Kick Start vs Hill Start...

I suppose it should be 20% easier at least ! The 500s will kick no problem with a flat battery as they have a self exciting permanent magnet system that gives a good spark . But I'm not sure if the 400 is different (I didn't think so). While we're on the subject ,can you buy after market bits for the kickstart mech or is it gen yammy ? I'm sure I'll need one at some stage cheers Dave.

Chew 652 described very well the way we used to start Andy's 587cc road racer, [no kickstarter] normally a 500 in good condition locks the back wheel and skids trying to clutch start them just like a multi, write down chew's advice, its sure fire and the way speedway singles do it as well. cheers.

> then just giving the rear wheel a good pull with there hand and >starting the engine.

You must still be drinking! Nobody is going to spin the rear wheel on my bike and get it started.

I used to pit for a speedway rider on 2 valve Jawas years ago...as you say hot or cold, back onto compression, then wearing an MX glove on your starting hand, pull her through and she started first go most times. Then you just stand there quietly revving her on the stand...ah the old days.

I do that on the 350 Honda racer I have here as well...back onto comp, flood both Kei Hins, then push away...

SR

CJ's efforts at starting the bike by spinning the backwheel by hand reminded me of the night I did something a bit similar - kickstarted my old ute.
I was out on my block of land (long since sold, sob!!) working on a shed I was erecting, by the light of the ute's head lights.
By the time I realised the lights were getting dim, there was no way in the world the old girl was gunna start.
No mobile phone, and a 5 mile walk back into town. Hmmm!
So in desperation, I jacked one back wheel off the ground, the rightside one if I remember correctly.
I turned the ignition on, put the ute in 1st gear, the wheel spanner on a wheel nut, pointing at about the two o'clock position, and stood on the spanner.
Everything turned over but the ute didn't start.
So, I whacked the spanner on another nut did the whole thing again. Nothing. On the third try, the spanner took off into the darkness.
After a confused moment I realised that the spanner had been thrown off by the now spinning wheel, coz the ute was sitting there idling away on the jack.
I gave here a few revs in neutral, then went round the front and gave her a big shove to push her off the jack.
Then drove home. Found the spanner next day.
Later I thought of all that could have gone wrong. like it was pointing at my new shed and could easily have started and fallen off the jack and run into the shed. And how lucky it was that the spanner flew off harmlessly into the scrub, etc.
But, it just goes to show, lots can be done, especially if the other choice is walking home in the dark.
Mick

Heh,heh,hee.
The ol' crankstart tractor trick, eh. When I was a boy, everyone knew someone who'd cracked a wrist or broken an arm starting some old piece of junk tractor with a crankhandle. And that was the petrol ones. Most deisels were 17:1 compression or even more weren't they? Had me a little 25hp Kubota deisel. Even with a new battery she needed the decompression lever to get her spinning over to start with. Musta been lotsa fun with a crankhandle.
Remember the old tractors that had the cartridge a bit like a shotgun shell? Used to fire that to start'em? Theres a thought, maybe one of our brilliant engineers in the group can come up with a screw in fitting to start these SR's with a cartridge.
Mick
Mick

I always bump start when leaving home.

Before moving, fuel tap to prime, ignition on, kill switch off, choke on. Then decompress, turn engine over a few times.

After moving, put into 2nd gear, drop clutch and sit down hard to maintain traction.

It i leave out any of the steps, I have to push the bike back up the hill, or kick start at the bottom of the hill. Otherwise, it starts first time (and has been doing so for the past twenty years).