Surviving Philly wrote on 08/03/25 at 14:10:50:I've experienced no issues without the decomp other than this. I find the decomp unnecessary and have no idea why it's even on the bike...
You would likely see why they put it on if your bike sat outside and you lived in an area where the temperatures dropped to 10 degrees!
Some folks need to start and ride their bikes in winter climates, and the oil is thick and the battery loses power. We had one member who rode his bike year round in Washington State, as he could ride the ferry boat without having to wait an hour to get on (the cars had to wait in line).
The decompression release makes it easier for the starter to get the momentum built up in the engine prior to the compression stroke......it allows for easier starts in cold weather. In warm weather with a good battery - you often don't need it.
You can put an additional spring or some other object on the lever to hold it in the down position.