Kick Starting After Hip Replacement

I just had a right total hip replacement 3 weeks ago and let me tell you, it's a fantastic thing! I asked the doc when I would be ready to kick start my Norton again and he told me to give it a year, which actually was a bit of a surprise. I was prepared to hear that I should never kick a bike again, so I was relieved to hear it. Sad that I wont be able to ride the Norton in 2021 but happy that at least I should be able to again.

It still worries me a bit, because the last thing I would want to do is to cause this wonderful implant harm, and the setback it would force on me. I could consider an electric start conversion, but the Norton really is easy to kick start.

Are there any forum members with hip replacements that are still kickin?

I just read through a similar thread that involved kicking after knee replacement. The consensus seems to be that an E start should be in my future.

My problem is besides the Norton I have quite a few kick start only bikes. Ouch

I had a hip replaced when I was 66, I'm 70 now. Mine was the left hip and before the surgery I had to drag my left leg into the car with my pant leg. I kicked motorbikes over with my right leg but I couldn't lift my left leg onto the foot peg. I would pull the clutch, put it in gear with my hand and once I got it rolling, would stand up, get my left foot on the peg and sit down. Doing a similar gyration at every stop. I don't remember how long It was until I kick started a bike after surgery but my hip was replaced in December and I'm sure I took my Triumph triple to the local vintage bike show in late April. I never asked my surgeon about when I should kick over a motorbike, but when he gave me a green light to ride our horses I figured I was good to go. My hip replacement has been great and I'm sure yours will enhance your life as it did mine.

Thanks for that brokeneagle. I wouldn't be worried about kicking if it was my left hip. I suppose I could train myself to stand on the right side and kick with my OEM left leg.

Or you could move to a house on a hill.
Extremely helpful on wetsumped Nortons.

Interesting discussion and timely for me - I'm scheduled for a right hip replacement on November 25. My surgeon is performing the "anterior method" where the muscles are not cut and therefor the joint is fully supported. What method was used for your surgery?

When I asked about limitations after surgery his response was "other than avoiding impact - very few limitations". My days as a runner are over obviously (the 35,000 miles of running over the last 30 years probably caused the hip issue), and I should avoid jumping but he said use of my rowing machine is OK.

Didn't think about kick starting. Really don't want to convert my Commando to e-Start, and I'm not sure what I would do about the Triumph. I have one more appointment with the surgeon before the procedure - will see what he says.

Bringing this back .... Dave how did you get on with the kickstarting after the op ?

Is it viable to do this ongoing ?

Be pleased to get an update.

I wouldn't risk it. e-start would be worth it. If you have multiple bikes it might be time to whittle down.

I hope that's NOT my future, but no way would I cause myself to do something like that twice. It's bad enough with my leg that now has a plate and screws, that's why I haven't been working on my race bike, BSA, and Triton...

grandpaul said:

I wouldn't risk it. e-start would be worth it. If you have multiple bikes it might be time to whittle down.

I hope that's NOT my future, but no way would I cause myself to do something like that twice. It's bad enough with my leg that now has a plate and screws, that's why I haven't been working on my race bike, BSA, and Triton...

Click to expand...

Sometimes age is just against you
I started 2 bikes for old boys on Sunday
One was a road rocket with very high compression pistons
Poor old boy was giving it all he had but it wouldn't go
I asked if I could try and it fired on the second kick
Then another bloke that I know asked if I could start his plunger A10
He could barely push it through but he's had both knees replaced a few years ago and he's in his early 80s
It started first kick
The compression was really low compared to the road rocket
I could probably have started it by hand
It comes to us all I guess

I had the left one done in 2013 and the right April 2024. The technology is MUCH better 11 years later. The leg part actually snaps into the hip part in the latest one. In the old one, there is nothing to keep it in place except you and it is metal on metal - always a real chance of popping out of place - especially getting on a bike.

Since the latest one, I have kicked: Norton 850, Trident, Bonneville - waited 4 months before trying any of them and the 850 was 9 months. I recently tried a Combat - hip didn't stop me, leg weaker than it was did. Because of my weight, I got the 14" cut on the side of my hip. If done thru the front, many less muscles are damaged in the process.

I was walking (with a walker) 3 hours after surgery. Switched to a cane after 5 days. Switched to nothing after 3 more days. It is WONDERFUL to not have hip pain after decades of it!