Starter motor test

[shaggy]

I have a starter motor I am using on an engine rebuild so need to check it works before I bolt it on.
So probably a dumb question but how do I do this off the bike

[Peteypops23]

Arite Bud.... do you just want to make sure it spins up?
If so, connect earth from battery to body of starter then, holding the starter coz it might jump, attach a lead to positive battery terminal and then touch other end to cable terminal bolt on starter. It should spin up...obviously this won't tell you if it will work under load....no doubt someone else may have that info.
Pete

[weaver]

as above probably worth opening it up and checking the brushes etc

[KevH]

Only last month, I had a starter that was seized solid after 25 years of standing unused. I held the gear in a vice and gently worked it back and forth and it works perfectly well now. It surprising how durable they are. The only real way to test under load is on the engine.