Starter motor no go.

[Athame57]

I hit the starter button yesterday and....nothing. Thank gawsh for kick starts but what has gone wrong. I've just struggled to reconnect the wiring involved in replacing the left hand switch gear whose colour coding seemed to be  a bit fork tongued, my tail light won't work just now and it isn't the bulb, maybe something is loose but could any mistakes changing the left hand switch gear be causing these things?

[TrickyMicky]

If everything was working ok before replacing the switchgear, then go back to the start. Get a magnified screenshot of the wiring diagram for inside the headlight shell, get to know what colours all the little codes mean, a cup of coffee on the workbench, a stool in front of the wheel, and carefully inspect EVERY wire and connection inside the headlamp shell. For the starter to work it needs the neutral light on, or, the clutch switch activated. The fact that you have said that your rear light isn't working casts doubt that every male connector is having a suitable relationship with a female connector of the same colour! I encountered a problem just a couple of weeks ago with the idiot lights playing silly buggers, it transpired that one of the green earth wires in the multi connector needed cleaning. Time and patience my friend. Be lucky.

[mattsz]

Athame57 - do you have a good copy of the wiring diagram?  Here's a link to a PDF version I made of the UK diagram, it occasionally makes an appearance here and I haven't heard about any errors yet...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/bjm0hcigcjzsfku/1977%20CB400F%20UK%20Master%20Diagram.pdf?dl=0

[Athame57]

Mattsz ....thanks for that. Is the starter magnetic switch the starter solenoid by another name?

[AshimotoK0]

Mattsz ....thanks for that. Is the starter magnetic switch the starter solenoid by another name?

Yes same thing  and Mattsz that's an excellent diagram. you did 

[Deano400]

Second that. Excellent diagram mattsz.

[mattsz]

Cheers, guys!  Maine winters are long and cold...