For me a new $40 Field Magnet Housing from EME is a great solution. Solved failing Valeos on my 1993 R100R (started to hear the magnet scraping) and my 1994 R100RT (jammed without notice). Very easy job within the bounds of anyone that can get the starter motor off. Once the starter is on you hands, it takes less than five minutes including the time to clean things up.
Do you mean the engine still won't turn over even if you push it in gear? I don't mean start, but rotating the crank. My 75/5 dropped a valve seat in the same circumstances; been riding, stopped at a shop, pressed the starter and heard a loud clunk from the engine. Thought it was the starter until I tried to bump start it. If your starter looks OK, use a borescope or drop the heads.
Hey Len, sorry I missed this. Been working a lot. So have you gotten any further with it? Don't forget you have lots of local help, just pick up the phone. I'm going to the old school rally on friday, and I'm working every day this week, but if there's something to be done at nite let me know. Just met a young guy with a pretty 75/6 that lives a few blocks from me....Gresham park may be airhead central soon!!!!
Have you had any luck getting it running? Had a chance to do any diagnostics yet? Off the top of my head, the starter gear could be jammed in there and keep the motor from turning over. Will the starter spin? What happens when you hit starter button? Pull valve covers and see if anything is amiss there after checking starter. Sounds like a chance for a tech day?!!!
You spending less does not mean they are not making more but that is really beside the point. I have got no "feelings" involved with the subject. I have a Valeo in my bike for the weight. I have seen Valeo's act up 20 times more at least than Bosch's and that is not including all the noise Valeo's make if you don't take them apart and re-lube them after you buy one. Are the new redesigned Valeo's better then the old bosch's? I will need about another 20 years to tell. The original ones are a lot less reliable than Bosch's but they do weigh a lot less.
It's not always the magnets that let go, there's another problem too. when the backer plate of the gear reduction falls off and shorts out the armature. Happened on my 24K mile R1150RS