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Hello,
My bike is a '87 Softail Custom, CV40 carb & Dyna S ignition. I have just installed a Cannonball kickstarter… one of my dreams!
Never kickstarted a Harley, but after studying on the forum, next procedure came out:
1 Open gas & enrichener,
2 Two kicks on compresion stroke to prime each cylinder,
3 Find next compresion stroke,
4 Keep a little presure on kicker arm, try to release some of the gasses to reduce pressure,
5 Set kicker arm about 10 o'clock (not vertical), to have a maximum leverage torgue,
6 Set electric contact to ON position,
7 Push as strong as you can (say MOTHER****ER and push maximum when you are at "F"… )
I'm quite a strong guy but weight only 165 lbs, I'm afraid I will not be able to rotate the crankshaft ...
> What do you think about point #4, is it feasible?
> A friend of mine told me to retard a bit the ignition (rotate the ignition plate counterclockwise about 2mm, on the outer diameter)
> I found this statement on this forum (do not remember which user it was): "As you come to the bottom of your kick, lock your knee and keep it locked with your weight on it until the bike starts (for sure) or is done "trying" to start (like popping through the carb). That way, the worst it can do is lift you up. Taking pressure off the pedal and relaxing your knee before it's done doing it's thing is something you don't want to do.....trust me."
Every machine different, I suspect.
If I prime and rotate engine on my Bonnie, I'll be sure to flood it.
Then kicking, sweating, and pulling plugs.
But that's not a Harley.
I will say IMHO, do not lock out your knee straight.
I have received some hard jolts from kickbacks and times kicker just stopped dead.
Stock pistons, not so much a problem, advanced timing not forgiving.
Keeping a slight bend in the knee gives you "suspension" to avoid an injury.
Don't fear it and kick halfheartedly.
I remember a story called "Five Stroke Norton" might have been by Peter Egan, where he had a stroke trying to start a Norton.
I put a kick starter (can't remember which brand, sold this bike about 18 years ago) on my '87 Softail back in the early '90's & it wasn't the easiest thing to kick.
A couple of years later after doing Branch heads, an S&S big bore kit, 10.5:1 pistons & a knee surgery, I never kicked it again. Should have just saved that money.
I'll start by saying I've never kicked a big twin Harley, but I grew up around a lot of guys who walked with a limp from too many kickbacks. In my mind a locked knee sounds like a good way to get a hyperextension or some torn ligaments and cartilage.
If I were doing it I would try to keep a little bend in the knee like GBHH said above.
I'm 6'2", 250 Lbs and kick em like it's a dirt bike 😁 I never understood the ballet maneuvers that some guys do to Kickstart a bike. That said, every bike is a little different, depending on compression and carb. Once the bike is warm, you shouldn't need to rotate through any prime kicks, but to answer the other question at hand; yep my right knee is shot.
+1, they are all different in my experience. I have a kickstart Norton Commando and it is kinda fun to kick start it if I haven't done it in awhile but quickly becomes a PITA after that. In time you will get a feel for what works on your particular bike. It does help to swing your weight into the kick...
Never been Kicked Back by a Harley...nothing that ever had any effect anyhow!! Brit Bikes??? Different story...
Old Iron Sportster with worn out or Cheap Import Kicker ratchets... Kick Thru...same with a Big Twin with Cheap *** components..they kick thru...and That is what causes Hyper Extended Knee Them Hurt...for a Long Time!!
The '86 FXWG here is the last Kicker Harley... and it Kicks so very easy...all I do is get er on stroke and All weight on kicker as I drop my hip... No Need to kick all that hard with O.E. components...but...I have Not seen O.E. Kicker on any 5 speed...all Import...unless Baker made it...I would Not fool with it...
The '86 FXWG here is the last Kicker Harley... and it Kicks so very easy...all I do is get er on stroke and All weight on kicker as I drop my hip... No Need to kick all that hard with O.E. components...but...I have Not seen O.E. Kicker on any 5 speed...all Import...unless Baker made it...I would Not fool with it...
Never paid much attention, but I think I lock my knee on the way down. Always kick her like you hate her, not the time to be timid.
With my Flathead and a Linkert, yes to 3 prime kicks, only way to suck some fuel into the cylinders. With my Shovel with an S&S I just engage the enricher and with 1/4 throttle start kicking, 80 cubes. She is a little harder to find the sweet spot to start when cold, but no issues kicking her through. Flathead after so many years her and I have an understanding and a certain dance that works every time, 90% of the time.
How are you manually retarding timing on an Evo? That is the move on my Flathead, but I have a handle bar control to spin the distributor, not sure how you do that?
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EVO kickstarter
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