definitive guide on kickstarting

hyuuu · Post by **hyuuu** » Sat May 23, 2009 7:06 am

Today I managed for the first time ever, in kick starting my buddy here is great detail the steps that I did.
1. Turn the key to on.
2. No need to hold the brake.
3. Push down the kick start level slowly all the way down, really, all the way down.
4. Lift up and immediately kick it down hard.
5. Scoot is on.

After my battery died, I found that kick starting is an essential skill to have.

ScooterTrash · Post by **ScooterTrash** » Sat May 23, 2009 7:25 am

Helps to push down on the back of the scooter before kicking as well. Energy transfers to the motor more efficiently

Post by **ericalm** » Sat May 23, 2009 3:18 pm

I'll add: Face the front of the scooter.
Here's my brief demo. I keep intending to do a better, more instructive version. Someday…

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/oZA9JGmFqnI&hl ... ram><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/oZA9JGmFqnI&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Sat May 23, 2009 3:45 pm

hyuuu wrote:Today I managed for the first time ever, in kick starting my buddy ...

You did it! Way to go. I knew you had it in ya! First time is always the hardest

Animaetrix00 · Post by **Animaetrix00** » Sat May 23, 2009 4:58 pm

I still haven't successfully kickstarted mine. I even watched a bunch of YouTube videos about it.

FAILURE!

Alix B · Post by **Alix B** » Sat May 23, 2009 5:02 pm

This is interesting. I have a completely different experience.
Of course, when my battery has a decent amount of juice in it--it's easy to kick one or two times for the start.

But kickstarting it with little juice requires a more elaborate procedure, at least for me.
First I start off with a little Barry White. I put my hands on the rear of the bike.

Wait no. THat's not it at all.

1. Turn key to off. Killswitch off.
2. Strong downward kicks, one hand on left brake (for balance more than anything) and one on rear rack. Do a few kicks like so.
3. Turn key to on. Killswitch on. Strong downward kicks. I mean the whole leg into it. (especially if you are 5"4", 120lbs like mwah).
4. That should do it.

hyuuu · Post by **hyuuu** » Sun May 24, 2009 9:30 pm

Skootz Kabootz wrote:
hyuuu wrote:Today I managed for the first time ever, in kick starting my buddy ...
You did it! Way to go. I knew you had it in ya! First time is always the hardest

sob sob thank you, sob sob

MrNatural · Post by **MrNatural** » Sun May 24, 2009 10:58 pm

My battery completely died over the winter so when I put went to scoot early last month Buddy hadn't been running for over 6months. I reinstalled dead battery, turned key on, (tried starter just for the heck of it...didn't make a sound), flipped out the kick starter, stood behind bike and gave it a kick. Almost started. Second kick...started right up!!
Needless to say I was stunned!!!

Collin · Post by **Collin** » Fri May 29, 2009 5:07 pm

I've been having to kick start mine for about 2 weeks now. Sometimes it starts right away(third or fourth kick), sometimes it takes a few times (15th-20th). What I've found is that if you open the throttle just a bit, it seems to start a little bit easier.

MrNatural · Post by **MrNatural** » Fri May 29, 2009 5:24 pm

Which reminds me...it took 60min of driving to recharge the completely dead battery. And even then it didn't sound like it would turn the engine over for more than 20sec. After another trip it sounds like full power.

Apiarist · Post by **Apiarist** » Fri May 29, 2009 5:38 pm

i have not yet sucessfully done the kick start. it turns out i never really had to, but i tried it a few times just to see if i could. on each attempt after 3 kicks and no start, i go electric.

FAIL

rabbitgod · Post by **rabbitgod** » Fri May 29, 2009 8:56 pm

The video eric posted helped me when I needed to do it.

Now I can kick start 3 different ways. I just had to force myself to keep trying. There's a little finesse that is hard to learn.

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Fri May 29, 2009 9:13 pm

First time I had to (tried to) kick start my scooter, I had been trying off and on for about an hour. I kept trying but would smell gas and think I had flooded it. So I would go to the bar next door for a beer, let the scooter rest, then come out and try again. This process repeated a couple of times. I figured either I'd get the scooter going, or I'd end up in perfect condition to spend the night with my scooter...

Anyways, the doorman, it turns out, was a biker. He finally took pity on me walked over and in three kicks had my scooter running.

I could have kissed him. Ever since seeing him successfully kick start in person, I have not had any trouble doing it myself. Go figure.

Thanks Doorman, where ever you are!

jfrost2 · Post by **jfrost2** » Fri May 29, 2009 9:55 pm

I'm only 100 pounds so when I kick start my bike, I just jump on the lever with full force for the second kick, it usually starts flawless, sometimes it hiccups then dies from a weak kick.

BuddyRaton · Post by **BuddyRaton** » Fri May 29, 2009 10:08 pm

MrNatural wrote:My battery completely died over the winter so when I put went to scoot early last month Buddy hadn't been running for over 6months. I reinstalled dead battery, turned key on, (tried starter just for the heck of it...didn't make a sound), flipped out the kick starter, stood behind bike and gave it a kick. Almost started. Second kick...started right up!!
Needless to say I was stunned!!!

At almost 3 years don't be surprised if it doesn't hold a charge. Might be time for a new battery.

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Fri Jul 03, 2009 3:12 am

I have yet to successfully kick-start my Buddy, but for what it's worth, the times it has teased me the most (by lighting up the headlight and speedo, and half-sputtering briefly) were times when I followed through as far as possible forward, push-kicking from the rear.

But so far: no dice. Last night when I pulled the key out it didn't come out easily, and in retrospect, it was probably half "on", because this morning the battery would power the oil and brake lights, but not the starter.

Is there any value in pumping the damn thing: kicking repeatedly without stopping until you get tired or throw yourself off balance or bang your bad knee against the scooter? Because I've tried that, and it hasn't worked, but it kinda seemed like it almost did a couple times. Also, the first kick in a series doesn't seem to do anything, but the one after it at least blinks the lights on.

Archimedes said "Give me a lever and a place to stand, and I will move the earth." Well, give me a short lever and a tiny retractable place to put my foot, and I will work up a good sweat trying to start the engine.

jasondavis48108 · Post by **jasondavis48108** » Fri Jul 03, 2009 12:28 pm

TVB did you try giving it a bit O' gas while ya kicked it. My little 50 will not kick start unless I give it some gas.

brape · Post by **brape** » Fri Jul 03, 2009 12:40 pm

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Fri Jul 03, 2009 1:19 pm

I tried it in that position (and several others... after a while I was consulting the Kama Sutra for ideas) and apparently it got close several times, but I still couldn't get more than a flash on the speedo. {sigh} (Reminds me of some dates I've been on.)

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Fri Jul 03, 2009 3:16 pm

jasondavis48108 wrote:TVB did you try giving it a bit O' gas while ya kicked it. My little 50 will not kick start unless I give it some gas.

That was the missing key. I just walked outside, put the key in and turned it on, held open the throttle a little, and kicked the fscker once.

Putt, putt, putt, putt...

It stalled after a few seconds, then kick-started again on the next try. I need to give it a little gas to keep it going, at least for now; I assume that will go away. So... after half an hour and a three quarts of sweat last night, in one minute today my self-esteem is restored: I can kick-start a scooter.

jasondavis48108 · Post by **jasondavis48108** » Fri Jul 03, 2009 3:28 pm

awesome, I'm glad that worked for ya

mojobuddy70cc · Post by **mojobuddy70cc** » Fri Jul 03, 2009 4:06 pm

,, not that this would happen to a Buddy of course, but i know of other kicks
that have to be reworked from kicking them 2-hard. i kick mine every couple weeks and since i have a prima pipe the sound is worth it.
just careful not to kick too hard.,, it also saves $$ on alot of short trips ,,anyone replaced a starter yet??
happy 4th ride safe

Modern Buddy

definitive guide on kickstarting

definitive guide on kickstarting

Re: definitive guide on kickstarting

Re: definitive guide on kickstarting

you can damage your kick