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Post by crazychris68 on Sept 29, 2008 13:18:20 GMT -5
I'm going to pick up my SR00, can someone tell me the exact way to start this machine? I heard it run but didnt get a chance to cold start it. Thanks.
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Post by davewfc603 on Sept 29, 2008 18:52:22 GMT -5
no gas, on the top right of the motoe is a window with a shinry piece that comes around every full revolution. Use your decompression lever a you slowly crant the engine to this bright point. Then once again with the decompression lever go about 1/2 way down with the kick starter. You are now primed. Make sure your petcock id=s on full. key on & give it a nice hard fast kick. Some times it take a second (or a thousand tries... if it's got some lesss then perfact issues) tries. Welcome & have fun they are a blast, Dave
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emil
New Member
Posts: 20 
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Post by emil on Oct 3, 2008 9:01:15 GMT -5
If you use the compression lever to get the indicator squared up you might miss the compression stroke. Here is my procedure. It works every time—and works on any thumper that I have ridden. Unfold the kick start lever and start kicking. Kick until you cannot kick anymore (should only be one or two strokes) Once you cannot kick anymore you know you are on compression. Bring the kick start lever all the way back up. Depress the compression release and hold it open until you bring the kick start lever back down just a quarter more--this varies, but a quarter is pretty standard. Let go of the compression release, bring the kick start lever back all the way up, and then give it a sharp kick. No gas should be necessary. Should fire right up. I don’t even use that indicator but I have noticed that the mark will come into the window using this procedure. Hope that helps.
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Post by davedunsboro on Oct 3, 2008 10:31:44 GMT -5
That method is all well & good for an experienced SR kicker(& definately at night when the window isn't easy to see)But my failsafe (daytime) is I put the bike on the centre stand then I pull the lever in & depress the kicker with my hand whilst looking for the mark(this way you see the position as it appears). You cant miss & if it doesn't fire first up, quite often it will position again at TDC so you can kick it again(but check the window first)This is a good method for beginners&old guys with arthritis (plus the extra bonus - if you lose your balance the bike doesn't land ontop of you).When you've developed the knack go to whatever method floats your boat cheers Dave. PS the whole idea of finding TDC is to push the piston down quickly to suck in some fuel to compress & fire in the same action of 1 kick so the quicker & firmer you do this the better it will work!
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Post by zacapasan on Oct 4, 2008 22:29:50 GMT -5
What I used on my 81 H model:
cold engine - key off, choke full, pull compression release, kick engine thru a few times, choke half, key on, put the indicator in the window, throttle just a tad and KICK.
warm engine - key on, indicator in the window, KICK.
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Post by FreakenI on Oct 8, 2008 15:46:05 GMT -5
Good point about this night start issue. I've already had the maglite in mouth and hand cranking to find the spot in window 5 times, and Ive only owned her ('78 SR500) for 24 hours! There has to be an easier way. Emil's method is intriguing, can't wait to try it.... already I am aghast at the thought of EVER stopping the motor again in fear of the 300 times I'll need to kick again!! Honestly, I average 15 minutes starting at the moment!
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Post by solo2racr on Oct 8, 2008 16:16:20 GMT -5
A nice trick that I use all the time and will work when it's dark is to drop it into gear and roll it back against the comp stroke. If you do this in the day time, you will find the marker in the window. No need to see where it is. It's all by feel.
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Post by G Man on Oct 8, 2008 18:31:30 GMT -5
Sometimes I really wish people would just forget about the "window" entirely. It only seems to confuse people when it really should not. It was only ever just an extra aid to help identify where TDC (Top Dead Centre) is. You really do not need to rely on being able to see it. There is no exotic/voodoo ritual in starting an SR that is any different from starting any other four stroke engine. All a person really needs to know is: - Use your best judgement on whether or not you need the choke. If that needs any further description...
- Slowly kick over the kick start lever until the most resistance is felt, ie: TDC. (Top Dead Centre)
- Take all weight off the kickstarter briefly.
- Pull in the de-compression lever.
- Slowly kick the engine just slightly over TDC. By this I mean just a few degrees of kick start lever travel.
- Release the kick start.
- Release the de-comp lever.
- Engage the kick start lever and give it a healthy kick.
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THUMPS
Junior Member
THUMPS, ridden by Dave
Posts: 92
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Post by THUMPS on Oct 8, 2008 22:48:14 GMT -5
A week ago my wife decided that she wanted to ride my xt500 she has a 125 dirt bike and felt like she was ready. I started the bike for her. She rode it right off. After her ride she was sitting on it and I mentioned the respect that she would get if she could start it. The redhead had her mind made up. 5'2" 120 pounds of it. She lit it up 4 times using the technique that works pretty good. push down to find compression stroke, pull compression release. push over the bump. Start at top and kick without using the throttle. Attempting to start it the 5th time it somehow kicked back actually tearing the back of her riding boot and disclocating a small bone in her right foot. Several days later her foot went pop and the pain went away. I think she is going to stay with her small bore sport bike with electric start. At least she can start it. Of course she has tattoos, piercings and carries defensive weapons all the time and isn't afraid of too many things. I am a lucky guy to have such wife.
