Author Topic: 2012 C5 Kick Start in the US? (Read 9070 times)

Drifter · **on:** July 29, 2011, 11:59:04 am

Does anyone know if this is going to happen? They have one more sale and many other i would bet if they finally..bring them here! The lack of a kicker on a retro styled bike has to be one of the biggest marketing mistakes they have made.

bittercrick · **Reply #1 on:** July 29, 2011, 12:45:47 pm

My 2011 C-5 Chrome has a kicker on it,i think all the new C-5s do. bittercrick

ToesNose · **Reply #2 on:** July 29, 2011, 02:02:29 pm

Yea the 09' & 10' UCE models didn't have a kick start, but the 11' does and as far as anyone can tell they are going to keep the kick start on the US models =)

FiRE Comms · **Reply #3 on:** July 29, 2011, 04:22:17 pm

Yep, I've got the kicker as well... 2011 C5 Shiny

Dallastheologian · **Reply #4 on:** July 29, 2011, 05:19:08 pm

Got a kicker on my 2011 B5

SSR · **Reply #5 on:** July 29, 2011, 06:19:17 pm

It was bound to happen after so many e-mail enquiries about the possibility of having a kicker on C5 from you lads. Did I not mention you guys were to get it this year:) It's a blessing in disguise.

Drifter · **Reply #6 on:** August 02, 2011, 06:06:02 pm

I guess i need to find another dealer that has 2011 C5s with the kicker here in florida. Anyone recommend a fla dealer?

Can you retrofit the kicker on an 09?

The Garbone · **Reply #7 on:** August 02, 2011, 06:14:09 pm

You could have your dealer order you a C5 with kicker... Retrofit is not an option.

noontime · **Reply #8 on:** August 02, 2011, 07:08:00 pm

yep, that is what I had to do. Ordered a brand new 2011 teal with a kick! works great

SSR · **Reply #9 on:** August 02, 2011, 07:40:35 pm

Quote from: The Garbone on August 02, 2011, 06:14:09 pm

You could have your dealer order you a C5 with kicker... Retrofit is not an option.

Are you it's not an option

prof_stack · **Reply #10 on:** August 02, 2011, 07:43:34 pm

Quote from: SSR on August 02, 2011, 07:40:35 pm

Are you sure it's not an option

Everything I have read about this says that it is not worth the time, money, and hassle to do it.

Scotter · **Reply #11 on:** August 02, 2011, 10:38:41 pm

Howdy Y'all,

I'm in San Diego. The local dealer has got multiple colors of almost every new model except for the Chrome C5. None of the C5's on the floor have kick-starters although the B5 and G5 models do. From what I've heard new RE's didn't become "California compliant" until the very beginning of the year and the salesman states that all the C5's on the floor are 2011 models.

So does this mean that California C5's won't have kickstarts or are these just older model C5's that were able to pass emissions?

Arizoni · **Reply #12 on:** August 02, 2011, 11:10:09 pm

I suspect they are older C5's that have been upgraded by installing the California emmission items.

All of the 2011 C5's I've seen have kick starters in addition to the electric starter.

Maybe Kevin (who runs this site and is the importer of the Royal Enfields) will give us a clue as to what is happening at that dealer?

GlennF · **Reply #13 on:** August 02, 2011, 11:30:43 pm

My B5 has a kickstart, but as with all enfields it fails to kickstart if girls are watching

Apart from street cred, I am not 100% sure how useful a UCE kickstart actually is as you need a good battery to fire up the EFI anyway - so your not going to be kicking over a bike with a dead battery. Probably handy if the starter motor fails I suppose.

Ducati Scotty · **Reply #14 on:** August 03, 2011, 12:05:38 am

You need way less juice to power the EFI than to turn the motor over, a marginal battery may fail to start the bike but be just fine for the EFI.

Though I like the way my bike looks without the kick it would have given me some peace of mind as I was sorting through my solenoid issue and flakey starting.

Scott

Tecomakeith · **Reply #15 on:** August 03, 2011, 06:53:55 am

I've got a 09' C5 and I gave it a big KICK when it wouldn't turn over

after the kick it wouldn't still start, dame it

All tjhs talk of a kick starter

wish I had a real one

SSR · **Reply #16 on:** August 03, 2011, 10:51:31 am

Quote from: Tecomakeith on August 03, 2011, 06:53:55 am

I've got a 09' C5 and I gave it a big KICK when it wouldn't turn over after the kick it wouldn't still start, dame it
All tjhs talk of a kick starter wish I had a real one

You just need to practice kick starting, that's all.

Scotter · **Reply #17 on:** August 04, 2011, 02:19:45 am

Quote from: Arizoni on August 02, 2011, 11:10:09 pm

I suspect they are older C5's that have been upgraded by installing the California emmission items.

All of the 2011 C5's I've seen have kick starters in addition to the electric starter.

That's what I thought but these didn't have kick-starters. Also visited one dealer in Orange County who had one new C5 displayed also without one.

Quote from: Arizoni on August 02, 2011, 11:10:09 pm

Maybe Kevin (who runs this site and is the importer of the Royal Enfields) will give us a clue as to what is happening at that dealer?

Cool! I look forward to his reply.

Desi Bike · **Reply #18 on:** August 04, 2011, 02:55:33 am

Look at the VIN number of the bikes in question. 2011 models will have a letter B as the 10th character, 2010's have a letter A, 2009 has a 9. The engine serial will have a B as the 7th digit for a 2011, A for 2010, 9 for 2009. The next character is the month of manufacture of the engine. A=Jan, B=Feb etc. Followed by the same serial as the frame if the bike's 'numbers' match.

Desi Bike · **Reply #19 on:** August 04, 2011, 02:59:33 am

oh dear... I did the unthinkable.. Its a VIN, not VIN number... Crap, thats one of my pet peeves when people say VIN number.. Its basically saying 'vehicle identification number number' Arrrggh... Must be from me riding in the rain yesterday. Sorry for any incontinence this may have caused.

Arizoni · **Reply #20 on:** August 04, 2011, 03:05:20 am

Well, you can say VIN number if your talking about a bike with a UCE engine.

prof_stack · **Reply #21 on:** August 04, 2011, 03:36:31 am

Quote from: Desi Bike on August 04, 2011, 02:59:33 am

oh dear... I did the unthinkable.. Its a VIN, not VIN number... Crap, thats one of my pet peeves when people say VIN number.. Its basically saying 'vehicle identification number number' Arrrggh... .

Just like people using at ATM machine!

Ducati Scotty · **Reply #22 on:** August 04, 2011, 06:40:30 am

I can't argue with the evidence presented here but the pic of the C5 chrome on the site had a kicker. I wonder if they used up the last of the non-kicker engines on the first of the C5 Chromes off the line.

Scott

prof_stack · **Reply #23 on:** August 04, 2011, 06:41:34 am

Quote from: Ducati Scotty on August 04, 2011, 06:40:30 am

I can't argue with the evidence presented here but the pic of the C5 chrome on the site had a kicker. I wonder if they used up the last of the non-kicker engines on the first of the C5 Chromes off the line.

Scott

+1

The RE assembly line is in a constant state of flux.

Ice · **Reply #24 on:** August 04, 2011, 07:18:26 am

Quote from: Ducati Scotty on August 04, 2011, 06:40:30 am

I can't argue with the evidence presented here but the pic of the C5 chrome on the site had a kicker. I wonder if they used up the last of the non-kicker engines on the first of the C5 Chromes off the line.

Scott

Probably. It's not like it hasn't been done before.

Bullets with metric, Whitworth and BSC threads Bullets with Iron Barrel engines and flip top petrol tanks, AVL engines in classic frames and with drum brakes even!

I think they use the stocks on hand until the supply is exhausted.

Ducati Scotty · **Reply #25 on:** August 04, 2011, 07:23:07 am

Ducati too. I think Japan is better about that stuff.

Scott

Ice · **Reply #26 on:** August 04, 2011, 07:41:13 am

Quote from: prof_stack on August 04, 2011, 03:36:31 am

Just like people using at ATM machine!

Or a hot water heater

prof_stack · **Reply #27 on:** August 04, 2011, 07:54:11 am

... or eating "dried prunes". So, what are dried plums called?

iowarider · **Reply #28 on:** August 04, 2011, 07:59:27 am

Quote from: Ducati Scotty on August 04, 2011, 06:40:30 am

I can't argue with the evidence presented here but the pic of the C5 chrome on the site had a kicker. I wonder if they used up the last of the non-kicker engines on the first of the C5 Chromes off the line.

Scott

The Chrome I saw at Baxter Cycle in Marne Iowa about a week ago had a kicker. That was a featured selling point in there view. Chrome was the only one in the c5 line that came with one. Don't know if that helps, but I would like to have the kicker, just to learn how to do it and show off at bike meets or charity runs.

barenekd · **Reply #29 on:** August 04, 2011, 04:49:28 pm

The B-5s are out there to use all the old stuff up.
Bare

jartist · **Reply #30 on:** August 04, 2011, 06:14:23 pm

The B5s have a kickstarter. I think there was a rumor started somewhere that the B5s are there to use up the old 350 parts but I think it's the new standard issue bullet that'll be around for a while.

Ducati Scotty · **Reply #31 on:** August 04, 2011, 06:46:57 pm

+1. I think they're still making the 350 in India for the forseeable future so they're still making those parts. Anyone know if the B5 frames have all the sames mounting points as the 350? If they're not identical they're making the B5 frames on purpose and not using up parts.

The B5 may become the new standard in India. Inexpensive, more power, modern engine with less maintenance, and almost the same mileage as the 350.

Scott

Desi Bike · **Reply #32 on:** August 04, 2011, 06:55:22 pm

The VIN date code on my frame is April (d) and is also stamped manufactured in April 2011. The engine is also date coded April on my chrome C5 and it has a kicker. If the bike that is stated by the dealer to be a 2011 and has no kicker, it would be interesting to see if the engine is the one that matches the frame number. Maybe the engine got swapped out for someone that really wanted a kicker engine in a non kick engine?

Ducati Scotty · **Reply #33 on:** August 04, 2011, 07:38:44 pm

Doubt it. It's more likely that the production line was running, they had 2011 frames waiting for engines, and a pile of 2010 non-kicker engines waiting for frames. The two get married.

If you read your warranty you'll see that it states RE reserves the right to make changes to models at any time and will not be obligated to retrofit those changes to the existing models already out there.

We think of things in terms of model year but in actuality the production line is constantly evolving to fix defects, upgrade things, accommodate parts from different suppliers, etc. These things don't revolve around a model year, they happen when they happen and the production keeps flowing. I'm sure no one wonders if their throttle assembly or front brak switch came from a different supplier or changed spec slightly but the kicker is different. It's a very visible feature that many people have strong opinions on so we notice it.

Scott

iowarider · **Reply #34 on:** August 04, 2011, 11:16:48 pm

Quote from: Ducati Scotty on August 04, 2011, 07:38:44 pm

Doubt it. It's more likely that the production line was running, they had 2011 frames waiting for engines, and a pile of 2010 non-kicker engines waiting for frames. The two get married.

If you read your warranty you'll see that it states RE reserves the right to make changes to models at any time and will not be obligated to retrofit those changes to the existing models already out there.

We think of things in terms of model year but in actuality the production line is constantly evolving to fix defects, upgrade things, accommodate parts from different suppliers, etc. These things don't revolve around a model year, they happen when they happen and the production keeps flowing. I'm sure no one wonders if their throttle assembly or front brak switch came from a different supplier or changed spec slightly but the kicker is different. It's a very visible feature that many people have strong opinions on so we notice it.

Scott

agreed. To kick or not to kick, that is the question.

Drifter · **Reply #35 on:** August 06, 2011, 12:11:06 am

OK, so its confirmed then that some 2011s have kickers and others dont......so my question was will ALL C5s in 2012 have kickers or does anyone really know for sure?

prof_stack · **Reply #36 on:** August 06, 2011, 01:05:20 am

Quote from: Drifter on August 06, 2011, 12:11:06 am

OK, so its confirmed then that some 2011s have kickers and others dont......so my question was will ALL C5s in 2012 have kickers or does anyone really know for sure?

I would be surprised if there are any non-kickers sent our way (USA) in 2012.