new(ish) starter hanging up

[gostraightahead]

See post below (Big Red carb rebuild is a bust) and the laundry list of problems that came along with it. I got a new battery and installed it tonight. I'm still waiting on a petcock and an air filter but I wanted to load the battery up so I attached the ground and touched the positive on and the trike fired up. whuh? It cranked right up and ran after all the problems I've had but the starter kept running so I pulled the hot wire off. I tried several times but the starter keeps spinning. I left it running for a few minutes and it ran like a top but as soon as I hit the hot wire, the starter spun up. This is a good quality, brand new starter.
What's the deal?
Thanks,
Brent

[gostraightahead]

By the way, this is WITH THE KEY OFF or without the key even in the ignition.
Brent

[tri again]

I bet the solenoid is stuck
OR
someone wired it funny in the past.

or the starter button has a spider or bees nest under it.
holding it on.

Surely someone will come up with another thought or 2.

As I recall, you don't really need a battery for it to run
I jumped one of mine with a car battery but since it starts with 1/2 kick,
I just do that since I'm lazy and this is my time of year to use stuff
and not fix them if I can help it.

[gostraightahead]

Apparently the problem is in the ignition switch. Even with the key out of it, it tries to crank. I cant figure out to pull that key switch out.

[tri again]

I can't see a model year but as I recall,
at least on my 85br, all 4 ignition wires can hang in free air
NOT connected to anything at all and it will kick start
or
jumper cables directly to the starter will spin it., bypassing all the electrics,
neutral safety etc

sure is nice when they work the right way however.

safer too.

starting in gear is not a surprize I care to envision.

Let's think.
The key energizes the ignition circuit.
the start button send 12v to the solenoid, which pulls up the slug (or some other connection)
which dead shorts 12v to the starter from the battery.

I wonder if the key even has to be on or anywhere Near the trike.

Pretend you short across the large lugs on the solenoid with a screwdriver.
key off and out.

wonder what would happen.

I'll have to try that today

[gostraightahead]

Yeah, tapped on the solenoid and and it "unhung" itself. Good to go.
Thanks for the ideas.
Brent