George, I think what you are saying is that you hear the click but neither the starter motor or the engine spin. If so, the 12v at the battery has to get through the starter solenoid to get to the starter motor. Once it gets to the starter motor it has to go through the carbon brushes to get to the armature inside the motor. The clicking you hear is probably the solenoid. It's near the battery on my bike, under the side cover, cylindrical, 2 big wires, 2 small wires. The starter motor is under the chrome cover below the carbs.
If you or your buddy has a voltmeter or test light you may be able to bug this out pretty quickly. Look for 12v on the big lead that goes to the starter motor, when you press the button. If the 12v is there solenoid looks good, shut bike off and check for circuit continuity through starter motor with meter on ohms, should be about ten ohms or less(sorry I don't know exactly) and not an open circuit.
If you have no meter or light, tapping lightly with a screwdriver handle on the defective part (motor or solenoid) while you are pressing the starter button might make an intermittent circuit work temporarily.
All that being said, when mine started acting up it was the carbon brushes. I rebuilt the starter and have had no further problems.
