If you TRY THIS it may tell you the problem.....
WHEN it WON'T crank over........ and just makes the WERRRRRR sound... PUT into 2 ond gear, push bike forward a little, MOVING the engine forward...
THIS moves the CLUTCH BASKET RING GEAR and if this being the problem(missing tooth or so) the starter drive WILL contact the ring starter gear....
Put back to neutral and crank engine over... IF it cranks it IS THE clutch ring gear.....
Just like Glider said ....BUT now you know if THIS is the problem of ONE OR THE OTHER...
If THIS doesn't TURN engine over THEN it is probably the starter drive clutch....
MY problem was MISSING teeth....... THEN on the NEXT TIME went the clutch drive (starter drive) from the KICK-BACKS of PRIOR tries at starting....If this sounds like your bike it more than likely the same problem.
signed....BUBBIE
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO MENTION:::::
If you find it to be the little CLUTCH drive starter gear, (my first choice),(small clutch drive on starter shaft)
PLEASE,,,, please DON"T buy a cheap after-market one as I HAVE in the past and it needed changing in a month....... I had the BEST LUCK with the STOCK HARLEY REPLACEMENT ONES......
save your self lots of RE-work and IF it is the RING GEAR on the clutch basket ,,,,,,, REPLACE the starter CLUTCH GEAR ALSO while apart as it MAY have been stressed...
signed....BUBBIE