And nobody could start it! The battery wouldn't quite spin it fast enough. Bump start in 2nd gear left a big skid mark! What's the secret to kick it over?
a bunch of stuff has to be in proper condition for them to start well.. jetting, auto-decomp, ignition timing, idle adjustment... but assuming all that is good, here is what works for me (and many others):
1. pull in manual decomp lever, open throttle wide open, kick it quickly several times to pull some fuel in (sometimes 8-10 kicks)
2. release manual decomp lever, kick slowly to find top dead center (the point where it gets very difficult to turn the engine)
3. pull the manual decomp lever, move kickstart just slightly to get past top dead center
4. release manual decomp lever, give it a solid and full kick to start the engine
1. pull in manual decomp lever, open throttle wide open, kick it quickly several times to pull some fuel in (sometimes 8-10 kicks)
2. release manual decomp lever, kick slowly to find top dead center (the point where it gets very difficult to turn the engine)
3. pull the manual decomp lever, move kickstart just slightly to get past top dead center
4. release manual decomp lever, give it a solid and full kick to start the engine
Joined Apr 2002
3K Posts | 11+
Phoenix Arizona
The bike is equipped with an auto decompression device on the camshaft. It may or may not be working. The auto decompression device works at very low rpm, such as kick starting and is spring operated. With the age of your bike that spring could be shagged. Still, you should be able to start it using the manual decompressor if you know the correct technique.jlburgess said:
Perhaps a little back ground is needed. How long have you owned the bike? When did the hard start issue come about?
I weigh 150 lbs. and had no trouble kicking over the '02 FE650 I used to have if everything was adjusted right. But if the ignition is going bad (as it did on mine) you may never get it started with the kick lever. My '05 FE550 kick starts real easy as did my FE650 when everything was working right. And if you even hint at opening the throttle when kicking it over it will flood and not start.
I've owned it for only 4 months. I had a fs450 before and could kick it over fairly easy, I think it has a little higher compression ratio too. The battery tested pretty good, but I just put in a new one to see if that helps. How can you verify the auto-decompression works? Are there any adjustments?
Thanks!
Thanks!
I"m thinking the spring is broken. I just checked the valves recently, if anything I set them a bit loose. Would the auto decompression also activate during kick starting? This would explain why nobody can kick it over and even my new 130 CCA battery won't fire it unless it has an assist from a battery charger.
Similar threads
Register CTA
Register on Husaberg Forum! This sidebar will go away, and you will see fewer ads.
Sign Up
