Kick Starting a Norton with a new knee?

It must have been a tough choice: put the Titanium in the knees or the connecting rods...;-O

I say good on you , great determination , ride on !

I'm in orthopaedics and have been designing hips knees mainly for 30 years. All knees have plastic between the two metal components which are nearly always Cobalt Chrome Molybdenum. Most knee designs are not so dissimilar and the biggest variables are the surgeon, the pre-operative state and patient's attitude and adherence to the rehabilitation programme. If the knee is stable enough kick starting a bike shouldn't be an issue but try to avoid kicking from a deep flexion position. Also find out more about what knee you have which will be cruciate retaining or posterior stabilised.

Surgeons tend to be very risk averse because they dont want you to push the boundaries in case of litigation. I will write a book when I leave orthopaedics, the stories I can tell and what I have seen, it's scary, the postcode lottery..

Nice Interceptor, I have one of my two for sale on ebay here in the UK so I can get my Commando back from a mates house 200 miles away - I ran out of space building my wife's pension...

my biggest worry is stalling the engine while stopped in traffic. coming up on 73 and I don't have the strength and balance I did when I was in my 20's and i'm a bit wobbly on my feet, so a balanced kick start ain't gonna happen. I even have to rely on the side stand to get on and off the bike. I have a bad right knee, but still can kick over my 74 without issues, but only on the center stand. the few times I've stalled the bike in traffic, I was lucky I could get the bike to the side of the road and go through a whole routine to restart the bike. an e-start is definitely next on the agenda. leaning toward the alton kit.

don't have any trouble getting the bike up on the center stand from the side, but I did see a video where a guy could get his commando up on the center stand while sitting on the bike, but have yet to master that technique.

Hmmm. I can relate to the stalling in traffic. No way I can restart without getting to the side of the road.
Food for thought.

Reminds me of one of the funniest things ever that happened with my first Commando. It would have been around 1995 and I had gone with a mate on a Yam 750 Tenure to Sherburn in Elmet bikers caff for the Wednesday eve bike meet. It was the old cafe venue where it could get several thousand quite regularly. We stopped to pick a mate up on the back of mine who literally lived around the corner on an estate. We set off to 'the caff' but as we pulled up to the lights it stalled with hundreds watching. I tried to kick it but no joy so said friend gets off the back. Up and onto the centre stand I start kicking the shit out of it sweating buckets before realising that I hadn't put the petrol tap back on since stopping at his house nearby. Suddenly it roared into life with the throttle cables jammed open and started walking itself down the road withee bike vibrating like clappers on the centre stand and me chasing after it.. My mate on the Yam was pissing himself laughing as I died of embarrassment. I could write a book on that first Mk1 Interstate Commando OCE60M 304759. It took some sorting but I got there in the end and regretted selling it..
I always take pleasure now with my fellow brit bike mates trying to start my own bike first so we can go they cant get theirs going, particularly when there a crowd - it's what good friends are for. Laxey sea front on a summers day...

If you’re building a bike you may want to consider a different cam with more overlap like the Combat SS. It’s actually easier to kick.

I use a pit starter for the first cold start the the 850 MK2A kicks easy after the warm up.
Btw I have a one on bone right knee setup

swooshdave said:

If you’re building a bike you may want to consider a different cam with more overlap like the Combat SS. It’s actually easier to kick.

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I've found that when I first get into the kick start cycle and encounter, what i'm thinking is, max compression, if I pause a few seconds, and only then give it a firm kick, it's fairly easy to follow through and usually starts on the first or second attempt. i'm guessing it bleeds off just enough compression to make thing's bit easier. it took me a while to come up with a starting routine for me and the bike, but now not having any real issues, even with a bad knee. still can't straddle the bike, and do a balanced kick start. I remember doing that back in the 70's with my triumph daytona, but I was in my 20's. not today zurg - those days are long gone.

