The trick to starting 08 - rmz450

[soundbeltfarm]

I have talked to a few people with these bikes saying they are hard to start hot and cold and that thye have to kick heaps to get them to fire.
I was told by a good racer in the know, how he starts them and now i start the bike first time every time.
first time i ride i wind 3 slow kicks to charge then slowly kick till you feel it "click"over TDC then let kick start back to top and just kick right through.
make sure you kick it right through the stroke of the kick starter.
when hot it the same deal i dont use the hot start it just find the "click"then let starter back to the top and one solid kick through.
even when i fall off this method works.
i never have to kick more than once when hot or when cold when following the procedure.
and dont panic to start bike.
and no use of the throttle.

[Dent]

Thats the same method I use on my gasgas 2 stroke. Push just past the most resistance, retract, then a full kick.

Another tip that may not work so well on 4 strokes, but seems to be good on the 2 strokes - if the bikes been sitting for a week or two, turn the fuel on, and lean the bike until you get a dribble of fuel out of the carb overflow, return to upright, then try kicking it over.

[Wingnut]

Just trade it for a CRF - Problem solved.

[Pierce]

good luck with that method when you drop the bike. 4T's are always hard to start if you fall off and drop them (not so much the EFI ones by the looks tho)

[barty5]

good luck with that method when you drop the bike. 4T's are always hard to start if you fall off and drop them (not so much the EFI ones by the looks tho)

what you talkin about never had a prob allways starts after one or two kicks after a fall unless its just me thats knaackered and not puttin in enough effort but thats my fault.

[cheese]

LOL you just made me thing of Rupe at that riverhead ride. Shit that was funny when he just ran out of energy. Good idea to not get on the piss before a ride!!

[soundbeltfarm]

Just trade it for a CRF - Problem solved.

have you seen how much drama the crf are to start when hot,
i'd never buy one

[takitimu]

have you seen how much drama the crf are to start when hot,
i'd never buy one

This years 250's seem particularly bad

[kezzafish]

jeeeze, sounds like hard work. i haven't kick started my bike in... FOREVER. it has no kick starter. Every bike has it's knack aye. wouldn't be a worry of mine when looking at a new bike. What is a worry is how much you gotta spend on a battery you can rely on for a bike that has no kick start. $360 in my case... what a sukker

[B0000M]

have you seen how much drama the crf are to start when hot,
i'd never buy one

i ride with between 1 & 6 people on crf250s ranging from 04-06 depending on the day, none of them ever have any issues starting when hot. but they never go first kick like a quality 2 stroker

[Pierce]

i ride with between 1 & 6 people on crf250s ranging from 04-06 depending on the day, none of them ever have any issues starting when hot. but they never go first kick like a quality 2 stroker

Yeah and both mine and my bro's CRF's started easy as when hot (06 and 07's). But like BOOOOM said never as easy as it is now i ride 2 stroke

[Wingnut]

have you seen how much drama the crf are to start when hot,
i'd never buy one

I have had an 02 an 05 and an 07 and really only the 02 was a bit of a pig for hot starting.

[soundbeltfarm]

do you think that they are having trouble because when they are racing and stall they panic and just crank like a bastard to get it going?
when your bikes are hot do you take your time or try as fast as possible to get them started.
I found with this 08 it is easier to start but maybe it is because i find the click and then crank.
before i was shown the right way i just kicked and kicked and it would take sometimes 4-6 kicks but not now that i know

[barty5]

do you think that they are having trouble because when they are racing and stall they panic and just crank like a bastard to get it going?
when your bikes are hot do you take your time or try as fast as possible to get them started.
I found with this 08 it is easier to start but maybe it is because i find the click and then crank.
before i was shown the right way i just kicked and kicked and it would take sometimes 4-6 kicks but not now that i know

Good point when i think about it the only time when im being lazy and it hard to start would normally be cause youve dropped it on a corner or just over a ledge or some like place you worry bout those comin up behind runnin in to you cause yah out a site. Guess if you take yah time and think bout what your doin would end up being less hassles. In sayin that the 450 is piss easy to kick over once you get use to the effort required.

[Ktmboy]

I have to start 4t's just about every weekend because the owners have never been taught the basics of how a 4t works.

They just kick kick kick for 50 times then blame the bike. TDC..whats that.

Being an old buzzard and owned XL350, TT/XT500's etc you just get the knack.