Soft kickstart

[Steven Simpson]

Hey all,

Got my bike outside yesterday and even got to spin a circle on it

after I shut it off, I couldn't get it started again.

I noticed that every other two or three kicks, the kickstarter just felt soft and not very likely to fire the engine.

My clutch lever is extremely tight with little to no play. Theres no weird kinks and its adjusted all the way in...

Im thinking this is a clutch / kickstarter correlation but I couldn't find any good info??

Thoughts???

 

[Steven Simpson]

also some back pressure in the carbs every few kicks

 

[Bushyeyed1]

I had the same issue once and adjusted my clutch and it fixed it. If you hold your clutch it does this normally when you try and kick it.

 

[Steven Simpson]

my clutch seems virtually unadjustable, as far as the cable. that's something I am trying to figure out

 

[gggGary]

Main adjustment is at the LH cover access bung, not the perch.

 

[Steven Simpson]

like through the screw at the end of the worm drive? its tight, should I back it out and adjust it back in to see if that changes anything ?

 

[gggGary]

loosen adjuster at perch all the way, crack nut and back off, loosen screw, turn in till it just touches/ takes out slack, then back off screw 1/8th turn, tighten lock nut. Set cable at perch for about 1/2" of lever free movement out at the ball. Let us know how that works.
A deep 12mm 6 point on a rattle gun will loosen a stuck nut. Just a quick burst, don't take much.

 

[Steven Simpson]

I will do my best

 

[MaxPete]

I would start by winding the adjuster on the perch (handlebar lever) all the way back to the pivot-handle (i.e. near the lever) and THEN do the adjustment down on the LH engine cover as Gary says - and THEN fine-tune back up at the handlebar.

If it still isn't right, then you must have assembled something incorrectly because that IS how its done.

Hmmmmm.....

 

[Bushyeyed1]

 

[MaxPete]

Now THAT is an excellent film and really shows the way to do it properly IMO.

...also, a nice looking '75 XS650B. I had one of those back in the 70's - what a pretty paint scheme.

 

[Steven Simpson]

Awesome thanks guys!!!