How do you usually start your Commando?

baz said:

Ash we've been down this kick-starting road a few times now
If you ever end up with no cartilage,bone on bone you will not be kicking your Norton over any more
You can't kick with your left either because your right won't be able to take your weight
So you fit an electric starter or you stop riding your Norton
Unless someone else starts it for you
It's as simple as that

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You beat me to it!

It wasn't long ago that kickstarting a Norton, including a fresh built, wet-sump'ed Combat was no big deal for me. It's nothing to do with technique after 54 years of it - my right hip decided that it was enough. It's replaced and I can kick them again, but I wonder each time if I will damage my hip. My left hip was done long ago and the technology was different (worse). I cannot get on a Norton unless it's on the side stand. So, I have a screwy procedure.

Bike on center stand. Me on the timing side kicking with my right leg (it's WAY stronger than my left). Once started, go to drive side, take it off the center stand and put it on the side stand. That lets me get my right leg just high enough to get it over the seat without hurting my left hip. Stand the bike up, pull in the side stand with great effort, and then go like hell.

When I say my bikes start and idle, that's because there's no way I could put up them dying while I go through my nonsense to be able to ride!

So, Ash, if you don't have arthritis of damned near every joint, be very happy!

FWIW, back in the day, when I was young and had a '71 Commando, I took every opportunity to bump start (4th gear) rather than kick start. I PROBABLY did that because I thought it was cool but it also worked well!

On my current Commando (purchased in '06), when I bought/installed my Alton E-start ('12) and took it to its first outing afterward, all the old brittbike guys thought it was great and just wanted to see it started over and over. It got more attention with the Estart than it ever did with me kickstarting - guys calling other guys over.."You gotta see this!"

Centre stand starter. If out in the wild then it is side stand. No way I can get it up on the centre stand unless it is on
hard ground as in concrete and maybe tarmac. If the tank is full (Interstate) then it is a near run thing. If it is cold usually
first or second kick. Warm same. Hot, well THAT had better be at the top of a hill if it doesn't go directly.

Astride
I grew up around bikes from 12 years no choice about kickstarting. If you wanted to ride you had to kick. Nothing has changed at 65 still willing to kickstart to ride. Most of my other bikes have electric legs bar two big single dirt kickers.

baz said:

Ash we've been down this kick-starting road a few times now
If you ever end up with no cartilage,bone on bone you will not be kicking your Norton over any more
You can't kick with your left either because your right won't be able to take your weight
So you fit an electric starter or you stop riding your Norton
Unless someone else starts it for you
It's as simple as that

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Exactly. I kick started my Matchless 350 single aged 15. And continued to kick start my Commando up to age 67. So I make that 52 years kick-starting my bikes.

But bone on bone no cartilage hurts.

So my 850 and I both got a big red button birthday treat.

Well as I have said before I don't give any thought of injuries that will stop me from kicking my Norton to life and what may happen down the road, 65 years old now, I don't have any cartilage, problems or suffer arthritis or bone on bone injuries or any other problems even with 3 injuries too my left knee its been good since the late 80s, but as I say I can't afford to spend over $5k on a push button starter no matter what may happen down the road, so I live life on the edge and hope I keep kicking as long as I can, I have no other choice but to keep my Norton well-tuned and a one kick to start it as I get older, so far I am doing pretty good, live a very active life, well most of the time lol.
All this doom and gloom about getting old and no longer able to kick start a bike, I just won't worry about until I do have problems, till then I'm not even thinking about what may happen, have better things to think about and enjoy my life on 2 wheels.

Ashley

ashman said:

Well as I have said before I don't give any thought of injuries that will stop me from kicking my Norton to life and what may happen down the road, 65 years old now, I don't have any cartilage, problems or suffer arthritis or bone on bone injuries or any other problems even with 3 injuries too my left knee its been good since the late 80s, but as I say I can't afford to spend over $5k on a push button starter no matter what may happen down the road, so I live life on the edge and hope I keep kicking as long as I can, I have no other choice but to keep my Norton well-tuned and a one kick to start it as I get older, so far I am doing pretty good, live a very active life, well most of the time lol.
All this doom and gloom about getting old and no longer able to kick start a bike, I just won't worry about until I do have problems, till then I'm not even thinking about what may happen, have better things to think about and enjoy my life on 2 wheels.

Ashley

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No doom and gloom from me ash
Just the reality's of life
I'm now 2 years in on having my right knee replaced
And I've just bought a non electric start 920 commando

ashman said:

Well as I have said before I don't give any thought of injuries that will stop me from kicking my Norton to life and what may happen down the road, 65 years old now, I don't have any cartilage, problems or suffer arthritis or bone on bone injuries or any other problems even with 3 injuries too my left knee its been good since the late 80s, but as I say I can't afford to spend over $5k on a push button starter no matter what may happen down the road, so I live life on the edge and hope I keep kicking as long as I can, I have no other choice but to keep my Norton well-tuned and a one kick to start it as I get older, so far I am doing pretty good, live a very active life, well most of the time lol.
All this doom and gloom about getting old and no longer able to kick start a bike, I just won't worry about until I do have problems, till then I'm not even thinking about what may happen, have better things to think about and enjoy my life on 2 wheels.

Ashley

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Good for you - however, at 65 I couldn't imagine how things would be at 10 years later either!

baz said:

No doom and gloom from me ash
Just the reality's of life
I'm now 2 years in on having my right knee replaced
And I've just bought a non electric start 920 commando

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I had both knees replaced in 2013. Best thing I ever did.

