First I want to say that I kept my 2015 ec300 with no problems at all with the starter for 3 years and I found my self to present with a newer (EC 250 GP) bike which I bought used by a business partner which happens to be the local importer.
All was good in the beginning but when the problem started it started affecting my nerves (as I mentioned I had no issues at all with previous bike)
1) I tried wet mod. (Less noise no cure)
2) I installed earth cable to the starter as it was on my 2015. (no cure)
3) Bigger battery from the stock skyrich to a 270 cc again skyrich (little better)
4) I welded the bendix and the pinion gear to the shaft.( just for certainty)
5) In the summer I stripped the bike for a total refurbish and to go from 250 to 300 with head mods and everything. ( also I have moved my smartcarb from my old bike to this one). And since I don't charge my self for labor
I decided to buy the bevel gears and the shaft new....... AND MY ODYSSEY begins.
When I installed them to the cover I immediately found out that there was something wrong as they wound bind badly and weren't moving at all. I took them out and when I watched them carefully I found that the bevel gear which the starter couples on was different. ( I have photos but they are to big. I will post them on facebook in Gas Gas and Rieju enduro group and share a link.)
I change this gear with the old one and it worked ( not good but worked and yes I know that those two gears are sold as one piece (pair))
Then I saw that the bendix cover small hole is worn off center. I had seen the photo about the new cover with the bearing and the sleeve but when I told it to the importer he told me that the part number was the same so he didn't think they would have changed anything.
I bought an AS3 bendix cover and before I even fit it I get a call from my friend saying that he received an order of parts and the new covers where with bearing and sleeve.( Yes I bought one and went on to fit it)
Noooooooo. When I fitted the new cover the new shaft would bind with the bendix resulting in 4 burnt brushes in my starter after some attempts each. ( I have a partner which can fit me new ones).
I take spare hit and re welded stator cover and fit all the old parts that were on the bike with a new stronger starter that I ordered from enduropuro and the bike fired with 50% success for two rides when suddenly I heard a clack and from then my starter spinned freely.
Meanwhile I had ordered all the new cables, new stator cover with new bendix, new bevel gears (second time) and new shaft plus the new bendix cover I already had to eliminate the possibility of things of the past (GG) not matching Rieju stuff.
They came last weak
and a few days ago I bought new bearings and start mounting parts.... NAAAAWWWWWWWWW.
Again when I put new bearings, heat up and install them, upon installing gear that the starter sits on and install the circlip they bind as hell. Even if try to install an bearing puller and force it come all the way back to the circlip they work a little better but I CANNOT accept it.
We are taking measurements and photos to compile a new mail to Rieju which is all ready notified about this.
Bottom line is that I am frustrated with this thing not to mention the butter like kick starter which is already giving up on me. It ruins an otherwise perfect relation that I have with this bike. I would expect that for a 2018 model I would have other things to worry about and spent my money on and not to things like that.
I work everyday with BMW's motocycles which is 90% of my customers and I haven't got that feeling that this bike is giving me yet.
p.s. If I have any news and a breakthrough I will share it immediately as I will test it to mine and a friends 2018 300 GP that has 450 hrs on it with only the fist 100 with e start.