This year, however: click. Good solid click, of course, with a new AGM battery, and a new Ricks solenoid, but click none-the-less.
Boost made no difference. Boost right to starter post made no difference. Ok, starter is pooched. 31 years is enough.
Read all the horror stories on this board and others, and thought I'd check at the dealer. OEM $5XX.00 (honestly, I stopped listening after he said five hundred+ bucks, because that isn't happening) aftermarket ~$170.
Hmm....well, the EBay starters are 90-130, plus shipping of 50ish, so really, that's not bad at all. AND if I have an issue, it's going to be at the counter of my local dealer, not an international shipping-return Gong show. AND he had it in next freakin' day!
So I got it.
UMI starter, new, # SMU0069 (same part number as every other Asian starter!...this one said Taiwan) Came with a new sprocket too, which fit perfectly on both the new starter and the old one. I left the old one in place, though.
Naturally, a little fiddly to get into the sprocket, but in she goes like the old one came out, two bolts and a battery cable, and br-Bam, we're running again.
Maybe, Grasshopper, true happiness is found with new battery, solenoid, starter, coils, wires, ends, relay power to coils, and Randackked carbs. Brush the start button, no choke!