Stupid question - kick starting

[shouldbworking]

With my first 125 on order so I can practice for my DAS I noticed the starter type is specified as electric / kick. I assume this means its an electric starter with a kick start as a backup? Bike is a Honda XL 125 clone.

Is kick starting hard? I read about bikes 'kicking back' - i assume this means they ignite early but dont actually start and the handle kicks back? how does the handle disengage when the engine actually starts?

[T_Pot]

your right, the kick start is back up, on a 4 stroke 125 you wont get very much if any kick back mate, and its simply a case of kicking the lever, its that easy

enjoy your new bike, a good choice too

[Carl-H]

If you put your kick start down with the engine running it makes a ticking noise but when its at the top its disengaged. You will probably never need it but if your battery dies its a lot easier than bump starting so useful to have.

[Rubin215]

Kick back happens when you are too feeble on your kick.

The spark plug will always spark just before the piston comes to the top of it's stroke on the compression stroke, however if you have given the lever a good enough hoof, the momentum of the crankshaft will take it "over the top" so the combustion process will push the crank the correct way.
If you are a bit noncy-arsed on your kick (or the iginition timing is well out), when the plug sparks, the combustion pushes the crank backwards, thus causing the kickstart lever to fly back up the way.
Unlikely to be dangerous on a 125, but with good old fashioned "real mans bikes" like Brit singles and XT 500's, the kickstarter could potentialy injure your foot or leg (or rip you leg right off if you believe some of the urban myths out there...).

[Chilli]

Rubin215 said:

If you are a bit noncy-arsed on your kick

[Hooli]

what they said ^^^
on some electronic ignition units a low voltage causes them to default to max advance, so kicking over a bike = a flat battery = kick back.
kick starting them is something you get a knack for, took me ages to start my bonnie originally. now its 1st or 2nd kick unless ive tickled the carbs (like choke but not as advanced) wrong.

[aeropilot]

Rubin215 said:

but with good old fashioned "real mans bikes" like Brit singles

[Rubin215]

Chilli said:

Rubin215 said:

If you are a bit noncy-arsed on your kick

That's "noncy-arsed" as in "noncy-arsed-fairy-boy."

I believe it's an Italian expression, used in top-flight racing, to describe someone who has won several world titles, gets photo'd with topless models and yet is still rumoured to be a player of the pink oboe...