Off the Topic - Kick Starting

[klimber]

OK, I have not a clue how to kick start a bike

A friend gave me an old 1973 Suzuki ts250.  It runs and  pretty well, but only when he starts it.   i'm not sure how?

I didn't pay attention and have not a clue, could guess but woudl rather get some instruction first.

I'd ask him but getting laughed at by him face-to-face is worse than you'll laughing at me in a forum.

1.  pull chock on carbs
2.  make sure i'm in nuetral
3.  twist wrist a couple times
4. kick it

missing anything?

[TheGoodGuy]

post a pic of the bike.. im going to google it..

In India the bikes are kick start... for the most part.

You put it in neutral, you pull choke, then kick. When kicking open throttle a bit and dont forget to turn it on..

You basically sit on the bike, depress it a bit (1/4 travel) then push hard from there. It should turn over.

Some bikes you got to pull clutch to kick start it, some you dont. If you pull clutch and the kick lever falls all teh way down with ease then it means you go without the clutch.

Hope this helps..

[klimber]

http://www.suzukicycles.org/photos/suzuki-history/1973/1973_TS250K_green_800.jpg



pretty crazy hugh?

thinkin some blinkers and straight bars and i'm set for the rattin around

[South East Rocket]

My buddy used to be able to start my KDX175 everytime when I couldnt.  Here's what he told me:
Since these older bikes probably suffer from compression loss.   I had to gentely push the kick start down til i felt more resistance.   Sure enough it did the trick everytime.  Try that

[scratch]

Kick strating a bike makes you look really cool in an old school kind of way!

[glenn9171]

A friend of mine has a race-ready Yamaha Banshee ATV that is kick-start.  He said I could take it for a spin one day.  I jumped aboard and started kicking away for like 2 minutes straight.  He was over talking to some friends and noticed I was having "troubles".  I then noticed that he had the kill-switch cord still attached to his belt.

Put the cord on my belt and plugged it back into it's socket and the bike started on the first kick.

By the way, a Banshee with a Duncan Racing/Paul Turner 430+cc racing engine is a BEAST!  14.5/1 compression ratio.  Unrideable by me unless it's in a straight line.  But I'm not used to a 2-stroke in the first place.

[Cal Price]

All of the above, bear in mind that one of the easiest mistakes to make is too much right wrist, if you do this and don't start it you will flood it and it will never start.

To clear the flood open the choke fully and push the kick-start lever through two complete cycles then wait a mo and give it another go. I'm from the kick-start generation believe me I know, trust me I'm a grandpa.

[scratch]

Don't you mean close the choke completely and open the throttle all the way. If it's flodded with gas, opening the choke will just add more gas, right?

[Toecutter]

Neat bike.  When I was in grade school, we got an old TC90 from a friend of the family.  To a 10 yr old, it was pretty damn awesome.  Fun little bike until it died.    

[Rashad]

To cure a flooded motor...

Turn kill switch to off. Full throttle, keep kicking bike for a few cycles keeping the throttle wide open. After a bit, turn the switch and fire it up!

Depending on the type of bike and kickstarter, your technique will vary.. My CR125 starts differently then my old KD80M (kawasaki) did. With some bikes you dont need any throttle and they will foul or flood easily. I found the best overall technique is kicking and then twisting about 3/4 of the way through the kick... just feel it out.

[Blueknyt]

i have found will all my old kickstart bikes 2 and 4 stroke:

Cold start:   ing off, choke on,  petcock in prime pos, kick 2x moderatly, turn on ign,check kill switch is on, hop up and give it one good kick with locked knee while gently bliping throttle change valve to run position

hot start :  IGN off, one kick, no choke, turn IGN on give little throttle, kick hard locking knee 1/2 way through kick.


always let your weight finnish the kick, dont hold half your weight on one peg and just kick, you will tire your self out, and my old 2 stroke would backfire now and then reversing crank rotation, if you limp kicked you got hurt. just my 2 cents

[Martin]

I also ride a KX500 and anyone that's tried to kick a single 500 knows what a pain they can be with all that compression.

My routine is turn the gas on.
tilt the bike on its side for a second, just enough for gas to run out the overflows.
Choke on
kick it over easy about 2-3 times to get gas in the cylinders
kick it just enough to get past TDC compression
Giver her all you got, with just a touch of trottle....usually fires within 1-3 kicks this way.

Like said above, if you suspect flooding, with the choke off, open the throttle all the way and kick it over a bunch, then go back to the normal routine.

I think it would be cool if the GS had a backup kick start, I've run start mine in a flat parking lot before with a dead battery, but it's not easy.

[WAP]

Kick strating a bike makes you look really cool in an old school kind of way!

Definitely.

I've been toying with the idea of getting a Royal Enfield Bullet (in the 500 size, of course) as a next/secondary bike. Authentic old-skool bike built in India with 40's-50's technology, can't go wrong.   Unless you can't spare half of your free time working on the dern thing.

[scratch]

What about an old Yamaha RD? Or, an even older R-5!? Or a DT125? Or, one of those older BMW boxer twins. I had a freind with an SRX600 with a Supertrapp exhaust and it was a sweet sound when he kicked that thing over.

Has anybody ever tried to kick over a Vincette Velcette 500 single? (Warning: Answering this question may give away your age) They're nicknamed "Ankle-breakers".

[stoo]

is this magnet under the bike just a jesting quirk or is there something in it??

[pantablo]

The magnet under bike is a home-made version of the Green Light Trigger (which is basically the same magnets). If you have lights you can't trip on your usual routes head to Home Depot or local hardware store and get yourself one or two for a fraction of the cost of the green light trigger.

[stoo]

so your telling me that putting magnets somewherev under the bike actually turns traffic lights to green!!!!!!!!!!!!    

[TheGoodGuy]

so your telling me that putting magnets somewherev under the bike actually turns traffic lights to green!!!!!!!!!!!!    

yes.. i have one and can attest to it.

[stoo]

pleeezze tell me more. what & where      

[WAP]

http://www.gstwins.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2519&highlight=stoplights+green

That "Search" key is getting dusty up there people, use it.