A starter motor comprising; a solenoid switch having an attracting movable part; an electric motor arranged at one side in the axial direction; an output shaft driven by the electric motor; a one-way clutch unit carried on and around the output shaft so as to be slidable thereon; a shift lever having an upper end engaged with the attracting movable part, and a lower end engaged in a peripheral groove in the one-way clutch unit, the shift lever being arranged to be capable of rocking about a rocking fulcrum part which is positioned between the upper end and the lower end of the lever, and which is in touch with the inner surface of a front housing wall; wherein the lever has the upper end and the rocking fulcrum part positioned at the one side in the axial direction with respect to the lower end.