What did you do to your bike today?

[cywelchjr]

I kickstarted it

That really sucks. At least you have a 79 that has the parts to be kick started. If my starter stopped working I would have to fix it, as I can't just put the kick starter on and kick it. I'm wondering what it is that you missed in there when you were fixing it?

[randy]

What I missed? I haven't got a clue. New rollers, new springs, worked great on the bench. I'm rationalizing it this way. If I hadn't opened the motor to fix the starter clutch, I never would have known the worn condition of the main & rod bearings. I would have fried the whole mess this summer. So at least I have a motor that's tight with good oil pressure, no leaks, strong running, great compression. And you've got a great point, at least I HAVE the kicker. I guess I've got it pretty good!

BTW, Cy, if you ever do have to fix the starter clutch, install the kicker parts while you're in there.

[psycoreefer]

ah, just push it and pop the clutch, did it all the time with my old 500 shadow. Of course that weight about half what the xs does. Hardest part to learn was that you had to "bounce" on it at the same time you let the clutch out, otherwise the rear tire would just slide.

[BareKnuckle]

Hi Knuckle,
nice lathe work. If the Kawi is being built as a show bike that'll never see gas in it, or as a flat-track racer, that's fine.
If the Kawi is meant for street use, removing the front brakes is about the only thing that's dumber than hardtailing.

well im sorry you feel that way but ist getting both! raked the front, no front brakes, hand shift, foot clutch, and rigid frame! im sure you wont want to ride it

[BareKnuckle]

I kickstarted it

i kickstart mine every time!! (battery is to small and wont turn the starter)

[BareKnuckle]

That really sucks. At least you have a 79 that has the parts to be kick started. If my starter stopped working I would have to fix it, as I can't just put the kick starter on and kick it. I'm wondering what it is that you missed in there when you were fixing it?

you could make it a kicker mine is an 80 and i got the shaft and the kicker off ebay and my is a kicker now

[randy]

BareKnuckle;

Walk us through the kicker addition without splitting the cases. General knowledge here has been that it's a mod that requires splitting. If that's not so, please enlighten us!

[BareKnuckle]

BareKnuckle;

Walk us through the kicker addition without splitting the cases. General knowledge here has been that it's a mod that requires splitting. If that's not so, please enlighten us!

no you dont have to split the cases all you have to do is remove the cover where the clutch is and the shaft goes right in and thats it ima get some pictures from my manual and get em on here

[BareKnuckle]

ok here it is NO YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SPLIT THE CASES to install a kicker shaft now that being sait this was my bike and i dont know about all of them mine is a 1980 xs11 special here is a pic out of my manuals to help decribe what to do... this is a blow up of the parts for this you need parts # 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 usually you can find it all as one sept for the kicker its self part#s 10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17 SHOULD be in the motor allready (they were on mine)


now remove the cover that is on the side where the clutch is and this is what you should see (in the pic the clutch basket is removed i dont remember if you have to do that or not)

"A" is the shaft complete and it goes in the hole just below the "B" arrow

now this is what it looks like installed


reinstall cover and put in the seal and the kicker and your ready to go

i hope this helped!

[cywelchjr]

well im sorry you feel that way but ist getting both! raked the front, no front brakes, hand shift, foot clutch, and rigid frame! im sure you wont want to ride it

I pity the fool that does. That combination makes for an unsafe bike. And IIRC is not legal in California at least (all bikes after a certain year must have turn signals and front and rear brakes to be street legal). I'm not sure about other states, but I'll be the law is similar in many if not most. I don't agree with a lot of what the Orange Country Choppers guys do, but even they put front brakes on their bikes.

Your taking away almost all of the braking power of the bike getting rid of the front brakes. I could care less about hardtailing it, if you want to wreck your back so be it, but getting rid of the front brakes is just flat dangerous!

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Knuckle,

That's interesting to hear. A fellow Xsive posted a little while back that the starter motor assembly on NON kickstarter engines doesn't have a special type of gear that will grab the starter motor shaft when engaged by the kickstarter gear. He stated that his gear just spun and didn't grab the starter shaft and so wouldn't turn the engine!

Wonder if Yamaha changed the parts in 81 vs. 80. I can't remember what year he had that he was looking/trying to put a kickstarter in, but that might be part of it??

Hey Randy, Sorry to hear that the starter clutch doesn't grab? A fellow Xsive from down under IIRC but doesn't post on the site sent me this email about how he fixed his starter clutch problem. I'm sure you won't be going back into it until next winter, but it might be something to look at??

Hi TC,
Just to tell you about something I tried,my starter clutch packed up completely,and I couldn`t get one anywhere,so I put my old one in my lathe, and polished it on the bearing surface.
Well, it`s working perfect,so I`m stoked.
regards,
Lionel

He states bearing surface, but I'm thinking he meant pinch roller surface!?
T.C.

[randy]

Thanks, TC. BTDT, the bearing surface is smooth as a baby's ass.

[79XS11F]

Parts 5 through 17 can not be removed or installed completely without splitting the cases. If those parts are already on the inside of the engine you should be good to go by installing the balance of the parts that go under the side cover.
Rob

[79XS11F]

What did I do to my bike today??? I moved it in the garage again to make room for yet another house fix r up project. I have bee so busy getting all the loose end house projects and a full paint job done that I have not even gone for a ride as yet :-( I will however officially launch my season during the first week in May when I have the week OFF to recover :-)
Rob

[bikerphil]

IIRC, the 81 engine is the first year not to have the gear for the kicker in which the cases must be split. Pretty sure, the 80 motor still had the gear in there, just have to add the external parts. I sent member Marshall some parts to adapt his 80LG, here's what he wrote...

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread...ght=kick+start

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread...ght=kick+start