tips and tricks for kickstarting a Commando (2014)

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Just kick the mother, after 39 years of ownership and good maintenance my bike has always been first or second kick when cold, but since I put the maggie on and Jims carbies it always first kick everytime and I have never kicked from the centre or side stand even in my younger days being a 9 stone weakling, just get to know your bike and learn how to kick it, every bike is diffrent, so learn how to do your own bike.

Ashley
 
Attitude it is.

Two months ago, due to a bad advance adjustment, I snapped my Achille's tendon right off.
(850 in a slimline, with lightened crank, PW3 camshaft and twin Amals).

Six weeks after surgery, against the advice of just about anybody, I climbed back on the beast and started riding it again!

Center stand. No chokes. Flooding both carbs. And a good whack. Usually starts on the second.
These days, with a still very weak (just 2 months after surgery, the right leg it might take me more)...but I am healing fast. Yesterday over 100miles on the beast.

:mrgreen:
 
Jagbruno said:
Attitude it is.

Two months ago, due to a bad advance adjustment, I snapped my Achille's tendon right off.
(850 in a slimline, with lightened crank, PW3 camshaft and twin Amals).

Six weeks after surgery, against the advice of just about anybody, I climbed back on the beast and started riding it again!

Center stand. No chokes. Flooding both carbs. And a good whack. Usually starts on the second.
These days, with a still very weak (just 2 months after surgery, the right leg it might take me more)...but I am healing fast. Yesterday over 100miles on the beast.

:mrgreen:
Click to expand...

good on you... Who is the boss now, hahha and be sure to ring its neck while you can!!!!
 
Lorenzo, you must have with your Norton a Lovemaking !
When my 850 Mk2 was just arrived from USA I have tried to start-(following the ritual ceremony) and at second kick it go (stroke of luck)
with the oldest fuel- and after a one month trip, battery.
Now after some months of restoration, I have make two not many convinced attempts- no results - but I don't abandon the hope -
Cheers
Andrea

https://picasaweb.google.com/1127708198 ... 2JSzwZr4Iw
 
Ashamed to admit this, but I took my Mk111 off the workstand today where it has sat for exactly one year, since the last All-Norton run. Last year has been really mad, but no excuses. Drained the fuel from the tank, and drained the carbs as well. The contents of the oil tank had migrated to the sump, so that was drained and returned to it's rightful starting point. Pushed it out of the shed, put it on the sidestand.

Fuel on, tickled until the first hint of fuel came out of each carb. Rest the bodyweight on a straight leg on the kickstarter and push gently through, turn the ignition on, one good boot and it is alight , and staying alight. Hold it on the throttle for about thirty seconds, or a little more, and then it just sits there idling happily. First kick start after one year off. Ambient temp low 20's (C)

Twin 32 mm Mk 1 Amals synched with a vacuum gauge
Tri-Spark ignition
CNW coil to go with the Tri-Spark
Nothing else, really, except fresh fuel--big believer in that, modern fuels seem to "go off" very quickly, modern ignition systems can probably compensate, our old carbs can't. Running on 91 unleaded.
 
Attitude. I have a new engine with some very good compression. I watched the builder start it with his hand.
He has big arms.
I tickle the Amals, and never use the stands or choke.
Push it down to about the last 1/3 of the starting stroke and give it one. Some throttle right at the bottom of the kick.
Usually starts on the first or second kick. Its a fighter, but it runs great. I have points and nothing fancy.
FWIW I live at the top of a perfectly good hill and have yet to use it.
My 60 year old knee doesnt like this bike, but I do.
 
Actually, I have to get up on the pegs and give it the one, two with my weight which means using one stand or the other. I've never been able to start it off to the side or astride with no stand, I always tip the bike over that way. Maybe that girl(?) on the Harley has enough counter weight?

Old video:

tips and tricks for kickstarting a Commando (2014)
 
I think that girl on the harley has it on the sidestand, just kicking it with her left boot. Some seem to prefer it, some are dogmatic that it is the only way. Never liked it myself, for two reasons
1) I have a dodgy left knee so preference is for the right boot.
2) If you overbalance, you are screwed--much more chance of it falling off the stand, and you are not going to catch it from that side.

my Mk111 is de-startered for various reasons I have stated before on these pages, but I ordered all the bits i need to re-instate it recently, have another go.
 
auldblue said:
tips and tricks for kickstarting a Commando (2014)
Click to expand...
I've always thought that this looked ridiculous and is totally unnecessary.
I had a magneto shovelhead back in the day and never had to jump 3 feet into the air to start it.
 
You might not be 130 lbs too. I wish I had the balance to do that, but the Norton weighs less than I do too and that doesn't help and it's not easy to keep 430 lbs from falling over once it starts. That Harley probably comes in at 6-800 lbs and that's somewhat different. Looks like she's got a tennis shoe on too, can't fault her attitude.
 
Couldn't bring myself to read the standard advice that some can and some can't do for one reason or another. Still owning a kick start bike, especially a poorly leveraged Commando does test one's manhood pecking order. Do Note Harleys have better leverage and hurley burley Harely kickers can be surprised attempting a Commando first time. Two paths for compression releases now exist in two aging minds.
 
the difficulty of starting is a correlation of the no. of people watching
I.E. One onlooker first time.............
two or more second kick
10 or more as happened to me , no fucking way
have a walk around ice cream etc and come back and first kick ................
 
Richard Barks said:
the difficulty of starting is a correlation of the no. of people watching
I.E. One onlooker first time.............
two or more second kick
10 or more as happened to me , no fucking way
have a walk around ice cream etc and come back and first kick ................
Click to expand...

This is so true. So that means the Commando engine is a shy thing that doesn't like making alot of noise and fuss that may draw attention to it. Maybe letting it hide behind a large fairing would help if all else fails :D
 
[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T0DS43Mt44[/video]

long version
[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mH_0GN5GeSU[/video]
 
84ok said:
[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T0DS43Mt44[/video]
Click to expand...
I said it before, I'll say it again: STUPID AMERICANS! He's an embarrassment to us all! At least he has good taste in bikes, even if he can't start it.
 
Nater_Potater said:
I said it before, I'll say it again: STUPID AMERICANS! He's an embarrassment to us all! At least he has good taste in bikes, even if he can't start it.
Click to expand...

We've all been there at some point, even those of us who aren't American !!
 
We've all been there at some point, even those of us who aren't American !!
Click to expand...

Ya, and imagine cops, snarled traffic and annoying photographers on top of that.
 
Richard Barks said:
the difficulty of starting is a correlation of the no. of people watching
I.E. One onlooker first time.............
two or more second kick
10 or more as happened to me , no fucking way
have a walk around ice cream etc and come back and first kick ................
Click to expand...

This is so true...mine starts first kick - unless it sits amongst other Commandos on a club run. Then she just seems to want to make a point of not starting and making me look like a complete knob.
 
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