My Norton motor is not standard my cam has been built up to combat specs, still running original valve but has been ported the head has been shaved and 40thu Hepilight flat top pistons the final rebore to hone was done tighter than recommended so my motor was very tight on the first kick after the rebuild but knowing my own Norton it still fired it up on the first kick, I have only used a timing light once on my Norton as really the rota marks are never that accurate in the first place, yes I do use the timing marks to set my ignition as close as I can for firing, if I get kick back I just slightly retard it till the kick back is gone, tune my carbs in then take for a ride and do minor adjustments when needed, I have been doing it this way for all my Norton life and works for me, all my mates can't kick my Norton to life on first kick, and they have owned British bikes most of their lives, have had a drinking contest in my shed and after many beers I give the mates 5 attempts to kick my Norton to life and they always fail, I run a Joe Hunt maggie and the longer folding kick start, then of course they say go on smart arse and even sitting on the seat it will fire up first kick every time for me and to show off I turn it off and back on and kick it back to life every time, but after 46 years of ownership and know every bit on my Norton, I have the knack.
When I first bought my 850 new when I was 17, I was built like a match stick skinny as and it did take me some time, well a month anyway to get to understand what is needed to do to kick start a Norton and my mate who got me into Norton's always said there is a knack you just got to learn that knack, I have owned a few older kick start Triumphs in my time and they are not the same as kicking a Norton to life, they are easy.
The first kick in the morning or day is the most important kick, it will be the biggest swing on the kicker, but once started for the day I can sit on the seat and kick it to life, but that first kick for the day is one you got to get right, I have seen so many riders who have just got into Norton's and watch them kicking them to start them and usually 5 or 6 kicks and sometime longer, they just do everything wrong, one of my old riding mate that I been riding with for 49 years he bought a Norton 750 Commando back in the late 70s we were at Lakeside Race way in my home town his Norton had Mikuni carbs and he was kicking it for over 30 minutes trying to start it, I was watching him and he was kicking it like his old Japanese dirt bikes, straight away I told him he was doing it all wrong and using throttle on every kick, so he said give it a try, pissed him off when I fired it up on the first kick, he didn't keep the Norton for long after that and he also had a Norton tatto on his left arm when he bought it, to this day we still ride together and every so often I will ask him about the Norton tatt on his arm while with the mates as not to many know about that tatt that is under his shirt sleeve lol, love stirring the old mates up LOL.
As I say experience Norton owner will know what I am talking about and I have seen many Utube from people on this site as well others who just do everything wrong when kicking a Norton to life and why so many spend the money on E starters, as for getting old if you don't have the knack then the ES will be for you, my Norton will never have one fitted, but I do have the knack
Ashley
