Rebuild or replace faulty Gen 1 starter?

I've gotten the 83 resto project back together to the point where I'd like to fire it up. I hooked up the fully charged battery, ran some fresh gas into the carbs, hit the starter button and "click" is all I get. The voltmeter shows me I've got voltage all the way down to the starter terminal when I hit the button so I know my relay and wiring are up to snuff. I pulled the starter and was able to get it to spin intermittently by hooking it straight up to voltage. I pulled the starter apart, and sure enough, the brushes are worn to the point that two of the four braided wires have broken off of them.
Is it worth it to turn it over to the local electrical shop for new brushes and bearings while they're in there? Or just source another starter? Who here's got experience dealing with starters?

 

If the local shop is any good, Let them do it. Since you know its just brushes, its a waste of money replacing it!
That's my opinion.

 

+1
Spray all of the internals good with some electrical contact cleaner before you stick it back on the bike too.

 

While perusing eBay this morning I stumbled upon a couple of starter rebuild kits for $25 shipping included. They include everything - brushes with mounting plate, bearings, oring seals. Hmmm, looks like that would be tough to beat. I've already got mine apart, and to tell the truth, there's not that much to it. What the heck, I've torn everything else apart to clean or rebuild it...what's one more component! Definately getting in too deep to quit now!

 

Check this thread out. I rebuilt my starter a couple of weeks ago. Piece of cake with the kit I bought for $27(1/2 way down). Login

 

Buying a hunk of copper and aluminium is so much more expensive than a few bits of carbon....eh ?

Stop at your local auto electric shop where an old-timer--the older the better-- could look over your disassembled starter and tell you if all you need is brushes and everything else is OK. That's what i did once or twice as a nooby. The book shows ways to check for damaged parts by testing resistance.


Sometimes worn brushes=a bike that's been hard to start for a long time.