| Author |
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Mikej
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 29, 2004 - 10:37 am: | 
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Okay. I've got a "should have kept it forever" list I carry around mentally with me. 
Still, I had to ask.
Post a pic of it if you get a chance. |
Outrider
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 29, 2004 - 10:55 am: |
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Ahhh...."Seller's Remorse."
The empty feeling you get after selling a toy. |
Rick_a
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 29, 2004 - 10:57 am: |
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Hey, hey...I've kicked over a few bikes...just not 4-stroke twins. There's a fella that works here with an old '66 shovel that he kickstarts the first time almost every time.
(Message edited by Rick_a on December 29, 2004) |
Raraf
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 29, 2004 - 11:53 am: |
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I kickstarted my XS650 twin every chance I could. Never had a problemo and a million dirt bike singles. I am just wondering if anyone knew of a newer than my 78 XS650 that was kickstart and a few more CCs or more HP. So no one knows if a kickstart multicylinder was made in the 80s much less the 90s? |
Bluzm2
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 29, 2004 - 12:43 pm: |
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Raraf,
I too had a XS650, crappy rectifier forced me to kick start it on more occasions that I like to think about.
Trust me, a 650 twin can jam your knee quite nicely.
Newfie,
The original Gold Wings did indeed have a kick starter.
It hid under one of the fake gas tank side panels. The right one if memory serves.
You took off the fake cover, removed the kick lever.
Then inserted it in a socket located under a rubber plug on the left rear of the motor.
put the bugger on the center stand, face the side of the bike and kick away.
I think it was only for the warm fuzzy thing.
It would start if warm fairly easyly but took a bunch of kicks when cold.
If it was below 50 or so I think you would be screwed.... |
Ted
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 29, 2004 - 06:04 pm: |
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My XB is the first electric start i've owned...
ah the luxury !
prev to XB: 500 yami single, 850 Norton commando. |
Jpl9sx
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 29, 2004 - 06:24 pm: |
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I do miss a kick start when your battery dies. My first "big bike" was a 77 KZ650 with both electric and kick start. I kick started that bike for a month until I got enough cash for a new battery. |
Road_thing
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 29, 2004 - 06:41 pm: |
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Ted, we could be kindred spirits...
That's my son after his first ride on my "wrong-side, wrong-way" shifter. I may make a traditionalist out of the kid yet...
rt |
Ftd
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 29, 2004 - 08:30 pm: |
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Two Pans I had prior to going modern (Bourget).
Brown: 1958 frame 1951 engine
Orange/silver: 1965 electric/kick
 |
Ray_maines
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 29, 2004 - 08:47 pm: |
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I was the only kid on the block that could kick start a neighbors Matchless 600cc single, so I was the only kid that got to ride it. How cool is that!
I think most injuries and good/bad memories occurred because of crappy ignition systems and seriously low tech. carburetors rather than the actual starting method. A new Buell XB would start just as well with a kick start lever as it does with a handlebar button. Still, you don’t deform a handlebar button by pushing it too hard or too often.
Assuming you’re right handed (footed), would you rather have the kick start lever on the right or left side of your new 2006 Buell RB (Retro Bike)? |
Djkaplan
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 29, 2004 - 10:18 pm: |
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Uh..., right side, Ray.
Funny story.
Years ago (when my knees were still pristine), I was riding an XR500 Honda in an enduro. This bike was equipped with an automatic compression release that was triggered by the kick starter. I managed to loop the bike trying to climb out of a creek crossing and stalled the engine. I must have spent he next 30 minutes kicking the damn bike over with no results. Big, hot, 4-stroke singles just don't like being restarted, even under the best conditions. My right leg was dead and I was ready to quit. I still had my foot on the kickstarter and just kind of let it rest there. The automatic compression release let the weight of my leg push the lever down about halfway, when all of a sudden, now the bike wants to start. It shot my right knee into the handlebar so hard, I thought for sure it had shattered my kneecap. I limped off the bike and seriously considered leaving it in the creek, but my knee hurt so bad, I couldn't walk away.
Not as dramatic as getting kicked over the handlebars, but I still get mad thinking about it and my knee still hurts when it rains 25 years later.
(Message edited by djkaplan on December 29, 2004) |
Leftcoastal
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 29, 2004 - 10:52 pm: |
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My foot came off the kicker of my '56 Panhead when the ratchet inside the unit slipped and I came down with all my weight on the side of my foot - chipped my ankle bone. You CAN bungee crutches to a sissy bar if you are willing. Learned to kick "lefty" from that one! Over-extended my knee on by buddy's XLCH once. I bent the front fender of my first bike, a '48 UL Harley, when it kicked back and launched me straight up - feet in the air and hands still on the bars- came down on the fender with my right shoulder. The only good things that came from that one was that no one was watching, and I learned that you should not have your knee locked out straight when you try to start those things.
Yeah I love those kickers, but I have yet to injure my thumb starting my later model bikes.
For all you guys out there that want a kick start bike - go for it. But make sure that it's tuned well and starts with 1 or 2 kicks, cause the chicks dig it (well, at least they did about 30 years ago!) except when it won't start and you start shedding clothes, swearing and sweating like a pig. Pushing them down the street and trying to "bump" start your bike is never cool, especially when you have to get the chicks to push!
AL -
Oh yea - all the Indians I've owned started first kick! |
Aesquire
| | Posted on Thursday, December 30, 2004 - 01:04 pm: |
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I used to push start my bike when I wanted a quiet getaway, leaving home, to keep Mom from knowing I was out being ... well, a teenager. Living half way up a shallow hill, I would not release the clutch till half a block away. ( the neighbors at the bottom of the hill did not like me much ) I have not tried it with my M2 yet. It seems to like a bit of idle time before riding away. ( though it's far, far better with the carb re jetted )
I used to kick my electric start bikes a few times with the ignition off, just to smear the oil around, and get the petcock flowing. Also to check to see if the auto petcock on my yamaha had decided to flood the crank cases again. |
Djkaplan
| | Posted on Thursday, December 30, 2004 - 08:57 pm: |
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"My foot came off the kicker of my '56 Panhead when the ratchet inside the unit slipped and I came down with all my weight on the side of my foot - chipped my ankle bone."
The same exact thing happened to me when I tried to start a friend of mines Powroll equipped XL350 (God only knows how much it had been stroked) back in the 70's. I was wearing Adidas tennis shoes at the time and lever actually ripped one of the blue stripes off the side of the shoe. I had a major lump on the inside of my arch for months afterwards. I never could get that bike started.
Thanks for reminding me about that one... |
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