What's the starting procedure on the kickstart?

[trist007]

I just got a 2005 KX-250F. I got it to run earlier and took it around the block in my apt complex. I love it. However, I'm having a hard time starting it up again. Check it.

1. I have the fuel on ON
2. I have the choke pulled out
3. I have the clutch pulled back
4. I have the quickstart lever pulled back as well
5. I give it a bit of gas

Once that is set. I slowly push the kickstand down one full turn. The kickstand comes back up. I then push it down to a half turn. It comes back up. Then I push it down hard for a full turn, but it won't start. What's the common procedure?

 

[mkelly04]

1. Put the choke on only if it is cold.
2. Do not touch the gas
3. put the bike in neutral so you dont have to pull the clutch.
4. Do not pull the hot start lever, that is only used if you crash the bike and flood the engine.

5. Kick hard.


That is it. The new 4-strokes are pretty easy to start.

 

[trist007]

so just one hard full kick?
I don't have to do any slow pre-kicks to get the compression up?

 

[bclark001]

NO

but another thing I have seen on 4-strokes with kick stands is a saftey switch so that the bike wont start without it down

but a 2005 KX-250F is a motocross bike and shouldnt have a kickstand or a saftey switch but just my 2cents probally worth 1cent

 

[trist007]

so then just one hard follow thru kick? lol...

It's just that it's not starting hehe. Thanks for the info tho.

 

[flyingfuzzball]

i tend to kick it hard 6 times and if it doesnt start i give it a tiny crack of gas for a couple kicks. that works and is the same advice the people at the dealer told me when i bought the bike.

 

[JD_MXRacer]

4 strokes are usually harder to start then 2 strokes. there were some guys at my race on the starting gate that had to hold on to my handlebars and jump down on the kickstart to get it to start. lol then others would just take a couple hard kicks and it would start.

also only pull that hot start lever in if it has been run for a while or you crashed and it fell over.

 

[trist007]

So I just pull the choke out only if it's cold. Does that mean that if I start the bike for the first time of the day, I need choke?

 

[_JOE_]

If it's cold use the choke. Also blip the throttle a couple times, as this will shoot a small charge of fuel from the accelerator pump into the cylinder. KICK HARD THROUGH THE FULL STROKE. If the bike is jetted correctly it will start in a few kicks. If it doesn't start in a few kicks, blip the throttle once more.

When it's hot, just kick it. If it won't fire in a kick or two, use the hot start. Good luck! Oh, and don't ride it in the appartment complex, that will get you in trouble more often than not.

 

[2 strokes for life]

If it is this hard to start try checking the valve clearences. If they are out of tune this will make a bike hard to start. Has it always been hard to start or this just started happening?

 

[trist007]

Cool, yeah already ridden it twice, but I had to keep the revs up just to keep the engine on. It took me a bit to get used to the balancing cause I"m used to street bikes, but like everything else, a little bit of gas straightens you out. Yeah, I'm gonna stop riding in the apt complex, was fun tho. Just waiting for my dirtbike mount hitch to come in for my tahoe, then I'm going to a flat dirt area where a future mall will be. Can't wait. Yea I just need practice on starting the bike is all. I just got it yesterday.

 

[2 strokes for life]

Ohh i see. Try to adjust the idle screw up so the bike idles on its own without the throttle.

 

[trist007]

on the idle, do i turn it clockwise or counterclockwise? I know I can check, but just wanted to know.

 

[trist007]

Oh yea, hehe, last nite, as I was kicking the kickstand like crazy, my 4 yr old shoe finally gave way. The knob on the kickstand actually went through the sole of my shoe and bruised my foot. Classic, hehe.

 

[TheGDog]

Hmmph... those times when I've had a four stroke be troublesome about starting... I've tried the 2-stroke trick of just holding the throttle completely wide open and kick it again and that has usually done the trick when normal attempts (not touching the throttle) didn't work.

And this was on an '02 KTM450 MXC that had a magic button. Sometimes when she'd sit too long the lil battery would drain, so then Big Papa would have to put the Stomp Down! :boss:

 

[trist007]

Anybody ever tried jumpstarting a bike?

Like putting her into first, holding the clutch in, and going downhill and just popping the clutch around 10mph?

 

[rbt76]

but like everything else, a little bit of gas straightens you out.

I hope you have good medical insurance.

on the idle, do i turn it clockwise or counterclockwise? I know I can check, but just wanted to know.

Clockwise adjusts the idle up

 

[trist007]

Yeah I'm thinking the reason I'm having such a hard time starting it is because the idle is set too low.

 

[trist007]

Also, so that you guys know, I have some bike experience. I have my motorcycle license. My first bike was a 1996 suzuki dual sport 650 with a kickstand. Then I switched to street bikes. Had a 1996 Ninja 500. Then last year I had a 2007 Suzuki GXSR 750. That bike was crazy fast. So I have experience with speed. When I first rode my KX250F two days ago, it felt weird cause I was used to riding street bikes which are lower to the ground. But I'm getting used to it. I know MX bikes are leaps and bounds from that 650 dual sport, but I've had experience with speed on those street bikes. So hopefully that will make you rest a little easier. Plus, I take my time learning on bikes. I'm not gonna open up the kx250f for awhile. I'm not planning on racing. I just want to do dirt trails in New Mexico, Colorado, and Texas. So chill out.

 

[poisonrain87]

power stroke

make sure the bike is on a power stroke too. youll feel it cuz the kikstart will be stiff.

 

[trist007]

Yea what's a power stroke? Is it the building up of compression? Is that better for starting a bike? I've noticed, I'll push the kickstart down 3 times and on the 4th it's super stiff. It's kinda too stiff to kick down hard. So, intead of just kicking down hard once, should I do 3 mini kicks and one final hard kick?

Also, once it's stiff, is there a way to make it unstiff without using the kickstart?

 

[Rotorranch]

I just got a 2005 KX-250F. I got it to run earlier and took it around the block in my apt complex. I love it. However, I'm having a hard time starting it up again. Check it.

1. I have the fuel on ON
2. I have the choke pulled out
3. I have the clutch pulled back
4. I have the quickstart lever pulled back as well
5. I give it a bit of gas

Once that is set. I slowly push the kickstand down one full turn. The kickstand comes back up. I then push it down to a half turn. It comes back up. Then I push it down hard for a full turn, but it won't start. What's the common procedure?

Ummm...I usually use the kickstarter to start mine. :nod: :coocoo: :whoa:

But that's just me.

If you're having that much trouble, it kind of sounds like you may have issues with the valves being out of adjustment. :yikes: :ugg:

Rotor

 

[Ol'89r]

Also, so that you guys know, I have some bike experience. QUOTE]


Yeah, it sounds like it. :laugh: :rotfl:

1. Read your service manual, twice.

2. If you don't have a service manual, go buy one.

3. Read your service manual again.

4. Check your valve clearance or have it checked by a shop. If the valves are too tight the bike will not want to start or idle correctly. The hotter the bikes gets the worse it will run.

5. Keep your hand off of the throttle. Your bike has a accelerator pump. Every time you twist the throttle it squirts fuel into the engine and can flood the engine.

6. Read your service manual again.

7. Do not 'jump start' your bike. If there is something wrong with the engine, it may start and run but it will also do damage to the engine. And it's called 'bump start' not jump start.

8. It's not the POWER STROKE it's the COMPRESSION STROKE that you are looking for. The power stroke occurs after the compression stroke. On most of the late model fourstrokes, you can't feel the compression stroke because of the automatic compression release.

9. Try doing a search before asking so many questions. Most of these topics have been beaten to death.

10. Read your manual again.

11. Stay off of the street with your bike. Riding a dirtbike on the street will only piss your neighbors off and cause the rest of us to lose the precious few riding areas we have left. :think:

 

[trist007]

yeah i don't have a service manual, at least not yet, should be in the mail in a few days.

so tell me more about this compression stroke. so instead of doing one major kick at the beginning, i should do a few mini ones then for the compression stroke do one hardcore one? can somebody please clarify that.

 

[bclark001]

just kick it over full and hard