Press Start...bike just whiiirrrrrrrss.

So once during my trip...I woke up and went out to my bike. (in Winchester, VA) Bike was out in the rain all night. Pressed the START button and all I gott was a whirrrrrrrrr noise. Sounded different then my old 2nd gen with the Starter Clutch issue. That had more clacking to it.
Anyways....rode the bike home....no issues. That was over a week ago.

This morning I went to start the bike to take it to work. (bike is clean...hasn't seen rain in days) I pressed the START button and Whhhirrrrrrr I pressed it again...same thing. Again...same thing. Finally...4th try. The bike made the normal noise and started up.

It's almost sounds like the starter is just spinning and not grabbing anything. Is this possible?

Does it sound like it could be anything else?

 

Oh yeah?

Do the starters on these bikes work like car starters?

The gear inside the starter spins and extends out to grab a Flywheel to turn the Engine over?

Could the starter be getting stuck and just spinning in place?

 

Yes,that's because your starter clutch is not engaging Slowbird.

No my friend that's why your bike is equipped with a starter clutch.

You're correct that car starters have a Bendix gear that extends out,starts the engine,and then retracts. The starter drive gears on your bike are permanently meshed,meaning that they are always in contact with each other. The starter clutch locks up in one direction and allows you to start your bike,once you release the starter button the starter clutch releases and freewheels in the other direction. That's how starter clutches work.

Here's a pic of my 6th gen. starter drive system. Yellow arrow points to the starter shaft,Green arrow points to the starter drive gear,Red arrow points to the idler gear,and Blue arrow points to the starter clutch assembly.
Your '97 doesn't look exactly like this,but the principle of how it works is exactly the same.

Sounds to me like it's time to get out there and inspect your starter clutch Slowbird.

 

The starter clutch on a motorcycle is not like a car starter at all.

The car starter has a gear that slides on a shaft and when activated is pushed towards the flywheel.

On a motorcycle the starter spins a clutch that works on centrifugal force and locks small cylindrical tumblers or steel balls into place - spinning the engine.

 

Ok...so the problem may be the starter clutch. My next question is:

What the hell is wrong with these bikes that cause the starter clutch to act up in only 30,000kms?! My 2nd gen had starter clutch issues as well.

LOL! I don't think enough people mentioned a Car starter is nothing like the bike starter.

 

Inside the starter clutch is three spring load rollers. When you hit the starter button, the starter clutch turns and the rollers are thrown/pushed against the crank shaft and lock on to it to turn the motor over.

Sometimes the roller or spring sticks then there is not enough pressure to lock on to the crank and it just spins. When it happens to me I just drop it in gear and bump the engine over a little and they grab. It may take a couple of times.

They can stick because of varnish build up, worn rollers, weak springs and even cracked cases. But the cracked case ones don't work at all. Change your oil on schedule and ride the thing alot. The rollers seem to stick when they set for long periods.

I bought rollers for mine about 8 years ago. Never really needed to put them in yet.

 

A starter is a starter. It's the package that makes it different.

Most if not all car starters use a solenoid to push out the starter gear to the fly wheel. Bikes use a clutch because the starter is attached to the fly wheel- sort of speak. The starter part is all the same as how it's built just have different output shafts and mounting.