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Kick starter

63K views 159 replies 25 participants last post by  Damocles 
#1 ·
I think i should put this in it's own thread.I am going to do this backwards.
HOW HARD IS IT TO KICK START A KLR650?I think some people kind of think a kick starter would be good, but are alittle scared of how hard it would be to kick so they don't bother.Well this is the thing my 13 year old son can start it in sand shoes.Anyone that trys to put on that real man BS blah blah blah are full of it.My kid can start it anyone can it's that easy.I had a kick start dr650 that was the 2nd worse bike i have ever kicked,it was hard.But the klr is dead easy.
 
#2 ·
Beats me. I've never experienced a KLR with a kick starter. I had a Suzuki 600 single that was a kick-start but it had a decompression lever. If you used the lever properly, it was easy. If you didn't, it wasn't all that pleasant if things didn't go right with the sequence.
 
#4 ·
I am not going to get into the reasons why you should, or shouldn't have a kick starter.I need one because the starter motor has to go,to fit the carb i am putting on this bike.You are going to need a clutch cover,you could get your stock one milled but that could end up costing more than a cover off Ebay.You will need the old model clutch lever that goes into the clutch cover.The gear on the crank has to be changed,the whole clutch has to be changed,you need the kick starter idle gear,the kick start stopper,the kick start itself,and the kick start lever.Best way to get most of this,is of a klr600.It is very easy to do, if you can change a clutch you can do this.I will load up some pics Today.BTW my kick start lever is half klr, half dt.I had to do that to clear my subframe.
 
#6 ·
While this is something I'll probably never do, I actually wish my KLR did just have a kick starter with a decomp lever. Thought the same thing about my Honda XR. It doesn't seem like the electric starter system on either of these bikes I've owned is prone to failure and I don't worry about it, but a kick-start-only setup would be fine with me. An electric start with a kick backup would be even better.

Probably just nostalgia from bikes past, but there's just something natural about kick-starting a motorcycle. I have nothing against electric start; just don't mind kicking.

Interesting project. Thanks for sharing the photos.
 
#7 · (Edited)
A kick starter is just tech day "bling". :character00286: It is fairly easy to kickstart the KLR (unless your wearing flip-flops and have offroad footpegs). I've never had to use it to start the bike, just do it from time to time for practice.
They are cheap and easy to install on the older models. -Tom. Oh ya, speaking of bling, if you have the aftermarket rear master cylinder guard that looks like a shiney cheese grater, it will probably rub bad against the kick lever.
 
#15 ·
just installed my kickstarter today.

it seems that my case seal is too tight and it causes noticeable resistance on the shaft. because of that, the spring does not have enough force to bring the kickstarter back up, and that quite annoying. does anyone have this problem, and if so, do you use another type of seal? (i'm talking about the seal that around the shaft, where it goes out of the engine case).

maybe replacing the kawasaki seal by an o-ring could would? or try to find a way to expand the seal and make is less tight around the shaft?

or maybe i should re-open the case and wind up the kicktarter assy torsion spring one more turn (to get more spring force??

another problem i have is that my kickstart level is completely chewed-up, and does not allow the lever to be at a comfortable angle when deployed. hopefully i'll get a better one.

and over all that, my rack kinda get in the way of the kickstart lever.

so, as a result of all that, i was not able to start it with my newly installed kickstart:(

at least, there is no ill-effect from having the kick-start assy installed...!
 
#16 ·
Non-functional kick starter, Ioupiote?

Think nothing of it!

Some Harley riders install faux kick starters, levers with no connection to the engine whatsoever, but conceal electrical switches activating the electric starter, so they may pantomine kick-starting their motorcycles.

True story; NOT a rib. An actual commercial market exists for these fake Harley kick starters.

So, even if your kick starter is dysfunctional, Ioupiote, you satisfy the cosmetic advantages of a kick starter (secretly thumb your starter button when you mount the kick starter; no one will ever know!).
 
#17 ·
Non-functional kick starter, Ioupiote?

