Hi,
Have a 1967 R60. Good spark at plugs. Bike does start and runs well although it can take quite a few kicks.
My recently sold '66 R50 could start on one kick after tickling the carbs.
What are the common failings that inhibit a one kick start?
Knowing what the bike needs! Each bike will be different. Be sure that the static timing and magneto timing are correct. Magneto timing is probably the most critical and sometimes least understood.
Then you must figure out how long to tickle, position of the throttle during starting, action on the kick starter, etc. Does the bike start different cold vs hot? If it's even more of a bear to start hot, it could be a failing coil. Once heated, the wiring inside the coil begins to separate, thus creating several windings rather than one long winding. Vech has a replacement coil.
If you listen to Vech, he'd say don't touch the ticklers, not even the petcocks. I've tried that approach...doesn't work on my R69S. For me, for cold starts, petcock on, I have to give it a good 4-5 counts on the ticklers. Then I kick through about 5 times with the throttle closed. Then, for starting, I find the next compression point, open the throttle about 1/4 or so, and give it a good kick. Usually starts 1-2 kicks. I also have to jab at the ticklers a little as I work the throttle.
Now hot is a different story. First, if I'm shutting down for a gas stop or something (or just after a weekend neighborhood cruise), I try and turn the petcock off a couple of blocks before I stop. Then for hot starting, I leave the petcock off and open the throttle as wide as it will go. With ignition off, I kick through about 5-6 times. Then with petcock still closed, throttle closed, I give it a good kick. She usually begins to rumble and I can carefully begin to add throttle. Oh, and turn on the petcock! I've had it stumble about 100 yards later for some stupid reason!!
But you just have to find what works. See how your start routine compares to the above and vary one of the parameters around until you find the trick.
As Kurt says, every bike has a different starting procedure. My old R60 used to like haveing the throttle complety closed, hot or cold, while my R26 wanted the throtle just slightly open. They would both start with one kick, but when I had them on the road at the same time I would get confused and couldn't start either of them.
Anyway Kurt covered most of the bases, read up on the magneto, both Vech and Duane have some good articles on the subject.
And that gets old!! Whenever I just miss it on the R69S, I end up kicking and kicking until something works right. I get pretty winded raising and lowering the leg repeatedly. I'm thankful when she fires right off!!
Thanks guys,
Will read up on the magneto timing. You get so used to hitting the starter button on your other airheads., you forget the 'joys' of having to kick!
I remember a Norton I had 40 years ago in my misspent youth when drinking and riding was a little more open (although just as stupid) If I couldn't get it started on the first or second kick, by the time I did get it started 15-20 minutes later I was pretty sober!.
Yes - - What Kurt said, absolutely. The magneto is making it's weakest spark at low RPM's, i.e., when you are kicking the bike, so everything needs to be spot on in terms of timing. See Duane Ausherman's site for info on mag setting. Also, if your mag is original, it may be on it's way out. I would also check some of the other basics - - Make sure your plugs are fresh. Vech once told me that once the plugs are flooded, they're never the same again. Make sure there is no water in the float bowls or the gas tank. With today's E-10 fuels, you never know. Make sure your carb floats are working correctly. Make sure your condensor is good. Make sure your plug wires and caps are correct and reasonably fresh. For what it's worth, here's the cold starting drill on my 1969 R60: Turn fuel on; hold throttle completely open; kick through twice with no ignition; turn throttle off; turn ignition on; kick. No carb tickling whatsoever. This usually gives me a first kick start. Any deviation, such as fiddling with the ticklers on this particular bike, will guarantee a difficult start. For a hot start, I just turn the fuel and ignition on and kick. Once you get her sorted out and find a winning start procedure, write it down and post it in your garage.
What are the common failings that inhibit a one kick start?
I have a lot of experience with this symptom. If I tuned up 100 of these bikes, all would use the same starting procedure. The reason that we find so many procedures required to start is because they were tuned differently. The variation between bikes is also related to the condition of the engine, but that is a minor variable compared to the way it is tuned.
If I tune it, then it will require a bit of tickle in cool weather and a small amount of throttle. This model is so easy to start that if it requires more than 2-3 kicks, then something is wrong with the bike or rider technique. A sharp engine that is in good tune and in 60-80 degree weather can be started by hand.
Yes, you should be asking about this, as what you report is not correct.
Ask the Indians what happens when you don't control immigration.
Duane Ausherman wrote:ZM, just what did you say? I have no clue.
Does this procedure involve a prayer rug and any kneeling?
I use science to start them.
When I first got my /2 I had some problem starting it. A friend of mine who fixes old bikes explained that it might help if I brought the engine up speed by continual kicking rather than hoping that a single kick would do the trick. Perhaps it is a way of
scientifically
energizing the magneto. It worked for me. After a while I got to know what the bike liked, and could start it with one kick. All this was without any change in tuning. Science won't help if you are unable to do a full technical analysis of all systems. Many riders don't have the tools. Sometimes you just have to try something different. Science is what works!
