Motorcycle starter motors – any general workshop uses?

[Robin GrahamParticipant @robingraham42208]

I’ve recently been invited to join the Amazon Vine program which, if you don’t know, permits members to order stuff from a limited selection of products free of charge in exchange for a review.  Mostly it’s a pain, 300 pages of stuff I really don’t want even for free (‘butt lifting’ knickers for God’s sake!) but there are several offers of motorcycle starter motors which look as if they might be useful for some (as yet hardly imagined) purpose. For example https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DWX9QB8B .

Unfortunately there is scant technical info in the product listing – it’s 12V and has ‘ultra high rotation speed’. But what does that mean?

A potential use for me might be as a motor to drive a mill table feed, but obviously it would have to be adaptable to run at variable speed.

I’m really just trawling for info about this type of motor and what they might be useful for, apart from starting motorcycles.  Any info will be appreciated!

Robin.

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

As a starter motor, I would expect it to draw a heavy current.

The “high speed” suggests that it might be intended to be geared down, which will reduce the current draw.

If so, to produce the sort of speeds that we would use in our workshops, for either powering a small lathe, or providing a power feed,(Other than ultra high speed engraving) would require very high ratio step down gearing.

If you could find the machine on which they were originally used, this might allow you to find more details about motor type and characteristics; possibly even mounting arrangements.

[DiogenesParticipant @diogenes]

It’s a ‘standard’ 12v brush-motor – the ‘high speed’ claim is likely to be because ‘high-cranking-speed’ is one of those benefits wily salesmen always claim for both batteries and starters..

– the fitment details list a number of what look to be Yamaha models / clones – (to me) it looks very similar (identical?) to the much-copied & globally ubiquitous ‘XV535 Virago’ model if you want an easily-found yardstick.

 

 

 

 

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

THINK COOLING!  Starter motors are designed for short term high power delivery.

[DiogenesParticipant @diogenes]

I agree.

The advert says it increases horsepower so maybe worth getting a couple and putting them in the back of the car, you won’t need to press the accelerator so hard and will thereby save some petrol.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

The company’s ‘mission statement’ seems simple and open enough

https://goofitparts.com/pages/about-us

So the basic review would surely be “is this a satisfactory pattern part ?”

But if Robin is more  interested in the “make from” possibilities, then some bench-tests would be a good start [sorry for the inevitable pun]

Q1. How much current does it draw at stall ?

… etc.

MichaelG.

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

I think these may be series wound to give highest torque at zero speed as needed for engine starting. If so they would be totally unsuitable for our normal usage. It’s not as if motors are not easily available, I think they make even more motors than mobile phones!

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

It’s intended use tells you all you need to know – high current drew, high torque, possibly by gearing, short duty cycle, why are copies of the original been made ? Poor quality or poor design so they fail after a short while.

Only this morning a news item on Amazon and it’s fake reviews !

I would have nothing to do with it ! Noel.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I wonder how you could even do a review without using it for it’s intended purpose?

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