push starting

[DeanR]

Stopped at a friends place after work.
Left the damn headlight on, about 1/2 hour.
Never push started the bike before and wow! It couldn't have been any easier or smoother. Nice surprise.

[TopCatGr58]

You got lucky Dean,

IF the battery had dropped below the 10.5 volts, then the TCI wouldn't have fired, and it would have been a much harder process, and still probably wouldn't have gotten it lit!?
T.C.

[LoHo]

Yep, TC's right. If you try to use the starter several times and run it down too far, it won't matter how fast you get going when trying to bump it. If it seems weak when you get on, better push it right away! Been there, done that.

On the other hand, push starting an XS down the road by yourself in riding gear is and EXCELLENT workout...

~LoHo~

[xs650mike]

The '79SF Advantage

[Czekus21]

Jeeeezzz.... I wish you didn't show that pic. Now I gotta find the little rubber do-hicky for my kick starter.

[xs650mike]

Kick lever is off a 750 triple.

[AKMac]

Originally posted by xs650mike
Kick lever is off a 750 triple.

I've got one of those too. It doesn't fit perfectly (the flat spot in the kick starter spline doesn't align with the one on the kick starter.) But I like it a lot more than the stock one. Also, you'll look a lot cooler trying to kick start your bike than having some guys push you down the road.

[trbig]

When I kick start my YZ250, if I don't have a decent pair of stiff soled boots on, it will sometimes give me a bruise like a stone bruise in the middle of the arch of my foot. You'll go to jump down on the kick starter, and with the compression... sometimes it doesn't move.... and that's just a single cylinder! I don't know what the compression comparison would be between it and my XJ, but how hard is it to kick over these 1100's?

Tod

[webbcraft2150]

Funny how a 11 gains about 200lbs when the battery is dead. As for kickstarters, they are all but extinct. I had Norton that would snap your leg if you stiff legged it. Not even gonna mention what a 501 Maico did to me one afternoon. Glad there extinct!!!!!

[xs650mike]

Originally posted by webbcraft2150
Funny how a 11 gains about 200lbs when the battery is dead. As for kickstarters, they are all but extinct. I had Norton that would snap your leg if you stiff legged it. Not even gonna mention what a 501 Maico did to me one afternoon. Glad there extinct!!!!!

Being a four with small cylinders, the XS11 is an easy kick starter.

[mason79]

Being a four with small cylinders, the XS11 is an easy kick starter.

did you have to modify the xs750 kickstarter to fit? and do you just leave it there and kick all the time to save the starter mechanism?

how does it start cold? easier than and rd400? the like the nostalgia!

[xs650mike]

Kick start drill

Same drill as with an electric starter. Select neutral. Prime for a minute to fill the floatbowls. Pull in the clutch and kick to free the clutchplates. (I free the clutch even when electric starting, keeps it from grinding first time it's put in gear. Old Britbike habit. Not necessary for hot start.) Let out the clutch, pull out the choke, turn on the ignition and kick. Mine usually will start first try but if not a kick or two more will start it.

I didn't modify the lever in any way. It was a little hard to get the pinch bolt to thread past the splines on the starter shaft, should have Dremelled a slot in it but I don't own a Dremel and am too lazy to file a slot by hand. I leave the kick lever in place since it will fold out of the way. The stock "emergency" lever that's under the battery box doesn't fold so it has to be removed after starting which is why I put the other lever on in the first place. I mostly use it when I'm in a gas station and others are watching, hee hee.