Flywheel Starter Gear Bearings Destroyed My Engine

[Wired]

Hey just had a freak thing happen to me. Has anyone had their starter gear breaings go flying out the back side of the flywheel and lock up their transmition? This is the 3rd engine i've put the kick start on and the first time this has ever happend to me. I've had 5 people tell me it was safe to just pull off the starter gear off the back of the flywheel and run it. Well the other day just idling those little bearings on the backside of the flywheel just destroyed my tranny. Has this happend to anyone else?

[K_Fulk]

It happened to me. One of the side cover bolts came out (the ones that are loose on the 06's) and knocked the bearings out.

I was lucky in one respect because one of the pieces went in between the crank and the cam chain and locked it up with minimal damage.

I was unlucky because I think it weakened my valves. (The intake valves tapped the piston the sealed up fine, and didn't seem bent). And was what caused them to break a couple rides later ruining my valves, head, cylinder, piston and rod.

[Wired]

total bill $2600. ouch! :ermm: