Why is the Husky WR250 so hard to start?

[Buzz Bomb]

I have started manyJapanese 250s (Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Yamaha), and the Huskquvarna WR250 is real pain to start. It seems to have way more compression then the other bikes, mine inluded. Why is this? Is the kickstarter design a part of this? the Husky's seems shorter, which would give your foot less leverage.

 

[KDXfile]

I had a 00' WR250 I raced all last year and it was an easy starter. You have to get used to the location of the kickstarter as it's more foward on the engine than all the other bikes you mentioned because of the right side drive.
Try leaning the bike over a little and get up on the tank a bit to get a good kick and it should start first kick providing it's jetted okay.

 

[bud]

Jetting is definitely a part of it. Most of the guys I ride with ride huskys (it's common that 8 oout of 10 bikes on any given ride are 00 or 01 huskys), and when they are hard to start it's usually a jetting issue. Mine always starts 1st kick hot or cold. In gear too, when it's hot.

One problem that the 00 models seem to have is the kickstart can get stuck, so it can't easily be pulled around into kicking position. It always happens when there's lots of puddles. What happens is the ball bearing with a spring under it gets crap in it and it seizes. Happened to 3 of us on last sunday's ride. But if you clean out the spring regularly, it's not a problem.

Re length of the lever and compression, it doesn't feel much different the jap bikes I have ridden recently. The position of the lever is different though as Mark says, and may require a different technique, though that same technique seems to also work on the jap bikes :).

 

[Buzz Bomb]

Sorry if I was unclear in my post. I was referring to the kickstarter. This bike seems way harder just to kick. Sometimes when I go to kick the bike, my foot doesn't move, LOL. On my CR that's barely ever a problem. The Husky kickstarter can hold me up in the air for like 5 secs before it falls into the stroke.

 

[KDXfile]

I had a hard time when I first bought the bike. This kickstarter is short but I still think it's a position problem for you. The Husky starter is probably about 5" more foward than a typical Jap bike so you have to compensate by moving foward. When I would be sitting on the start line at a Harescramble, my crotch would be touching the gas cap and my upper body would be foward of the handlebars. You've got to get in front of the kickstarter so you can rotate it back and then down. Otherwise you're pushing more down and it's resisting rotating.
Try getting as far foward as you can.
Hope this helps.

 

[OZ_dirtrider]

LOL, youy should try my WR360!!!

Basically it's due to the relatively short kick lever and the tightness of the motor and specifically the rings.
LOL, l'd like to say that there is an art to starting it, get it to the top comp then gently push down on the lever to the first click or just off TDC, release then give it a kick.
It will start first shot!!!

J:eek: