Kick Starter

[79beem]

I've tried ( unsuccessfully ) many times over the last year to start her up with the kicker.
Full choke, ignition on,find resistance, "C-A-P-T-A-I-N  C-A-A-A-V-E-M-A-A-A-N-", nothing other than a "pumpft"  [smiley=wall.gif]
 
Had a few splutters but generally dehydration and performance anxiety :-[gets the better of me an I hit the "GO" button and speed off non the wiser.

No troubles with starting with the button when cold.

Mine seems to have a short throw if that the right term?
I'm generally on the bike on the center stand.

My mc chums have all had a go with less success than me.

Could someone please talk me through their routine?

[Bob_Roller]

Not very many R65 owners here have a kickstart feature on their bike .

[tvrla]

I'm not all that familiar with using the kickstart, but perhaps I have something that will help.

When the engine's cold, leave the key off the first few kicks with the choke and fuel on.

Rotate the engine till it's coming close to top dead center. Let the lever come all the way up, then kick it.

Just before kicking, turn on the ignition. Some of the ignition modules would turn off after a few seconds if the engine isn't running. You may be running into that.

These kickstarters aren't very robust and bad things happen when they start to deteriorate; more than just the kickstart stop working. Most of us with kickstarters don't use them for that very reason.

[nhmaf]

Wirespokes has the best method, I think, but the bike also has to be in good tune with adjusted carbs/choke or you've got little chance.   As mentioned, these kickers on the 70s-> airheads have a tendency to break teeth on the short spur inside the transmission - if your electric leg is working, I'd use that and save the kicker for "dire emergencies" and for setting valve lash, etc. but not constant/frequent use.

[bruce_launceston]

"I'm generally on the bike on the center stand."

I don't think you should be on the bike, shouldn't you be standing facing the bike and kicking down?
I've not seen a bmw kickstarter used more than a couple of times and not for years so I could be wrong.

[steve hawkins]

I have a mate with an old R75/6 with a kicker.

He recently had a dead battery and was using the kicker with some success.  He stands off the bike and faces the kicker, to depress it with all his weight.  Fortunately for his gearbox, he has recently replaced his battery!

Rumour has it that the 5 speed kickers have only a small quadrant and are not as efficient as the older 4 speed kickers - which were designed to be kicked.  But I have never had the opportunity to delve inside a gearbox so I might just be talking boll*x!  

Cheers

Rev. Light

[larstorders]

Popular method for kick starting the boxer is to: put machine on the centrestand. stand with left foot on the left cylinder head and kick with the right foot. This was the accepted technique of works riders in the  Paris Dakar  many years ago. I find it the best way too, but then I only weigh 60kg. Of course there is the risk, a standard centre stand may collapse. As wirespokes mentioned if the ignition unit isn't intended for a kickstart model you only have about 1.5 seconds to to kick it over after flicking the kill switch back to the on position.

[Julio A.]

And just a friendly advice, if you are above 200lbs like me, I wouldn't try doing the "paris dakar" technique. Last time I did that the bike fell.  

What I do is kick it two or three times with the ignition off, then turn the key on, then kick it while simultaneously opening the throttle slightly.

I know there are a lot of techniques there, but this produced the least amount of leg cramps for me.  

[badbmwbrad]

I also have a /5 with kicker.  The owner's manual advises to first kick the engine a couple times with ignition off to prime it.

Its Bing carburetor's choke circuit is actually an auxiliary carburetor.  The aux carb functions only if the throttle is held closed.

Therefore, if priming the cold engine using kickstarter and choke, then ignition OFF, close throttle and kick over engine a couple times.

Then to start engine, ignition ON, throttle closed and kick start engine.  

My experience is this method is not always 100% successful.  Too many priming kicks with choke ON/throttle CLOSED results in a flooded engine.  

The other tip I can offer is: Avoid damaging the kickstarter sector gear teeth by pulling in clutch then depressing kickstarter until sector gear teeth mesh with flywheel geer teeth then let out clutch to permit kickstarter to turn over engine.  This technique must be repeated every time the kickstarter sector gear teeth are to be meshed with the flywheel gear teeth.

[79beem]

Hmmm...

Bad things? What bad things?

When I tried kicking the bike with my right foot I generally slip off the pedal and it slaps back horribly.

I don't want to be using it all the time, just be nice to have the technique down before I have to do it in front of an audience. [smiley=chairshot.gif] As was the case some months ago, luckily the bike was thoughtful enough to die on a downhill section.

[nhmaf]

Definitely use the kicker while off the bike, standing facing it, with a hand on the handlebar, bike on centerstand.   I know many older guys kick theirs over while on the sidestand, which is OK as long as your sidestand isn't the flimsy/collapsing kind.