XS2 starter

[Ash]

So I bought an xs2 that me and a friend are building into something new, no previous xs2 experience, just learning as i go. The bike was in pieces when i bought it and I am now wondering, as the bike has a starter motor, should there be a start button, or was it all part of the decompression system, if so - can anyone explain how that works?
Any tips appreciated, cheers!

 

[prue1]

The XS2 was the first year to offer an electric start. It has a compression release that pushed one exhaust valve down. You start the bike on one cylinder, release lever, bike begins to run on two cylinders. Sounds simple, but had many problems with the gear mech that connects starter to crank. You can write a book on this problem. I currently own an XS2 and have mine sorted out after a complete tear down.

 

[XSLeo]

prue1 pretty well sums it up. One thing though, as you pull the decompressor lever it closes the switch to crank the starter. If the switch on your lever is bad you can wire in a switch somewhere else, not hard to do.
Leo

 

[gggGary]

The starter switch lives on the bottom of the decompression lever by the throttle. My 73 worked flawlessly. Don't think there is any difference in the starter gear drive path from 72 to later bikes?

 

[txxs]

Maybe lucky but I never ever had a problem with the decompression lever and starter switch on my 72 or 73.