[adi-4004]

Folks

So I kick started the bike after storing it for ~3 months. And the technique pointed out by Steve from UK (can't find the thread) and as shown in the video (from Singh5g of course)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTZclKnsq38

works very well. It does puzzle me a bit but it works without much effort! I though (like many others obviously) that the first stroke should be the power stroke so that it receives the maximum power from kick start. And if that goes well the bike starts. But in the technique (see video) I believe the spark from the spark plug comes last and it still works.

[mattsz]

It's all about building up momentum - that crank is a heavy flywheel, you want it to be spinning when the piston hits compression.

[SteveThackery]

Exactly as mattsz says: it's all about giving yourself three full strokes to build up the crankshaft speed, so it goes through the penultimate (intake) and final (compression) strokes as fast as possible.

If you start your kick at the bottom of the compression stroke (which is where I think you are referring) then any fuel that was drawn in during the intake stroke several seconds previously will have dropped out and it most likely won't fire at the top of the compression stroke anyway.

So, it's not that you can't kickstart it from any point in the cycle, simply that it is much easier and more reliable to do it the way singh5 shows.

[adi-4004]

Okay. That makes sense!

[Blairio]

what impresses me is that I can literally stand on the kick-starter of my Electra and it won't budge - I need to give it a healthy push - and then it starts first kick. I'm around 86kg so  guess it must be healthy compression!

[adi-4004]

Since we are on the topic of perfecting the art of kick starting a Bullet...

Before switching the ignition on, a couple of kicks to get some oil on some parts in the engine. Does this work for UCE? I though the fuel pump is operated by a motor. So with no electrical power the pump will not do much. Will the oil still get to some parts in the engine?

[pmanaz1973]

what impresses me is that I can literally stand on the kick-starter of my Electra and it won't budge - I need to give it a healthy push - and then it starts first kick. I'm around 86kg so  guess it must be healthy compression!

+1 on my 2014 C5 -  I really have to stand on it to get it moving.  Once it gets near the bottom of the stroke it gets easier- Once I get it moving, it starts first kick.  I weigh 185lbs.

[ToesNose]

Hey Adi, yea the fuel pump is electric but the oiler is mechanical

[crock]

I have never been able to kick start my C5.

[NorEaster]

  Thanks for posting this
I hadn't started my bike for a few weeks and yesterday it got warm enough to give it a whirl out in the garage. Granted she didn't kick start initially; but after I got her started and warmed up, this method worked for me.
 

[adi-4004]

I have never been able to kick start my C5.

This makes me sad. Singh5g's video is very helpful. Try it!

[raybot]

I can consistently kickstart my C5 using this method, but only when the engine is cold. When I've run the bike for 15 mins, the bike won't fire up, and I need to use the electric starter.

[heloego]

Are you letting it idle for the 15 minutes, or are you under load at much higher rpm?
Kinda sounds like your plug fouls during that 15 minutes. Maybe go for a hotter plug (NGK BPR6ES or BPR6EIX) if you haven't already?
I used to think I had to use the Bi-Starter to get my C5 started, but for me it was just poor technique.
If I don't get it on the first kick, I key off and kick a few times to clear any fumes/fuel before trying again.
That usually does a treat.

[raybot]

Are you letting it idle for the 15 minutes, or are you under load at much higher rpm?
Kinda sounds like your plug fouls during that 15 minutes. Maybe go for a hotter plug (NGK BPR6ES or BPR6EIX) if you haven't already?
I used to think I had to use the Bi-Starter to get my C5 started, but for me it was just poor technique.
If I don't get it on the first kick, I key off and kick a few times to clear any fumes/fuel before trying again.
That usually does a treat.

Tried that this afternoon, seems to work pretty well, thanks for the tip

[Sectorsteve]

Slow ....