71R60/5 kick start technique

[67986]

I have always been happy using the electric starter on my bike. No problems there. Out of curiosity, and just so I would know I could use the kick starter, does anyone have any suggestions about the best technique to starting the bike with the kick starter? Questions such as the following come to mind: How best to position myself. Should the motor be at a specific point in the compression cycle? How swiftly does the kick starter have be pushed down? Does cold start differ from a hot start? How many kicks might be necessary with a cold bike as opposed to a hot start? I will assume more kicks with a cold bike than a hot bike.
I have always just cracked the throttle a little bit when starting the bike and that has always worked well. I will assume that is the same when using the kick starter unless I hear otherwise.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you, Adirondack Bob

 

[20774]

I don't have a /5 but have a /2 kick-only. I would think that the starting techniques should be more or less the same.

I'd do the same thing with throttle when kicking. Choke? I think you would use the choke the same way as you do hot and when cold. What I would do is to leave the key off and use the kicker 3-4 times with the throttle completely closed. This should draw air-fuel into the combustion chamber. Try kicking slowly and get a feeling when one of the cylinders is on the compression stroke...the kicker should resist a little more...try that a few times to confirm. When you have a cylinder on compression stroke, turn key on and give the kicker a good push to spin the engine faster. I would think a bike in good tune would respond to that and begin to run.

Not sure on the /5, but there are situations where the /2 kicker will reach a locked position. This happens when the starter segment gear inside the transmission ends up in a tooth-to-tooth conflict. It's definitely not good to press hard in that situation. This is usually cleared by pulling in the clutch lever and kick the engine to move things around. Then go back to the routine to start the bike.

Let us know how you make out.

 

[Visian]

Before kicking, be sure to depress the kickstart lever slowly until it engages the gears that turn the engine.

If you kick hard from the top of the stroke, the gears bang together and the kickstart gear can break.

Don’t “wail” on the lever… a slow, smooth, determined and consistent pressure is the right technique.

My R69S had no choke, one tickled the carbs until the gas spurts out the bleed hole, and, with the key off, turn the motor over slowly 2-3 times, leaving it on the compression stroke. Then, key in, throttle wide open, depress lever to engage gear, and a smooth kick downward… the bike would start with 1 kick.

Ymmv.

 

[Omega Man]

Before kicking, be sure to depress the kickstart lever slowly until it engages the gears that turn the engine.

If you kick hard from the top of the stroke, the gears bang together and the kickstart gear can break.

Don’t “wail” on the lever… a slow, smooth, determined and consistent pressure is the right technique.

My R69S had no choke, one tickled the carbs until the gas spurts out the bleed hole, and, with the key off, turn the motor over slowly 2-3 times, leaving it on the compression stroke. Then, key in, throttle wide open, depress lever to engage gear, and a smooth kick downward… the bike would start with 1 kick.

Ymmv.

That’s all good recommendations from a kick-starter to a pull-start on small engines. Having the tension or “slack” taken up before the engagement pawls grab saves a lot of wear and tear.
OM

 

[2wheeljunkie]

I used the kick start quite often when I had my original '72 /5 as I was in Edmonton, Alberta and ran it late in the fall, or until the snow arrived and stopped me. I used to scrape the frost off the seat going to work in the AM, and coming home after work. I never knew for sure if it was going to start, so I depended on the kick start. I don't really remember too much about technique from back then, but I have used it a few times with the '72 /5 that I have now, and I was surprised at how little effort it actually took to start the bike. I agree with the previous posts.... a slow push to get the engine starting to engage, then a steady push down, more of a steady stepping motion on the lever than a kick down. I just use normal starting procedures with the choke etc., depending on how long it has been shut down, how cold it is, etc. It doesn't take a whole top to bottom push to get it to start, sometimes I have had the lever close to half way down before I pushed it the rest of the way. I had an ankle fusion and a hip replacement on the leg I use, so I don't have the strength in my leg to get a good push from the top of the stroke. I get a better push from about the halfway point of the travel of the lever. A good firm, quick, but steady push, will fire up the engine every time. Practice it a bit at your home, just to get the feel of it and see how easy it is to do, that's better than being somewhere trying to figure it out for the first time. I kick start mine every once and awhile, just to show people looking at the bike how great it is to never have to worry about a dead battery. Most of them have never seen a kick start, especially one like the old airheads had.

This kick start feature was the reason I wanted another '72 /5. I had a '75 /6 that failed to start a few times, and I had to either leave it, flag down someone to give me a boost, or try to get it to a downgrade and hope I could get it into a higher gear and jump start it. Back then, no cell phones, no roadside assistance, and being in my early 20's didn't always look after the battery the way I should have (no battery tenders back then either).

 

[67986]

71R60/5 kickstart Update

Thank you for all your suggestions. I used your suggestions and it was quite easy to start the bike. I did it three times in a row to make sure I had the technique mastered. It's nice to know that it is always there if I need it.

My /5 and I both thank you for all the replies.

Adirondack Bob