I just can't win with this bike!

acbanks · Posted: June 26, 2009, 7:53 pm Post subject: I just can't win with this bike!

A month ago this '75 started first or second kick every time. Now I fix the starter and it starts up with the electric foot every time, but won't do more than putter off the kick start. Very Happy

I'd say screw it, except for the fact I know how crappy this electrical system is.

So what's the deal here? Watching it with the meter I have a good 12.5 volts. I kick it through a few times gently, then bring it up to the compression(the stiffest part). Then I jump up all 150lbs of me and kick the living s*** out of it. If I'm lucky I get a putt-putt-putt. I hit the starter button and it fires right up.

Timing is dead center of the F marks.

The bike's not bad to ride though, other than the lack of a much needed 6th gear and a front end that tries to kill me in every curve.

Teebs · Full Member Joined: Aug 26, 2008 Posts: 255

♫I-I am a man of constant sorrowww; I've seen trou-ble all my days...♫

650skull · Support Staff Joined: Jul 19, 2007 Posts: 1186

Don't have any idea why the kick start would do that.........Sounds like you need new steering head bearings or/and maybe wheel bearings

nudude53

3 XS's and 40 miles west of Raleigh, PM me for details and we'll get you going. Welcome to the jungle.

weekendrider

nudude53, I'd be interested in a solution. I have one that exhibits the same symptoms cold. Refuses to kick start till ridden.

nudude53

weekendrider wrote:

nudude53, I'd be interested in a solution. I have one that exhibits the same symptoms cold. Refuses to kick start till ridden.

That's kind of a tough call to make without being able to tinker with it hands on but my first guess would be ignition. My '73 was the same way since I revived it from the dead two years ago. Grind grind grind on the starter, sputter, pop, spit, stumble. Once it finally did start to run it would take a few minutes to smooth out until I could ride it. Since I installed the Pamco it fires right off cold and is smooth as silk. I would honestly have to say that for the money it is the best investment I've made so far on the bike.
I very rarely kickstart it so I cannot attest to how that works cold.

Another discovery that I've made is adding Seafoam to the gas, if I'm out riding and fill the tank without adding it the difference in performance is noticable within a few miles. Seafoam will really help the engine to run smoother and, although I haven't checked the temps with thermometer, it seems to run cooler as well. We run it in all of our bikes now.
Try the Seafoam first (one ounce per gallon) and see if that helps. It is not snake-oil, this stuff really works.

dpmphoto

I put that stuff in my bong

nudude53

Empty your bong into the tank

weekendrider

Then cruise by POPO's and drive the dog crazy with the exhaust?

acbanks

Yeah, weak spark is my suspicion as well. Time to take the tank off of it and clean those coil connections.

nudude53 · Last edited by nudude53 on June 27, 2009, 7:53 pm; edited 1 time in total

If the coils are orginal they are most likely weak, try new plugs too. I find Autolites to be more dependable than NGKs. If you can ever get it up to Mebane we'll help you out with it. Not a commercial shop but a back yard hobby hut, a 12 pack will get you admission. (after all, we do have standards)

acbanks

I appreciate the offer. I have a buddy that lives up that way, I may take you up on it sometime.

nudude53

Good deal, we'll leave the light on for you.

weekendrider

Now I'm confused. I thought the electric start produced a weaker spark than the kick start.

nudude53 · Last edited by nudude53 on June 28, 2009, 12:02 am; edited 2 times in total

Yea, that kinda baffles me too, thats why I'd like him to bring it up here so we can put the meter on it.

Idea

It just occured to me that if the spark is weak there may not be enough momentum in the engine to get it running with the kicker. When the starter rolls it over the engine can have the constant rpms it needs to keep running even with a weak spark. That starter turns it fast.

He's pretty close and we need more soldiers in our XS army. Twisted Evil

weekendrider

nudude53 wrote:

more soldiers in our XS army

BWAHHAHA LOL

acbanks

The answer here, as predicted above, was weak spark. When I changed the plugs I gapped them on the tight side (.020") in an effort to help out these old weak coils. I put them back to .025" and it starts every kick, which is good since the starter broke again.

Greenbean3521 · Full Member Joined: Jul 11, 2009 Posts: 16

If its not one thing its another although good thing you can have both Electric and kick (not that I own one yet ) gotta love the xs!!! and I figure if you guys keep having the problems ill learn how to fix them all! lol

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