If I ever buy a Commando, I expect I’ll tow it with a dromedary, to get it started.

You expat? Not many of them around here. Would be fun watching you try to find one if you stall at traffic lights.

Saber said:

Theres a gradual hill as I exit my driveway. 3rd gear bump start. After that it's usually on the side stand or off of it but with the side stand still out just in case.​

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I need to kick with engine just past tdc otherwise it will likely kick back. Trying to get engine in proper position without being on center or side stands is very difficult.

Astride it, on the center stand.

ozcruiser said:

Astride
I grew up around bikes from 12 years no choice about kickstarting. If you wanted to ride you had to kick. Nothing has changed at 65 still willing to kickstart to ride. Most of my other bikes have electric legs bar two big single dirt kickers.

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A whole lot of us grew up around bikes and every one of us had to either kick or bump start them. My first was a used Honda 50 when I was 8 that my buddy and I bought with our summers lawn cutting money.

Many here have kicked over a wide variety of bikes ever since and IMHO one of the best offerings to ever come along is the E start.
In college for two winters all I had for transport was a 650 Lightning and kicking that over when it was 18 degrees was a way to warm up without the engine ever firing.

My joints have done their job.
I see no need to continue to tax them when progressive technology and more forgiving options, like electric starter for a motorcycle, are available. Nothing like sitting on an uphill incline in heavy traffic wearing jeans and a LS shirt and a helmet and suddenly having to re-start the damn thing because it vapor locked from sitting at a long stop light in the 90 degree summer heat.
One learns a lot of new names offered by other drivers maneuvering around you with a specific gesture stuck out the window.

I knew right away I wanted an E start for my 74 780 and I have that bike tweaked to fire on first kick on the down side of the compression stroke.
Then I found out about cNw's E start kit.
I never looked back and am glad of it.

ILLf8ed made an interesting point.
Ask someone with an ATV or UTV if they are using the kick or pull start. "Only when the battery is dead".
My dad had a 54' MD TD that used to require crank starting. Gawd' did that suck.
I bought a car with a starter.

Seems most of you can afford to spend over $5000 for a E leg but as I have said many times over not all can afford to spend that much money, being forced into early retirement over 10 years ago, living on my pay out and self funded super pension and living on a tight budget each fortnight as well cost of living and all house hold bills going up, just surviving is hard enough, I did a lot of upgrades on my Norton 15 years ago when I was still working and the kids left home I brought things when I had spare money to play with.
I still do have a little money put away for important things like living or emergency times, even if I had money to spend on an ES I still wouldn't buy one, I have learned to live with a KS on my Norton for 48 years now and that will never change, the thought of extra weight and a heavy battery on my light weight Norton is just not on no matter what everyone thinks, as I also have said my Norton although it has high compression I do know how to kick it to life with ease and besides I enjoy kicking it to life and will so for the life of me.
It's good if you have the money to spend on an ES but my hotrod Norton is not built for one simple as that, but it's built for easy kicking to life.
Lots of comments about snuffing it in traffic and the last one snuffing it in traffic on hot days, our summers are very hot here and in 48 years of owning my Norton I have only snuffed it once in traffic and that was 48 years ago not long after buying it new, but I have been running a lochead oil cooler for over 46 years so whether that helps with non vapor locks on hot days.
My kicking leg is very strong, have good hip and no injuries except for my old left knee but it's also doing good so hopefully I will be keeping kicking for as long as I can, I have no other choice but too.
I am not rich and $5000 is a lot of money to me and the wife that can be spent on more important things in life in general, not everyone can afford to spend money on an ES, I learned to live without one on my old Norton.

Ashley

Lineslinger said:

A whole lot of us grew up around bikes and every one of us had to either kick or bump start them. My first was a used Honda 50 when I was 8 that my buddy and I bought with our summers lawn cutting money.

Many here have kicked over a wide variety of bikes ever since and IMHO one of the best offerings to ever come along is the E start.
In college for two winters all I had for transport was a 650 Lightning and kicking that over when it was 18 degrees was a way to warm up without the engine ever firing.

My joints have done their job.
I see no need to continue to tax them when progressive technology and more forgiving options, like electric starter for a motorcycle, are available. Nothing like sitting on an uphill incline in heavy traffic wearing jeans and a LS shirt and a helmet and suddenly having to re-start the damn thing because it vapor locked from sitting at a long stop light in the 90 degree summer heat.
One learns a lot of new names offered by other drivers maneuvering around you with a specific gesture stuck out the window.

I knew right away I wanted an E start for my 74 780 and I have that bike tweaked to fire on first kick on the down side of the compression stroke.
Then I found out about cNw's E start kit.
I never looked back and am glad of it.

ILLf8ed made an interesting point.
Ask someone with an ATV or UTV if they are using the kick or pull start. "Only when the battery is dead".
My dad had a 54' MD TD that used to require crank starting. Gawd' did that suck.
I bought a car with a starter.

Click to expand...

When my mates started buying Japanese bikes and I was still into British they would always use the old one "when was the last time you started your car with a starting handle"
45 years later I still have some kickstart only bikes
And they mostly have Hinckley triumphs !!

I have not had a body part replaced in 73 years. Kick starting a 750 Norton engine to life is still relatively easy. I've had some motorcycles that were far more intimidating to kick start. My left hand kick start Rotax 560 thumpers always made me a little nervous when kicking cold.

johnm said:

So my 850 and I both got a big red button birthday treat.

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Shouldn’t that be a green button?

Larry S said:

Shouldn’t that be a green button?

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Actually on the CNW starter it is a black button.