Kick starting '05 450FSE

[houndog]

Is it possible!? I sure can't start mine. I only weigh 135 pounds and not exactly "weak" but damn, I can't spin that thing at all. My buddy can't start his Husky 390 and I have no problem. Really upsets him. Not my 450, I can't come close to starting it.

So, do any of you have problems kicking it over? I saw a video of a big dude easily doing it and thought Hell, all my effort and weight should be equal to his simply sitting on the seat and kicking it.

Is there a trick to it?

Thanks guys.
Ed

 

[Quicky1980]

Ive yet to succeed and also saw that video. Pigs to start arent they

 

[speeddemon]

On my 09' halley 450 i have considered installing a kickstarter (only e-start) but haven't done it because with my 130 lbs and 165cm i couldn't kickstart a honda XR400 4 years ago. The mechanic at the honda shop was taller and heavier then me and he could start it easily and didn't understand that i couldn't start it . I can kickstart a 250 2/4 stroke without much effort but i think the FSE/FSR/EC 450 motors would also be impossible for me to kickstart...

 

[houndog]

Well, I gave it my full effort again tonight. Had a buddy hold the back and with it on the stand and all I could give it resulted in a complete fail.

My buddy laughed at me! I asked if he wanted to try....."no thanks" was the reply.

I'm likely to remove that stupid useless kickstart lever as I am tired of it taunting me.

Unless there is some trick to it I am done.........
Ed

 

[Caravan Monster]

I'm not familiar with the Gas Gas 4 strokes, so might be missing something. But I've always found getting the piston just past TDC before kicking makes a big difference. That way, you get the most momentum wound up before hitting compression.

different bike, same principle

 

[houndog]

Caravan Monster, yea, that usually works. Not on this damn thing. No matter how hard I try or what technique, she simply does not light off. The guys at my local shop were never successful either! The funniest thing was they all said "the Beta is even worse"....and no one was able to fire the Gasser up! Damn how much harder does it get!

To be fair, Eric is my size, ~135-140, Jeff has a bad right knee, And Byron sees no need in trying any more after about 4 kicks on a fuel injected motor that has E start.

So, today I took that damn thing off so that it can no longer taunt me. I wrapped the shaft in black duct tape and screwed the bolt back in and masked it off and painted it black. I feel MUCH better now that it is not laughing at me.

I'll throw the thing in the tool box in case I really need it in the woods and there happens to be a huge dude around that may have a prayer of starting it for me!

They must have put it on the bike as a joke! I am not "too small" for the bike but to have a kick start lever on it and expect a guy my size to be able to use it is crazy!

Went out Sunday, my buddy (who only gets to ride about 15 times a year now) tried to keep up on a trail I ride several times a week. He had a "fail". Unhurt, Husky 390 undamaged. When he did not appear at the end after a couple minutes I was turning around when he showed up. He said "I crashed". I said "you didn't really try to keep up with me on this path did you". He said "for about 20 seconds, then you were gone, so I slowed down and 20 seconds later I was on the ground".
LOL. He's a good rider actually and seldom falls. I did not tease him too awful much

We went back out. It was fun.
Ed

 

[cal_tony]

Logged on today to search for kickstarting the older 450s. I have [3] 2004s'.
and found this thread on the log on page.

I've started mine numerous times. When they will kick start they do it easily.However most of the time they just wont do it and it doesn't make any difference how quick or many many times you kick it. Strange thing, the owners manual nor the Service manual mention how to kickstart them. Worst part is that the lever is too short and at the end of the kick the lever hits the foot peg and just jars your whole leg and back. I also saw the UTUBE video and the first things that I noticed was that the lever on the newer bikes are longer and the rider kicking the bike over was not banging into the foot peg.

The head and the valves on my GG are the same as on my DRZ. The valves are interchangeable.The difference in kickstarting between the two is that the DRZ lever is longer and has a compound bend to it. Both have an auto compression release on the exhaust valve so they kick easy. My DRZ always starts on the first or second kick and I always kick it easy with very little effort.

Tony

I've been looking and friends bikes for a longer kickstart for my GGs but so far no luck.

If any one knows of a lever that will fit let me know.

 

[adv rider]

kickstarting

I am not familiar with the bikes, so bear w/ me. Is this bike carbureted? If so I have bought bikes in the past that would not kick start, and all I would do is set the float height correctly, and I could kick start it.
Could be a fuel issue not allowing it to kickstart correctly.

 

[JCat]

You're not on your own, my 05 is hard to start on the kicker but i can JUST do it.
I reckon its either an efi thing or kickstart gear ratios???
I've just picked up another 05, I'll try it on the kicker tomorrow and report in.

 

[Jakobi]

I am not familiar with the bikes, so bear w/ me. Is this bike carbureted? If so I have bought bikes in the past that would not kick start, and all I would do is set the float height correctly, and I could kick start it.
Could be a fuel issue not allowing it to kickstart correctly.

EFI dude. We're talking 8 year old electrical gremlins at their finest.. The darkside of planet Gas Gas. I have a mate with a 2009 model. Its been rock solid reliable and he's racked up loads of kms, but now as time goes on its slowly getting quirkier and quirker. Checked the valves and shimmed. Seems if its not hard to start cold, its hard to start hot and vice versa.

 

[houndog]

My '05 had 30 miles on it when I got it a few months ago. She was new but old. I've changed the oil/filter 6 or 7 times. It's due now, I like to keep it clear. She's got 1800 miles now and I have had exactly zero problems. Replaced the plug once. She fires right up on the button. No one has been successful yet with that freaking kickstarter. As I said earlier, I solved my problem, I took the damn thing off. Saves no weight at all but I hate useless crap and that damn thing was completely useless!

Here is a vid using my buddy's Go Pro.....not all that impressive but I only took my feet off the pegs once from start to finish....not even when turning around.

A couple days later I did the same route following my daughter on her 4 wheeler only this time I did it holding my cell phone using it's camera to film her until I had to pass her to keep from falling....never put a foot down, one handed, a beautiful display of irresponsibility.

It's amazing how often and easy it is to bang the rev limiter. The vid is 8-9 minutes.....the distance is 4.5 miles.
Ed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmYTw1OTGtA&feature=youtu.be

 

[JCat]

Tried my other 05 today and it started first kick everytime, the engine was at operating temp though so not sure about cold.