So, even if your kick starter is dysfunctional, Ioupiote, you satisfy the cosmetic advantages of a kick starter (secretly thumb your starter button when you mount the kick starter; no one will ever know!).
no, actually my kickstarter mecanism itself does work (it does spin the engine and it get's correctly retracted and becomes a freewheel when the levers is returned to folded position.

and i installed it because i want a functional kickstarter, not because i want my bike to look cool.

it just needs some minor adjustments. i need to get a better lever, and i need to resolve the tight case seal issue. not a big deal, just a bit more work!
 
#22 · (Edited)
They are made from unobtanium. Gold-plated unobtanium with platinum inlaid scroll work.

First, you need to get a pre-96 clutch basket and an old side cover. The older side covers had a plug where the kick starter came out; I don't remember if they changed it in '96 or if it was later. You may need a matching clutch rod, too, but I'm not positive on that.

Then you need to find a kick starter assembly from a KLR600. I saw one in a box at Fred's in Moab. The guy wanted $500 for it and it was the guts only, no side cover or basket.

Once you have all that you swap in the clutch and cover and assemble the kick starter to it. There may be some details I've missed, but you get the general idea.

Kawasaki offered a retro fit kit up until the deleted the plug from the side case; those are long gone from stock.

T
 
#24 · (Edited)
Kawasaki offered a retro fit kit up until the deleted the plug from the side case; those are long gone from stock.

T
I think Kawasaki discontinued the kickstarter kit long before they deleted the plug . . . after all, as you mentioned, a pre-1996 clutch basket is required.

Further, my 2007 KLR650 has a hole in the case for the kickstarter shaft (although, as mentioned, kickstarter kits were long discontinued, the case design remained unchanged); was this "feature" (kickstarter shaft hole) eliminated on Generation 2 models?

The round black thing, I think, is the plug for the vestigal kickstarter shaft hole on my Generation 1 KLR650:



No plugged hole on Generation 2s?

The actual and current hole for the actual kickstarter shaft on my KLR250 appears in approximately the same relative position:

 
#26 ·
It will be no easy task, but as Damocles points out, the side case with the hole may be easy to get; easier than boring a hole.

Where is the cheap kit on the internet website?

T
 
#25 ·
Maybe that's when it was deleted - my Gen 2s have not had a hole. Sort of a boss, but no hole.

Somehow I had thought (danger, Will Robinson!) that the hole was deleted much earlier.

T
 
#28 ·
Then, perhaps, lacofdfireman, you've never been stranded with a dead battery . . .

An incident such as this will illustrate the desirability of an auxiliary means to start a KLR650.

You have a point; automobiles no longer have hand-cranks to complement their electric starters (they once did). Yet, on a motorcycle, I think a kickstarter has its place and legitimate function. Not unlike (dare I SAY it?), a fire extinguisher! :)
 
#29 ·
I did a Google search on this last night. "KLR 650 kickstart kit" One response was Ron Ayers showing a kit for the KLR650. I couldn't get the order through because the site wouldn't accecpt my Canadian Postal code. Perhaps you could try and find out if there is any stock. The kit was on sale too, reg 189 on for 159 if memory serves.
Regards....justjeff
 
#31 · (Edited)
Jeff -

Nice find.

I ordered one, will post up what's in it when it gets here.

Crap. What have I done?

Anybody got a right side case they're not using?

T
 
#33 ·
Yes, I think if this kit actually gets delivered I'll have to go looking for a Gen 1 side case and a pre '96 clutch basket.

Woe is me.

T
 
#34 ·
Nothing ventured is nothing gained, but this was expected:

"Dear Tom,

Part number 99995-1007 is discontinued and has been refunded back to your card .

I do not see any recommended service replacement listed for this item .

We regret any inconvenience that this may have caused.

Thank You,

Customer Service
www.ronayers.com"
 
#36 ·
i noticed today my 91 and 2001 both have plugs thru the cases , so i guess you would need the clutch basket ,starter gear and kickstarter and you be off to the races ...
 
#41 ·
Has anyone actually done this on a gen 2?? I am interested as I have been stranded a few times and no way to really roll start the beast, and a couple times not able to get boast because of location. I understand I will need a pre 96 clutch basket, gen 1 clutch cover, and kick start assy. Wondering what the cost of everything was?? I'm not really worried about difficulty of work, i like a "mechanical" challenge.
 
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