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Tech. Advice: Series 'B' / 'C' 500cc/1000cc Bikes
Starting Procedure Twin…Using Chokes or Not?
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<blockquote data-quote="CarlHungness" data-source="post: 161283" data-attributes="member: 2517"><p>Even after 30 plus years of owning my twin I can't say my staring procedure(s) are as reliable as I'd like. Having read of </p><p>the long-stroke/short stroke and practicing same my method isn't as great as it ought to be. Since installing the B-TH many </p><p>years ago I think it has improved but I still don't feel like a journeyman at the process.</p><p> I tickle the carbs, 276's, kick the engine through a couple of strokes with the compression lever pulled, try to locate the short</p><p>stroke and go just over it, pull in the comp. lever, kick and release simultaneously.</p><p> I now ride the bike on weekends and when done with a ride I shut off the petcocks and run the carbs empty so they're not</p><p>full of hard-to-ignite fuel.</p><p> It usually takes me 5-8 kicks to fire the machine when it's cold, and I've never used the chokes.</p><p> After a lunch stop I can usually start the bike with 2-3-4 kicks. I think it ought to be one, max.</p><p> When cold, I kick the bike with just a bit of throttle, maybe a quarter. When it doesn't fire I open the throttle all the</p><p>way and when it fires, it explodes at full tilt for half a second and I let it back down. </p><p> I never have enough confidence that I kick the bike without using the compression release and it often feels as though</p><p>I get a phhhht! and not a full swing through. When I do catch it correctly and she swings through a complete revolution, that's</p><p>when it starts.</p><p> Today I couldn't start it virtually at all. I must have spent ten minutes trying to make it fire and it makes me feel ham-</p><p>fisted and not nearly as knowledgeable as I ought to be. I recall the times I've had the valve caps off, plugs in and even out,</p><p>and looking and trying to 'feel' piston position so I can position the plot whereby I'm getting a full revolution when kicking.</p><p> I think I've seen photos of one using an electric start, with virtually no throttle on at all. I asked John Healy what he does to</p><p>start the machine years back, and his procedure was about the same as mine. I recall reading Ron Kemp's method in '40 Years On' where </p><p>he just finds a compression, kicks and releases the comp lever at the same time. </p><p> I'm still strong enough to kick the engine over with enough RPM's to generate spark and my extended prop stand has a 'cloven </p><p>hoof' on the bottom so I can actually let the bike nearly rest on the prop stand to insure power through the motion. Nevertheless, if</p><p>I'm on an incline to the right or left, I'll often push the bike to level ground before kicking. </p><p> But I've never used the chokes. What's the group's recommendations for this old timer? Trevror Southwell once described </p><p>Dave Hills' method of starting his (battery operated ignition) bike as appearing as though he was merely shaking his leg enough</p><p>to straighten out the creases in his pant leg. I'm up high on the kick start lever, and even after grinding the first tooth on the ratchet</p><p>I find the gears will hit 'on-end' upon occasion, so I try to remember to come down a tooth or so before kicking. I even had an 'expert'</p><p>grind the ratchet gear one time and the condition persists, but I can live with that.</p><p> While in the UK I resorted to heating the plugs in early morning and that process sure seemed to work well, but I sure ought to</p><p>have a process that works without all the aggravation I went through this morning. It's depressing. Even if I had an electric start I'd</p><p>still want to kick the bike manually because it was designed to start that way and my forefathers used the method successfully.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="CarlHungness, post: 161283, member: 2517"] Even after 30 plus years of owning my twin I can't say my staring procedure(s) are as reliable as I'd like. Having read of the long-stroke/short stroke and practicing same my method isn't as great as it ought to be. Since installing the B-TH many years ago I think it has improved but I still don't feel like a journeyman at the process. I tickle the carbs, 276's, kick the engine through a couple of strokes with the compression lever pulled, try to locate the short stroke and go just over it, pull in the comp. lever, kick and release simultaneously. I now ride the bike on weekends and when done with a ride I shut off the petcocks and run the carbs empty so they're not full of hard-to-ignite fuel. It usually takes me 5-8 kicks to fire the machine when it's cold, and I've never used the chokes. After a lunch stop I can usually start the bike with 2-3-4 kicks. I think it ought to be one, max. When cold, I kick the bike with just a bit of throttle, maybe a quarter. When it doesn't fire I open the throttle all the way and when it fires, it explodes at full tilt for half a second and I let it back down. I never have enough confidence that I kick the bike without using the compression release and it often feels as though I get a phhhht! and not a full swing through. When I do catch it correctly and she swings through a complete revolution, that's when it starts. Today I couldn't start it virtually at all. I must have spent ten minutes trying to make it fire and it makes me feel ham- fisted and not nearly as knowledgeable as I ought to be. I recall the times I've had the valve caps off, plugs in and even out, and looking and trying to 'feel' piston position so I can position the plot whereby I'm getting a full revolution when kicking. I think I've seen photos of one using an electric start, with virtually no throttle on at all. I asked John Healy what he does to start the machine years back, and his procedure was about the same as mine. I recall reading Ron Kemp's method in '40 Years On' where he just finds a compression, kicks and releases the comp lever at the same time. I'm still strong enough to kick the engine over with enough RPM's to generate spark and my extended prop stand has a 'cloven hoof' on the bottom so I can actually let the bike nearly rest on the prop stand to insure power through the motion. Nevertheless, if I'm on an incline to the right or left, I'll often push the bike to level ground before kicking. But I've never used the chokes. What's the group's recommendations for this old timer? Trevror Southwell once described Dave Hills' method of starting his (battery operated ignition) bike as appearing as though he was merely shaking his leg enough to straighten out the creases in his pant leg. I'm up high on the kick start lever, and even after grinding the first tooth on the ratchet I find the gears will hit 'on-end' upon occasion, so I try to remember to come down a tooth or so before kicking. I even had an 'expert' grind the ratchet gear one time and the condition persists, but I can live with that. While in the UK I resorted to heating the plugs in early morning and that process sure seemed to work well, but I sure ought to have a process that works without all the aggravation I went through this morning. It's depressing. Even if I had an electric start I'd still want to kick the bike manually because it was designed to start that way and my forefathers used the method successfully. [/QUOTE]
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Tech. Advice: Series 'B' / 'C' 500cc/1000cc Bikes
Starting Procedure Twin…Using Chokes or Not?
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