Kick start for noobs

[george formby]

If it's any help...when I resurrected my KDX I had to reset the float level, put in a new float needle & cleaned out the carb & air filter. I have the mechanical ability of a drunk jellyfish & it was easy. Just in case you need to delve a bit further.... The bike ran a lot better & hopefully now it has a smaller pilot jet it will be spot on. I figured fixing things one step at a time was the way forward.

[unstuck]

Clean the pilot jet out then.

Bin there, done that. Just seems to be a peculiar characteristic of that bike, the rest of the time it runs like a charm.

[Matariki]

Hmm... I've been watching videos on youtube on starting a motorcycle with a kick start, and I've noticed how smoothly their kick start's were. Mine's a bit jerky and stiff, it doesn't seem to want to move in a smooth motion. Is this normal?

[Matariki]

Fresh petrol, new plug?

If it's firing try & catch it with a BIT of throttle. Too much will flood it.

I'll try putting some new petrol in, but any ides on how to dispose of the old petrol safely?

[Drew]

Hmm... I've been watching videos on youtube on starting a motorcycle with a kick start, and I've noticed how smoothly their kick start's were. Mine's a bit jerky, it doesn't seem to want to move in a smooth motion. Is this normal?

You're putting too much into it at the top of the stroke I'd say. Apply pressure untill it starts to move, then give it your all. If you start too hard it is all ugly and not smooth.

[Drew]

I'll try putting some new petrol in, but any ides on how to dispose of the old petrol safely?

Cigarette lighter?

[Matariki]

Cigarette lighter?

Er, I was more thinking of how do I get it out of the tank.

[Hopeful Bastard]

Er, I was more thinking of how do I get it out of the tank.

Rag.. Then Lighter...

[Matariki]

Rag.. Then Lighter...

I don't want to blow up my bike!

[Fast Eddie]

haha. have you got the bike going yet kebab?

maybe if you aren't too experienced with bikes you should have opted for an eletric start hehe..

good luck with the kick start, my SRX600 is easy, u just turn the key on, put the choke on and just kick it until it fires up. I dont even bother looking for the "compression stroke" I just kick it til it fires up cause im lazy.
KDX220 2 stroke dirt bike is even easier.. again i just kick it with choke on til it fires.
and when the Aprilia RS250 gets here I'll let you know how easy i find that to kick.. im told they are a 1 kick start affair which im looking forward to..

good luck kebab.. if you cant get it going with kick start then get someone that knows what they are doing to try kick or bump start it.. you might f**k it up and drop your bike hehe.

[Fast Eddie]

I don't want to blow up my bike!

you could prob drain the tank by a) cut a length of garden hose, maybe 1 meter or half a meter. stick one end in the tank, other end in your mouth. suck on it until the petrol gets to the mouth end (avoid getting it in your mouth) and then hang the mouth end lower than the tank end and let it drain into a steel container, or some plastic that wont melt.
b) take tank off and tip it upside down.
c) take the main fuel line off the carb leaving the other end on the tank/fuel tap. let it gravity drain out thru that.

[Drew]

Here's my question. Why hasn't someone with a half decent knowledge of motorcycles showed up to help this girl out?
Can't be too many single guys in the rappa obviously.

[Matariki]

Nah, I'll get the hang of it eventually, I almost got it going today again several times but I couldn't get it past that. So what I'll do is take it into the mechanics to have looked over and cleaned up. In the meanwhile I'll be reading up on how to maintain a 2 stroke. I know that It hasn't been ridden on for the last 7 months and the battery is flat. No harm done in trying (except for my eager younger brother who dropped the bike, I had to pick it up off from him ).

[Matariki]

I think I know what the problem is, I went to check the oil and its dry!

I hope I haven't fcuked the engine. Would that explain my problems with the kick start?

[unstuck]

I think I know what the problem is, I went to check the oil and its dry!

I hope I haven't fcuked the engine. Would that explain my problems with the kick start?

Dont think it would of done it any good, fill it with oil and put a bit of fresh pre mix fuel in the tank 50/1 mix maybe and try again. They really like oil.