Scooter Starter Problem - Baffled

[Lotsokids]

A friend at work, another motorcycle rider, was going to check the starter on his wife's Honda CHF-50 scooter. The electric starter just stopped working. He started de-paneling, then got down to nothing but frame and engine (certain panels need to be removed to get to others). After a few hours, he could not locate it and he called me. I went over and he said, "All I want you to do is put your finger on the starter and call me a dumb ****." After looking it over, it was easy to identify the cylinder and location where the crank would be. On the left end of the crank was only the front pully for the belt. Behind that was engine case. On the right side was the water pump and small radiator. We pulled all that off only to find the generator. No starter. We tried to look up the starter online, but none was listed. Check it out for yourself...

http://www.powerpartsplus.com/OemParts#/Honda/CHF50_A_(02)_MOTOR_SCOOTER%2c_JPN%2c_VIN%23_JH2AF600-2K000001_TO_JH2AF600-2K099999/ALTERNATOR_STATOR/CHF50-02-JPN-A/2Y14GET2GET4E0700A

After I couldn't help him anymore, he had a man from the downtown scooter shop come to his house. He had no idea, either. My friend just put it all back together and it started working again! STRANGE.

Anyone have any ideas?

[mz_rider]

A friend at work, another motorcycle rider, was going to check the starter on his wife's Honda CHF-50 scooter. The electric starter just stopped working. He started de-paneling, then got down to nothing but frame and engine (certain panels need to be removed to get to others). After a few hours, he could not locate it and he called me. I went over and he said, "All I want you to do is put your finger on the starter and call me a dumb ****." After looking it over, it was easy to identify the cylinder and location where the crank would be. On the left end of the crank was only the front pully for the belt. Behind that was engine case. On the right side was the water pump and small radiator. We pulled all that off only to find the generator. No starter. We tried to look up the starter online, but none was listed. Check it out for yourself...

http://www.powerpartsplus.com/OemParts#/Honda/CHF50_A_(02)_MOTOR_SCOOTER%2c_JPN%2c_VIN%23_JH2AF600-2K000001_TO_JH2AF600-2K099999/ALTERNATOR_STATOR/CHF50-02-JPN-A/2Y14GET2GET4E0700A

After I couldn't help him anymore, he had a man from the downtown scooter shop come to his house. He had no idea, either. My friend just put it all back together and it started working again! STRANGE.

Anyone have any ideas?

My first bike was a 1972 Yamaha CS5E 200cc two stroke twin. It had an electric starter but no separate starter motor. The alternator doubled as the starter. I think this was also called a "dynastart".

Stuart

[RichBaker]

Generator, not an alternator.  I repl'd the v reg on a '51 F-1 I owned in HS, didn't read the instructions...... Drove to school, shut it off and heard a wierd "whirrr" coming from under the hood.  Opened it up and the generator was spinning merrily along, belt still there.
Pulled the pos(ground, 6 volt system) cable and went to talk to the shop teacher.  Found out I should have polarized the regulator..... Alternator won't do it, because it uses an electro-magnet instead of permanent magnets.