Newtons Law of Kick Starting

[AdminGuy]

As I sit here in my smokeing jacket.....

Great stories. I also have seen "the old hand start" a few times. I didn't mention it because I also saw a guy break his hand. He was pretty tough and just stopped and walked away? Strange we thought, only two tries?. Then he sat down and stuck his arm in the cooler. Nuff said. Huhhh... if i remember same guy fell/was thrown -into a fire pit. Rough night for the poor guy.

I'll have to get a hand start demonstration with a side cranking 4. That's gotta be pretty neat.

A while back I was looking at a FXS 1340cc., stripped, straight bars, lots of engine work, built for speed. Standing in a low ceiling apt. garage. Bike on trailer. Owner offers to start it up. Sure I tell him. Taking two steps back and sticking my fingers in my ears because I'm already half deaf from tuneing. I yell out -watch your head!

He rises up to kick it and hits his head hard on concrete ceiling, foot slips off kicker and he falls face first onto gas tank. Stunned and in disbelief at what just happend , I ask him if he's OK? Winded he says ya. So I suggest that I come back another time to look at the bike. - Let him recover.

He was OK. Bloody, bruised --but OK. I've never laughed so hard when I got out of there. I never did go back. I couldn't face him without laughing. It was a maneuver I'll never forget.

[L. A.]

LOL HJahn.....

You know all bikes have a soul, right?

[HJahn]

That's a good story about the guy smashing his head. Good but painful...

I only saw the hand-start technique once. I didn't offer to try it, and neither did anyone else. I guess that's why Frank was President-for-life. At least until he went to prison...

One time outside the bank on my stock 50FL (three-speed reverse tranny), I couldn't get that darned thing to start. So I frantically kicked and kicked and kicked. Inside the bank they were watching -- then laughing I knew in my sweating, cursing paranoia!

Pretty soon the bank manager (a middle-aged balding dude with a gut) came out with a (dare I say?) hot b*tch. They were both staring and smiling and he said to her as they walked by: "Inspector Clouseau?" (sp?), due, I imagine to my inept starting attempts and leather trenchcoat. I almost lost it and wanted to shout at him: "Okay, you try then!" But I didn't. Finally it DID start. Bad dirty corroded points. I had to go home, get the yardstick and adjust them.

Ever hear this one? The Harley service school teacher tells his students: "If you don't have a feeler gauge, use a thin dime to set the points." A student raises his hand and asks: "If I don't have a thin dime, sir, can I use two nickels? They have the same value."

Yes, bikes do have soul. Big time. That is the "ghost in the machine" reality I've read somewhere about. But you don't find it by sitting on a bar stool while your chromed butt trophy sits outside or in the garage. You don't find it by telling lies to the rubes either. It only comes thru long hard experience. There are so many fakes abounding today that it's a crime....

[Matt n. Olsen]

I just finished a 1946 el and was putting in some break in miles today. I wheeled it out of our shop, primed it and it started first kick. After riding all day at the break neck speed of 30 miles per hour, I decided to go pick up some tools that I had ordered from thel farm and fleet store. I got my tools and exited the building to find a small crowd of the store's employees looking at the 46. Well I probably don't even have to finish the post because you all know what happened. It took me 6 kicks to get that motorcycle started. It turns out one of the on lookers was a real harley man, he owned a 2003 sporster custom. He had a big grin on his face while I was trying to start the knucklehead. Anyways I didn't say anything to him because he probably didn't even know what a knucklehead was let alone how to start one.

[Hrdly-Dangrs]

Kick Start Wonder....

I hear you Matt! Today was a great day for kick-starting! Finally, I got to take the 'Sportster' out. Waited for two days of rain to wash away the salt on the roads. Polished up the bike during those two days and pulled it out this afternoon. Couple of prime kicks and started 2nd kick. Great. So I hopped on and headed to the local H-D shop to pick-up a set of fork seals (The right ones leaking). Get down to the 'Dealer' and there must have been fifity bikes outside and trucks/cars all over the road. Guess they were having a sale or something. Anyway, went in looked around and after about 15 mins of waiting, realized the parts line (about 20 people deep) wasn't going to move any time soon. Screw that. So anyway, I go outside and turn on the juice and and was immediately aware of the audience. So I bring the kicker up to 9 o'clock, no choke, no throttle and POW!, ONE KICK WONDER! Started right up! Felt real good! I was the only Iron Head, kick start Harley in that whole crowd of Billet Cowboys! If there was a Sportster there, I didn't see it. Pulled out on the highway and flexed the Sporties muscles and hit all four gears and made those drag pipes roar! Man I love old Iron.... ....Hrdly-Dangrs

[AdminGuy]

Good Job Hrdly.

