Too hard to kickstart

[Dorian]

Hi all,
yesterday I started my new XS for the first time, but it was a really hard work kickstart the big bore 860 engine. If you climb up to the kickstarter lever with all your body weight the lever don't fall down, unless you jump down on the lever with all your energy. And you must kick down a lot of times until it starts... With hot engine it was much easy to start than cold engine.

This starting system isn't for everyday usage, but I want to use this bike everyday
I forget to say that the electric starter it was dismounted by the previous owner.
So I must to remount a new electric starter.

Please some advice to kickstart this heavy engine?
Thanks

 

[grizld1]

Ease it through a few times with the ignition off to prime. Don't lock your knee, don't wear boots with thin soles, don't have second thoughts, and be sure you get that kicker kicked all the way to the detente so it can't bite you.

 

[inxs]

- try adding an XS2 decompression mechanism...you will need the rocker cover and the XS2 rocker with the tab off the adjustment end

- cover

- rocker with tab

- feel for piston position and kick right through

 

[xjwmx]

"try adding an XS2 decompression mechanism"

I've always wondered how that works - the two cylinders are never compressing at the same time even without it.

 

[Tech7]

Just kick it like you hate it. Kickin' an 860 takes some effort. It is what it is.

 

[inxs]

"try adding an XS2 decompression mechanism"

I've always wondered how that works - the two cylinders are never compressing at the same time even without it.

- which is why this works, set the lh cylinder on compression stroke, pull the decompression and kick...all you need is enough to get that piston moving...if youve ever ridden a big single youll appreciate the difference

 

[jay760]

I have a similar problem with my 760, turn the ignition off, kick it slowly to just past tdc, then turn on the ignition and give it a big kick, basically jump on the kickstart.

 

[curt698]

I have a 750 and I find the if I knee on the seat and then give her a good jump it's not so bad. As some one else mentioned I try to make sure I'm at tdc so I get a full kick out of the effort. Mine does start after 1-2 kicks most of the time so perhaps some tuning might help your bike start easier too.

 

[Dorian]

Thanks to all for the replys.
What it means "tdc"?

 

[Socopunk]

top dead center - the position of a piston in which it is nearest to, the crankshaft.

 

[inxs]

- almost, its when the piston is at the top of its stroke...ie, nearest to the camshaft...however to get the most out of a decompression system you need to get a feel for the left cylinder at TDC

 

[jay760]

A friend tried the decompression lever on his 840, found it more of a hinderance when using just the kickstart, when he first built his it was really stiff, if the ignition is turned off it's much easier to get past compression, this is the way we started his when it was first built.

 

[bluebikerblan]

Ease it through a few times with the ignition off to prime. Don't lock your knee, don't wear boots with thin soles, don't have second thoughts, and be sure you get that kicker kicked all the way to the detente so it can't bite you.

.....and don't be over seventy thinking that you're still ten feet tall and bulletproof!
You could get laid up for a long spell and permanently suspended from the kickstart society.

 

[Visegrippe]

yeah, the kickstart makes me wish i hadn't lost weight (down to 215 from 240, yay!), but it was still enough to bend the kickstart lever when it kicked back. my foot's still sore...

anyways, and make sure you have a strong battery and that your timing's right, etc. etc...

 

[XSLeo]

On a big engine like that, if you have the electric starter still in stalled. Just as you start to kick it, push the start button. This way you are using both the kick and electric start. This should kick it over.
On some of the Harleys with big engines they wired the electric starter to spin the engine with the ignition off. This way they could get the engine turning then flip the ignition on. This made it easier to start.