Kicker Questions

[plynn41]

My kicker is killing me. At least once every weekend ride, my foot will slip off the kicker because the aluminum is slick. This always results in a nasty bruise on my instep, and also on the side of knee where the point of the kicker catches my leg going down. It's funny, but I'm seriously worried about breaking something in my foot or my leg.

I took a grinder to the ridges on the kicker to try and make it less slippery, but it still leaves something to be desired. Is there a better kicker design that will work on an '85 engine in an '88 frame? Or does anyone have any other suggestions other than a decompression valve?

[Kuma]

If you want to change to the newer style you would have to change the pipe too, don't know if that would do it or if it will even work?

[CR500PHIL]

My kicker is killing me. At least once every weekend ride, my foot will slip off the kicker because the aluminum is slick. This always results in a nasty bruise on my instep, and also on the side of knee where the point of the kicker catches my leg going down. It's funny, but I'm seriously worried about breaking something in my foot or my leg.

I took a grinder to the ridges on the kicker to try and make it less slippery, but it still leaves something to be desired. Is there a better kicker design that will work on an '85 engine in an '88 frame? Or does anyone have any other suggestions other than a decompression valve?

The newer kickers will work on the older engine but they will sit in a different place. I have a 1985 engine in a 1997 frame with the newer pipe etc. and the newer kicker hit the pipe or tank so I went back to the older style. To fix this this winter I will change the starter spindle to a 90s spindle. Then the kicker will sit in the right place. Just some information but the bottom line is the newer style will perhaps hit the pipe or tank like the other post suggests.

[gregrobo]

if the kicker is hitting the pipe you could index it on the kicker gear

[bearorso]

If you have the room, just simply drilling and tapping a hole in the end of the lever, and making a 'end cap' for the lever will do a Perfect job.Machine / linish / file the end of the lever flat, so the endcap sits flush, and do a countersink outer so you can use a CS head bolt. A 5mm , 6mm bolt will do.

Here's an example:



This is on an ultra short Gas Gas lever I use on my 500. The trouble was, the 'foot section' was very, very short short. It came to just inboard of the 6th machined rib from the vertical lever arm. My foot would be directed off the lever during the stroke as the vertical arm came into contact with the instep of the boot. I made a longer foot section, that was both a press fit and used some metal epoxy, plus grub screws (overkill but the original 'foot section' was of varying diameters and far from circular) and then the end cap as I described.

You could make the 'end cap' itself longer, if you have the room when it's folded in, to keep all of your foot on the lever, just make a short section of the original lever as round as you can, and machine an end cap that is longer, with an ID to go over the end of the KS lever, so the bolt is not in shear. Use metal epoxy / JB weld to fill the inevitable gaps on the end cap/ lever interface, but still try to make it a press / 'tap on' fit.

I've never had my foot slip of this lever. Previous to that, I would always have a few 'slips' on any of the levers I used, and had a virtually permanently sore foot from that.

And it isn't funny. Anything you can do to make a bike easier / safer to use, is a good thing. I can accept a broken foot, twisted / hyper extended knee from riding, but not from just starting a bike. I've done this sort of thing to many of my bikes - it has nothing to do with the 500 being especially hard to start - a slippery KS lever is a slippery KS lever, even on a 125.

[plynn41]

Brilliant! Thanks! Will definitely put some thought into this. I think I've got room for a bigger foot paddle.
I've not had a foot slip since I ground some rough edges into the stock kicker a couple of weeks ago, but I still think about it every time I kick it over. My last slip was three weeks ago, and I still have a painful knot on my inner knee from it.

If you have the room, just simply drilling and tapping a hole in the end of the lever, and making a 'end cap' for the lever will do a Perfect job.Machine / linish / file the end of the lever flat, so the endcap sits flush, and do a countersink outer so you can use a CS head bolt. A 5mm , 6mm bolt will do.

Here's an example:



This is on an ultra short Gas Gas lever I use on my 500. The trouble was, the 'foot section' was very, very short short. It came to just inboard of the 6th machined rib from the vertical lever arm. My foot would be directed off the lever during the stroke as the vertical arm came into contact with the instep of the boot. I made a longer foot section, that was both a press fit and used some metal epoxy, plus grub screws (overkill but the original 'foot section' was of varying diameters and far from circular) and then the end cap as I described.

You could make the 'end cap' itself longer, if you have the room when it's folded in, to keep all of your foot on the lever, just make a short section of the original lever as round as you can, and machine an end cap that is longer, with an ID to go over the end of the KS lever, so the bolt is not in shear. Use metal epoxy / JB weld to fill the inevitable gaps on the end cap/ lever interface, but still try to make it a press / 'tap on' fit.

I've never had my foot slip of this lever. Previous to that, I would always have a few 'slips' on any of the levers I used, and had a virtually permanently sore foot from that.

And it isn't funny. Anything you can do to make a bike easier / safer to use, is a good thing. I can accept a broken foot, twisted / hyper extended knee from riding, but not from just starting a bike. I've done this sort of thing to many of my bikes - it has nothing to do with the 500 being especially hard to start - a slippery KS lever is a slippery KS lever, even on a 125.