Motorcycle Repair: CB750 1975, starter button, bill silver

Question
My starter is stuck on.   When the key is turned on the starter does too.  The Bike has not had much use in many years but is in very good like new condition.  Should I start looking with the starter button on the handle bar or at the starter it self.

Answer
Bob, the starter solenoids are rarely at fault in cases like this, but it is always an outside possibility.

The 1975 onwards Honda have auto ON headlights, so the headlight function and starter functions were combined in the handlebar switch. These original switches were known to fail often, so I would first go into the headlight shell, find the wiring connectors coming from the right side switch and then disconnect them. Try the Key ON again to confirm that this has halted the starter operation. If it does NOT, then something is grounding the wiring to the solenoid or the solenoid has stuck internally. The most likely cause is the starter button switch... which allows the headlights to be ON when the button is out and disconnects them momentarily when the start button is depressed. I think that when you remove the switch from the handlebars, you will see the contact connection has failed and fallen apart.

Bill Silver