We have messed with trying to figure out the most reliable starting method for dead engine starts for a while and can't seem to find a consistent solution. Electric in neutral works but is slow, electric in gear would be great but doesn't work everytime, kick is inconsistent - my son is 16 and may lack the power, kick and electric fried the starter clutch. Any thoughts? Oh....bike is a txc 250.
-
Hi everyone,
As you all know, Coffee (Dean) passed away a couple of years ago. I am Dean's ex-wife's husband and happen to have spent my career in tech. Over the years, I occasionally helped Dean with various tech issues.
When he passed, I worked with his kids to gather the necessary credentials to keep this site running. Since then (and for however long they worked with Coffee), Woodschick and Dirtdame have been maintaining the site and covering the costs. Without their hard work and financial support, CafeHusky would have been lost.
Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been working to migrate the site to a free cloud compute instance so that Woodschick and Dirtdame no longer have to fund it. At the same time, I’ve updated the site to a current version of XenForo (the discussion software it runs on). The previous version was outdated and no longer supported.
Unfortunately, the new software version doesn’t support importing the old site’s styles, so for now, you’ll see the XenForo default style. This may change over time.
Coffee didn’t document the work he did on the site, so I’ve been digging through the old setup to understand how everything was running. There may still be things I’ve missed. One known issue is that email functionality is not yet working on the new site, but I hope to resolve this over time.
Thanks for your patience and support!
HS starts
- Thread starter Wolf
- Start date
I struggled (and still do a bit) with the same issue. I'm a full-grown average adult and still, kicking is not a reliable option.
My 2005 TC250 came with a tiny, weak battery and I replaced that with the larger version (that I think came with the TE of that year) and had a HUGE improvement. Feels like it starts 2X as fast.
Maybe look at this option and/or an option of a simply more powerful battery that fits in the current space you have.
Good luck.
My 2005 TC250 came with a tiny, weak battery and I replaced that with the larger version (that I think came with the TE of that year) and had a HUGE improvement. Feels like it starts 2X as fast.
Maybe look at this option and/or an option of a simply more powerful battery that fits in the current space you have.
Good luck.
BadMotoWeazal
Husqvarna
Pro Class
Clutch drag may keep it from starting with the e-start only. Why not kick & push the button at the same time. I've seen it done many times on the starting line. G/L
Joe Chod
Husqvarna
Pro Class
Before flag wave and at last chance to have engine on.........put bike in gear and hold clutch.....keep holding clutch and kill engine. Keep hold on clutch. Silly? no keeping clutch held keeps oil between plates and reduces in gear drag and bike fires up more easy in gear
Joe
Joe
street2dirt
Husqvarna
Pro Class
I'll be seeing what works best also, 12TXc310. A lot of guys down here use a block of wood between the barkbuster to keep clutch lever pulled back, we use lemans style start. Have to run about 10ft & jump on your bike. Was going to try the starter button on the left side since that hand touched the bike first. Hoping to be able to start in gear.....
Desertyucca
Husqvarna
AA Class
Check your ground connections from your battery & to the frame. Over time Galvanic corrosion will occur. In some models HV undersized the ground wire from the battery to the engine. Might be worth a test to add a new ground wire from the battery to the engine bolt and see if the starting is faster. Just a thought 
Phoenix
Husqvarna
AA Class
I'm sad to say it, but in two years racing, I only got a couple of good starts on my Husky. As you mentioned, the bike just doesn't start reliably electrically and mine HAS to be in neutral, so there was that extra step of clicking down a gear. Fortunately, though the Husky wasn't good at the starting line, it was pretty good at catching up. The things that I perceived to be helping it start a little better:
Push the kicker through one full stroke and then push it until it hits TDC. I feel like that helps it turn over faster whether with the button or kicker.
Don't turn the fuel pump on until the 10 second sign (if you have something like that).
Definitely don't kick and push the button at the same time, but it sounds like you've already found that out the hard way.
I'm going to try Joe's suggestion as well...seems like a good idea!
Push the kicker through one full stroke and then push it until it hits TDC. I feel like that helps it turn over faster whether with the button or kicker.
Don't turn the fuel pump on until the 10 second sign (if you have something like that).
Definitely don't kick and push the button at the same time, but it sounds like you've already found that out the hard way.
I'm going to try Joe's suggestion as well...seems like a good idea!
pahusky
Husqvarna
Pro Class
I going to assume it's the standard 'on the bike, dead engine' starting procedure.