I also like to think that I pour a little of my soul into each bike that I restore. The more soul - the better the machine responds. Which usually translates into a ground up.

I've only had one that was truely cursed. Three strikes your gone. I got sick of working on it. I'm young, I will most likely see more.

Matt that was a fluke. I'll bet it never happens again.

point gap -I have used smoke package card board.

***I will cut slack for older folks who still want to ride and "need" an electric start. Or because of physical handy cap. I have seen some really creative converted machines.

I like the risk factor. How's my engine feeling today? Will I be able to complete that 3000 mile round trip? This is also why I'm trying to learn as much as I can about electrical systems, rebuilds, and road side fault diagnosis. I have slim knowledge.

I'll try to get a few hand start experts to show off on video. Cause it's something you SURE don't see very often.

[Jim M]

Kick Starting Update

Ok, I am excited and just have to get this out. Kirk, I tried the trick that Harley Bob suggested. I went out riding today and the darn bike started on the first kick EVERY time. I even had a small crowd around me at the local harley shop and it started right up. All of you would be happy to know that I did not forget the clutch nor did I slam my face into the tank. I am still chuckling about that one.

with a warm or hot engine, kick it once without the ignition on with NO throttle. Then find the compression stroke and kick it with the ignition on and the timer half way advanced. Worked absolutely as advertised for the five or six times I had to start the bike today.

Thanks Kirk for the tip. Now all I have to do is try the hand start routine.

Jim

[Jim]

I think one major thing was overlooked here. NEVER put your helmet on before starting your bike. Its presumptious. It seems if I put my helmet on, and then try to start my bike, it either won't start, or it starts hard. It is almost like the cycle was made Pre-helmet, and so, it doesn't like helmets. Another story I remember a fellow had stopped by my house to see my bikes and I said "hey, wanna hear my 30 run?" Sure he says, (now I just got done riding my 30 1/2 hour before he gets there) I climb on, it's still kinda warm, so I give it a soft prime kick, turn on the key, and kick, kick, kick, etc. NOTHING, not even a burp. This 30 always starts easy too. He finally says, thats OK, I don't need to hear it. NOW I HAVE to start it. Sheepishly, I check the gas tank, oops. EMPTY! Imagine that, I ran out of gas, just as I got home. I put a gallon in and VRROOOM! first kick! HEH HEH.

Jim

[flathead1957]

Bad Karma and a helmet

I have made the mistake of putting on my helmet before kicking the old girl over. She will normally start on the first or second kick after priming. I think , as previously mentioned, putting on my helmet is a way of being too presumptuous, and tends to bring out the worst in her.
I was ready to store the bikes for the winter and wanted to ride the 46 around the house and into the back garage. I did all the normal praying and chanting prior to making eye contact with the bike. Once eye contact was made, I couldn't turn back for fear of the bike knowing I was fearful. I never let it see me sweat. Anyway, I started kicking after putting on my native American headdress/war bonnet. After about twenty minutes of this, I looked into the tank and found it was empty. OOPS... Right now it is in a million or so parts and is being restored. I know it will start perfectly every single time when I am done.

[Hrdly-Dangrs]

Hello Jim. How's the South Jersey weather today? Never did the 'Out of Gas' thing when starting, but damned if I didn't have to adjust those Magneto Points all the time! Let those things get out of adjustment or a little too worn and you could kick till you were blue in the face and that bike just wasn't going to start. Yeah, even though it looked like you were getting a nice spark when you'd check it while going thru the 'Figure out what the hell's wrong with it 'Checklist'!....Gas and Spark...damn...and I thought it was my helmet!....what will they think of next?!!..... ....Hrdly-Dangrs

[61 panman]

Originally posted by AdminGuy
As I sit here in my smokeing jacket.....



A while back I was looking at a FXS 1340cc., stripped, straight bars, lots of engine work, built for speed. Standing in a low ceiling apt. garage. Bike on trailer. Owner offers to start it up. Sure I tell him. Taking two steps back and sticking my fingers in my ears because I'm already half deaf from tuneing. I yell out -watch your head!


