2007 Honda 400ex - Electrical Problems

[Bingham24]

i have been having problems with my 400ex. the electric start used to work great and never had a problem but throughout the span of about a month it started to dwindle down each day and now it doesnt even work. i can roll start it and it runs great but if i turn on the lights it seems to have no power and bogs down when i hit the throttle. i just put a new battery in it today hoping it would fix the problem but it didnt change anything. i dont know where to go from there so hopefully someone knows more than i do and can help me fix my issue. any input will help. Thanks!

[oxidized_black]

take the starter off and either take it to an atv dealer or napa type place and do a load test on it. you can hook the starter up direct to a battery and see if it spins, but under a load it might not have the berries. check for replacement brushes too ...

[Bingham24]

once i have it running if i hit the starter button you can hear the starter turning. would you still recommend that?

[Whip]

once i have it running if i hit the starter button you can hear the starter turning. would you still recommend that?

If you have the engine running and then press the starter button and hear the starter motor turning that would indicate to me the starter is probably bad because with the engine running the starter is not under a load. If this is the case when you try to use the starter and apply the load of turning the engine over a bad or dragging starter motor cant handle the actual load being applied to it and it would quickly drain your battery down. In most cases a dragging starter is an indication that either it has been overheated and or the bearings are worn out allowing the armature to drag inside the case and bad brushes can also cause the starter not to handle a load because the proper connections are not present. Hope This Helps!