Newtons Law of Kick Starting

[Jim M]

Ok, here is the true scenario that happened today and it has happened to me several times in the past. Push the knucklehead out of the garage, I am by myself, no one around. Open the fuel line, give it two soft prime kicks, turn the ignition on, check around, still no one around, starts on the FIRST kick. Ride to a friends shop. Walk around don't see anyone I know so I jump back on the warm bike. No prime, two people watching, one a nice looking girl, fails to start on the first kick, smile at the girl, starts on the THIRD kick. Feeling good, crowd gathers around to hear the old bike. Forget to disengage clutch before shifting because I am nervous being the center of attention. Bike stalls. Feel really stupid. I should have known better. Darn it. Crowd still there, some chuckling, probably 15 or so people. Kick it several times probably 15 TIMES, too tired to talk. Get off change plugs, crowd leaves, no one around, bike starts first kick...

Don't tell me I am the only one who has experienced this. It happens to me all of the time. The number of kick starts is proportional to the number of people watching. Next time I'm going to tell everyone to leave before I try starting it again in public.

Jim

[61 panman]

Jim,
Thanks for the laugh, forgot about the clutch... man what a rookie move. Just another of the many benefits of riding an old bike. It BUILDS CHARACTER.
Doug

[AdminGuy]

Isn't there some sort of unwritten rule. After a prime and two kicks your supposed to turn your back and study cloud formations out of respect for the poor *U#*&^$)*&%.

So as not too spread any bad hoo-do.

I think the fifth or sixth kick is the one your allowed to offer advice and support on.

***The funniest part of road side break downs. 30 sec. to diagnose the problem. 15min of discussing the best possible solution and proceedure of how to fix it. I love it!

Be thankful you didn't have it kick back and jam your hip socket. Ouch....that hurts.

[k.perry]

Harley Bob told me that he always kicks-through once with NO throttle after he has run the machine whether the motor is warm or hot. Then with the timer half retarded he turns the key "On" and kicks it again. I do it now and it works for my Pan. Maybe your motor runs a little rich. Better rich than lean. Try leaving the iginition "On" if it misfires. Just pump the crank till you find a compression spot way down at 7 o'clock and try to forget about any kick-back, especially if the motor is hot (I set the timer a little past half-way retard when it's hot), if you keep cranking, it will start. Kick-backs occur to me on pre-ignition, when the ignition is ON and I move the crank-pedal. Kick the motor all the way through and "keep the pedal down until the motor quits turning to prevent the starter crank gear from connecting to the starter gear", warned Lakeside, Bill. I beseech of everyone to not jump up and down on the kick arm. Leave that for the long stroke Sportster folks. They have to. Utilize the gift of flywheel weight and short stroke that were given to both Knuck & Pan and perhaps Flathead too. When you put the kick-pedal down at 7 o'clock, and your astride the motorcycle, the kick effort becomes more of a hip twist and short bump. Your only barely turning the motor over once. I see much more crowd amazement in their faces with this technique than were I to jump up and down and perhaps dis-engage a starter clutch gear during the pro-cess, wreck my knee and still not having the bike start, or worse yet, be in such mute agony that you have to have someone move the machine over to the curb for you. When short-bumped, you can have your gaze focused on some far off object, astride the machine, both hands on the handlebars, and not look at the motor. 99% of the time this works on my old beater, and I never glance at the crowd until the motor fires. Their look is always one of sheer awe, that I have expelled such miminal effort to control this beast and guaranteed to red-line the applause meter. Return the timer to full advance, adjust your sunglasses, both feet on the footboards now and motor off slowly.

[Hrdly-Dangrs]

The Sportster motor can either be your best friend or your worst nightmare to kick over! And that's with a good battery ignition. Add a Magneto and you may well be looking forward to some much needed knee surgery and an electric start (E-GADS!!) All those stereotypical stories are founded in truth! If your really interested in impressing the 'Ladies', do it on a Stroker and Magneto combo Sporster! You will quickly develop a 'Routine' and stick to it! I have two bad knees and have sufferered all the 'types' of things that can happen...slipping kick pedal (From the very top straight down to the bottom to Dead Stop.....OUCH! ...as well as the dreaded 'Kick Back' that near launches you over the bars!! YOU LEARN THAT: CORRECTLY ASSEMBLED AND NEW CONDITION KICKER COMPONENTS PLUS TIMING, POINT GAP, HOT SPARK AND A CORRECTLY TUNED CARB is your first defense. I run a S&S 'E', FULL CHOKE ON, IGN OFF, 2-3 PRIME KICKS, IGN ON, MID WAY UP ON KICKER AND FOLLOW THRU SMOOTH KICK AND IT ALMOST ALWAYS STARTS ONE KICK! BUT NOT ALWAYS...Like when your at a 'Car Show' and your the only motorcycle there and "EVERYONE" is watching you and waiting to hear the 'COOL' Harley start-up!!!...:rolleyes: :( ......:cool:..Hrdly-Dangrs....PS...Funny how other Harley riders react when they witness the 'slipping' kicker...kind of like when they see some dude get wacked in the nuts at a ball game....oooooohhhaaaaahhhhoooocccchhhh!!!!:eek:.

[L. A.]

Years ago...I rode a '67 XLCH...and I'll NEVER forget starting that bike! My right knee won't let me! LMAO

As for my flattie...I HAFTA jump on the kicker arm...don't have enough strength in my legs to 'bump it'...but I'll give it another try...;)

And just for the record...my bike never starts the same way twice...aaarrrgggghhhh! LOL

[HJahn]

How about the warm bike that would make one loud bang or backfire and then a cloud of stinking unburned hydro-carbons would rise up and burn your nose? After that a prodigeous amount of kicking would only make it start. Or sometimes of opening the throttle wide open with the key off and kicking fresh air thru it first. Sometimes not that either. Just lot's of kicking and growing embarassment if anyone was around watching...

One cylinder with lower compression always made starting worse. But once the bike started it would run fine.

I always found my flatheads to be good starters. It was the Panheads that were the problem bikes. Maybe that "high" 8 to 1 compression?

On the other hand, a good starting bike only needs a little shove once the piston is over TDC. Then starting is almost effortless. Nothing finer than to gas up, throw a leg over such a machine, and you KNOW it is going to start on the first easy little kick. Then it's fun if people are watching!

[Hrdly-Dangrs]

The not starting right away at the Car Show, didn't really bother me. It goes with the territory of 'kick-start' motorcycles. In fact a had a couple of 'Old Timers' standing around and were talking to each other and one even told his wife to wait a couple minutes before they left because he wanted to hear the bike. But what kind of p*ssed me off was the skinney yogurt, sushi eating "Yuppie" dude with his sandles and 'Jaquar' cap walking by with the way too 'Hot' for him blonde girlfriend to which he just had to say 'aloud' to me and all with-in earshot " You need to put a little weight behind that...chuckle"...to which I immediately replied "I'm 180 Lbs 'Pal' and this 10:1 compression and you couldn't even crank it thru once.....let alone 'Start' it.....while giving my best 'Old Marine Sgt 'scouling look'!!..GRRRRR!!. He shut up and kept goin..his girl friend smirked and the 'Old Guys' just started laughing....course the bike took another 6 or 7 kicks to start..but what the hell.....Helps keep me trim!....:cool: ...Hrdly-Dangrs

[HJahn]

Originally posted by Hrdly-Dangrs
this 10:1 compression and you couldn't even crank it thru once.....

10: 1 compression!

I'm going to have nightmares tonight reliving my kick-start days!

Funny, but when I bought my first "modern" bike (a '76), I was scared NOT to have a kick-starter on it. Sure, electric would be okay if there was a kick-start too! Can't say I really miss the old kicker, but those were the days when the boys were separated from the men. If you couldn't kick-start a Harley, then you didn't deserve to ride one.

Now you just stab a button. Even my grandma can do that! No wonder there are so many yuppie riders out there now...

[61 panman]

Talk about your superflurous accessories. Electric start on a motorcycle.... to me it just seems so civilized. I am not bragging here but I have 3 motorcycles and not one of em has a starter motor. They all start within 3 kicks unless it of course it is really cold but then I need the extra kicks to warm me up! To me a bike is not really a worthy machine unless it has a kicker and spoked wheels. I guess that makes me a purist ( I can add that to my many other positive traits).
Anyway I gotta go we're having Sushi and Yogurt for dinner tonight served of course by my too beautiful and much younger wife, and I cannot find my ascot.
Doug :cool:

[L. A.]

Guess that makes me a purist, too!

Never owned a bike with a 'button'...wassat? LOL :rolleyes:

[flathead1957]

Aint that the truth. I just got my Flathead (46) last year. It is the first of its kind I have ever ridden, let alone owned. I quickly joined in at a local Pub that hosts "Classic Bike Night" one Wednesday a month Here on "the famous Woodward Avenue" in the Burbs of Detroit. They actually gave me a second prize trophy(so I would come back because the group is dwindling) for my unrestored bike. At the end of the evening, trophy in hand, I get on my trusty steed. With an audience of seasoned classic bike dudes I retart this, and half choke that, and quarter turn this, until I am ready to start jumping up and down (and break into a freakin sweat that Holiday inn towels wouldn't mop up.) Finally out of pity, one of the onlookers came over and after three kicks, my steed was ready to go. I went home and studied my starting drill for two weeks before I would go out into public on that bike again. So you are not alone my friend. Brian.

[61 panman]

HEY,
You two guys should get the award for being the purist of the pure... You don't even have OVERHEAD VALVES.
Great kickstartin stories!,
Doug

[L. A.]

I believe in simplicity in my life...hehehe
I'm not high-maintenance and neither is my scoot...LMAO...makes life more fun, doncha know! :p

I look back on my Florida days...when I rode my 900...i can't tell you how many kicker springs I went through...always carried a spare...LOL
And forget about a magneto in the rain! Usta cover it with a baggie...

In my younger, DUMBER years, my ridin' buddies & I would ride to our local watering holes & meet up with other ridin' buds...mostly men...not too many women rode back then, so I had many male friends...(yowsa!)...anyway...we'd be in a bar, drinkin'...then someone would decide we'd move on to another...got to the point where any one of my buddies would holler over @ me, "Lell! Go start kickin' that damned sportster...we're headin' up the road!"
So...'bout a half hour or so before our scheduled departure, LOL, I'd go outside...I'd finally get it started & on my way...pull into the parking lot of the next place...before I even shut off my scoot, everybody'd come roarin' in!!!
They had it down to a science!
PERFECT TIMING! :D
Ahhhh...it's great to have thoughtful friends...LMAO :cool:

[HJahn]

Back in my "club days" at one big all-weekend party the President (Frank) said he would start his Panhead with his hand. We were all pretty loaded by then, and I didn't believe he could do it, but he did.

Another time I was with some local boys who were putting together a Sporty. They got it all ready and started kicking and kicking and kicking. Somehow I knew that bike would start, but that they were kicking it wrong -- hard but wrong -- like applying the kick at slightly the wrong time and the bike didn't like that. I know that sounds nuts, but I think it's true. If kick the bike wrong, it will take offence and refuse to start. Anyway, after they were all tired out, I said: "let me try once." I acted real confident, threw a leg over it, and gave it an easy shove and I swear that it started right up on that first kick!

I am not always that lucky -- or good. I have my '79 XT500 "big single" out right now for the first time this spring. That bike is a bear to start. Nothing but nothing makes it an easy starter unless you religiously start and ride it every day. Let it sit and then it's kick-o-rama. It pops and sputters but won't start easy, but then suddenly it ROARS to life. Sometimes it's like it says: Nope! Come back in an hour or maybe tomorrow, but not today. I've had the carb apart and tried every combo in the book, but it remains a problem child, altho it runs perfect with stump pulling power.

[AdminGuy]

As I sit here in my smokeing jacket.....

Great stories. I also have seen "the old hand start" a few times. I didn't mention it because I also saw a guy break his hand. He was pretty tough and just stopped and walked away? Strange we thought, only two tries?. Then he sat down and stuck his arm in the cooler. Nuff said. Huhhh... if i remember same guy fell/was thrown -into a fire pit. Rough night for the poor guy.

I'll have to get a hand start demonstration with a side cranking 4. That's gotta be pretty neat.

A while back I was looking at a FXS 1340cc., stripped, straight bars, lots of engine work, built for speed. Standing in a low ceiling apt. garage. Bike on trailer. Owner offers to start it up. Sure I tell him. Taking two steps back and sticking my fingers in my ears because I'm already half deaf from tuneing. I yell out -watch your head!

He rises up to kick it and hits his head hard on concrete ceiling, foot slips off kicker and he falls face first onto gas tank. Stunned and in disbelief at what just happend , I ask him if he's OK? Winded he says ya. So I suggest that I come back another time to look at the bike. - Let him recover.

He was OK. Bloody, bruised --but OK. I've never laughed so hard when I got out of there. I never did go back. I couldn't face him without laughing. It was a maneuver I'll never forget.

[L. A.]

You know all bikes have a soul, right? ;)

[HJahn]

That's a good story about the guy smashing his head. Good but painful...

I only saw the hand-start technique once. I didn't offer to try it, and neither did anyone else. I guess that's why Frank was President-for-life. At least until he went to prison...

One time outside the bank on my stock 50FL (three-speed reverse tranny), I couldn't get that darned thing to start. So I frantically kicked and kicked and kicked. Inside the bank they were watching -- then laughing I knew in my sweating, cursing paranoia!

Pretty soon the bank manager (a middle-aged balding dude with a gut) came out with a (dare I say?) hot b*tch. They were both staring and smiling and he said to her as they walked by: "Inspector Clouseau?" (sp?), due, I imagine to my inept starting attempts and leather trenchcoat. I almost lost it and wanted to shout at him: "Okay, you try then!" But I didn't. Finally it DID start. Bad dirty corroded points. I had to go home, get the yardstick and adjust them.

Ever hear this one? The Harley service school teacher tells his students: "If you don't have a feeler gauge, use a thin dime to set the points." A student raises his hand and asks: "If I don't have a thin dime, sir, can I use two nickels? They have the same value."

Yes, bikes do have soul. Big time. That is the "ghost in the machine" reality I've read somewhere about. But you don't find it by sitting on a bar stool while your chromed butt trophy sits outside or in the garage. You don't find it by telling lies to the rubes either. It only comes thru long hard experience. There are so many fakes abounding today that it's a crime....

[Matt n. Olsen]

I just finished a 1946 el and was putting in some break in miles today. I wheeled it out of our shop, primed it and it started first kick. After riding all day at the break neck speed of 30 miles per hour, I decided to go pick up some tools that I had ordered from thel farm and fleet store. I got my tools and exited the building to find a small crowd of the store's employees looking at the 46. Well I probably don't even have to finish the post because you all know what happened. It took me 6 kicks to get that motorcycle started. It turns out one of the on lookers was a real harley man, he owned a 2003 sporster custom. He had a big grin on his face while I was trying to start the knucklehead. Anyways I didn't say anything to him because he probably didn't even know what a knucklehead was let alone how to start one.

[Hrdly-Dangrs]

I hear you Matt! Today was a great day for kick-starting! Finally, I got to take the 'Sportster' out. Waited for two days of rain to wash away the salt on the roads. Polished up the bike during those two days and pulled it out this afternoon. Couple of prime kicks and started 2nd kick. Great. So I hopped on and headed to the local H-D shop to pick-up a set of fork seals (The right ones leaking). Get down to the 'Dealer' and there must have been fifity bikes outside and trucks/cars all over the road. Guess they were having a sale or something. Anyway, went in looked around and after about 15 mins of waiting, realized the parts line (about 20 people deep) wasn't going to move any time soon. Screw that. So anyway, I go outside and turn on the juice and and was immediately aware of the audience. So I bring the kicker up to 9 o'clock, no choke, no throttle and POW!, ONE KICK WONDER! Started right up! Felt real good! I was the only Iron Head, kick start Harley in that whole crowd of Billet Cowboys! If there was a Sportster there, I didn't see it. Pulled out on the highway and flexed the Sporties muscles and hit all four gears and made those drag pipes roar! Man I love old Iron....:cool: ....Hrdly-Dangrs

[AdminGuy]

Good Job Hrdly.

I also like to think that I pour a little of my soul into each bike that I restore. The more soul - the better the machine responds. Which usually translates into a ground up.

I've only had one that was truely cursed. Three strikes your gone. I got sick of working on it. I'm young, I will most likely see more.

Matt that was a fluke. I'll bet it never happens again.

point gap -I have used smoke package card board.

***I will cut slack for older folks who still want to ride and "need" an electric start. Or because of physical handy cap. I have seen some really creative converted machines.

I like the risk factor. How's my engine feeling today? Will I be able to complete that 3000 mile round trip? This is also why I'm trying to learn as much as I can about electrical systems, rebuilds, and road side fault diagnosis. I have slim knowledge.

I'll try to get a few hand start experts to show off on video. Cause it's something you SURE don't see very often.

[Jim M]

Ok, I am excited and just have to get this out. Kirk, I tried the trick that Harley Bob suggested. I went out riding today and the darn bike started on the first kick EVERY time. I even had a small crowd around me at the local harley shop and it started right up. All of you would be happy to know that I did not forget the clutch nor did I slam my face into the tank. I am still chuckling about that one.

with a warm or hot engine, kick it once without the ignition on with NO throttle. Then find the compression stroke and kick it with the ignition on and the timer half way advanced. Worked absolutely as advertised for the five or six times I had to start the bike today.

