Starter Motor Replacement

[Quinn]

My 2006's starter motor has seized. A new Honda motor is ridiculously priced here in Canada, and according to my dealership service dept, are on back order until the end of October/early November!
I don't want to pay that much or wait that long!

My question is: would I be better off with a used GW starter motor, or a new aftermarket motor, ie Mitsuba.

Thanks for your insight on this!

[Techdude2000]

My 2006's starter motor has seized. A new Honda motor is ridiculously priced here in Canada, and according to my dealership service dept, are on back order until the end of October/early November!
I don't want to pay that much or wait that long!

My question is: would I be better off with a used GW starter motor, or a new aftermarket motor, ie Mitsuba.

Thanks for your insight on this!

Go with a good used one. You can easily replace the brushes and springs if needed and they are a permanent magnet type so there’s only an armature that could electrically fail. Are you sure yours is seized up? Have you removed it and taken it apart?

[jackjohn]

I would disassemble the starter and clean it up, replace the brushes and see if it still works or obtain a good used one and do the same thing to it.

[keithg64]

I would take it out, you have to do that anyway if you think that is the problem. Then connect the battery leads and see if it spins. If it does you may have other issues.
What tells you the starter is seized anyway. They are pretty much indestructible.

[dirtwinger]

Having worked in a DC permanent magnet motor manufacturing factory in a customer service position for 30+ years, I fully agree with JackJohn and Keith64. Remove, disassemble and look for bad or worn parts that can be replaced for little cost. Buying a new starter should be the absolute last resort.

As a side note, when my 2012 was brand new, I was participating in a Christmas parade, and with all the parade noise surrounding me, I did not notice that my starter was continuously running. It was just another parade noise I thought. Halfway through, the bike quit running and would not restart, (somewhat embarrassing) and my Honda dealer (he was in the parade, too) had to come haul me to his shop. The end result was that the starter had self-destructed and fragmented. Fortunately the Honda warranty covered it, and the bike was down for only a week and a half to replace the starter. Honda warranty people indicated they had never previously seen this happen.

[Techdude2000]

Having worked in a DC permanent magnet motor manufacturing factory in a customer service position for 30+ years, I fully agree with JackJohn and Keith64. Remove, disassemble and look for bad or worn parts that can be replaced for little cost. Buying a new starter should be the absolute last resort.

As a side note, when my 2012 was brand new, I was participating in a Christmas parade, and with all the parade noise surrounding me, I did not notice that my starter was continuously running. It was just another parade noise I thought. Halfway through, the bike quit running and would not restart, (somewhat embarrassing) and my Honda dealer (he was in the parade, too) had to come haul me to his shop. The end result was that the starter had self-destructed and fragmented. Fortunately the Honda warranty covered it, and the bike was down for only a week and a half to replace the starter. Honda warranty people indicated they had never previously seen this happen.

Good thing you didn’t try reverse while it was running, it would have broken the reverse gear inside the engine and the whole engine would have had to be pulled from the frame to replace it.

[DaveO430]

Honda warranty people indicated they had never previously seen this happen.

I've heard of it a few times. A friend of mine had the same thing happen on his 03, repaired under warranty.

[GoldWingrGreg]

My question is: would I be better off with a used GW starter motor, or a new aftermarket motor, ie Mitsuba.

Go with a good used one. You can easily replace the brushes and springs if needed and they are a permanent magnet type so there’s only an armature that could electrically fail. Are you sure yours is seized up? Have you removed it and taken it apart?

I agree ... a good, used OEM part is by far better then an aftermarket part.

[Quinn]

Well, here's how the story played out.
Before quitting altogether, my starter motor had gone into "constant run mode" similar to what "Techdude 2000" described. Honda Service mechanics removed and inspected it, declared it inoperable, and told me of the back-order on the starters. I had an upcoming ride, and needed the bike operational asap. I found a supplier selling the same part manufacturer as the online Honda OEM sites, at a very good price, and got it the next day. Honda installed it, and I'm riding again. Hopefully it will function as well as the original did for another 12 years!
Thank you all for your comments and suggestions.

[Techdude2000]

Well, here's how the story played out.
Before quitting altogether, my starter motor had gone into "constant run mode" similar to what "Techdude 2000" described. Honda Service mechanics removed and inspected it, declared it inoperable, and told me of the back-order on the starters. I had an upcoming ride, and needed the bike operational asap. I found a supplier selling the same part manufacturer as the online Honda OEM sites, at a very good price, and got it the next day. Honda installed it, and I'm riding again. Hopefully it will function as well as the original did for another 12 years!
Thank you all for your comments and suggestions.

Did you replace the starter relays too? The “A” starter relay is usually the cause of the run-on starter and if it did it once it will do it again. I usually replace both the A and B relay when this happens.

[Quinn]

Techdude 2000 wrote:
Did you replace the starter relays too? The “A” starter relay is usually the cause of the run-on starter and if it did it once it will do it again. I usually replace both the A and B relay when this happens.

Yes, the A starter relay was replaced as well.

[Techdude2000]

Techdude 2000 wrote:
Did you replace the starter relays too? The “A” starter relay is usually the cause of the run-on starter and if it did it once it will do it again. I usually replace both the A and B relay when this happens.

Yes, the A starter relay was replaced as well.

Great! Hope your starter holds up.