Tips for kickstarting

[Bullitt]

My girlfriend recently bought a Vespa 50s (97 but looks like an old one) but shes having trouble kickstarting it.

Whenever I try I can start it on the first or second try but shes often taking 10 or more trys to do it. My guess is she isnt putting enough force behind it.

Her technique looks ok to me (not that Im experienced enough to know by looking) and its abit hard for me to say just kick harder. Its only a 50 so dont have much compression against it.

Surely lots of other girls ride kick start scooters so there must be something I can tell her which might help?

[Dave Lobster]

Eat more pies? :2thumbsup

[Spuds1234]

Dont need much technique to kick start a bike.

Slowly kick the kick start until its "hard" to move and then give it a wee bit of throttle and kick it over hard.

Always worked when I was 13 on just about any bike.

Should mention to always have the clutch in and front brake on when kick starting a bike. Once saw a rather amusing accident when a friend just kicked his bike over with no regard for either the brake or clutch.

[FJRider]

See if the plug needs a clean, dirty plugs need a stronger kick to get a stronger spark.
Try different technique's to start ... full choke full throttle, no choke full throttle etc, ... see what works

[Bullitt]

I dont think theres anything wrong with the bike, it starts fine when I try.

Dont think eating more pies will help either. Shes already slightly heavier than me (Im only 60kg so thats not too hard).

Im guessing she'll get better with practice anyway. Just worried she'll give up before she gets there.

[FJRider]

Then tell her to kick it like she means it...

[McDuck]

Also tell her to time it with a small 'jump' with the other foot so the other foot is off the ground when braking through compreshion if you get what i mean?

[Ixion]

Dont need much technique to kick start a bike.

Slowly kick the kick start until its "hard" to move and then give it a wee bit of throttle and kick it over hard.

Always worked when I was 13 on just about any bike.

Should mention to always have the clutch in and front brake on when kick starting a bike. Once saw a rather amusing accident when a friend just kicked his bike over with no regard for either the brake or clutch.

You've never owned a big single have you? :rofl:

[koba]

I just taught two young lads to kick start a bike.
It took me a while to work out what they were doing wrong.
They weren't keeping the pressure of the kick going all the way through the stroke.
"Stop kicking it like a pussy and give it a good boot" described it to them adequatley.

[Ixion]

Well, here (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showpost.php?p=216738&postcount=5)is the full monty technique to kick start a bike.

As per me



Yep. Separates the men from the boys.

Full drill for those too young to have done it

Retard ignition (I REALLY REALLY recommend not forgetting this bit)
Tickle the carb
Free the clutch
Stand on kickstart lever and take it down until it hits compression.
Let kickstart come back up to top
Lift exhaust valve
Take kickstart through one complete stroke with valve open
Allow kickstart to come back up
Kick start **HARD** . With **ALL** your weight on the lever (one foot on kick start other off the ground, kicking with all the strength of your back and leg. And whatever you do don't let the bike fall over at this point because you have no foot on the ground, so you have to balance it)
Absorb impact when kickstart hits compresion (like kicking a brick wall)
Repeat until it starts
*REMEMBER TO ADVANCE THE IGNITION*

Bah. Electric starts, just push a wussy button. Wusses. See what you miss out on nowadays. Bet half of you don't even understand half the above process. (PT). Though the guys with big trailies I guess still have to do the full drill

Yeah, I've still got a kick start bike. :2thumbsup

[Spuds1234]

You've never owned a big single have you? :rofl:

Nope. Biggest I ever owned was a TS250.

[Trumpess]

Maybe check the position of her foot on the kick stick.
I had the same problem as her when i first started to ride.
I found my foot was on an angle (sticking out a bit) when I first started. Hubby picked that one up straight away. Foot has to be straight on, and having a smallish heel on ones boot also helps keeping that foot straight.
Compression is a factor too. There are obvious differences between both our bikes, but I can bring my kick stick half way down till it meets its compression and then put all my weight in behind it to kick her over. It just depends on the compression.

From dead cold I cheat. Before I kick her over, I slightly open my throttle and tickle my carb till she leaks, then close off my throttle, i dont have a choke.
1st kick she usually kicks back, but 2nd kick she goes no worries.
If i dont put any weight in the kick she wont go and just ends up flooded.

[xwhatsit]

Well, it's not a big single, it's a two stroke. So they whole deal about finding TDC on compression stroke and easing it over is not necessary. I don't know shit about two-strokes but I find GiJoe1313's collection of various stinkbombs like a short, sharp jab -- not the prolonged push-through of a four stroke single. Just get the end of your shoe on the starter and flick it quickly with some speed. Not a lot of force is needed.

The other thing is what's the throttle hand doing? 4T one-pots don't seem to like any, but out of an Elsie and an A100 they both like a little flick as you kick. Get her to copy what you're doing, because it's starting for you, innit?

[_STAIN_]

just buy one with an electric leg

[xwhatsit]

just buy one with an electric leg
Sir, please exit the room and leave your Motorcyclist's badge at the door.

[Dave Lobster]

(Im only 60kg so thats not too hard).



