is it possible to put a kick start

Wow. Buncha clever Canadians; I'd honestly never seen that one before. Unfortunately it entails way too much in the way of mods to the stock bike for my way of thinking with the belt-primary conversion and all.

But it sure is neat and tidy for the Commando modding crowd (lots of single Mikuni conversions out there too.) And it probably actually works, unlike the factory e-start.

I was talking stock parts; I stand corrected.

 

Well he never said it was easy or cheap.

And I`m with you on this one. I like stock WAY better on those super cool old bikes. And there is nothing wrong with a good ol' fashioned kick start

 

Another little problem is - the TCI Brain Box MISSES the first 2 possible spark events ON PURPOSE to spin-up the motor. Your kick throw would have to be geared for at least 2 revolutions (I think).

A cold start would require many kicks to wet-out the Enrichment Circuit, and we don't have an accelerator pump for a quick shot of gas.

2 Thumbs down.

 

I've been working on the details in my head... at the pinion end of the shaft, a simple disk made by a machinist would fit into the starter opening.

This disk would have an o-ring to seal the O.D. just like the electric starter and I see a pressed on sealed bearing for the shaft that would go inside the disk.

The shaft support at the other end would make use of the starter mounting bolt holes to locate a machined piece of aluminum that would be bushed or bearinged.

The shaft would have to be machined at the lever end for splines and a suitable kick lever found to mount to the splines, and a method for limiting kick travel incorporated. As for the 2 revolution thing, I suppose a 2 kick minimum would have to due.

I think this mod could be done for less than $500.

There is no need for any internal mods, the gear at the end of the shaft comes from the starter and should mesh with the starter clutch idler gear just fine if the disk is machined correctly.

 

I gotta agree with TIME on this idea; you'd have to have it geared to get at least 2~3 revolutions of the crank; in doing so you'd lose your "mechanical advantage." Plus there's no way to "prime" the enrichment circuits.

 

If this thread is still active... did I mention that all this is dependent on the direction the starter spins? I suppose it could be kicked forward instead of backward. As far as mechanical advantage, I have no clue as to how much torque would be required to spin the engine fast enough to start.

 

Instead of venturing into The Twilight Zone, ... the correct answer should very simply have been:

No.
The option to add a Kick-starter is not offered in the Engine's design.

 

I said that. I just used more words.

 

That's the main reason I wasn't interested in certain models back years ago, because kick starters weren't an option anymore. I guess I never had confidence in electrics back then. But as the years went by, it was inevitable that there would be no kick staters on the newer bikes, so I've since evolved.
Just like when fuel injected cars came out, I wan't interested becuase of the newer technology would keep me from doing my own repairs. But now I own several fuel injected vehicles and although they do run very well, I still would like to be able to tinker on them without having to go back to school to learn all the computer mumbo-jumbo. Guess I'm still old school at heart.

 

I was thinking about this, to get 2 revolutions on the crank from a kick lever that rotates 120* you need a 6:1 INCREASE built into the mechanism somewhere. This is in addition to any gear reduction that's already in the starter chain/sprockets (tooth count).

But also on my point of the TCI skipping the first 2 sparks, this feature most likely would RESET every time the motor stops spinning, as opposed to using the first kick to "count" and the next "ready to go". (I'm somewhat guessing here)

 

ta2jerry3 asked if it was possible to kick start an XJ, at first I was sure that it could not be done. But then by using my IMAGINATION, I did find a way to MECHANICALLY, offer up the possibility of making it happen. That's all, I wasn't going into the little details that MAY turn out to shoot down this idea.
SO THE ANSWER TO TA2JERRY3'S QUESTION IS YES, IT IS POSSIBLE, BY GOING THROUGH THE STARTER OPENING, AT MODEST COST, TO KICK START AN XJ.

Whether or not it works is another issue.

 

So the answer is NOT "yes" it's "maybe, IF this theory works."

It may be possible, by going through the starter opening, to turn the motor over. Whether that translates into actually kick starting it is still a matter of theory and apparently still open for discussion.

I guess a better answer might be "it's theoretically possible, maybe."

 

hay Steve, read my post on the first page, great minds think alike

 

That's what I should have said Fitz, I stand corrected. I have to apologize, yet again, POLOCK, as it turns out was the first of us to suggest going through the starter. I didn't see it, (at least consciously) in his post when I put forth my idea. But, while Polock did have the idea, it was I who put for the the basic details of how it may possibly work. Sorry Polock. Since we're going on about old school... anybody ever think about changing beck to mechanical breaker points?

 

No, you're good. This is all theory, we already know it's not genuinely economically feasible.

We have nothing better to do, it's snowy/rainy/cold out (bite me Steve, don't even go there) and our bikes are all put down for the season.

Yes, you could physically replace the starter with a kicker mechanism of some sort. But whether or not it could be geared so anybody but the Governator (sorry, non-USA members, that's Arnold Schwarzenegger) could actually kick it hard enough to spin the motor to life is the challenge. It might be able to be overcome, but---

The other issue is "replace."

It would be cool to have both; I'd have to keep the electric. Getting the bike started is simply a means to an end (a running motor) I'm all for the easiest way possible.

 

it woud be cool to have both though, but kicking from the left side woud be weird to me.

 

Just swap the engine out for an engine that has kickstart already in it. Make it a unique mod, and a whole lot easier to fabricate mounts.

Dave

 

The Austrian Death Machine! I need your boots, your clothes and your motorcycle

 

Time, how did you ever figure out that two revolution thing?
do they still put pull ropes on outboard boat motors?

 

A kick start works on a quadrant gear & spins the mill much faster than the s/motor.