He rises up to kick it and hits his head hard on concrete ceiling, foot slips off kicker and he falls face first onto gas tank. Stunned and in disbelief at what just happend , I ask him if he's OK? Winded he says ya. So I suggest that I come back another time to look at the bike. - Let him recover.

He was OK. Bloody, bruised --but OK. I've never laughed so hard when I got out of there. I never did go back. I couldn't face him without laughing. It was a manouver I'll never forget.

I read this yesterday thought it was amusing but felt a little sympathetic for that poor fellow with the collossal headache. Concidentally also hit my head hard on a ceiling yesterday doing some carpentry work, I saw stars and it wasn't even a concrete ceiling.
Fast foward to this morning I am in church daydreaming and I remember this tale of woe. The whole visual of this tale comes into my head and I just burst out laughing thinking of that unfortunate slob and his head bouncing off the gas tank. My daughter keeps asking me what I am laughing about, I cannot even begin to explain...Thank You for a Great Story
Doug

[T. Cotten]

They are female y'know. Abuse 'em and they just embarrass you. A little understanding and they will take you all the way!

[L. A.]

Female???????

Not 'Cy'...he's definitely male!

[Matt n. Olsen]

Paul,
Just got in late last night from attending a close friends funeral over the weekend. I left early evening on Friday after Matt and I did the spring service and adjustments on my 9500 actual mile 41 el that I had at Republic last fall. Matt rolled it out of the shop so we could take it for a test drive before loading it up for the long trip up to the cold country up north. He asked if he could start it, and I said it has been sitting for well over 5 months and it would probably take a lot of effort, but go ahead. Three prime kicks, full choke and throttle, pull the choke up and then down one click, half spark advance, roll the old girl over on compression, key on and give the boot to her. Started first kick and both of us were impressed, I do not know which I am more proud of the bike our my son, well you know. Loaded up and told Matt to stay off of the fresh 39's while I was gone and to play with the 46 that he had just got done with and headed to North Dakota. Rolled into my buddies house at 2:30 A.M. and it was 35 degrees out. Opened the garage door and there was 9 bikes and 4 or 5 guys waiting for me. Let's unload your bike and rearrange some of these others so we can get it in here to warm it up, one of the guys said. I said I don't have to rely on the battery to start my bike and we should have a couple of beers and tell stories, plus who wants to work in the dark. People start showing up at 8:00 A.M. the next morning. Got the bike unloaded, went through the starting routene twice, but it just popped, so I figured it was flooded after the second time. Opened throttle wide open turned the key off, three vigorous kicks, turned key on next kick it was running. some of the electric start garage queens still needed to get jump or bump started. 75 to 100 bikes leading the he**** to the cemetary, but the road in the cemetary was a little greasy and some slushy snow, so people were parking on the pavement and walking in. I rode in and was the only one, what the hell it was already dirty from the last season. After the graveside service went over and booted it first kick and went the back way out, got to the main road, throttled up, and with a yip, holler, rooster tail, I fishtailed out of there. Rest in peace Dean.

[AdminGuy]

Hey Carl, Good to hear from you.
Sad re funeral. Sorry to hear that. Always makes me appreciate life a whole lot more.
Matt starting that EL after a 5 month layover IS mighty impressive.
Good showing of riders considering the weather and all. Nice to hear.
Good flat track work! I know that the families always like a little of that when the bikes are around. Lifts the spirits.

Hearse,, arse- I have now taken all the silly words off the filter.

I look forward to many more road runs with you. All the best - take care.

^^^^^^ Oh ya, the guy that hit his head. Trailer deck was covered in oil. I did ride up on the elevator with him. I was concerned. It didn't hit me until I started to think about it out in the parking lot. A brother is a brother(L.A. sister), but MAN it was funny.

I myself, on occation, have kicked two or three times with the key off and wondered why the bike will not start. Hummmm...that sounds flat. Oh, Oh ya- the key.

Once on the little Triumph I stalled and was too lazy to stop and kick so as bike was rolling down slight grade at less than a walking pace. I kicked it as it rolled. It started second kick and I got a two thumbs up from a couple of pretty ladies sitting close by. --Ya , I know -easy stuff on a light weight. But you still have to keep your balance as you kick. Which is kinda tricky. Hummmm...would that make a good field event game? A rolling kick.