Recently acquired 1979 XS650. Im curious to know if folks with bikes like this tend to use the electric starter or use the kick start ? The electric starter went out and I'm curious whether I should repair it or just rely on the kick ? Kick works fine.
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Electric vs Kick start
- Thread starter DPCDPC
- Start date
Kick works great, but lazy me likes the electric starter too. If its just a motor or relay, I’d fix it.
I feel each has it's time and place. I routinely use the kicker for the 1st start on colder days. I use the electric start for warm starts and in warm weather. The kicker is good if your battery is low because it draws no power. The ignition gets all that is available.
I never use the electric start. Well, almost never - maybe very rarely if I stall in traffic or if the bike is feeling temperamental in a filling station. The starter on mine sounds very lazy - slow clank, clank, clank - and feels like using it runs the battery down, so kicking it is.
I've had my 650 since new. There was almost ten years that I carried the starter around as ballast. Once fixed, I was glad to have it back. I kick the cold engine and use the electric leg for restarts.
They have kick start?
takehikes
XS650 Addict
WY back when I worked at AEE Choppers starting in 71 we had one bike that kick started , a knucklehead. After that everything we built had a starter…..only way to fly especially if a bike isn’t in that good of tune. I consider the kickstarter to be used only if you have to. There is a reason modern bikes don’t have them.
Probably the same reason modern bikes have a electric starter which works and is not a bolted-on afterthought. Norton Commando, XS650, won't go on.
Is that the chrome thingy with the rubber tip on the right side?
Are y'all trying to tell me you don't use the kickstart to impress bystanders? Who do you think you're kidding?
Yeah it also worth mentioning the crowd of 10 / 20 + people watching you go for the 30 ieth kick --Not starting at all.Are y'all trying to tell me you don't use the kickstart to impress bystanders? Who do you think you're kidding?
Until someone offers you a lift home after the toolbox. Voltmeter / Fuses / Spark Plugs / Points and whatnot
.. Bus ride back next day.. Roadside cafe ... electrical fault finding. No tow truck yet.
One time is was the kill switch shorted
Not been able to start with the electric starter that many times . Now it is out.
dps650rider
XS650 Addict
With a stock motor kick is not too bad unless you stall it in traffic. With my 700cc motor and higher compression ratio kick is doable but electric is much better.
Thanks folks. Great to hear all these viewpoints. The engine is pretty much stock, so it's not too hard to kick it over (and it does make me feel like a bada## lol). But yeah, doing that for a stall in traffic doesn't sound fun. Thanks for your expertise and opinions.
Ralph Koch
XS650 New Member
I bought a brand new XS1 in '72 that ONLY had kick start. Being new to the concept tried starting it with a half hearted kick and it bit back. Nearly broke my ankle, took 2 years to heal properly. Had to push it up to speed and then jump on and drop the clutch to start it afterwards Just bought an '81 Special and am now 75 years old, still too terrified to use the kick and no way I can push it up to speed and then jump on. Definetely using electric starter
On my ‘79 I have been using the kickstarter quite a bit. A couple of days ago it kicked back on me and now I’m a bit “kick starter shy”. I believe it’s all about crank positioning to prevent kick back. I understand why you chose to push the button!
Another thing to check. Lol. Thx.
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I had a 400 Kawasaki MX bike in the 70's That thing was freakin' brutal. I'm still "kick start shy" thanks to that beast.
