kicker

[gk45241]

I know somewhere there was a thread but now I can't find it. What kicker arm fits the xs1100? Looking for a folding kicer arm...preferably with a replacable pedal. Anyone have any ideas??

Thanks,
Gary

[CatatonicBug]

Never heard of a replacement kick-start pedal other than the OEM one that mounts under the battery compartment. Of course, that doesn't mean one doesn't exist... Kick-start is not designed to be a primary means of starting these bikes. The bike won't start unless the battery is good anyway, and the starter almost never dies. So, the only time you would need to use the pedal is if the starter dies.

[soccer4m]

try the xs850

Howdy,,,,,,3Phase, "Scott" has a folding kicker on his Xs,,,and it came off a XS 850. It folds, fits nicely and I have seen him kick over his beauty repeatedly to save battery juice, and it looks cool doing it. If you are listening Scott, maybe chime in and tell the folks about your kicker conversion.......Mike in S.Diego

[xs11lover]

I've used xs750 and xs 850 kickers on my xs11's. I put a little thinner bolt in them and check to make sure they don't drag accross the exhaust before you kick it. If so move it out a little on the post. I'm selling one now. I had a xs that wasn't holding enough power in the bat. to start but it would kick over every time. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...%3AMESELX%3AIT

[3Phase]

... chime in and tell the folks about your kicker conversion

It's a complete pain to add a kicker but it's worth it. You save your battery by kickstarting the engine instead of discharging the battery with the starter motor and not fully recharging it on one or more short trips. I used the folding kick lever from a XS850 and it works nicely.

The 1980 and later models don't have the ratchet wheel (#13) on the Bendix (#9) to engage Gear 3 (#11) in the kicker assembly.



For some reason, Gear 3 is in there along with the Bendix on the late-models but there is no ratchet wheel so just adding the kicker won't work. It will appear to 'kick' but it won't actually turn the engine.

Unfortunately, Gear 3 on the kicker assembly sits inboard behind the middle drive gear (#29) in the transmission and is in constant mesh with the 1st gear wheel (#28).



You have to remove the transmission main axle (#15) and the gear stack to remove and replace the kicker assembly because Gear 3 will not clear the middle drive gear.

I've used xs750 and xs 850 kickers on my xs11's. I put a little thinner bolt in them and check to make sure they don't drag accross the exhaust before you kick it. If so move it out a little on the post. I'm selling one now.

I used my Makita angle grinder to cut a groove in the splines of the kick axle shaft (#1 on the Kicker diagram) for the bolt. It helps ensure that the kicker goes on the shaft in the correct position and that it won't move out of the correct position after a 'spirited' session with the kicker.

I had a xs that wasn't holding enough power in the bat. to start but it would kick over every time.

Yep. A bad or just discharged battery can hold enough voltage to run the TCI but it will drop too low if you try to use the starter motor. Sure, you can push start the bike but that is totally lame and it won't work at all if you at the bottom of a hill and every direction from where you parked is up.


Regards,

Scott

[gk45241]

OK , I have a 79 xs 11 sf. Am I to assume that since it came with the emergency kicker that it (should) have all the correct gears etc and be set/ prime to have a replacment kicker arm installed?

Newb here and you lost me in the first paragraph.

Gary

[randy]

gk45241;

YES, you can use the 850 kicker, just bolts on. I have one on mine that I use exclusively now 'cause I fried the starter clutch. It's not hard at all to kickstart these engines.

[3Phase]

OK , I have a 79 xs 11 sf. Am I to assume that since it came with the emergency kicker that it (should) have all the correct gears etc and be set/ prime to have a replacment kicker arm installed?

Newb here and you lost me in the first paragraph.

Gary

The first paragraph was for you, Gary. You have a 1979 bike that came with a emergency kicker so you do not have to do anything except get a folding kick lever from a XS850.

The rest of the post is for anyone considering adding a kicker to a late-model, non-1978/1979, XS or XJ that did not come with any kind of kicker at all, emergency or otherwise. It's a little difficult but it's worth it.


Regards,

Scott

[psycoreefer]

If you or someone else has had the clutch side cover off you may find that your kicker is worthless, at least until you remove the side cover and re-wind the spring on the kicker gear. Don't ask how I know.....

Also watch that the bolt you put through the kicker doesn't hit your peg bracket, mine did so I had to cut it down a touch.

I used an xs850 kicker, got it on e-bay for 10 bucks or something like that.

[gk45241]

kicker

So Is it really that easy to kick over an 1100?. I have not tried and am waiting for Doug to bring my carbs back before I get the chance. Is there any trick to kick starting one?


Gary

[Larrym]

One kick when cold

My 79 special didn't come with the OEM kicker and when I visited A. Weiss I bought one from him. Got home and attached the kicker to shaft just to see if it really fit. It did! Since it was already in place I couldn't resist trying it out.

Turned on key, made sure Run/Stop switch was in Run position, pulled choke/enrichener to Full, then kicked downward like I was going to start a harley.

Bike started and ran just like I had pressed the starter button. COOL! The down kick didn't have to be that hard cause I guess even though it's an 1100 only one piston is on the compression stroke (Or something like that...).

Afterwards I pulled off the OEM kicker and stowed it where it should go.

[Silent]

This thread has already cost me $16

When it comes in, I'll have to test out that whole Kick start a Special thing My last kick start (a 500 Yama-Kawa-Honda-Zuki dirt) had a compression break and if it wasn't set JUST right, it would throw you off the bike with a backfire.