Cool electric start

fishandchips

XS650 Enthusiast
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Nothing cooler than jumping on the bike in front of people and powering the bike first or second kick, I get that. But what if you could look just as cool using the starter?

I am trying to keep my build as simple, functional and different as I can. Also getting ready to duck for cover as I write this .

I am thinking of doing away with the starter solenoid. I am thinking what would be cooler than jumping on the bike, pulling a wrench from my pocket and jamming it between a pair of isolated terminals. Ducking now. But you get the idea.

Just spent 2 hours looking for a solenoid I wouldn’t have to or want to hide. Surely they are not all hidden?

So my question is twofold. Anyone know of a nice looking solenoid that I could display on my bike “and or” any ideas for setting up a couple of terminals to bridge? The terminals could be anything metal obviously that could stand the current.
 
Mine is hidden behind the rear engine mount. I would rather use the solenoid than having sparks fly and starter grinding looking like a fool trying to start a fire lol
solenoid location.jpg
 
Nothing cooler than jumping on the bike in front of people and powering the bike first or second kick, I get that. But what if you could look just as cool using the starter?

I am trying to keep my build as simple, functional and different as I can. Also getting ready to duck for cover as I write this .

I am thinking of doing away with the starter solenoid. I am thinking what would be cooler than jumping on the bike, pulling a wrench from my pocket and jamming it between a pair of isolated terminals. Ducking now. But you get the idea.

Just spent 2 hours looking for a solenoid I wouldn’t have to or want to hide. Surely they are not all hidden?

So my question is twofold. Anyone know of a nice looking solenoid that I could display on my bike “and or” any ideas for setting up a couple of terminals to bridge? The terminals could be anything metal obviously that could stand the current.

F&C - well....since you asked, this is definitely not a good idea in my view.

While fiddling around trying to get your wrench into the right place, you risk shorting everything out and damaging some components - THEN how cool will you look with a dead bike and calling your Mom for a ride home?

What if your bike stalls in traffic? Will you have time to fish around in your pocket, get out your wrench and f@rt around with it while a concrete mixer truck is blasting his air horn just before squashing you like a bug?

Finally, as has been widely discussed on this forum, the XS650 starter system can be cranky <get it? ;)> at best and so having the electrical supply be intermittent as you fumble with your wrench will not likely help with reliable starts.

Being cool is...cool - but this ain't the way in my view. The "teaspoon down the garbage disposal" racket made by most XS650 starters attracts lots of attention versus the soul-less whirring sound of a kitchen appliance made by most modern bikes - and is thus, plenty cool enough IMO.

Pete
 
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What if your bike stalls in traffic? That’s enough reason on its own Pete. Nothing worse than filtering to the front of a queue of traffic and stalling, imagine then fumbling around for a wrench trying to look COOL

So I am trying to create a space in the middle of the bike with a nice battery and box and strap, connected with nice cables to a nice looking solenoid. I am adding a nice new rear brake res to the area also.

Can anyone recommend a nice looking starter solenoid? Does not have to be motorcycle, could be boat or anything really as long as it’s rated for the current.

Btw superjet that’s a nice looking fender rack.
 
Well... if it's cool you're looking for, here's an idea. Put a small cam and micro-switch on the kick starter. Run the wire from the solenoid, through the micro-switch and up to the starter button. To start, you press the starter button and then, while still seated, you lazily push the kicker down, electric start spins the bike over and starts it. You could even reach over with your hand and push the kicker down. Hercules cool muscle man here.... watch this.... :smoke:
 
I've seen some harley's with different setups. A friend once rigged up his shovelhead with a modified feeler gauge on the solenoid. He had one side of the feeler drilled and mounted on the solenoid positive terminal and bent up and over in a way the other end was above the negative terminal. All he had to do was touch it to the post and whammo. I can't remember how he kept it from accidentally engaging though. That's been many years ago.

Also some late model harley choppers had an aftermarket switch that mounted on the end of the starter. It was a plunger type button that in effect acted similarly to my buddies feel gauge trick.
 
That one wont work on the XS as the starter motor is under the motor. You need to look at a custom way of jumping the solenoid terminals. Why couldn't you just rig up a different starter button than on the handlebars? My old shovelhead I had stripped all the controls from the handlebars and mounted a small plunger push button on my dash next to the ignition switch to activate the starter. Hell you could even go as far as using an automotive type ignition switch that the third position is spring loaded and engages the starter motor just like a car ignition switch. People have been using them on choppers for years.
 
In my search for a starter solenoid I need to know the amps draw from the starter. Now I realise the battery cca I have is 230A but the 10mm battery cable has a nominal load capacity of 70A? which I “think” means that on hitting the starter the amps is massive while the starter starts to turn but once it’s going gets down to a much lower amperage. So will a 70A solenoid / relay be ok? Since the cable is

I am looking at the SRB319 push button solenoid which is rated at 80A.

Cheers

Garry
 
Found it, after hours of searching.......

Lucas SRB312 or ST18

It’s basically a foot mounted starter switch for the early mini’s I believe. Looks like a nice “safe” way to start the engine without using a handlebar button or a wrench handle. Gives me lots of funky ideas to add a custom handle like a number 8 ball or a fancy lever

Garry
 
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