Kickstart kicks back troubleshoot

davidcharles

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So I have a 1981 XS650. It has a Hugh's stator, pamco ignition, kick-start only and straight pipes with thoroughly made baffles. I am going to re-gear it with 18/30 to lower vibes on the freeway and then dyno test/ tune it. The problem I am having now is that about every third kick the kick-start lever kicks back and is wrecking havoc on my ankle. I am pretty much looking to go overkill on trouble shooting this problem so I'll do everything I can. So far I have that I should re-check the timing and possibly change the starting gear/spring. I wanted to know if any of you have any other recommendations and also if any of you have put a decompression lever on a later model XS ('81) and/or if that is a good idea or of any benefit. Thanks everybody for your time, just trying to ride without breaking an ankle.
 
Thanks, for some reason that never came up when I was searching for it. Still curious about installing a decompression valve. My buddy has a bike he built from a dirt bike engine with a decompression valve and it is the easiest thing to start I have ever used. However, it kind of seems that the xs650 decompression was more for use with the electric start?
 
It took me a while to get the knack of it, but now I can easily kick an XS650, even one with excellent compression (150 psi). But, the bike has to be properly tuned. I weigh 165.

As I recall, the decompression was only for the first year of the electric starters, later years used a better starter motor, and the decomp valve wasn't needed.
 
I think the decomp lever energized the starter too, but no need to wire it like that yourself. Part of it might be technique - I think if you kick all the way through the gear disengages so it can't kick back. If you kick partially, as with thick, cold oil on a cold morning, then you run the risk.
 
San Francisco is always cold and I have no insulation in my garage hah. Yeah I've had other kickstarts and never had a problem, but they were smaller cc engines. If my bike doesn't kick back it is a one kick bike and it runs great once it is started.
 
Mine sometimes kicks back about one second after a failed kick, so if I do that I just wait a second with a loose knee and see if it kicks. Worst case, it's more startling that painful though, unless it makes you drop the bike or something...
 
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