FastFred said:

I'm in orthopaedics and have been designing hips knees mainly for 30 years. All knees have plastic between the two metal components which are nearly always Cobalt Chrome Molybdenum. Most knee designs are not so dissimilar and the biggest variables are the surgeon, the pre-operative state and patient's attitude and adherence to the rehabilitation programme. If the knee is stable enough kick starting a bike shouldn't be an issue but try to avoid kicking from a deep flexion position. Also find out more about what knee you have which will be cruciate retaining or posterior stabilised.

Surgeons tend to be very risk averse because they dont want you to push the boundaries in case of litigation. I will write a book when I leave orthopaedics, the stories I can tell and what I have seen, it's scary, the postcode lottery..

Nice Interceptor, I have one of my two for sale on ebay here in the UK so I can get my Commando back from a mates house 200 miles away - I ran out of space building my wife's pension...

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my "knee" doctor was a mechanical engineer before becoming an orthopedic MD and surgeon, specializing in knee replacements. left knee's been replaced some 7 years now, and I have absolutely zero issues with it. at some point, I will need the right knee replaced - just not looking forward to it.

with this total right knee replacement, its been the worst 12 days of my like. The pain meds don't work anymore, its just miserable . this better be worth it, however what I am going to do? ask for a refund?

at this point I cant even dream of riding anything, e start or not

Jimbo , first knee job (1976) for me was in hospital for 6 sleeps I was almost dealing with pain when Dr. comes in and explained he had also drilled 15 holes in my femur (experimental at time) to promote new cartilage growth , kinda lost it for next 5 sleeps , sent home in ambulance , thankfully Jo my now wife came along with ambulance from our hometown with a dozen cold ones , had most of it polished off over hour plus ride home ..... fast forward to 1992 broke leg in 3 in woods with our 2 very young children ..... this time 8” rod inserted , during day surgery Jo drove me home ,in our wagon ,worst trip of life , started in front , then back, then laid back seat down and stretched out , howled all the way home .... it do get better with some time , but you don’t forget it soon , good luck !

jimbo said:

with this total right knee replacement, its been the worst 12 days of my like. The pain meds don't work anymore, its just miserable . this better be worth it, however what I am going to do? ask for a refund?

at this point I cant even dream of riding anything, e start or not

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here's hoping everything works out. went thru the same thing with the pain, and it seems like it took forever to heal. the first couple weeks, with the in-house therapy, was the worst. as was pointed out - stay on top with the therapy. there were times where I just wanted to say "f*** this!" even though my left knee is now trouble free, I"M DREADING THE RIGHT REPLACEMENT. I know guys that have had both knees done at the same time. I couldn't friggin imagine that. all I can say is hang in there.

Good luck, it's a the soft tissue disruption that needs to heal as the exposure (incision) is pretty brutal. Hang in there..

The first 2 weeks is rough but it does get much better after that (slowly). Do the physical therapy exercises to get back your range of motion and muscle strength. The "heel drag" with the strap hurts like crazy at first.

got different meds pain management is better , now two weeks in , walking semi stiff without a cane, gotta a lot of swelling in knee and lower leg , they are hunting for a blood clot today. blood pressure is high too( cant take my normal b pressure meds , Sam Adams)

jimbo said:

with this total right knee replacement, its been the worst 12 days of my like. The pain meds don't work anymore, its just miserable . this better be worth it, however what I am going to do? ask for a refund?

at this point I cant even dream of riding anything, e start or not

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Going on 6 weeks and my right leg/knee is better than the old wore out one, I am guessing by about 20% better , and getting better everyday. but the progress is slowing( naturally). I have been using the Interceptor for kick start exercise , and now graduated to the 850 Nort. I can stand on the pegs and kick it over to the point of being fast enough to be able to start it I think. I have not had enough courage to turn on the ignition yet.

Too bad I have to go through the whole thing again in Oct, as one leg doesn't match the other now.

Update! Started the RE today no problem, 6 months in and I am good to go. Next test is a Nort

In three weeks I get the other side done.....

Get the Nort going and a couple rides in quick before the winter sets in and you feel it in the knees.

not much knee pain, been riding this
going to get the Nortons out today