Topic: Kick or electric only starter

[Ted Nomura]

Okay, I'm biased but I never felt comfortable with electric-starter only motorcycles, and I have several of them. They started to build electric-starter only bikes from the 1980s but of course there were earlier ones, like the electric-starter only Sportsters. I hear old Honda CB350s had a nasty habit of running out of juice too soon if you kept the headlight on too long. Kick starter made you feel safe riding them.
I feel that most bikes should have both kick and electric starters, despite slightly added weight. The original Honda GL1000 had back-up kick starter. Seeing new motorcycles with a kick-starter actually adds my desire to buy them.
Comedian Jay Leno says that he can't trust motorcycles that he can't see through. There's an "old school" saying that real motorcyclists use kick starters. What's your opinion?

[STLrocker]

i like kickstarters. actually, none of my bikes has a working electric start right now. i took the starter out of one, and the other lost its switch. no big deal. when i had one i would use it sometimes, but usually kicked it anyway.

even if i had good electric start that i used all of the time, i feel more comfortable with the kickstart to back it up. it aint always easy to push start a 500 lb bike.

[ElCheapo]

Okay, I'm biased but I never felt comfortable with electric-starter only motorcycles, and I have several of them. They started to build electric-starter only bikes from the 1980s but of course there were earlier ones, like the electric-starter only Sportsters. I hear old Honda CB350s had a nasty habit of running out of juice too soon if you kept the headlight on too long. Kick starter made you feel safe riding them.
I feel that most bikes should have both kick and electric starters, despite slightly added weight. The original Honda GL1000 had back-up kick starter. Seeing new motorcycles with a kick-starter actually adds my desire to buy them.
Comedian Jay Leno says that he can't trust motorcycles that he can't see through. There's an "old school" saying that real motorcyclists use kick starters. What's your opinion?

I am with you on this.

However on bikes with kick start only, one only has to watch the Biker Build Off between Billy Lane and the late Indian Larry to see that Billy was kicking his own ass for making his bike kick start only.

Keep in mind my K5 is kick start only unless you have a screwdriver handy.

I think a bike should have both to remain completely flexible, to hell with macho kick starts only.  

The bike is the ultimate expression of being flexible.

[dusterdude]

yea,kickers forever!!!!.whoo hoo!!!!

[GroovieGhoulie]

However on bikes with kick start only, one only has to watch the Biker Build Off between Billy Lane and the late Indian Larry to see that Billy was kicking his own ass for making his bike kick start only.

Or that episode of "Build or Bust" where the guy built a kicker-only bike and had trouble setting up the engine initially (timing and such I guess), so he spend five HOURS kicking it until it finally groaned to life.

Bet it ruined his shoes.

[Bob Wessner]

I agree, both.

Also like

Jay Leno says that he can't trust motorcycles that he can't see through.

Sums things up nicely, in general, for me.  

[74cb750]

While most of my bikes have both, I almost always use just the kicker,
Like A Real Man!
michel

[Bob Wessner]

If I only use my kickstarter, can I "up" my cylinder count? 

[ElCheapo]

However on bikes with kick start only, one only has to watch the Biker Build Off between Billy Lane and the late Indian Larry to see that Billy was kicking his own ass for making his bike kick start only.

Or that episode of "Build or Bust" where the guy built a kicker-only bike and had trouble setting up the engine initially (timing and such I guess), so he spend five HOURS kicking it until it finally groaned to life.

Bet it ruined his shoes.

Well that stupid exposed chain primary ate his pants.

Billy did call it the great biker fix off.  

[ElCheapo]

If I only use my kickstarter, can I "up" my cylinder count? 

I think if you are kick starting only Bob, you can get a bonus of 1.5 multiplier of cylinders 

Sorry Terry, in OZ that kick start thing cuts the figure in half 

[dusterdude]

If I only use my kickstarter, can I "up" my cylinder count? 

I think if you are kick starting only Bob, you can get a bonus of 1.5 multiplier of cylinders 

why you so nice to bob?

[ElCheapo]

If I only use my kickstarter, can I "up" my cylinder count? 

I think if you are kick starting only Bob, you can get a bonus of 1.5 multiplier of cylinders 

why you so nice to bob?

Old people need others to be nice to them 

[Bob Wessner]

Old people need others to be nice to them 

And don't you think for a minute we old folks don't appreciate it.

 

[dusterdude]

hahahahahahaha 

[marvsho17]

However on bikes with kick start only, one only has to watch the Biker Build Off between Billy Lane and the late Indian Larry to see that Billy was kicking his own ass for making his bike kick start only.

Or that episode of "Build or Bust" where the guy built a kicker-only bike and had trouble setting up the engine initially (timing and such I guess), so he spend five HOURS kicking it until it finally groaned to life.

Bet it ruined his shoes.

yUP, best build or bust I've seen.  I like leaving school parked w/ all the sportbikes and kick starting mine.

[Carbine]

....I only hit the button if I am tired and stiff after a long ride, yadda yadda. The first bike I ever owned without a kickstart was an '83 GS1100E Suzuki........and darned if I didn't need the kicker within the first week of ownership! The OEM battery died and left me stranded at a friend's house late at night...very embarrassing. If I had a proper kicker I would have been up an out of there in seconds..................  

[Jonesy]

I like having a kicker, especially when I was having battery problems a few years ago.

