Author Topic: Kick or electric only starter (Read 4084 times)

Ted Nomura · « **on:** May 02, 2006, 12:47:55 PM »

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 · « **Reply #1 on:** May 02, 2006, 12:57:22 PM »

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 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 02, 2006, 12:58:05 PM »

Quote from: Ted Nomura on May 02, 2006, 12:47:55 PM

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 · « **Reply #3 on:** May 02, 2006, 01:04:05 PM »

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

GroovieGhoulie · « **Reply #4 on:** May 02, 2006, 01:06:19 PM »

Quote from: ElCheapo on May 02, 2006, 12:58:05 PM

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 · « **Reply #5 on:** May 02, 2006, 01:06:58 PM »

I agree, both.

Also like

Quote

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

Sums things up nicely, in general, for me.

74cb750 · « **Reply #6 on:** May 02, 2006, 01:08:51 PM »

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

michel

Bob Wessner · « **Reply #7 on:** May 02, 2006, 01:14:56 PM »

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

ElCheapo · « **Reply #8 on:** May 02, 2006, 01:15:46 PM »

Quote from: GroovieGhoulie on May 02, 2006, 01:06:19 PM

Quote from: ElCheapo on May 02, 2006, 12:58:05 PM

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 · « **Reply #9 on:** May 02, 2006, 01:18:06 PM »

Quote from: Bob Wessner on May 02, 2006, 01:14:56 PM

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 · « **Reply #10 on:** May 02, 2006, 01:19:12 PM »

Quote from: ElCheapo on May 02, 2006, 01:18:06 PM

Quote from: Bob Wessner on May 02, 2006, 01:14:56 PM
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 · « **Reply #11 on:** May 02, 2006, 01:20:31 PM »

Quote from: dusterdude on May 02, 2006, 01:19:12 PM

Quote from: ElCheapo on May 02, 2006, 01:18:06 PM
Quote from: Bob Wessner on May 02, 2006, 01:14:56 PM
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 · « **Reply #12 on:** May 02, 2006, 01:23:56 PM »

Quote

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 · « **Reply #13 on:** May 02, 2006, 01:32:29 PM »

hahahahahahaha

marvsho17 · « **Reply #14 on:** May 02, 2006, 01:52:19 PM »

Quote from: GroovieGhoulie on May 02, 2006, 01:06:19 PM

Quote from: ElCheapo on May 02, 2006, 12:58:05 PM

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 · « **Reply #15 on:** May 02, 2006, 03:05:37 PM »

....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 · « **Reply #16 on:** May 02, 2006, 04:31:15 PM »

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 · « **Reply #17 on:** May 02, 2006, 08:16:15 PM »

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

cb650 · « **Reply #18 on:** May 03, 2006, 04:30:46 AM »

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

Terry

74cb750 · « **Reply #19 on:** May 03, 2006, 05:11:35 AM »

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 · « **Reply #20 on:** May 03, 2006, 07:37:30 AM »

Quote from: cb650 on May 03, 2006, 04:30:46 AM

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 · « **Reply #21 on:** May 03, 2006, 10:00:42 AM »

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 · « **Reply #22 on:** May 03, 2006, 11:31:14 AM »

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 · « **Reply #23 on:** May 03, 2006, 11:34:37 AM »

Quote from: Dave Wyatt on May 03, 2006, 11:31:14 AM

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

They do look good

Ted Nomura · « **Reply #24 on:** May 03, 2006, 02:30:03 PM »

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.

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Author Topic: Kick or electric only starter (Read 4084 times)

ElCheapo

ElCheapo

ElCheapo

ElCheapo

marvsho17

jsaab2748