Kick start

[Grandpa]

Thank you all for your insights. It looks like it might be a big fat waste of time & money to try, at least on my bike which I need to commute to work. Just for the record I have no starter issues, I just think kick starters are cool. :-D If it were a simple swap of a few parts from an 850, I'd do it in a second.

Ah well. I'll have to dream up some other crazy thing to attempt.

How about attempting to improve the bike, making sensible modifications here and there that are cost- and time-effective. Many of these mods that improve the reliability, comfort, safety, and longevity of our GS bikes are spread out on many different threads throughout this forum.

[Grandpa]

If the engine is tuned right you shouldn't need too much to make it fire. It takes about 1/4 of a kick for me to fire up my 750. I can even do it without lifting my bum off the seat.

When it's out of tune though, it's a very different story. I have had bikes that take numerous kicks to get them going. Using a kick starter in the rain is always fun - NOT!!!!!. I have skinned a few shins kick starting dirt bikes in the mud. OUCH!!! :shock:

My bikes have always been in top state of tune. It may be easy for you to kickstart a 750, but I'm a wuss, a sissy, and hate to work harder than I should. I found kickstarting my 1979 850 was a royal PITA, so I just didn't do it. Pushing a little button on the right handlebar, one that will yield positive results 99.99999% of the time, is much preferable than trying to convince myself and others that I'm a macho man.

[49er]

My bikes have always been in top state of tune. It may be easy for you to kickstart a 750, but I'm a wuss, a sissy, and hate to work harder than I should. I found kickstarting my 1979 850 was a royal PITA, so I just didn't do it. Pushing a little button on the right handlebar, one that will yield positive results 99.99999% of the time, is much preferable than trying to convince myself and others that I'm a macho man.

Most people hate to work harder than they have to. The reality is that the shorter the stoke of an engine, the harder it is to kick start it, especially when it is cold. With a longer stroked engine, the momentum/rotation of the crankshaft is greater and the air/gas flow is higher per kick, promoting faster starting. This assumes that the engine is in a "top state of tune" and you're not being a pussy. A long stoke, high compression engine, can cause concern when kick starting, especilly when the tuning isn't spot on.