That Le Mans thing and the old straddle the front tire, dead engine thing are not real common.
From experience I can lend my 2 cents, but every person has to develop a procedure and practice while trying to create the same fervor you experience on race day; not an easy thing to do.
These are good for anybody, but since you asked about a skinny 16 year on a TXC machine I can offer some specific advice.
These videos are my 17 year old on the '12 TXC250 and there is one of him this year, 18 years old on the '13 TXC250R.
What I can offer…based on an in-gear start.
- Make sure the machine is warmed up enough to get the oil hot, helps with clutch plates not dragging because of cooler, thicker oil.
- At the line with a couple of rows to go, have all your gear on, gloves, goggles ready to go. Start the bike one more time with the clutch pulled in, click it in gear and rev it a little to separate the plates. Hold the clutch lever in from this point forward. With the bike shut off and the lever held in, lightly rock/roll the bike back and forth to keep the plates separated.
- If your racer is short a starting box is a good way to get their center of gravity up to be used for the down kick.
- Pump the kick start lever to find a good compression stroke and get ready.
- Each machine is different, but a major item is throttle control. Most get excited and twist too much and kill the machine before it fires. It’s a fine line; and a mind over matter thing. Find how much throttle your bike likes and make yourself control the twist.
- At the flag drop, hit the button, control the twist and kick with a conviction, with 110% commitment and a determined confidence that the bike is going to fire and rip. Kick it to the bottom, not a half-assed stab. Kick it to the bottom and let your leg hang, or use the kick start lever as a foot peg until your moving.
Once it does fire it's again a fine line between letting it rev a little before starting to release the clutch…Practice, practice, practice and good luck.
And when you do have a bad start, forget about it…keep with your game plan and don't go nuts trying to catch back up. Besides, you can't win it in the first corner, but you sure can lose it!
Here's a couple of videos I have of various starts... and again tell him I said Good Luck!!
2012 TXC250
2013 TXC250R
That Le Mans thing and the old straddle the front tire, dead engine thing are not real common.
From experience I can lend my 2 cents, but every person has to develop a procedure and practice while trying to create the same fervor you experience on race day; not an easy thing to do.
These are good for anybody, but since you asked about a skinny 16 year on a TXC machine I can offer some specific advice.
These videos are my 17 year old on the '12 TXC250 and there is one of him this year, 18 years old on the '13 TXC250R.
What I can offer…based on an in-gear start.
- Make sure the machine is warmed up enough to get the oil hot, helps with clutch plates not dragging because of cooler, thicker oil.
- At the line with a couple of rows to go, have all your gear on, gloves, goggles ready to go. Start the bike one more time with the clutch pulled in, click it in gear and rev it a little to separate the plates. Hold the clutch lever in from this point forward. With the bike shut off and the lever held in, lightly rock/roll the bike back and forth to keep the plates separated.
- If your racer is short a starting box is a good way to get their center of gravity up to be used for the down kick.
- Pump the kick start lever to find a good compression stroke and get ready.
- Each machine is different, but a major item is throttle control. Most get excited and twist too much and kill the machine before it fires. It’s a fine line; and a mind over matter thing. Find how much throttle your bike likes and make yourself control the twist.
- At the flag drop, hit the button, control the twist and kick with a conviction, with 110% commitment and a determined confidence that the bike is going to fire and rip. Kick it to the bottom, not a half-assed stab. Kick it to the bottom and let your leg hang, or use the kick start lever as a foot peg until your moving.
Once it does fire it's again a fine line between letting it rev a little before starting to release the clutch…Practice, practice, practice and good luck.
And when you do have a bad start, forget about it…keep with your game plan and don't go nuts trying to catch back up. Besides, you can't win it in the first corner, but you sure can lose it!
Here's a couple of videos I have of various starts... and again tell him I said Good Luck!!
2012 TXC250
2013 TXC250R
dartyppyt
Husqvarna
Pro Class
Amen Pahusky! Practice starts just like u go riding. Mine starts in gear, clutch pulled in, rockin back and forth, just before tdc, and one good kick along with starter button. Plus engine warmed up. Alotta bikes are different but you have to keep at it till you figure out what the magic pill is.
My old RMZ, you had to kick it over with throttle open, hot start lever in, while engine was off. She fired every time.
My old RMZ, you had to kick it over with throttle open, hot start lever in, while engine was off. She fired every time.