• Husqvarna Motorcycles Made In Sweden - About 1988 and older

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Dead engine starts on the big bore left kicker

G

gregg0323

Husqvarna
A Class
New to the vintage world with my newly restored 82 430XC. Have raced hare scrambles for a while but with modern smaller bore right side kickers. Trying to get ideas and techniques for dead engine starts on the big bore. My bike starts relatively easy on 2nd 3rd kick when cold. 1st kick when warm if I hit all marks with kicker location and TDC. But, I use a stool standing on the left side and kicking with right leg. I can't seem to straddle the bike and start with left leg as my legs are short. This puts me at disadvantage from the beginning. Are there some of you out there that can straddle and fire up the big bore? How many are using some sort of stool or platform for racing starts?
 
Back in the day, I watched in awe, as Mark Hyde grabed the holeshot at a national H.S. on his factory 430 auto! He is challenged in the height department (stubby legs), was standing on a tall crate and kicked with his left foot. He had rigged a bicycle cable at the handle bars to engage the auto lever at the cases. The bike started 1 kick and dropped into gear in one fluid motion. I think if you practice with a crate, left footed, you could at least be in the mix at the start.....
w
 
My son has the same problem. We haven't figured it out yet. I'm thinking a compression release may help too. I'm thinking a milk crate size box on the right side and learn to kick with your left leg. May have to practice with a weight band on your ankle. Build up strength.

Doesn't the auto have a lever engagement on the handle bars stock?
 
P1000382copy.jpg I know we are getting off topic,

"Doesn't the auto have a lever engagement on the handle bars stock?"

Not the liquid cooled 430's. Back in the day I rigged this up, got a few dead engine whole shots, timing was everything, had to release the engagement lever as it was firing up before the revs got to high.

I always sit on the bike and kick left, rode left kickers for so long it just became natural. I've restored my old '86(picture above) and occasionally race it in the over 40 class with modern bikes and have even won my class at several events.

Only problem now from switching back and forth between new and old is that I reach down on the wrong side to flip out the kick start lever. For me kicking left or right is equally natural for me while seated on the bike. I'm not tall -5'8" with 32" inseam, just takes practice.

On a standard transmission bike find TDC, choose 2nd gear and rock the bike back and forth to keep the clutch plates free. Then wait for the flag to drop and kick it through.

Good luck.
 
All I can say is practice, practice, practice. I was never been able to get a good start with a left side kicker. I learned how to go fast in dust. Ha ha
 
i have a 30" inseam and left kick mine, the secret is learning the starting procedure, cold vs. hot
the 500 is a little tougher to kick due to increased stroke and generally larger displacement
 
I see lots of stands, crates and other contraptions at the starting line for shorter riders. You'll get it dialed eventually. Lots of people practice their starts right up to the banner going up. Just make sure you have someone collect your prop from the line after the start.
 
I'm 5'7" and 145lbs, this is how I do it with my '82 430WR.

DSC_0340_zpshsyd0ccz.jpg


I can start it in one kick warm with the bike in gear. I dont get the holeshot but I am close enough to the front that its not that big a deal.
 
what did you do to your clutch that allows it to spin freely
mine won't start in gear do to drag
 
I machined the pressure plate and riveted a steel drive plate on it, this makes it last forever and it stiffens the pressure plate. Even with the stock plate and starting in neutral I can get a decent start with practice. Plus, its a 1 hour race, if you cant make up a few spots in an hour you have other issues to work on.
 
Kartwheel68 said:
I machined the pressure plate and riveted a steel drive plate on it, this makes it last forever and it stiffens the pressure plate. Even with the stock plate and starting in neutral I can get a decent start with practice. Plus, its a 1 hour race, if you cant make up a few spots in an hour you have other issues to work on.
Click to expand...


thanks, it has nothing to do with competition, just clutch drag, what did you do exactly, very curious
 
The pressure plate has notches the same shape as the teeth on the drive plates, all I did was machine down the pressure plate so that the steel drive plate would fit and the clutch stack could be adjusted to give the proper free play with the top hat.
 
i started using phils steel clutch discs last year and i can start my left kickers in gear now. eliminated my clutch drag along with proper adjustment.
 
I have Barnnett steel drive plates also, but I did not come up with the steel plate on the pressure plate idea, I was given that tip by my friend Craig Hayes. I dont have any pictures of it but the next time I have the cover off Ill take some. Barnett also makes a pressure plate like what I do to the Husky plate, this is a picture to give you an idea of what I did.

71dTq2AaXPL._SL1271__zpsrnsmyzdv.jpg
 
After i started using ATF in the gear box, i have noticed how easy my bikes start in gear. Still have aluminium plates too.
 
Couple tips that my help you. I used to start the 430 with left foot( longhorn and long L style kickers, dead engine starts.
Practice your starts all the time. It is as important as the race.
Make sure engine is hot and blown out.
While your on the line. Simultaneously, hit choke and kill button at same time. This primes the engine.
Then work on where your kicker works best. Mine was always right after TDC.
Next, hoping you are back a couple starting lines. Study the guy that flags you to start. Some tip there hat, throw it, fire blank gun or just waive flag. Study him to see what part of his body flinches first. Shall say before pulling trigger. That's when you kick. Even if your first one! Everyone else will follow.
But tune out everything. Noise, looking around, etc.... It's all in practice. If you need a milk crate then use it. But figure out what works. I can usually put a 125 on a long ass start in hole shot position. That's because I take off from line while others are first kicking there bikes.
I've had tons bikes and some liked kicker BTDC, some ATDC, some I had to actually run the kicker through 3 soft revolutions with engine off. But you have to figure all that out by practicing.
 
my 500 will start first kick hot or cold .
cold involves fuel and choke on . run the kick start right through 3 times . get it to tdc . push decompressor . kick it

hot is push decompressor . find tdc . kick .

preffered method is kick with right foot from standing on the left of bike .

second to that is stand on bike . lean throttle against something so balanced . kick with left .

sometimes resort to jumping up and balancing and kicking it at the same time

fwiw its the stock 44 mm mikuni with most of the chrome worn off the slide
 
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