Lessons in Kickstarting...

[52Chevy]

Up until I got this bike, I had never kick started anything but a 200cc two stroke. I've never had a problem starting that, no matter where I kicked it from.

I have been told and read on here to lightly kick it around until it is towards the top of the compression stroke. Well apparently my idea of the compression stroke, and my bike's idea of the compression stroke differ greatly(of course I am right, but the bike is slightly more powerful). Needless to say she got mad at me and kicked me back, then my leg fell onto the hot exhaust pipe, and my right legs is in some pain right now.

XS: 1 Dave:0

On a better not she at least started and ran for a few minutes before choking out, so I called it a day.

any more advice on exactly when/how to tell the compression stroke? Or how to train her on what the compression stroke actually?

 

[mrkil]

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a46/mrkil2/12f161e7.mp4

You can see me kick through the bang blow and suck cycles to get to the squeeze before kicking.
Make sure your timing is set correctly to avoid kick backs

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[GreasyC]

I have been told and read on here to lightly kick it around until it is towards the top of the compression stroke.

There's a step two and three after that.

1. Paw at the lever to find the start of a compression stroke.
2. Tap the lever a good inch or two PAST that point.
3. Allow lever to return to the top of its arc.
4. Stand on it an ride all the way to the bottom of its arc.

 

[angus67]

keep at it, you will figure out your bike.
lightly push down on the kicker, and it will slowly go down, keep letting it go down, untill it stops,let it go back up(the kicker), push down again, untill it stops again, then kick it.
follow thru, dont stop half way, if your tune is any where close enuf, it will fire. good luck.

 

[52Chevy]

I did all that is it possible I wasn't kicking fast enough??

I know I won't be kicking for a few days though, can't hardly walk.

 

[JP50515]

Ha I watched an old man get thrown over the handlebars of his harley after bragging about how he only rides his old kickstart HD... might have been one of the funniest moments of my life! Anyway you will figure it out, the key is to fully commit once you do kick...its kind of like my theory with a lot of thing..."Go big or go home" or in this case possible to the hospital for a new knee ha.

However the give it small pushes until you feel it at the top of its compression stroke is very good advice

 

[Monty]

Speed doesn't have a great deal to do with it, but don't do it slow. Being at tdc, a properly tuned bike, and a strong but methodical kick are what matters.

Try starting a high compression YZ426 with a broken de-compression cable after stalling, that will wear you out. I had to put pressure on the kicker for a good 5-10 seconds just to get past the compression stroke to reach tdc.

 

[52Chevy]

Yeah I am wishing my electric starter worked at the moment so I could still start it up to see how it runs, and make adjustments. It'll be a few days before I can kick it again. I didn't think my ankle was that bad until walking around today here at work and I can't go up or down stairs very well.

 

[blackbetty]

Sounds like you're too far advanced, you dialed your timing in?

My motor's built up and higher compression than stock and it has only kicked back on me a single time

 

[scabber]

My advice Fix your electric starter. That's the best way to start the bikes. Forget the motcho man image. This is the first electric start bike start bike I have ever owned. I will never kick again. Been there done that for years. If I had a 5 cents for every time I kicked a bike I could afford the knee operation. You pay now and later if you make to old age like me. A ratchet slip is more painfull than a kickback. It over extends the knee.

 

[jay760]

Problem these days is people don't know how to kick a bike into life any more, seen so many people with one foot on the floor giving a little push with the other leg, get the bike just over compression and jump on the kick start keeping the leg as straight a possible, there is no strength bending the leg at the knee and giving a prod.

 

[Reid]

Sounds like you're too far advanced, you dialed your timing in?

My motor's built up and higher compression than stock and it has only kicked back on me a single time

2nd that

 

[XSLeo]

I do have to admit my 750 kitted 75 does kick over a bit harder than the stock 650, but even at that I never had it kick back. I have a Pamco and it is properly timed at idle and full advance.
If all the electric starter parts are in the engine, it's not hard to get it to work.
Leo

 

[bbillington]

you could always bump start it if you just need to get it running so you can dial things in... does sound like your timing is off though.

 

[52Chevy]

How do I adjust the timing with the electronic ignition, outside of timing chain?

 

[Reid]

TCI ignition? You should not have to touch the timing chain to adjust the ignition timing either way

 

[52Chevy]

Whatever the stock ignition is yes. The motor was originally a points motor, I put it in my 1980 frame, with the stator and rotor from the original motor, and used the stock ignition system.

 

[ReycleBill]

Like others are saying, the trick is to kick it all the way through on any mid to large displacement motorcycle. That way, even if it pops back your past it before it can hurt you. And yes, we all get bit from time to time.

One problem with these bikes and most Jap bikes is that they weren't really designed to be kicked. The kick starters are crap to begin with. Most have arms that are too short and pedals that are too tiny for daily kick starting. And a pedal without a bearing in the middle? Who were they kidding? Talk about slowing down your kicking speed! My recommendation is to fabricate or buy a better designed kicker or reinstall the electric leg. I mean, seriously, I want a better kick starter and I use my electric starter 99.9% of the time.

If there's anything Yamaha skimped on when designing these bikes, the kick starter makes the list.

 

[52Chevy]

I am definitely going to check into the timing, but it had been running just fine, maybe there want enough oomph behind my kick.

The electric start wasn't hi on my priority list, but it may have just moved up slightly. I need new handle bar controls, my starter button is missing.

 

[scabber]

You have move the pickup on the stator. XS John mod. On this site. To retard the timing.