So who else has removed their electric start ?

Grewth

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After running three XS650s to reasonably high sorts of milages, I ended up either disconecting the electric starter, or removing it altogether.
The best run I ever had with a working starter was about six months, after fitting a new bendix pinion gear, and even then I used the kickstart most of the time.
So now I've adopted a ruthless policy of completely removing the electric foot from my bikes.
I've found that a 46mm automotive core plug makes the best and cheapest filler for the starter motor aperture.
I've also found that the bendix gear shaft, which is pressed into the lower crankcase, will just drop out (if you remove the retaining screw, obviously) once the cases are heated to around 200°C.
Obviously, I've removed the soleniod switch etc, and even replaced the R/H handlebar switch with a hybrid RD item with no starter push button.
I'm not actually sure how much weight I've managed to lose, but at least I know that I won't be shedding loads of hardened steel fragments from that bendix pinion every time I use the e-start.
My only nagging doubt is that getting rid of that problematic starter motor will have lowered the resale value of my bikes.
So am I massively ruining my resale prospects ?
TBH, if I go to look at an XS that's up for sale, I either expect the stater to work poorly, or not at all.
 
I Have an 83 XS650 with 43,000 klms on the clock. I done 10,000 of those without 1 problem with the electric start. Sure on a frosty morning i would leave the bike in the sun and let i worm up to help it start easier. If the electric start wouldn't catch on the second time i used the Kick start. From that point the electric start would work all day. ....................Handy if i stalled in traffic or at traffic lights, quick press on the switch would kick it back into life.

Does it sound like it's grinding washers, Yes. Does it wind over quite slow compared to other bikes or the car, Yes. Does it work, Yes. Have i ever had a problem with it, No.

XSjohn done a write up based on the Bendix gear and the throw out spring and the rubber bush. His bendix gear was badly worn away and after his Shade tree fix he got it working without having to replace the gear............
 
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I've been using the starter on my '78 for a good 15 years now. No issues with it other than having to re-tighten the #4 gear's drag clip twice. That bike has always been a quick and easy starter though, not placing much strain on the starter motor or it's components. Even so, I still use the kicker on cold days (below 50°) for the first start of the day.
 
First XS I had did about 40k miles over 6yrs. Starter never failed me. Same with the 3 I've had since. Properly taken care of, they work just fine.
 
I think if serviced properly they work fairly good not great but good enough
But the 73 I'm working on now has the best e start of all the 650s I've had go figure
 
Madness a high compression 750 is not a bike I like to kick start.
The e-start that was in it when I bought it some 15K miles ago hasn't been touched and still does the job.
 
When I bought the ‘79 in January the po said the starter was pooched. I read that many just run with a kick start and I was ready to block off the starter hole. Managed to fix the motor and it went back in. I don’t think I’d want the bike to be kick only. Part reason being as I get older, labour saving devices become more important to me. I have kick started it many times this year and now that I’ve debugged most things, it’s not so bad, but still much easier to push the button.
I need to adjust the spring detent for the choke lever so it will stay in the open position when kicking it. Otherwise tough to hold the lever down and kick at the same time.
 
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I removed my e-start but I did it when I was building the bike as a production racer. I'm not retrofitting it now that it's returning to street duty.
 
If you leave the starter, it would never be a negative point on selling the bike, even if the starter didn't work. Plenty have kick started their bikes on the first start or every start. By leaving all gears and starter parts in, it becomes the decision of the next owner to repair, upgrade or replace, but all the parts are there.
I don't think it would ever deter a prospective buyer.
On a side note, there are some knees and ankles of members, that would suggest having that starter for epidemiology reasons??? Self included.
 
I removed the starter from my street tracker, I have now reinstalled it. If you do take it out with the cases apart leave the transfer shaft in.
 
And speaking of kickers, I do have a favorite, the lever assembly from the '79-'80 models. On '78 and older kickers, the arm is straight. In '79, they put a slight bend in it so it folds in tighter to the engine .....

77-79KickerCompared2.jpg


In '81, they made the whole assembly smaller and less robust .....

79-83KickerCompared.jpg


But most importantly, they made the "foot" smaller. It's not as easy to get a good kick on it .....

79-83KickerCompared2.jpg


This is why I consider the '79-'80 kickers to be the best of them - old heavier assembly with the bigger "foot" and a slight bend in the arm so it folds in tighter.
 
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