curious

[Lord Grizzlon]

please 4give the ignorance, but.....If you use the kick start, do u still need the/ a battery? ive been lookin at choppers, and i cant figure if they hve 1 or where they put it.

[Jerry]

If your bike has a 'black box' you need a battery. Older magneto and some point and coil systems would create enough current to start by cranking without a battery. After the bike was running the built-in generators would supply power for lights and accessories. Our XS/XJs won't start without a battery that supplies about 10.5v to the ignition circuit.

Don't know if this is still the case, but Colorado in the late '70s to early '80s required a battery in bikes...regulation was that lights and flashers had to be operational with engine stopped. That was back in the days when vehicles were required to get an annual inspection, which was done away with in the mid '80s. I know, as I had to buy a new battery for my old Honda 450 in '78 or '79. Bike would start with kick starter, but turn lights would not flash. Had to buy a battery to pass the inspection.

[Lord Grizzlon]

wheels & rims

I want to change the rims on my xs, but all i see are rims for chain drive bikes. Can they be adapted to deal w/ the shaft for cheap? Or even better, if anybody knows a company tht makes rims made for shaft drive bikes?

[beechfront]

"Our XS/XJs won't start without a battery that supplies about 10.5v to the ignition circuit. "


So how is it you can push/kick start one with a dead battery?

[Pat Kelly]

I don't think you can kick or push-start one with a totally dead battery.
It takes a certain amount of voltage to trigger the coils.
If the battery is 'low' then kicking or pushing would work because al available voltage can go to the ignition system and none is being diverted to the starter motor.
I may be wrong on this but it's what I think ("That's my story and I'm sticking to it")/

[dwales]

You are correct, Pat. If you are having trouble starting the bike with the starter, switch to the kick lever before the battery is so drained it won't turn over. Depending on how low you drained it, it will be difficult to impossible to start. BTDT!