| Author | Message | ||
     Raraf |
Hey, I like my Buell but I miss my old XS650's kickstart. Old Dirt Bike habits die hard. Does anyone have an idea as to what would be considered the "newest" kickstart street bike with decent HP out there that is not a single? | ||
| Mikej  |
Think dirt and motard, everything else I've seen that's a streetbike and is bigger than a moped is all electric start. Otherwise hit the cycletrader and shop old iron. I still think about JB-Welding a kickstart arm onto the Buell as a Homecoming gag sometimes. | ||
| Mutt2jeff  |
Supermoto bike is the only thing you will find with a kick start anymore. | ||
| Rick_a  |
That's the only thing missing on my Buell...it would be perfect if only it had a kicker. A coworker told me I should get my cases machined to put one in. I don't know if I'd go that far. Some cool import cafe racer styled bikes of the 80's had kickers...real tough to find 'em nowadays, though. | ||
| Mikej |
If you've ever tried to kickstart an old XLCH Sportster you'll know why kickstarters went away, and you probably limp a little bit sometimes as well if you know what I'm talking about.  | ||
| M1combat  |
I'm in for the kicker mod on the XB as well... I'd LOVE to have one. | ||
| Mikej |
http://www.heavydutycycles.com/kneea.htm | ||
| Spiderman  |
Old XL's were 7 to 1 comp and a PITA to kick over now increase that to 10 to 1 kick it a few times and let me know how that works out for ya | ||
| BadS1  |
Thats easy Spidey.Buell will give you two free surgery's on your shin after it smacks a few times.The shelves will be lined with frame pucks and shin guards.LOL | ||
| Raraf |
I figure those old Sportsters are too much hassle. It doesn't have to be new, just what would be a great multi cylinder kickstart bike even from the eighties. I thought Yammie made a a 3 cyl one. Not sure though. | ||
| Glitch  |
The shelves will be lined with frame pucks and shin guards.  | ||
| Bigdaddy  |
A good case of Kicker-Knee will cure all those wants and desires. Get it to the top, feel the pressure, two squirts, pick up, get ready, all your might, a small motion up with your grounded leg, all your weight coming down on your right leg, ooooppps,,,, the pressure went away and you just jammed the bijiggers out of your right knee. The only people wanting a kicker seems to be the folks that never had one -- read Spidey's post; excellent. | ||
| Djkaplan  |
"The only people wanting a kicker seems to be the folks that never had one" It's funny 'cause it's true. My right knee still hurts whenever I see a kickstarter. | ||
| Mikej |
I had one, I still want one, I don't know why, I just do, makes me feel better knowing it's there. And yes, I like the hand cranks on the engines of cars too. Makes static timing so much easier. In any case, look at Honda bikes from the '70's, the 750's still had kickstarters, and a lot of the Yamahas did - especially the 2-stroke twins. I think the old beast of a bike Kawasaki triple had a kick starter, and does nice wheelies accidently off stop lights like I discovered once during a test ride. Many of the Euro bikes also had multi-cylinder kickstarter bikes into at least the 1980's. Okay, now where did I put the JB-Weld.... | ||
| Mbsween  |
Hey, My 74 Kawasaki S3 (400cc 2 stroke triple) is kickstart only, well I suppose its pop start also. I get tired kicking that thing. Try pop starting your Buell and you'll get a big hint why kick starting would be less than easy. If you want a big twin kickstart, look at the mid 70's BMWs, they had a kick start option. The cool thing was you stand facing the bike (from the left side I believe) and kick straight down. never started one tho. Mid 70s Ducatis also had conventional kickstarts on the bigger displacement bikes. | ||
| M1combat |
I've had kickers on all but the latest two bikes. I still want one. | ||
| Aldaytona  |
My two top favorite inventions for motorcycles: 1. Mag Wheel 2. Electric Foot | ||
| Fullpower  |
ok you tough guys; go find an old style biker bar, buy the greasiest old timer in the place a shot, loose a couple games of 8 ball to him, and then ask ( politely) if you can kick his shovel a time or two. work up a sweat stepping on 74 inches of tractor technology, then go have a cold beer and think about it. the real reason bikes dont come with kick starters is because MOST OF US ARE WIMPS. kick starting big 4 strokes hurts. permanently. most of us that have done much kicking of big 4 strokes have a permanent limp. some time technological progress is just that: progress. | ||
| Mutt2jeff |
Yeah, kick starts are ok till they kick back. I had a 1975 Yamaha 400 that loved to kick back. Has anyone here ever had their foot slip of the kick start and slid their shin all the way down the foot peg, scraping skin off the whole way? Man, i loved that feeling.  | ||
