Rick

Hey guys... Thanks for all your help and suggestions! Just had a nose-cone "splashdown"... Out of the bike and into a puddle of WD40! I worked another 2 hrs today tapping, spraying, prying and finally a bit of movement by attaching some vice-grips onto the remnants and tapping it upwards 1/2 inch then down again, spray and repeat... About a thousand times... I bought a small pry bar to get behind the back side and positioned the bar so as I tapped on it, it applied a striking force on the opposite side I was already able to get to! Anyways... What a job! Thanks again, everyone!

When I first started trying to tap this starter out, I sprayed with wd40 and tried prying, but it only laughed at me... half hour of more spray and gentle tapping didn't do it... the next day, after being drenched in wd40 overnight, I resorted to the bigger hammer, which proves with a big enough hammer you can break anything... Hope today goes better... if not, I may have a lot of parts available for sale!

I'll try more liquid wrench and tap the remaining part back in a bit to see if it will straighten out and maybe move a bit so I can try to extract it again. If all else fails, can I open the access plate and tap it out from the inside? Probably way more than I wanted to do...

Well, after spraying down with wd-40, I took up the challenge and got a bigger hammer... and after several good whacks, I felt movement! On my back with wd-40 dripping in my eye, I grabbed a hold of the starter and wiggled it out! Only one problem... it didn't all come out! The Pointy "nose cone" broke free from the end cap and remains lodged firmly in place! I've soaked it down with liquid wrench this time and banged away with a hammer and pry bar, but no success. I hope nobody is going to tell me there is a retaining clip or something inside the housing... I'll post a few pics so you can share my joy... and maybe someone can suggest my next move... Thanks again, everyone!!

Thanks! You guys are awesome! I'll spray it down tonight and try again tomorrow.

I'm searching for help in replacing the starter in my 85 Venture xvz1200. Had lots of problems removing the thermostat housing... one hex bolt and one bolt with a phillips head!! Can't believe they would use that... nearly 30 years old and welded in tight! Once the housing was loosened and moved aside, I removed the two bolts on the starter and now I'm stuck! Someone said they just pried the starter out with a large screwdriver... mine wouldn't budge. I managed to feed a small bar past the frame in front of the shift lever and place it on the end of the starter and tapped it a few times... it moved out a little bit, then stopped... so I hit it harder and harder... until a piece of the starter case cracked off... so I quit for the day. Luckily, I already have a replacement starter ready to go... Any suggestions on getting the old starter to "pop out"?