Are you changing your biking wants/needs over time as technology progresses? or stuck in a time warp ?

[demographic]

Kickstarting an old bike instantly puts it about a million points ahead in the character score

Having to wear motocross boots to start yer bike makes you look a bit wally factor nine in the Tesco till line or needing to install a chainsaw decompression valve in the head so you don't need to clump about like an extra in a steampunk film knocks a few points off yer cred as well.

[Mr. Dazzle]

First time I started the Triumph up I did it in trainers.

I regretted it afterwards, but I did it

[asmethurst99]

Ive ridden (slowly) cheap bikes for the last 23 years - by chance I had an NC as an Insurance deal last year and i really liked it- Not very powerful with ABS but to be honest perfect for me with its head up riding position and wide bars easy to steer so i bought one - its not very pretty but its just right.
My CBR is a keeper even with the ULEZ coming .
My next bike will prob be a big Tourer of some stripe which will no doubt come with all sorts of rider aids -

[Bigjawa]

First time I started the Triumph up I did it in trainers.

I regretted it afterwards, but I did it

Big mate couldn't get an XR650 started. I did it second kick in my Hi-Tecs

[demographic]

First time I started the Triumph up I did it in trainers.

I regretted it afterwards, but I did it

I've started my KX in workboots and thats as far as I was prepared to go with it.
There is a modification someone in the US does with a chainsaw decompression valve which bleeds off just a little bit of compression on the first TDC when kicking it over but its a bit involved drilling through the head without hitting the coolant pasages then welding a fitting boss on for the valve. Then skimming the head to get it right after heat distortion.

A that^ means I've not done it yet and its languishing in a cold dark grey shed.
I really should fit the four pot Brembo caliper I got yonks ago but I'm a slacker McFly.

[Bustaspoke]

My 1986 XT600 is kickstart only. I only bought the bike on the condition that I could kick it over.
I bought it from one of my mates, he said it's easy,he's 6'5 & 20 stone plus,I'm 5'6 10 1/2 st. When it's cold I can stand on the kickstart lever at TDC & it hardly moves,luckily I can start it,no chance bumping it though,it just locks up,even in 3rd gear.

[Rockburner]

First time I started the Triumph up I did it in trainers.

I regretted it afterwards, but I did it

Big mate couldn't get an XR650 started. I did it second kick in my Hi-Tecs

I could probably still kick a 750 Commando if asked, but the left side kick on a TS250 MZ would probably defeat me now.

[cheb]

I'll confess to never being able to start my Rotax engined CCM, Left hand kickstart too, a terrible idea.

I can start my current bikes by hand, and I don't mean pushing the starter button. Nor are they Velo LEs.

[demographic]

Performance Bikes The Forsyth Papers circa about 1987...

"Uncle Henry who could kickstart a bulldozer, generally had less luck with his Triumph."

[Skub]

My first bike a Suzuki T250 had the kickstart on the left,so I was kinda used to being ambifooterous.

[ZRX61]

Put this fat git in the time warp category:

https://highwayphotos.smugmug.com/Sun-1 ... -27Sg5BH/A

[ZRX61]

.

[Druid]

My first bike a Suzuki T250 had the kickstart on the left,so I was kinda used to being ambifooterous.

I passed my test on one of those, borrowed from a mate because my Honda CB250 wouldn't start. I progressed to a T500, which also had a kickstart on the left.

I also had a CZ250 which had a gear lever which doubled as a kickstart. You had to push it inwards and then swing the lever upwards, kick it to start and then swing it back to its gear lever position. Try doing that when you've stalled at a set of traffic lights.

My GS750 has a kickstart and an electric start. The kickstart fouls the modified rearsets so I've removed it, by the mid 70s Japanese starter motors were pretty reliable, I think kickstarts were only fitted for those who were stuck in a time warp back then and didn't trust these new fangled electrical contraptions. If you have any experience of the "electrically assisted starting" fitted to Norton Commandos you can understand their scepticism

[ZRX61]

My first bike a Suzuki T250 had the kickstart on the left,so I was kinda used to being ambifooterous.

The first 500 twins didn't have folding pegs. Mate raced one at Brands & managed to crash on two consecutive laps at Druids by digging the right peg into the tarmac.

[Yorick]

My 2018 Husky has a kickstarter. Once tried and not a chance

[KungFooBob]

My 2014, fuel injected, Royal Enfield has a kick start. I used it once to make sure it worked.

[cheb]

My 3.5litre Range Rover had a starting handle. I used that once to see if it worked, and it did. Quite satisfying.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Kickstarting something with electric start doesn't count - it's like 10 pin bowling with the gutter bumpers.

[demographic]

Pah, I've hand cranked a single cylinder diesel engined dumper.

Not joking, I have. Just a glorified Lister engine mind but it still counts.

Oh, and a train... it was a very small train on the local peat moss but it was a train all the same.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Go big or go home;