super hard kick start

jeepguy

XS650 Addict
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Why is it every video i watch of someone kick starting there bike looks like they are barely even putting effort into it. When i attempt to kick mine over its like kicking abrick wall. i will give it everything i got and BOOM stop half way. Am i doing something wrong. I have even heard of people kicking it over by hand with PAMCO installed and there aint no way in hell i could do that.

78 motor rephased. pamco ignition*installed correctly for sure

help
 
Had to lol. :D Mine seems really hard sometimes, but I think it's just a certain spot in the compression stroke.
 
I'm wondering the same thing. I've yet to get my project off the work table but the kick stater is not the easy way to turn over my engine, as I hear it should be. It'll spin pretty easily from the alt. but not the kicker (not by hand, at least).
 
mine s a little tuff too, but i have 6th over istons, and a decked head. I weigh 250# ,so, i just kick the f'er in the ass.
it starts pretty easy, one kick to prime with kill in off position, then starts right up, with kill in run position. just gotta figure out what your particular bike wants.
 
Well I'm not out of shape and about 170 I feel like I have the issue with where it is in the stroke. If this is normal I guess I need to just make sure im past it before I kick
 
I'm so old it goes without saying but it might be news to some of this generation. First you slowly kick through till it comes up on compression, then reset the kicker to the top. Now you kick it. NEVER EVER lock your knee straight. Keep some bend in it. Kick starting for me is on the two wheels or side stand. Center stand robs leverage and balance.
 
I bounce up and stand on it. Ride it right down to the bottom of it's stroke. Mine's a 71 so it's all kick all the time, gotta do it the easy way. People start them with their hand? You guys must be lumberjacks.
 
When I was 14 I had a xr500 so I learned how to kick start the proper was real fast. It didn't have any decompression release so you had to pay attention and I was launched over the bars a few times. I always kick start mine and just make sure its on the compression stroke. It always starts in one or two kicks. Plus I always like the look you get kick starting a bike.
 
More compression = harder to kick. I always kick it down slowly and look for the top of the stroke and then when it feels solid...BAM! Kick that f*cker to life!

Why did that sound like I tried to save a hooker from an overdose?
 
I kick mine like a dirt bike. no right leg gymnastic routines needed for the little 650.
 
yeah man, i weigh about 150 on a good day and i kick mine over nearly flat footed. not enough info to say what is wrong with your bike, but but start looking at potential problems because it really shouldn't be that difficult.
 
Quick question - has it run recently? Just thinking if you have a valve sticking open and contacting a piston top?
XSs are pretty easy to kick over compared to some ( my XR650 trails) as gggGarry says, do keep a bent knee as the day it decides to kick back you really need some damping properties in you leg
 
I had a bitch kickstarting mine until 5twins told me to check the choke inlet in the carb bowl. Gave it a spray clean with carb cleaner (was blocked) and now it's kickjoy 1st time : )
 
motor hasn't run in who knows how long but i just rebuilt the entire thing. What it basically sounds like is I need to just slowly push the kickstart until i get to the sweet spot or so and give it a rip. Because it has a point when I kick, and it feels liek a brick wall. Almost like i kick it is hard as hell(and seems like piston is at tdc) and then once it passes that i can really rip it pretty easy. Also i verified it is in nuetral. Thanks for the advice and keep it coming.
 
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