Anyone ever fitted a kickstart to an R80gs?
If so, how much and is it a straight forward job ?

Lots of R80G/S came with a kickstart. It was an option in many countries, although not in the US.

Best way to get the kickstart is to do a complete transmission exchange - but this will COST.

Parts needed are significant, the outer cover alone is £65 used. There are many internal bits needed, as well as the lever. £350-500 wouldn't surprise me in the least. And while you are in there definitely replace all the bearings, and if it's a 89-90 series approx. check the mainshaft to see if it has the pressed-on gear or the gear with the circlip to hold it in place. The pressed-on one will fail eventually.

Motobins says they will only do a like-for-like exchange at £335 for your worn out / broken box. You may be able to do a deal, or find one from a wrecker. All 1981 on 2 valve twins use the same gearbox, the only differences was in 82 they improved the shifing (there is a shiftkit available for retrofitting, and most 81s should already have it by now) and with/without kickstart.

You should also make sure you can actually kickstart one first. If you've never kickstarted a big bike before - and many people haven't - you may not be able to. It's a bit of an art to k/s one of these. The kickstarter is not very good - the stroke is limited, and as it swings out, is awkward. I have demonstrated at length to a number of people, and only about half were ever successful, esp. on the R100.

If you have the R80GS paralever with the big battery, I'm not sure I would go to the expense, especially if my ability to actually kick it was suspect.

You might want to ensure you have a Bosch not Valeo electric starter if you decide to forgo the kickstarter. Also take a spare starter solenoid (the little square one under the tank) and you will have covered 95% of starter failures.

------------------
Grant Johnson

Share the Dream!
at: www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

__________________
Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------
Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

andy if u go for a kickstart check the actual "lever" .they are alu. alloy and frequently have hair-line cracks or worst around the g/box shaft "hole" .solution -make replacement in steel
bryan

hi
motor works in the uk do a conversion you send them your gearbox and they do the nessary work for £105
reguards nobby

Reality check, folks. Ever successfully started an 800 cc boxer engine with a kicker? I sure haven't. And believe me, I've tried (last week) on my '86 G/S.

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Kevin

http://www.nohorizons.net

__________________
http://www.nohorizons.net

Kevin, bring your G/S to the meeting May 25-26 and we'll see what we can do.

YES it's hard NO it's not impossible. There IS an ART to it.

------------------
Grant Johnson

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at: www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

__________________
Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------
Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

Is the G/S different than an R80RT? I have kick started the rt several times and have had no problems. Is it luck or am I missing something.It is way easier than the old 500 Yamaha with the compression release plugged.
Cheers, Cameron

The G/S has slightly less kick stroke because of the footpeg location, so it is a little harder.

But imho the real secret is in your experience with the old XT. Once you're used to kicking something hard, a Beemer isn't that bad. But if you're used to electric only, the Beemer is tricky - as I've said, there is a bit of an art to it.


------------------
Grant Johnson

Share the Dream!
at: www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

__________________
Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------
Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

OK, show me at the get-together

------------------
Kevin

http://www.nohorizons.net

__________________
http://www.nohorizons.net

if you fitt a kick start do not forget to replace the ignition black box there are different ones for non kickstart bikes

The difference in the black boxes is that the non-kickstart models supposedly turns off the ignition after a short period of time - many different opinions on how long.

The kickstart version is apparently no longer available here in NA. Uncertain about anywhere else.

The non-kick version will work with a kickstarter, just don't waste time between turning ignition on and kicking.


------------------
Grant Johnson

One world, Two wheels.
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

__________________
Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------
Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

Could someone please explain the art to kick
starting r80G/S.This is only my second bike
and I have no experience with kickstarting.
Thanks.

I wish I could explain it.

I'd recommend visiting your local BMW dealer and getting the oldest guy there to demonstrate and go over it.

Basically it's roll the engine over to the exactly correct spot - just up to where it feels firm - lift the lever back up to a high but comfortable spot - then SNAP the kickstart down - (right leg).

Everything else of course must be perfect - you must know exactly how much throttle opening etc, so pay attention when electric starting to see what works best.

It's easier to explain than do unfortunately. Demonstrating is better.

------------------
Grant Johnson

One world, Two wheels.
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

__________________
Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------
Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

A crate of for the first person to kickstart my R100GS-PD!

try full throttle when kicking - can SOMETIMES help a lot.

drop by anytime...

Grant, in Canada...

------------------
Grant Johnson

Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------

One world, Two wheels.
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

__________________
Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------
Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com