Maybe YOU should be eating the pies then :)

[davereid]

Being a tiny liddle 2-stroke, there is virtually no compression to deal with, you don't need to kick that HARD.. But it helps if you can learn to kick QUICKLY.. This makes the spark a bit hotter, the timing closer to the actual ideal for the motor speed, and generally all works a bit better. Sometimes the fuel is automatically turned off by vacuum when the engine is off. A good fast kick helps turn the fuel on too.

[UberRhys]

My girlfriend recently bought a Vespa 50s (97 but looks like an old one) but shes having trouble kickstarting it.

Whenever I try I can start it on the first or second try but shes often taking 10 or more trys to do it. My guess is she isnt putting enough force behind it.

Practice makes perfect, like all things Eye-talian (and Indian) they can be a little temperamental. If in doubt - crash start it.

[scootnz]

She needs to learn exactly the right technique for her particular scooter.

From cold, she will probably have to use the choke. The choke on mine (also a vespa 50), doesn't stay out, so here is my technique:

Stand on right hand side of vespa.
Right hand on throttle.
Fuel tap should be OFF. Make sure she turns it off every time she stops.
Hold choke out with left hand (she may just be able to pull it out and leave it out - I have to bend over and hold it all the way out).
Put toe (not heel) of left foot on kickstart, at a 45 degree angle - ie facing a little towards the back of the scooter.
Quick kick start and blip of throttle. If it doesn't start in the number of kicks you can start it in, she needs to adjust her technique until she gets it right.

Leave the gas OFF until it is running and idling. They are easy to flood. There should be enough fuel in the float for about 1-4 minutes of running. (I turn the fuel off BEFORE I stop the engine just because my carb leaks a little).

Remember to turn the fuel on before she starts! I still forget occasionally and have to stop 30 seconds down the road to turn it on before it runs out of fuel in the float bowl.

Obviously she won't need choke if it is still warm and been running recently.

[C_A]

Paul,
Mine starts cold in 1-2 kicks with choke on, throttle closed. the design of vespa kickstarts isn't the most ergonomic so that wouldn't help. Just make sure she puts max effort in, and work out how exactly to start it both hot, warm and cold etc. As you know some stuf requires a bit of throttle etcetc.

Maybe chuck a new plug at it to get things all 'in the know'. Run an at least semi decent oil. doens't have to be that great, just not $8 a litre muck or outboard oil lol. and run it on the high octane gas as 2 strokes often hate 91 and shit. My rg was so intensely balls to start on a half tank of 91 I had to put in it one time.

[zooter]

It's a smallframe Vespa 50s. If you pull the clutch you're kicking fresh air:rofl:

50cc isn't going to strain any adult that jumps on it hard enough. I wouldn't recommend the toe technique because if you slip it's your shins in the kickpedal.

Make sure it's in neutral, centre stand engaged, climb over, key on, choke on, two hands on bars, kick like hell. Once it's flooded she's stuffed so the advice about the fuel off might help if the float leaks. Mine have all needed their choke to get going from cold, even lukewarm sometimes.

[scootnz]

I wear boots to just under the knee so kicking with toe works for me. I've tried kicking with heel while astride the scooter and it feels really awkward. Works ok if its still warm, but if I have the use choke (which I have to actually hold) it just looks ridiculous. Mind you I probably look ridiculous to some people anyway. Today some gay dwarf made a comment to me (stopped at front of red light on Taranaki/Buckle intersection) - and I couldn't hear what he said with my helmet on and the traffic noise!


I wouldn't recommend the toe technique because if you slip it's your shins in the kickpedal.

[Dave Lobster]

Today some gay dwarf made a comment to me (stopped at front of red light on Taranaki/Buckle intersection) - and I couldn't hear what he said with my helmet on and the traffic noise!

It's the same response whatever he said though:

"GO FUCK YOURSELF"

:laugh:

[HenryDorsetCase]

You've never owned a big single have you? :rofl:

what I was thinking. All mine have had compression releases though (the SRX needed it too....). Even the TT500 had a wee window you could look at. That was cool.

[xwhatsit]

what I was thinking. All mine have had compression releases though (the SRX needed it too....). Even the TT500 had a wee window you could look at. That was cool.
Ah yes. That little window which prompted the snide response from Honda when asked why they fitted an automatic compression release to their original XL500; `we wanted to make a bike you could still start after the sun has gone down.'

[Brian d marge]

I am sure I posted here before .,,,but it gone ,,,,,

2 stroke 4 stroke the drill is the same ,,tdc and a long follow through ,...

I have a big single ..Royal Enfield ...with high comp pistons ..etc ..it will quite happily take my body weight on the kickstarter ...I am 13 stone ...it frightens me sometimes ....

if it does kick back . the minimum you are looking at is a hefty bruise on calf ,,,..as for crash starting it ..... good luck

I will venture to say though that a Vespa can be started with your hand ,,,so something isn't quite right in the set up ...of the bike ...


Stephen

[ManDownUnder]

I'd compare:
1) How fast you kick it over compare to her
2) Throttle position (which I suspect is the real culpret here)
3) Choke position

Chances are you give the right amount of throttle (probably less) than she does. Long story short it means a richer mixture going in. A wide open throttle means a leaner mixture.

There seems to be a tendency to roll on the throttle as people kick the bike over too for some reason. Watch for that... not so good.