Kick start woes.

[Peter]

By the time you have sold your Bullet and have another one your ankle would likely be quite ready to kick again.

I never got a chance to kick the Maico 400 again because the co-owner and others had trashed it by then. It wasn't the kicking back keeping me off it, but my ankle was to weak to ride it.

Kick back doesn't have to result in injury. Use the ball of your foot and anticipate kick back.

I couldn't afford a cycle with electric start and my next street legal cycle was a MZ ETZ 250.

There is no reason to be afraid of kick starting the Bullet. I'd take a KS only Bullet over an ES any day and I actually removed the ES from my 2003 ES.

Use the ball of your foot, pedal  just slightly more forward than what feels right, and anticipate to slip off. Kick back will just be a mild surprise then. If you don't have the strength to kick like that, leave the vehicle to somone else. That's all there is to it.

Well, I'm just posting this so people reading this thread don't get paranoid about kicking their Bullet or any other vehicle (outboards too, don't lock on to the handle!) Just don't do the lazy a$$ way of locking your boot heel on the kick starter pedal and then use your weight - bad form. Myself and others have paid for it.

Peter





 

[RagMan]

Fortunately, with the news of the new bikes coming, and other nice things, I will not be Enfield less for all that long - I may not even sell this one - I will try, but not every sale goes through.  I rather like the idea of a Classic, with the AVL engine - that is what I am looking forward to riding in 6 months.

[little_a_o]

   The first thing I felt necessary to do was to relocate the kick shaft back a spline or two to get it out of my way when I put my feet down at a stop.  Being shorted on the inseam I was quite uncomfortable having it press into the back of my leg right behind my knee.
   Yes I did  lose some useful throw from the kicker and that may explain why I seem to have a hard time following the good advice from this board on how to avoid being bucked! 

    Up till not to long ago I had been standing on it with my left foot while off the bike with great success.  One time it did kick enough to get my attention.  I guess so far I've been lucky and I will continue to practice the safer way.

[RagMan]

If I could stand on my right leg, I would try my left one to kick the bike, but I can't support moving weight with the bad ankle.  It is amazing what you use your ankle for - not just for walking or standing - it is used when you work out your abs, and shoulders - I am having to modify my sets to isolate the ankle..  This is getting old really fast, I want to go for a ride....

[little_a_o]

You now have a good excuse to add the hack and train the monkey to KICK.

Little ao

If I could stand on my right leg, I would try my left one to kick the bike, but I can't support moving weight with the bad ankle.  It is amazing what you use your ankle for - not just for walking or standing - it is used when you work out your abs, and shoulders - I am having to modify my sets to isolate the ankle..  This is getting old really fast, I want to go for a ride....

[RagMan]

I haven't found anyway to get my monkey near the kick start, specially since it bit me. (the kickstart, not the monkey.)

[deejay]

I haven't found anyway to get my monkey near the kick start, specially since it bit me. (the kickstart, not the monkey.)

Your timing must be way off, my bike has never kicked back.

[RagMan]

Could well be - I have had trouble with it since I got it.

[gapl53]

Went to the doctor's office today, got looked at by multi angle xrays, and got a nasty shock. "Fractured Talus, Navicular, second Cuneiform,and upper section of the cuboid."  Got told I was either hard as nails, or stupid for walking around on it for a week.

This means I have a surplus Royal Enfield now.  I will have to wait until January to get an electric start machine.  The doctor suggests that it will take over three months to get strength back in my ankle, and kick starting a bike will be out for six months or more.

Sorry to hear that it's broken.

Now if you would have listen to my earlier post about getting it x-rayed.
Sorry, I had to say that!

I hope that it heals quickly.

[RagMan]

I should have xrayed it sooner, true - but a total horror of things medic makes me seek their help only when I can do nothing else - such philosophy has served me will thus far.

The type of fractures suggests that a rapid healing will not occur. immobilizing the joint would do damage to muscle tissue, restricting it as I am doing does not harm to muscle and does not inhibit bone repair. The slow healing of such wounds is more to do with type of fracture, than a slight chance of motion.

[gapl53]

I should have xrayed it sooner, true - but a total horror of things medic makes me seek their help only when I can do nothing else - such philosophy has served me will thus far.

The type of fractures suggests that a rapid healing will not occur. immobilizing the joint would do damage to muscle tissue, restricting it as I am doing does not harm to muscle and does not inhibit bone repair. The slow healing of such wounds is more to do with type of fracture, than a slight chance of motion.

I know where your coming from. Been there, done that, got the "T-Shirt", and it's not fun. Just don't do what I've done and put it under stress too soon. If you re-break it, you'll have more problem with it than you have with it now.

Hang in there and let it heal!

I hope that you get well soon!

[RagMan]

Thank you for your support guys - having this ain't any fun, but it will heal - slowly, but it will heal. I have broken things before (27years service made sure of that) and know how I heal - I am faster than most, slower than some.

[dewjantim]

At least you should be able to ride the sporty. Get well quick.....Dew.

[RagMan]

I don't get to ride the Sporty very often - It has been broken down more days than not since I got it, but I do ride the Ural everyday.

[VMAX]

Glad to hear you finally got the ankle looked at 

As you say, all injuries heal in time. I'm going to go out on the limb and assume that we will hear more from you on the site!

Take care & heal quickly.