These XS650 engines are
very easy to start using the electric starter. Anyone that says they have to use the kick starter, means either they don't have the engine tuned correctly (mixture wrong, choke not working, etc.) or their charging system is not keeping the battery fully charged so they always have a weak battery.
Of course modern cars/trucks don't have a hand crank starter (kick starter equivalent), but lets say that your present day car/truck does have a hand crank. Now if your car/truck engine does not start with the electric starter, are you going to just use the hand crank everyday?? Think about it........................you and 3 or 4 of your work mates walk out from the office/plant after a hard days work. All the other lads get in their cars, that start immediately, and drive off. You get out the hand crank and crank the engine by hand
!
Ridiculous right...........................if you wouldn't do that with a car, why would you put up with kick starting a motorcycle??
Over the years, I've heard many lads say they have to kick start the engine when the engine is cold, because the electric starter just can't do it. All that means to me, is that they don't know how to tune/repair their engine.