| Aesquire  |
Once was tossed clear over the bars on my buds '71/72 Combat Commando. As I was stupid, I held on. Ended still holding bars with my back shaped/draped over front wheel. That was after he ripped the heel off his army boot. Love that button. Some time I'll tell you how I pushed that Norton the length of a mall parking lot, till he figured out he was in 4th. Oh, I already did. | ||
| Tom_b  |
You can keep your kickstarts. I've had too many skinned shins popped ankles, sore knees. I'd rather push start most bikes than kick start them. the only bike I owned that was easy to kick start was my 52 BMW. My Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha, Triumph all had kickers and electric too. I hated kicking most of them. Many a day spent where I'd rather kick em off a cliff. | ||
| Brad_buell  |
I've lost Far too much shin skin on my RM125 back in the day. I'll keep the electric start thank you. I don't miss the kickstart one bit! | ||
| Ray_maines  |
Kick start levers were mostly used to keep you warm on cold nights. | ||
| Philip |
ahh yes... kick starts. when i bought my 72 ironhead it was an xl electric start only model. i n stroke of wisdom i stroked it to 76 inches with high comp pistons and torque cams. i could stand on the kick arm and not budge it! i weighed about 165 lbs at the time. used the old swinging leg technique. raised up slightly one time and had it free kick. laid in the parking lot of the auto parts store for about a half hour before the pain subsided. yeah, that was a lot of fun. still have it though. my 74 kawasaki z-1 with big bore and 11 to 1 pistons is kick only. not nearly as hard to kick but i have bent two kick arms. i think i will go take a hand full of ibuprofen now just for old times sake. philip | ||
| Newfie_buell  |
What a bunch of pussies!!!!!! Ha Ha Ha My DR650 is Kick Start ONLY!!!!!! I know of a few guys that Can't Start it!!! And one that thanks the mechanical gods when I can finally get it to go!!!!! | ||
| Gentleman_jon  |
Back in the day, all motorcycles needed a good kick in the pants to get going. As an early adopter of English 500 cc and Italian 250 cc singles in the States, one took particular pride in being able to start one's mount with just one, (or two kicks). The way to avoid "obstinancy in starting" as it was put in the Velocette owners manual was to follow a very strict routine: let's see if I can remember most of it! 1. Pray 1a. turn on fuel tap 2. tickle the float bowl on the Amal or del orto carb. 3. retard spark lever on handle bar 4. apply choke with handle bar lever. 5. Position piston by rolling the bike backward in gear, or bringing to compression with the kick starter, and then, releasing the handlebar mounted compression release, push the piston just past compression 6. repeat prayer 7. On a highly geared starter like the Velo had, a smart kick whilst seated could often start the plot. 8. On the other hand, a Goldstar would require the rider to jump in the air, whilst holding the bars, and give the unit a ferocious kick on the way down. 9. Penalty for improper technique ranged from flooded cylinder, ( requiring removal and cleaning of the "sparking plug" , to a broken ankle or skinned shin. 10. Racer wannabee's would often dispense with the entire kick thing, and just back the bike up on to compression, set everything, and give it the old "run and bump", which was always the most effective way to start the music, and often resorted to when kicking failed to produce the required result. What fun :-) | ||
| Newfie_buell |
If I recall correctly didn't some of the very early Honda GL1000 and GL1100 have a kick start that kicked away from the bike. It was hidden behind one of the side panels. I can see it now at a HOG Rally as an event. "Kick Start the Old Shovel" Now I'd pay to see some of the posers complete that task. | ||
| Bigdaddy |
Hey Newfie, There's already a contest like that in Daytona -- I believe it's sponsored by AIM/Buzz Kantner (sp?) It's a kick start the old Indian contest or something like that. I just happen to know where there's a 1959 Pan/Shovel that ya'll are welcome to practice your kicking skills on. You cannot compare kicking a thumper dirt bike to anything we ride on this board. Sometimes you have no resistance; sometimes it'll toss your butt all the way across the handlebars; sometimes your foot will slip and you'll kick the bike causing further lower extremity injury to your already hamburgerized shin or inner calf. Progress isn't a bad thing and in the case of kicker v. thumber I'll take the thumber every single time. | ||
| Mikej |
Greg, If I can kickstart the pan/shovel can I have it????? Please????? I do trades  | ||
| Bigdaddy |
Sorry Mike no can do -- keeper forever category. Greg |
