Kickstarter sometimes won't turn the engine

[jeff488]

I tried the "search" to no avail.
I have a barn find '72 R60/5 that's been sitting since 1985. Got it from the original owner.
One of the things it doesn't do is turn the engine every time the kickstarter is used. Sometimes it will hit the point of normal engagement and then feel as though it has hit a brick. Move the engine with it in 4th gear and all is well again, until the next time it does it.
Is this a symptom of some dread(read expensive) condition, or what?
Here it is after the rear fender was removed to get the seat off cause there are no keys for the seat. What fun!
Thanks in advance.

 

[20774]

Most likely you're just mid-tooth with the starter gear. Happens often on my /2 machines. I just pull the clutch lever in and find a new point. It could be the beginning of a larger problem, but I don't think so.

This is kind of why they say don't use the /5 kick starter except for emergencies or if the starter fails. The /5-on starters are not as robust as the earlier models.

 

[jeff488]

OK, thanks.
I thought, or at least hoped, it would be something like that.

Seems I have heard that it was the five speed gear boxes that had the weak kick starter, or is it also the 4 speed /5s like mine?

Anyway, it's an adventure.

 

[20774]

Seems I have heard that it was the five speed gear boxes that had the weak kick starter, or is it also the 4 speed /5s like mine?

In general, the 4 speeds are weaker but not just because of the kick start feature. Pretty much all /5-on kick start mechanics can be suspect...things can break internally. The /2 bikes had no other means to start except the kicker. With electric start, you were to use that first, kick second. My guess is that BMW took something away from the /5 kick mechanism since it had the electric start.

 

[mneblett]

Seems I have heard that it was the five speed gear boxes that had the weak kick starter, or is it also the 4 speed /5s like mine?

The 5-speed kickstarters are known to be more fragile. As Kurt notes, that doesn't mean the 5-speed gearboxes as a whole are inferior to the 4-speed boxes, just that the kickers are more likely to break.

 

[Rinty]

The airhead kickstarters are great for: 1. loosening up an engine prior to a cold start, and 2. starter/solenoid/battery (pick 1 or more) failure.

 

[jeff488]

I have also found that they are good for checking if there is spark when the bike's on the lift and the spark plugs are out.

New mufflers showed up today and they look good.
Now it's just the carb kits, fork seals, boots, steering head bearings, petcocks, lubing the splines on the tranny, and tires.
Not to mention lots of cleaning.
Relatively cheap fun, I think.