Thanks Kirk for the tip. Now all I have to do is try the hand start routine.

Jim

[Jim]

I think one major thing was overlooked here. NEVER put your helmet on before starting your bike. Its presumptious. It seems if I put my helmet on, and then try to start my bike, it either won't start, or it starts hard. It is almost like the cycle was made Pre-helmet, and so, it doesn't like helmets. Another story I remember a fellow had stopped by my house to see my bikes and I said "hey, wanna hear my 30 run?" Sure he says, (now I just got done riding my 30 1/2 hour before he gets there) I climb on, it's still kinda warm, so I give it a soft prime kick, turn on the key, and kick, kick, kick, etc. NOTHING, not even a burp. This 30 always starts easy too. He finally says, thats OK, I don't need to hear it. NOW I HAVE to start it. Sheepishly, I check the gas tank, oops. EMPTY! Imagine that, I ran out of gas, just as I got home.:p I put a gallon in and VRROOOM! first kick! HEH HEH.

Jim

[flathead1957]

I have made the mistake of putting on my helmet before kicking the old girl over. She will normally start on the first or second kick after priming. I think , as previously mentioned, putting on my helmet is a way of being too presumptuous, and tends to bring out the worst in her.
I was ready to store the bikes for the winter and wanted to ride the 46 around the house and into the back garage. I did all the normal praying and chanting prior to making eye contact with the bike. Once eye contact was made, I couldn't turn back for fear of the bike knowing I was fearful. I never let it see me sweat. Anyway, I started kicking after putting on my native American headdress/war bonnet. After about twenty minutes of this, I looked into the tank and found it was empty. OOPS... Right now it is in a million or so parts and is being restored. I know it will start perfectly every single time when I am done.

[Hrdly-Dangrs]

Hello Jim. How's the South Jersey weather today? Never did the 'Out of Gas' thing when starting, but damned if I didn't have to adjust those Magneto Points all the time! Let those things get out of adjustment or a little too worn and you could kick till you were blue in the face and that bike just wasn't going to start. Yeah, even though it looked like you were getting a nice spark when you'd check it while going thru the 'Figure out what the hell's wrong with it 'Checklist'!....Gas and Spark...damn...and I thought it was my helmet!....what will they think of next?!!.....:) ....Hrdly-Dangrs

[61 panman]

Originally posted by AdminGuy
As I sit here in my smokeing jacket.....



A while back I was looking at a FXS 1340cc., stripped, straight bars, lots of engine work, built for speed. Standing in a low ceiling apt. garage. Bike on trailer. Owner offers to start it up. Sure I tell him. Taking two steps back and sticking my fingers in my ears because I'm already half deaf from tuneing. I yell out -watch your head!


He rises up to kick it and hits his head hard on concrete ceiling, foot slips off kicker and he falls face first onto gas tank. Stunned and in disbelief at what just happend , I ask him if he's OK? Winded he says ya. So I suggest that I come back another time to look at the bike. - Let him recover.

He was OK. Bloody, bruised --but OK. I've never laughed so hard when I got out of there. I never did go back. I couldn't face him without laughing. It was a manouver I'll never forget.
I read this yesterday thought it was amusing but felt a little sympathetic for that poor fellow with the collossal headache. Concidentally also hit my head hard on a ceiling yesterday doing some carpentry work, I saw stars and it wasn't even a concrete ceiling.
Fast foward to this morning I am in church daydreaming and I remember this tale of woe. The whole visual of this tale comes into my head and I just burst out laughing thinking of that unfortunate slob and his head bouncing off the gas tank. My daughter keeps asking me what I am laughing about, I cannot even begin to explain...Thank You for a Great Story
Doug

[T. Cotten]

They are female y'know. Abuse 'em and they just embarrass you. A little understanding and they will take you all the way!

[L. A.]

