Birken Vogt said:I am 6' but both my bikes are too tall for me to stand up with both feet down so I had to adapt. Both bikes require a mighty kick to get started and that actually helps with the height and starting somewhat. What I do is to bring the starter to TDC then return the lever to the top. What happens next is a balancing act as I push off the ground with the left foot to sort of push the bike towards standing straight up but not so far that it breaks over and falls to the right, at the same time I give myself a little extra boost higher with the right foot on the starter lever, then as I start to come down on the starter I put all my weight into it and at the same time get ready to land on the left foot again as the bike begins to fall back to the left. Sounds confusing but I do it all the time on side hills both directions and flat ground. On side hills where the right is up obviously I have to modify the procedure and my right foot is doing the balancing and kicking.
If the bike breaks over to the wrong side it might take some fancy footwork to save it but if the side hill is too steep it will tip over on me. This is a good incentive for me not to let this happen. Also somewhat amusing to onlookers is when the foot slips off the starter lever and the pant leg gets caught on it, this almost always results in a crash to the right. ;)
Birken
1966mustang said:Well im 15 im 5,5 and i ride my stepdads kx500 can you imagine that i just jump on and kick it i have to lean to the left quite a bit though but im fine so i think you can hadle it if you keep trying.
rompnstomp said:I kick a KTM 380 EXC, which needs a decent kick compared to a 250 or something. If I'm in the woods in an awkward sort of position, I'll find a tree or something to lean the left side of the bars on..then I can do a left foot on the peg kick. This usually saves energy and allows me to get a harder kick so I don't wear myself out with weak kicks when I can hardly touch.
MX-727 said:You mentioned lowering the subframe. Not that major really:
Two ways to do it:
1) Cut a short section out of each of the diagonal suppports and have the subframe welded back together.
2) Elongate or ovalize the bottom mounting holes in the subframe so that it will slide farther down.
Either of these mods will lower the rear of the seat quite a bit. Do some research and check the KTM forum. I know that Tony Eeds has lowered the subframe on his 200.
MX-727 said:Oh, you can use the kickstand trick for those times when you can't do anything else or when you are just too tired to get it running any other way. Since you say you are able to balance the bike and get three kicks without having a foot on the ground, you should also be able to start the bike without putting an undue amount of stress on the kickstand.
1966mustang said:Im not really sure what to tell you thats my method but i have had to lean against stuff like you said before. My grandpa asked me to start a 750 yahmaha one time he thought he was being funny so i hopped on and could barely hold it up but i kicked it and the engine backfired and threw me literally over the handlebars. Needless to say i hurt a little.
1966mustang said:By the way i doubt very likely yopu will break the kickstand bolts i have started many bikes like that like when i was 3 i started out on a suzuki 50 and had to start it on the kickstand i dont think you will hurt anything myself
pyrofreak said:You might jsut try kicking it over off the bike if your left leg is strong enough, then jsut hop on and go.
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