SuzukiSavage.com - Kicking over a big thumper

Savage_Greg

Serious Thumper
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Don't go around your
ass to reach your
elbow...

Posts: 7844
SW Washington State
Gender: male

Re: Kicking over a big thumper
Reply #30 - 12/30/05 at 17:28:28

In the mid 80's, I had a friend that had a Yamaha XT 500. It was a seriously clumsy, over weight bike with a stump puller of an engine. When it was cold, the bike always started. D@man, what a thumper motor, as long as it was going in a straight line. Great for hill climbs if you could just stay on...

It had an indicator to find TDC when starting, but this was literally a bike to die for, if you ever stalled it in a mud hole. One of us would ask, "where's George?", and back down the trail we'd go. We'd have to take shifts on the kick starter.

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barb36jack31

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2005 No Login

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I love YaBB 1G -
SP1!

Posts: 173
Heathrow, FL
Gender: male

Re: Kicking over a big thumper
Reply #31 - 01/01/06 at 09:56:56

For PerrydaSavage -

The GB 500 was a great bike! I put a White Bros. header and SuperTrapp exhaust on it and also came down one tooth on the countershaft sprocket to give it a little more grunt off the line. As I recall, I came up a couple of sizes on both the pilot and the main jet and that was it. The bike had the most perfect balance between the gear ratios and engine output that I have ever seen. It always seemed to be in just the exact gear at all times. It was a hoot to ride. Really brought out the"boy racer" in me, but the cafe bars were a little too radical for my 65 year old body and I finally sold it. Still miss the old girl all the same.

Separate subject - Was in Newfoundland last summer. Came over on the ferry from N. Sidney and then went up the west coast to the top of the country. What a beautiful place you have up there! Great food, outstanding scenery and some of the nicest people in the world.

Keep on thumping!

Jack H.

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05 S40 , air needle adjustment, white spacer, 152.5 main jet, K&N filter, SuperTrapp muffler, Progressive shocks , sissy bar off

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MacAttack

Ex Member

Re: Kicking over a big thumper
Reply #32 - 04/07/06 at 13:04:00

I have an XR650R Honda that has no electric start (I call it my anti-theft device). It starts on the first or second kick, unless I fell off it, in which case it takes a few more.

It has two helpful features: an automatic compression release, and a reduction-gear kickstarter. It does take a bit of practice, but I've never broken anything.

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Bugscraper Full Member 2004 No Login Offline I love YaBB 1G - SP1! Posts: 130 Gender:	Re: Kicking over a big thumper Reply #33 - 04/09/06 at 14:10:41 penguinsscareme wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:12: Available from where? No, I don't have 2500 to drop on a kicker, but I'm curious enough to want to see how it's set up. I'd also like to see it, if anyone has a link.
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SeeAPierce Senior Member 2005 No Login Offline Posts: 282 California Gender:	Re: Kicking over a big thumper Reply #34 - 04/10/06 at 08:45:37 Bugscraper wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:04: I'd also like to see it, if anyone has a link. I've searched high and low - I'm begining to think it's a myth...
Back to top	'06 S40 green: sporty muff & 10 degree adapter 155 main jet, 1/2 white spacer, open filter, bar end turn signals IP Logged

vroom1776 Serious Thumper Offline Posts: 2110 Gender:	Re: Kicking over a big thumper Reply #35 - 04/10/06 at 13:03:31 How would you know when the piston is at the right place to kick and start?
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mpescatori

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Romanum Thumperium
Cavalco, yeaaah !!!

Posts: 3547
Rome, Italy
Gender: male

Re: Kicking over a big thumper
Reply #36 - 04/10/06 at 13:55:14

Ed L. wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:12:

I've got a little Ducati 250, the thing will give you a sore ankle for a week when it kicks back. When I first put together the timing was a bit advanced, thought I broke an ankle a couple times trying to get it started. It's backwards with the kicker on the left and shifter on the right. Don't think I would like to take on a big thumper or V twin.

Well, back in 1978 I bought 3rd hand a beautiful Ducati Scrambler 450 cc, she had a 6V. electrical system so kick start only, on the left side as Ed_L. says, and the decomprsssion lever under the clutch lever that was so big you'd mistake it for an extra clutch/rear brake/whatever. That bike demanded respect !!!

I remember it took me quite a while to learn the drill, and when I showed up in school many laughed, snickering at my 'sheperdmobile' Angry

. I dared one to race each other's bike around the block, starting from a dead engine(off), he had a 125cc 2stroke, I had my sheperdmobile... I kicked his to life, clicked into gear and sped off in a cloud of blue smoke, expecting to hear the big single thundering behind me... when I arrived after going 'round the blick, he was sitting and massaging his ankle... 8)

Once the decompressor cable snapped, and after two feeble attempts at kickstaring her with brute force, I ... saw the light and bump-started her!

If you look at the pic carefully, you'll notice 1) the spark plug is VERY easy to reach! 2) the sidestand has a very neat footpeg so you can flip it open (next to the foot brake) and 3) a center stand Grin

She also had a huge, 8 inch round pan for an air filter on the right side, which I liked very much.

Now you see why I like the savage so much!

Maurizio
http://www.ducati.com/heritage/anni60/scrambler/scrambler.jhtml;jsessionid=43...

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Maurizio Pescatori, Esq.
Gentleman Rider

Mikuni BST40, K&N filter, Stage2 cam, Verslagen tensioner, Sportster muff, 120 proof moonshine, Pirelli MT 66 tourers... and a chain conversion too !

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