Female???????:confused:

Not 'Cy'...he's definitely male! ;)

[Matt n. Olsen]

Paul,
Just got in late last night from attending a close friends funeral over the weekend. I left early evening on Friday after Matt and I did the spring service and adjustments on my 9500 actual mile 41 el that I had at Republic last fall. Matt rolled it out of the shop so we could take it for a test drive before loading it up for the long trip up to the cold country up north. He asked if he could start it, and I said it has been sitting for well over 5 months and it would probably take a lot of effort, but go ahead. Three prime kicks, full choke and throttle, pull the choke up and then down one click, half spark advance, roll the old girl over on compression, key on and give the boot to her. Started first kick and both of us were impressed, I do not know which I am more proud of the bike our my son, well you know. Loaded up and told Matt to stay off of the fresh 39's while I was gone and to play with the 46 that he had just got done with and headed to North Dakota. Rolled into my buddies house at 2:30 A.M. and it was 35 degrees out. Opened the garage door and there was 9 bikes and 4 or 5 guys waiting for me. Let's unload your bike and rearrange some of these others so we can get it in here to warm it up, one of the guys said. I said I don't have to rely on the battery to start my bike and we should have a couple of beers and tell stories, plus who wants to work in the dark. People start showing up at 8:00 A.M. the next morning. Got the bike unloaded, went through the starting routene twice, but it just popped, so I figured it was flooded after the second time. Opened throttle wide open turned the key off, three vigorous kicks, turned key on next kick it was running. some of the electric start garage queens still needed to get jump or bump started. 75 to 100 bikes leading the he**** to the cemetary, but the road in the cemetary was a little greasy and some slushy snow, so people were parking on the pavement and walking in. I rode in and was the only one, what the hell it was already dirty from the last season. After the graveside service went over and booted it first kick and went the back way out, got to the main road, throttled up, and with a yip, holler, rooster tail, I fishtailed out of there. Rest in peace Dean.

[AdminGuy]

Hey Carl, Good to hear from you.
Sad re funeral. Sorry to hear that. Always makes me appreciate life a whole lot more.
Matt starting that EL after a 5 month layover IS mighty impressive.
Good showing of riders considering the weather and all. Nice to hear.
Good flat track work! I know that the families always like a little of that when the bikes are around. Lifts the spirits.

Hearse,, arse- I have now taken all the silly words off the filter.

I look forward to many more road runs with you. All the best - take care.

^^^^^^ Oh ya, the guy that hit his head. Trailer deck was covered in oil. I did ride up on the elevator with him. I was concerned. It didn't hit me until I started to think about it out in the parking lot. A brother is a brother(L.A. sister), but MAN it was funny.

I myself, on occation, have kicked two or three times with the key off and wondered why the bike will not start. Hummmm...that sounds flat. Oh, Oh ya- the key.

Once on the little Triumph I stalled and was too lazy to stop and kick so as bike was rolling down slight grade at less than a walking pace. I kicked it as it rolled. It started second kick and I got a two thumbs up from a couple of pretty ladies sitting close by. --Ya , I know -easy stuff on a light weight. But you still have to keep your balance as you kick. Which is kinda tricky. Hummmm...would that make a good field event game? A rolling kick.

[AdminGuy]

Hey Carl, Good to hear from you.
Sad re funeral. Sorry to hear that. Always makes me appreciate life a whole lot more.
Matt starting that EL after a 5 month layover IS mighty impressive.
Good showing of riders considering the weather and all. Nice to hear.
Good flat track work! I know that the families always like a little of that when the bikes are around. Lifts the spirits.

Hearse,hearse, arse- I have now taken all the silly words off the filter.

I look forward to many more road runs with you. All the best - take care.

^^^^^^ Oh ya, the guy that hit his head. Trailer deck was covered in oil. I did ride up on the elevator with him. I was concerned. It didn't hit me until I started to think about it out in the parking lot. A brother is a brother(L.A. sister), but MAN it was funny.

I myself, on occation, have kicked two or three times with the key off and wondered why the bike will not start. Hummmm...that sounds flat. Oh, Oh ya- the key.

Once on the little Triumph I stalled and was too lazy to stop and kick so as bike was rolling down slight grade at less than a walking pace. I kicked it as it rolled. It started second kick and I got a two thumbs up from a couple of pretty ladies sitting close by. --Ya , I know -easy stuff on a light weight. But you still have to keep your balance as you kick. Which is kinda tricky. Hummmm...would that make a good field event game? A rolling kick.

[HJahn]

I remember times in ruts or sand or snow when you couldn't get a full stroke of the kick-starter before it hit the ground. Then I broke a couple kick levers too. I liked that forged one-piece kick lever and bicycle pedal of the Knucklehead and early-Panhead era. That bicycle pedal was the very best and looked cool too. I think it has a 1916 part number. And the little outside spiral clock-spring gave the Harley part of its unique American look. I can't stand it when people put stupid chrome covers over that spring.