I was also thankful I had one after watching a guy try to start a Ducati that supposedly had a brand new battery (the cables were loose- made HIM glad I had a toolkit) and watching his buddies try to push him down a crowded street 6 times and he still couldn't get it started!  The other guys were all jeering at him, yelling "Use the kick starter!!".

[jsaab2748]

A nice back up to the electric start, and comes in real handy come tune up time, valve adjustments especially

[cb650]

Been kicking the 360 for 2 yrs now.   Only choice on the 650 is electric and thats by biggest #$%* with it.




              Terry

[74cb750]

Along the same line of thought...
I once had someone looking at my 1972 S2 Kawasaki handlebars
and he actually asked "where is the starter button?"
michel
Up my cyclinder count, just got another bike cb650sc

[bill440cars]

Been kicking the 360 for 2 yrs now.   Only choice on the 650 is electric and thats by biggest #$%* with it.
              Terry

                Hey Terry, I can identify with your 650, as my 80' CB750K is the same way. Kinda makes me
      wonder why Honda didn't do it like they did on the CB750A? At least, if you need it, you could pull
      it out, use it and put it up again. Who knows.  Later on, Bill

[ProTeal55]

I enjoy having my electric start on my bike.
I only use it on inital startup, then after that it is kicked.
Much "Cooler" to kick than push a button....

[Dave Wyatt]

My CB750A has a kick start for back up.  The lever stores under the seat and it can stay there for all I care.  I've always had bikes with electric starters and use them as they were intended.  I've had a couple that did not have a kickstarter, but always wished they did, just in case.  I want a kickstarter, but don't want to actually use it.

[ProTeal55]

I want a kickstarter, but don't want to actually use it.

They do look good 

[Ted Nomura]

My own first motorcycle, the 1972 Yamaha AT2 Enduro had both kick and electric starters but the latter only worked when battery was fully charged. In one year of riding, I used the electric starter once, but it was at opportune time, as my Enduro died on me just as I was reaching the top of the hill. The electric starter was a life saver then.

It's interesting to note that many would like to have a kick-starter as a back up but don't want to use it. One of the best feeling I get is when I get to fire-up the bike with a first kick.

The new Triumph 950 Scrambler looks great, but it weighs as much as the original Honda CB750! I can't imagine trying to push start that thing on the dirt if you ran out of battery juice.

[Stevearino]

I wish like hell that my GL 1100 had a kick on it.  The early starter motors weren't worth a damn.  $250 later it has a new starter.  Simple installation, two bolts and a nut.  Once you can get to it...

[Ted Nomura]

I wish like hell that my GL 1100 had a kick on it.  The early starter motors weren't worth a damn.  $250 later it has a new starter.  Simple installation, two bolts and a nut.  Once you can get to it...

You're right. Starters on Gold Wings can be really expensive, if they had a back-up kicker like the original GL1000, maybe the starter won't get worn so fast. Honda got rid of the back-up kick starter for GL1100 because most of the GL1000 owners never used their back up kick but that's because their bikes were still relatively new. Big mistake in Honda's part, I think.

[Ted Nomura]

Along the same line of thought...
I once had someone looking at my 1972 S2 Kawasaki handlebars
and he actually asked "where is the starter button?"
michel
Up my cyclinder count, just got another bike cb650sc

You got a 1972 Kawasaki S2? You lucky dog! That's one of the bikes that I always wanted to get. I test-rode one at the Kawasaki dealer near I-15 in Las Vegas when they were new and they cost only $879 back then but I just had a new girlfriend so I bought a used 1971 Honda SL350K1 for $400 instead and spent the rest on dates.
I have a 1976 Kawasaki KH500 and that bike handles more like the current 250 street bike, feels even lighter once you get off the CB750, the engines feels more smoother too.
The original S2 had a reputation of being a wheeler king and many says that it feels like a 125 with super light handling. Of course the fuel consumption rate was even worse than their 500cc or even 750cc cousins, especially since nearly 30% of the fuel is being used for cooling!
Still, getting the S2 in good condition is on the top of my list. I thought the original red 1972 model was one of the best looking bikes, especially since they changed to less appealing tail section design (but more practical for leg mounting)for the 1973 model.
1972 Kawasaki S2 must be one of the most fun "kick-starter" only bike in its day, along with Yamaha 350 R5.

[Dusthawk]

Well, I'd say I use the kicker about 90% of the time. Pretty much the only time I used the button is after work and I'm wiped out.

Peace and Long Rides

Jeff

[comcrx]

my solenoid is gone, so I kick it everytime. I personally like it, unless the motor is cold it turns over with about half a kick. if its cold it takes 2 or 3

one of my friends has a 77 shovelhead that I would hate to have to kick over everytime. find TDC, jump, repeat, repeat again. usually goes on the 3rd or 4th try, but damn it looks like too much work. gotta do whatcha gotta do, I suppose

[Chris Liston]

I like having the kick on the bike.  But I have to admit, its been a lazy year so far and my button has been pressed ALOT.  I did kick it yesterday though just for the heck of it.  Not even 3/4 down and she fired   Gotta love them when that motor is warm.

[Gordon]

The solenoid on the 550 is shot, and the starter button on the 750 broke off a couple of years ago and I never bothered to replace it, so they're both kick-start only.  I like it that way, though, keeps me very in tune with the bikes because I have to know exactly where to set the choke and idle depending on the temperature.  Plus it forces me to ride both of them at least once a week because if I don't, it's a serious work out to wake them up again.