I am doing a buggy project with a 1998 cbr600f3, I rebuilt the engine and got all ready to fire it up. I hit the button, and the starter turned but the engine did not!! After some head scratching and a little tinkering, I realized that the starter motor was turning backwards! I hooked up the battery backwards(to the starter only. no need to fry stuff, hit the button, and the motor turned over.

What is going on? The starter has plenty of power, but you have to hook it up backwards!

 

there should be only one cable attached to starter
not sure how you can reverse that

 

Which battery cable do you have connected to engine?
Whcih battery cable do you have connected to starter solenoid?

 

I know that there is only one wire.
When you put positive to the wire and negative to the engine block, the starter spins backwards.

 

Is it correct starter? What's part# on it?
maybe something's wrong with starter-clutch and idler-gears in engine?

Most likely rebuilt starter and wires to brushes were installed backwards

 

I have been playing around with the starter making it go forwards and backwards, and having it turn over the engine, and all of a sudden it works correctly now.
The bike had been sitting for a long time. Maybe that had something to do with it. Not sure. It sure was weird though.