Sound of Singles.;.Was:Kick Start Regimen

[Thumper]

There is a thread over on the Yahoo site about kickstarting the Electra X. The decompressor is different on the Electras than it is on the Classics. It simply feels like it doesn't work (even and maybe especially to those of us  having prior experience with thumpers and decompressors). That's because you have to kick through one full compression stroke without   relief before the decomp engages!

Here's my routine. Whats yours?

Part one: Prime it, lube it, massage it, whatever you want to call it:
- Engage choke or enrichener as appropriate
- Rotate kick start lever until you hit compression
- Apply pressure to the decomp lever as you carefully kick through the compression - stopping as soon as you feel it go over and the decomp lever also moves through
- Continuing to hold the lever, kick through the engine 5 or 6 strokes (tickle the carb first - if you're running an Amal as I am)
- Release the decomp lever


Part two: Start it (AKA do it all over again)
- Rotate kick start lever until you hit compression
- Apply pressure to the decomp lever as you carefully kick through the compression - stopping as soon as you feel it go over and the decomp lever also moves through
- release decomp lever and allow kickstarter to come back up (tickle the carb again just to humor the bike)
- Take up slack in throttle cable - or even open it just a hair (if you're running an Amal)
- Kick that sucker through
- Repeat Part two as often as is necessary (usually 1-3 kicks do it for me. However, you have to at least *pretend* frustration - the engine can sense these things...)
- If the above does not work: curse and use E-starter 

Matt

[Kevin Mahoney]

The decompresser on the Bullet opens a valve in the cylinder to relieve pressure, the one in the Electra lifts the valve a little bit to relieve pressure.

[Land Surveyor]

I never could figure out if "thumper" meant the sound of the engine or what it did to the back of your leg if you made a miss-lick. 

[prof_stack]

I never could figure out if "thumper" meant the sound of the engine or what it did to the back of your leg if you made a miss-lick. 

 

I attended the monthly meeting of the local vintage riders' club on Wednesday.  The sweetest sounds to my ears were the tell-tale "thumps" of the single-cylinder (usually Brit) bikes.  No RE's in the group, yet...

[RagMan]

I was listening to the sweet sound of my 'Thumper' doing it's thing, round my land today..  I ride it most days, either about, or round my uneven hilly land. I think it thinks it is a trials bike.

[Thumper]

I was listening to the sweet sound of my 'Thumper' doing it's thing, round my land today..  I ride it most days, either about, or round my uneven hilly land. I think it thinks it is a trials bike.

 

Mine thinks it's a roadracer!

Man, when I'm leaned into a 25mph righthand on-ramp at 48mph and that open exhaust is blasting off the pavement just inches away...

It's thumper heaven!

Matt

[RagMan]

Mine most definitely does not regard itself as a roadracer - though it will accelerate rapidly, it does not do it as crotch rockets do, just as a stately power machine would. 

[luoma]

From what I've read from other riders, REs are like puppies, they start out basically the sam, then develop their own personalities. I wonder if they eventually begin to look like their owners?

[RagMan]

As soon as my Bullet puts on weight, goes bald, and grows a scruffy beard, I am selling it.

[dewjantim]

Mine most definitely does not regard itself as a roadracer - though it will accelerate rapidly, it does not do it as crotch rockets do, just as a stately power machine would. 

High conering speeds will get you through those curves faster than acceleration. You know: NO BRAKES= high cornering speeds......Dew.

[dewjantim]

There is a thread over on the Yahoo site about kickstarting the Electra X. The decompressor is different on the Electras than it is on the Classics. It simply feels like it doesn't work (even and maybe especially to those of us  having prior experience with thumpers and decompressors). That's because you have to kick through one full compression stroke without   relief before the decomp engages!

Here's my routine. Whats yours?

Part one: Prime it, lube it, massage it, whatever you want to call it:
- Engage choke or enrichener as appropriate
- Rotate kick start lever until you hit compression
- Apply pressure to the decomp lever as you carefully kick through the compression - stopping as soon as you feel it go over and the decomp lever also moves through
- Continuing to hold the lever, kick through the engine 5 or 6 strokes (tickle the carb first - if you're running an Amal as I am)
- Release the decomp lever


Part two: Start it (AKA do it all over again)
- Rotate kick start lever until you hit compression
- Apply pressure to the decomp lever as you carefully kick through the compression - stopping as soon as you feel it go over and the decomp lever also moves through
- release decomp lever and allow kickstarter to come back up (tickle the carb again just to humor the bike)
- Take up slack in throttle cable - or even open it just a hair (if you're running an Amal)
- Kick that sucker through
- Repeat Part two as often as is necessary (usually 1-3 kicks do it for me. However, you have to at least *pretend* frustration - the engine can sense these things...)
- If the above does not work: curse and use E-starter 

Matt

Key off, decompression lever pulled in, 4 or 5 kicks, key on, ease over TDC, kick away, usually fires on first kick.....Dew.

[luoma]

Only time I had to kick mine was when the nut came loose from the solenoid. I thought I had a bad battery. It kicked over just fine as long as I used the comp release to get the kick lever in the right position. Glad it has electric start. I don't have enough lead in my butt to kick it all the time.