Star 1100
• How to Replace the Starter on a Yamaha Jet Ski

 How to Replace the Starter on a Honda Goldwing

Place the motorcycle on a stand and remove the fuel tank's top cowl. Open the fairing pockets and remove the trim clips, pressing in the center pin and pulling the clip out. Pull the pockets away from the fairing. Using a 5 and a 6 mm socket, remove the bolts that secure the top cowl to the fuel tank and lift the cowl upward. Disconnect all cables and set the cowl aside. Use a 10 mm socket to remove all four bolts that secure the fuel tank to the frame. Lift the right side of the fuel tank upward and disconnect all of the wiring connectors. Remove the fuel tank from the left side of the motorcycle.

Locate the rear brake master cylinder and remove both mounting bolts with a 10 mm socket. Move the rear brake master cylinder aside. Locate the two bolts that were behind the rear brake master cylinder. These bolts secure the battery's ground cable and the reverse shift cable holder. Remove the bolts and pull away the battery ground cable and reverse shift cable holder using a 10 mm socket.

Follow the reverse shift cable to the starter motor. Remove the reverse shift arm, using a 10 mm socket to remove the bolt in the center of the shift arm assembly attached to the reverse shift cable.

Pull the rubber dust boot off of the starter motor's terminal. Using a 10 mm wrench, unscrew the terminal nut and pull the starter wire lead off of the terminal. Remove the starter motor from the motorcycle. Remove all three bolts that secure the starter to the motor using the 10 mm socket. Pull the starter motor away form the motorcycle.

Slip a new O-ring around the starter motor, placing it within the recessed channel on the motor side of the starter. Secure the starter to the motor, using a 10 mm socket to insert and tighten all three bolts. Insert the starter into the motor. Place the starter wire lead onto the starter's terminal and tighten the terminal nut with a 10 mm wrench.

Reinstall the reverse shift arm, fuel tank and top cowl following directions outlined in Steps 1, 2 and 3 in reverse.

 How to Change a Starter on a Kawasaki Prairie 300 ATV

Get on your back and slide under the front frame of the vehicle. You need to be looking up at the face of the engine to see the starter.

Use a screwdriver to loosen the two wire connectors on the rear of the starter and the one on the front. Pull the wires from the starter.

Remove the two bolts from the top and bottom of the starter with a ratchet set. Pull the starter from the engine and place the new starter onto the engine.

Replace and tighten the mounting bolts. Reconnect the wires in the opposite way that you removed them.

 How to Replace the Starter for a Suzuki Intruder 1500

Remove the seat from your Suzuki to gain access to the battery. Use a wrench to remove the clamp bolt from the negative battery terminal. Pull the negative cable away from the battery.

Locate the housing to the starter on top of your engine block. Use a socket wrench to remove the bolts which hold the starter in place.

Remove the wiring and electrical connectors from the starter. Use a wrench to loosen them from their connectors and remove them from the starter with your hands.

Slide the starter away from the mounting rod. Place the new starter on to the rod in the same position that you removed the old one.

Secure the starter in place by reattaching the mounting bolts which hold it in place. Reattach the electrical wiring and connectors into the starter. Place the negative cable back on the battery terminal and secure in place with the clamp.

 How to Replace a Starter on a Yamaha V Star 1100

Unscrew the bolt from the top corner of your V-Star's right side cover, located below the of the rider's seat, using a 5 mm Allen wrench. Pull the cover off the grommets built into the V-Star's frame to access the battery.

Unscrew the negative terminal's bolt with a Phillips screwdriver, then lift the negative cable off the battery.

Unscrew the starter lead's nut from top of the starter motor, positioned at the front of the motor's crankcase, using a 10 mm socket and a socket wrench. Lift the starter lead off the starter motor's terminal.

Unscrew both bolts from the right side of the starter motor, using a 12 mm socket and a socket wrench. Pull the starter motor slightly away from the motor's crankcase, then pull it to the right of the motorcycle until the starter has been removed completely.

Slip the new starter motor's sprocket, positioned on the left end of the starter motor, into the V-Star's crankcase. Screw the starter motor's mounting bolts into place, using a 12 mm socket and a socket wrench. Tighten the bolts to 7.3 foot-pounds, using a torque wrench.

Place the starter lead over the starter motor's terminal, then tighten the terminal nut with a 10 mm socket and a socket wrench.

Place the negative cable onto the battery's negative terminal. Tighten the terminal's bolt with a Phillips screwdriver. Push the right cover into the grommets built into your V-Star's frame, then tighten the cover's mounting bolt with a 5 mm Allen wrench.

 How to Replace the Starter on a Yamaha Jet Ski

Squeeze the handle on the side of the Yamaha jet ski seat and pull the seat off.

Unscrew the clamp holding the red battery cable on the positive battery post using a properly-sized socket.

Open the hood on the jet ski. Locate the popcan-sized starter mounted on the side of the engine block, next to the flywheel. The red battery cable will be on the side of the starter.

Unscrew the nut holding the red battery cable in place with the proper-sized socket.

Squeeze the electrical wire tab inserting into the base of the starter with your fingers and pull off the wire.

Unscrew the four bolts holding the starter onto the side of the engine block.

Pull down on the starter to remove it from the flywheel gear.

Push the new starter into the place where the old one was and tighten its mounting bolts back in.

Push the electrical wire into the base of the new starter.

Tighten the red battery cable back onto the side of the new starter. Shut the hood.

Tighten the red battery cable back onto the positive post of the battery.

Replace the jet ski seat.