Starter grabs half turn then grinding spin noise

Sorry about the subject it's hard to explain, but I pray one of you have delt with this before. Again this is my first bike an 81 650 csr. I went through everything in three days, went to hit the button and, the bike turned over then the starter just kinda spins on it's own with I guess a grinding noise...not a whirl. sometimes it will catch for a second or two....other times the grind. Please if anyone can help me out with this, I am trying to stay positive about the whole thing, but I haven't even got to hear this bike run yet. Thanks evryone for your help.

I would check the battery first, if there is not enough voltage then the starter will not engage fully.
If the battery is OK, next think about the starter clutch, or even a stripped starter gear.
I don't do starters much, but I think you need to start at the battery and work your way to the starter.

good luck, hope all turns out well

Thanks NOS, unfortunatley I just today bought and charged a brand new interstate battery, and my out come was the whole starter thing. I'll have to take it to a shop I don't know enough yet to mess with a starter clucth. My luck I will mess something else up.

josephj wrote:

...I'll have to take it to a shop I don't know enough yet to mess with a starter clucth. My luck I will mess something else up.

Your description above was a perfect description of a failing/failed starter clutch.

Before you take it to a shop (most won't work on it anyway because of age), you should do a search here (and on the archive) for "starter clutch". This is a common problem with these bikes, and on some models it's pretty easy to get to and repair; some not. It's worth a little research though.

I had the same problem and found the starter clutch bolts had loosened up (no lock tite).It took about 2 hrs with the engine off the bike and it was the first time i ever attempted it.The girlfriend had a s@#t fit when she came home from work and saw the engine siting on the kitchen table. But it was a very easy fix.good luck

Hey, Thanks Rammy I will be puiilin the engine soon. I hope and pray that it is something simple like that, if not the engine will be out and I can attempt to replace that starter clutch. I want to thank all you guy's for your help, joining this group of KZ riders has been the best thing I have done in a while. And some day soon I will get to ride my KZ and all of this will be worth it.

The girlfriend had a s@#t fit when she came home from work and saw the engine siting on the kitchen table.

Maybe that's an Indiana thing? I was beginning to wonder if I was the only one that did stuff like that.

Rebuilt RD350 in the living room in Arkansas

Rebuilt a Norton 850 in my room in the barracks in England (3rd floor and I had the whole bike in there).
Rebuilt a BSA 441 Victor in my living room in California.

Just moved a GPz750 motor from the Kitchen table to the garage here in Indiana.

:evil: :evil:

Joseph just make sure you use a dab of blue locktite on the bolts on the starter clutch.For some odd reason I forgot to do that and they loosened up again(maybe being in a hurry tring to get engine off table b4 girlfriend got home)and I have to do it 1 more time for being in a hurry as for the bolts loosened up again last weekend when I was out.Good luck

Mine was doing the same thing. The problem was caused by the starter turning to slowly and when it fired it would kick out the clutch. Try rebuiding the starter first. I was lucky the starter bushings and gears in the head were dry. I just cleaned everything up and lubed it with Never Seize. It's been working well for the last year and a half.
Good luck,
Les

Thanks milkman, I am going to pull the starter apart and look there, scince the engine is still in the bike and intact. The bike had been sitting for 6 years prior to me buying for $100.00 just a few days ago. So far everything has been dry and seized (except for engine). I hope I don't have to pull the engine and tear it down, this is my first bike and I am not very experinced I have learned all I know from this group of KZ riders. Thanks guy's for all your help.

One thing to check is the wiring....I had the same problem and was getting ready to pull my motor and low and behold the hot wires to the starter were arcing on the frame. Give the bike a good look over before the motor pull!

And for the love of God, post photos! Everyone wants to see any bike someone steals for $100!:woohoo: