DIY roller starter

[derek badger]

Just picked these up on eBay very cheap. The guy had a local engineering firm make up the parts and then they sat in his shed for years. He's also thrown in some chain and sprockets that he forgot to include in the advert. So the plan is to drive the rollers with either a 9" grinder and remote switch or a small engine with a centrifugal clutch...then use it to start the bastard KX500. The end plates need welding onto the drums and the shafts and I need to knock a frame up to mount it all too.

[Rockburner]

You might be better off with a "tyre" on the roller to grip the tyre on the bike better?

[derek badger]

You might be better off with a "tyre" on the roller to grip the tyre on the bike better?

One of them is knurled. I've seen the rollers in metal, polyurethane and rubber coated. Well suck it and see. They seller had planned to use a 24v van starter and connect it direct to his race van, but a crash in an Irish road race changed his plans. Hence the parts being stuck in a shed all these years.

[demographic]

They use them on a few bikes at Barbon hillclimb.
I can't remember if I got any pictures but its the sort of technical thing a saddo like me would have a photo of.
I'll have a ratch.
Was started off a grinder, off a generator. Which does seem kind of longwinded to start a kickstart equipped bike but I've just bought a gold anodised (Yesssss! Ahem) cylinderhead with a decompression button to achieve basically the same thing*.



*To be fair it also has interchangable domes so I can dick about with compression without knackering a head if I go too far.

[wheelnut]

Next thread will be ‘how do I get a KX sized dent out of my garage door?’

[derek badger]

They use them on a few bikes at Barbon hillclimb.
I can't remember if I got any pictures but its the sort of technical thing a saddo like me would have a photo of.
I'll have a ratch.
Was started off a grinder, off a generator. Which does seem kind of longwinded to start a kickstart equipped bike but I've just bought a gold anodised (Yesssss! Ahem) cylinderhead with a decompression button to achieve basically the same thing*.



*To be fair it also has interchangable domes so I can dick about with compression without knackering a head if I go too far.

The grinder seems the easiest option, I'll start looking on the Facebook marketplace for a 2nd hand 240v 2000w one.

[Silly Car]

Next thread will be ‘how do I get a KX sized dent out of my garage door?’

The grinder seems the easiest option,

Sorted

[derek badger]

Next thread will be ‘how do I get a KX sized dent out of my garage door?’

The grinder seems the easiest option,

Sorted

Yes, hence the front brake bracket becoming the main priority at present.

[derek badger]

Two large packages arrived yesterday...

Fookin' hell they've been properly engineered. Heavy and well made rollers and shafts.











Steel for the frame should be here next week, I've checked the MIG set and I've got gas and 0.6mm wire so I should be able to make a start. Just need to find a suitable power plant for it and look at the drive train.

[Asian Boss]

Just use the kick start to move the piston to the right point on the upstoke and gan it a proper kick.

[derek badger]

Just use the kick start to move the piston to the right point on the upstoke and gan it a proper kick.

You can pop over any time you want and have a crack at in your Airmaxs mate. It not kicking it that's a problem, it's cranking it for a longer duration that's killing me.

[Asian Boss]

Just use the kick start to move the piston to the right point on the upstoke and gan it a proper kick.

You can pop over any time you want and have a crack at in your Airmaxs mate. It not kicking it that's a problem, it's cranking it for a longer duration that's killing me.

Haha!

I remember when I had an RMX250 years ago and I kind of neglected it and it was a pig to start and even kicked back once or twice. I think it put the starter through the sole of my Doc Marten once. I had to put on my motocross boots, mentally steel myself to rid all fear and give it a right old boot ... and maybe it would go. And if not I could be flailing away at it for some time, all knackered and sweaty.

When I came to sell it, some family came round to look at it and their jug eared, lanky teenage boy hopped straight on, flicked the kickstart with his trainer and was off up the (completely frozen snow) street, all hitting the power and sliding it about with no lid or any bike gear. The little fucker.

I think there's a knack to it. Or it's all in the mind. Either way, I don't have it.

[iansoady]

That knurling looks a bit superficial - I'd coat it with grit.

[derek badger]

That knurling looks a bit superficial - I'd coat it with grit.

It's better then it looks in the photo. Skateboard grip tape is my plan if it starts slipping.

[derek badger]

The steel turned up. Need to start jigging and tacking things up and sort out the drive source.

[derek badger]

Right, so I dragged the Suffolk Punch mower out and welded up an intake manifold out of some 4mm plate and some steel tube. Attached a carb off a pit bike and it runs great. It's got a centrifugal clutch so it could be a goer if I can sort out a bearing mount for the shaft. It's also got a bunch of chains and sprockets in the end plate that might be useful.

[Yambo]

You going to make a bracket for the bike so you can take the beast with you when you go out for a ride?

[iansoady]

He could have it on a little (well quite big) trailer....

[cheb]

Take it to racetracks and offer a tyre profile adjusting service.

[derek badger]

You going to make a bracket for the bike so you can take the beast with you when you go out for a ride?

Lolz. No, I only need it to sort out the starting/running issue it currently has. Once it's running properly I'll probably sell the rollers.