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Post by wotavidone on Oct 9, 2008 22:51:30 GMT -5
You got it G Man. Just ease it over TDc and kick the sucker.
Mick
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Post by catherine on Oct 10, 2008 23:41:45 GMT -5
I find just past the bright indicator in the "help" window.. then no gas what so ever.. trust the thing... and a quick prayer...... then with all your might ........ KICK......... and with some well earnt time and practise..... you will be awarded with the secret sr "feel"........ this is considered the holy grail of starting an sr500...... hope you find it......
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Post by phoebeisis on Oct 11, 2008 10:30:20 GMT -5
I currently have 1 SR500-an 80 with a hopped up 1978 motor,but I've had at least 12 different SR500's and one XT500 since 1980.Once they are "right" and you get the hang of it, they are one kick starters with the stock carb in good shape.This is what to do with a 1978-81 slide throttle stock carbed SR500.
1)Put it on the centerstand like DaveDun says. It doesn't look cool, but it is infinitely easier for lighter,shorter folks.Don't worry about "bending" the centerstand with your extra weight-it is sturdy.USE THE CENTERSTAND!!
2) Don't touch/turn the twist grip. Put your right hand near the brake reservoir so you can't twist it instinctively.
3)Cold day(say 60 degrees or less)cold motor use the start circuit lever all the way down. Hot day-90 degrees cold motor you might pass on the start circuit. Hot motor, use the hot start button-that is why Yamaha put it there- it works perfectly.
4)Cold motor 1st start of the day- push it thru 2-3 times with decompression lever. Hot motor don't!
5)Get it so you can just see the shiny(won't really look so shiny thru a faded window) disc-don't go past it.If you go past it, push all the way thru again with decomp.
6)Once you have shiny "thing"(which is actually a locating tab bolted on the cam,if my memory is right) let the kick lever return all the way up.
7) Rise all the way us-while standing on left footpeg, with foot on kicklever- pull yourself/let yourself fall 'A LITTLE" then push/kick all the way thru with your now cocked right leg. You let yourself sink fall a bit before starting the kick so your right leg becomes "cocked" . If you don't cock you right leg a bit- by "falling" you won't kick all the way thru.
The letting yourself "fall" a bit to cock your right leg and gain downward momentum it the "trick" to starting big kickstart singles. It is why an experience rider can 1st kick start an SR500 while a much bigger, younger rider will struggle.
8) If it starts take the start lever "off" after maybe 30-60 seconds(depends on how cold it is). You can also "twist off" the hot start button after 5 seconds or so(it just sets the idle higher-to maybe 2000 roms once warm-no big deal).Don't use the hot start and the start lever at the same time-ever.
9) I wouldn't leave the start lever(like a choke but actually opens an entirely separate extremely rich circuit in the carb) more than 3-4 kicks-the motor will be flooded after that.
10)If it doesn't start in 8-10 kicks, then open the throttle all the way and push it thru-decomp of course- about 5-6 times to clean it out.Sometimes you will hear a little backfire while clearing the cyl out(getting rid of too rich mixture and hopefully drying the plug a bit).
A couple of cautions
1)If you carb has sat for 6 months or so- the idle jet and circuit will be plugged or partially plugged. Don't even bother just trying to spray carb clean in it-won't work(tried many,many times). The idle jet -pilot jet circuit- is tiny,and there are two tiny circuits that Y-off from the idle jet. They enter the carb venturi in 2 places-one is nearly right under that notch in the carb(tiny,look hard) the other is about 1 cm downstream of it. They both have to be clean and fully patent to start right. They are almost always plugged if the bike sat with gas in it for 6 months or so.
2)Many previous owners fooled with those two(or one ,depends on your) adj screws.Not the idel adj-screwed with that also of course) they are little screws. One is hidden under a brass plug(folks pulled the plug off-just like I did 30 years ago).I think it is on the right side of the carb toward to back.It opens up or closed an air circuit. It should be about 1.5 turns from fuly closed. The other is under the front most part of the carb-usually has a white plastic "cap" on it to keep it set.It should also be about 1.5 turns out. It is directly under those two tiny idle jet(pilot jet) start circuits,so it opens them up, or closes them,I guess.
If you take the second screw out,there is a spring,and a tiny o-ring on it. You will have to be extremely careful if you take it all the way out- it is very hard to get that 30 year old o-ring back in without tearing it(don't ask, OK, yes,I tore it).
Good luck. There is a learning process to the actual kick-falling,cocking your leg etc-and pushing thru very hard and fully thru. You don't just use you leg; use(cock) your entire body to kick/push it thru. It is the "trick" to kickstarting big singles.It takes much longer to describe than to do. If the carb is in good shape, you will eventually find yourself "getting it".It takes several months maybe to really get it- maybe 100 successful starts.Once you get it, you get it.
If you aren't getting it, it frequently means the carb is plugged.
Charlie
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