WR450 Starter jams

[rmc_olderthandirt]

I have a "new to me" 2007 WR450F, which I am really enjoying but it has an issue that bothers me a bit: The starter mechanism can jam.

This has happened to me twice. On each time the electric starter had engaged and stayed engaged. Pushing the start button provided a little "grunt" but otherwise nothing. The kick starter was a no-go as well, it engaged but there was no way I could get the engine to turn over. Battery is new and was fully charged.

To clear the problem I would shift to a higher gear and rock the bike back and forth. Once it clears everything is fine.

The reason this is really bothering me right now is that it happened to me on the start line of a Hare & Hound on Sunday. It is quite frustrating to see a couple hundred of your competitors tearing off while I am sitting there with a stuck starter.

I talked with a couple of other WR450 owners and they said that it happens to them as well, but they didn't offer any solution to it.

Any one have any idea what is going on and how to keep it from happening again?

Rod

 

[pesky nz]

I've just done 800km in 4 days on very new wr450 and it also will fluke a stop in the wrong position and refuse to turn over. It is the 3rd week long ride wr450 and they have all done it. Next time it does it put the motor in gear and rock it backwards away from compression and it will allow the starter to get a run up and turn the motor over and start. Don't push the button over and over as that will make extra heat and weaken the starter-motor.
Or lean on the kick starter until it moves, don't stab, hack or thrash at the lever, just lean on it and it will move (very slowly) over compression and then the starter will work.
That is assuming you have clean and tight battery, solenoid and starter connections.
I find it only a minor niggle on a solid bike

 

[Road Rage]

I had the exact same problem, cooked my starter motor and had to get it rewound...the culprit was a gummed up auto decompresser, it would not engage and cause the starter motor to work extra hard or not at all. I cleaned the decompression mechanism with some solvent based cleaner while preforming a valve check...problem solved!! I know it sounds like scratching your ear to tie your shoes but the two components are dependent on each other...good luck!!