How the fuck... do You kick start this bike?

jazzmans

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Hi All! might be my first post, not sure.
Anyway, I had an xs 650 back in the eighties, various other more modern motorcycles for the last thirty years, now I'm back with my first love. Question,

How the hell do you kick start these bastards? I never was good at it with my old XS, I'd usually just push start it, because it was so easy.

uh, important stuff,
75 xs650, banshee permanent magnet, 19.99 ignition system, no battery, capaciter/ no starter. new top end.
Using 2-1 ceramic manifold from,,, forgot, he's on here though, and a mikuni 36mm carb.

all the ignition has just been gone through and re-checked/re-wired/replaced. My buddies, who all ride kick start only bikes can start this bike with one or two kicks, while I wheez and kick and kick and kick and bitch and kick......

School me please.
 
To kick start mine I put it in the centre stand (service stand), with the choke on but kill switch still on, I give it two good kicks which gets some petrol into the intake, turn off the kill switch and slowly kick till you find compression, turn the throttle a little and give it a good hefty kick. Starts right up.

I.
 
Make sure the piston is up on compression stroke,turn gas on,choke it,leave ignition off.kick it over,bring piston back up to compression,turn ignition on,put some ass into the second kick should fire up.
 
Does it eventually start at all? Thinner oil like 15w-40 in winter will let it turn faster. If it's in the 20s Fahrenheit or lower I will leave the side stand down and jump on it with my whole weight, if it's the first start of the day. Also, I've had to kind of learn where put the choke for various combinations of ambient temperatures and time elapsed since it last ran :) Also make sure the battery is fully charged. Low temps mean low voltage at the battery sometimes. P.S. I see you don't need no stinkin battery.
 
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Yes, the bike runs just fine. I can't kick start it.
Others can.
the choke works. carb is not a CV, direct oval slide mikuni.
I'm not a lightweight, 200 lbs, my poor technique is to jump up in the air with my hands on the seat and bars, and come down on the kickstarter with my right foot. I can't kick it left foot, got a bum knee.

P1000272.jpg

No center stand either btw.



P1000460.jpg


Keep the suggestions coming, I Appreciate it.
jaz
 
When I kick it with the side stand down, I'm straddling it, both hands on the bars. Just make it spin fast and it will start if others can start it. Have the lever high up and go wham!! on it with your whole weight. One or two good kicks that kick the shit out of it.
 
This guy pretty much shows the best way to do it with right foot:


Same with this guy, he's pretty much got it worked out:


By contrast this lady has no idea... hats off to her for choosing to own such a classic ride but by the looks of it she needs to eat a box of wheaties before she wants to take her classic bike for a spin...


Hope this helps.

I.
 
The guy in the last vid has a great jacket. I would buy it from him or if he wouldn't sell I'd hit him from behind and steal it.

P.S. I bet the lady's problem is the shoes she's wearing. Painful to just watch. Good hard soles would encourage her hit it harder. If I'm not riding I'm wearing moccasins and I'd never be able to kick start it with them (I've tried).
 
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jazzmans,
I don't think any of these bikes start exactly the same. Time and practice.
MB-Ian and Jack both give the procedure that works for their bike, but one primes it more than the other. No two of mine start exactly the same. One loves the preingntion priming, another doesn't, a third requires alittle "tweaking" on the throttle as it kicks over just applying the choke doesn't do it.

When you say others can start it is it a one kick start? Or turn the gas on, choke it and give a little throttle while they kick away?

For physical presentation I prefer the first video. The times I've hurt my knee kick starting these always was when it fired at the very top of the kick arc(like the second video). It's a long drop and a a hard stop from the top so I roll it over to compression about half way like the first video then stand on it, not really interested in trying to get it to roll fast. If I want to get it to speed to start it I'll buy a moped.

You may find a small rubber popsickle more comfortable and it wouldn't be "outta place" on your bike. imo.
 
I pull it to full choke, stradle it, hold front brake, and push down on the kicker.
I only weigh 170lbs.
Maybe you're not holding your tongue right.
My buddy has a BMW with a 1600 VW engine in it. That one you need to left foot.
 
don,t be jacking around twisting the throttle when trying to start it that's what the choke/enrichener is on the carb for, a smooth kick thru is more effective than the "kick the shit out of it" it doesn't need to be kicked hard, just a firm shove thru the range of the pedal travel otherwise you're just banging the pedal up against the stop and hurting your foot
 
Found the problem.


Took it over to my buddies house while I finished the headlight/taillight wiring, and they couldn't kick it either. fucker wouldn't start.

So, experimentally, I took my buddies mikuni carbs off his xs, bolted them on, and the bike started the second kick.

So, my expiriance with the 2-1 manifold and the oval slide kehinan carb (sorry I said mikuni earlier) ends for now. Now I"m looking for a good set of either stock mikunis, or a good set of slide carbs. .....

Thanks for the suggestions guys, it gave me a baseline to expirement with.

jaz
 
Found the problem.


Took it over to my buddies house while I finished the headlight/taillight wiring, and they couldn't kick it either. fucker wouldn't start.

So, experimentally, I took my buddies mikuni carbs off his xs, bolted them on, and the bike started the second kick.

So, my expiriance with the 2-1 manifold and the oval slide kehinan carb (sorry I said mikuni earlier) ends for now. Now I"m looking for a good set of either stock mikunis, or a good set of slide carbs. .....

Thanks for the suggestions guys, it gave me a baseline to expirement with.

jaz
stock carbs are always the best for me.......even with my 750,
 
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