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Kickstart an R80gs?
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 |
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.
------------------ Kevin 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 Share the Dream! at: 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 |
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if you fitt a kick start do not forget to replace the ignition black box there are different ones for non kickstart bikes
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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 |
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 |
A crate of beer for the first person to kickstart my R100GS-PD!
Quote:
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try full throttle when kicking - can SOMETIMES help a lot.
drop by anytime... Grant, in Canada... http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/smile.gif ------------------ Grant Johnson Seek, and ye shall find. ------------------------ One world, Two wheels. www.HorizonsUnlimited.com |
the crate of beer is mine - if you once come to berlin. i've won that kind of bet once on a campsite near damascus, syria. everything grant said is right, but there is one more little help:
forget the side-stand, always put the bike on the center-stand. both hands on bars, left foot on left cylinder (yes! dont worry, it wont break down, but be carefull wth the plug), when you stand comfortable kick wth right foot (remember what grant said about throttle). if carbs & ignition is ok it will work at last with the third kick - after some experience ;-) i have a 73 model now for 17 years and have no e-starter since 91 - it works perfectly each morning. may long you run gerd |
I managed to kick start it this evening after the battery failed. Wally at CW Motorcycles had shown me how to do it. Very easy, involves very little force, just keep slowly and firmly proding the lever until it goes. No choke, no throttle. The action must be slow and smooth.
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I reckon if your man enough to kick one into life then your also fit enough to bump it so why bother spending all that cash, get pushing or carry a spare battery!
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Martync
It's hard to kickstart but it's worse to bumpstart a touring-loaded BMW in soft sand, mud and rivers. Yes, even Istanbul at rush-hour :-) |
Just a note of caution on the bump starting option.....
Apparently this can be hard on the output flange in the transmission. The sudden loading caused by poping the clutch in lower gears can get you into a very expensive rebuild. If you must, use 3 gear and try to let the clutch out easy. This will of course necessitate a steep hill and lots of speed, so you had best be in good shape. Beleive me, I spent some heart pounding moments pushing that beast up a hill only run out of space on the way down (again)! getting enough traction for this on a sandy/ gravely road also presents a challenge. No, I think that lever could just save one's bacon in the right (or wrong) situation..... |
No really, it is much easier to kick start it, once you get the technique right. Definitely worth learning how to do.
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Most people tell me these are just not possible to start from cold however I have found the technique for mine also, R80gs with 1000cc siebenrock kit and dual plugging, From cold open choke to full, bike on centre stand, stand one foot on left cylinder other on kickstart, ignition off, open throttle with each of three to four kicks to get a build up of fuel, build up last kick towards tdc /compression, turn ignition on and a very firm kick opening throttle to about half as doing so and she fires up - its all practice, mind you still think its a harder bike to master starting than most other kickers I have had before but once you have got it its good to know both how and also that it works.
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Kickstarting!
It's like a lot of folks have said, It's an art and a technic you can learn if you really want to (like smooth and silent gearshifting :whistling:)
It's a long time since now, almost 30 years, but when I had my first Beemer, a 90/6 by the way, I learned to kickstart it with my left leg, standing over the bike with my right foot on the ground. I even rode a whole season with the electric starter dismounted. With the engine in tip top condition you can actually kickstart it with your hand. My recent Beemer, an R100RT '79 doesn't have the kickstarter and I don't loose any sleep over it, but when I have got me my airhead GS, or/and "built" my RTW Beemer I'm gonna fit a kickstarter. And probably fit dual batteries and carry a spare startermotor. :lol2: I know, sometimes I can be a bit anal/obsessive/sicko/in more dire need of a blowjob than any white man in history:helpsmilie:, but for me it is as important to be able to do all work on the bike myself as to do the actual ride. And have all possibilities covered. However, I would see it as a sort of emergency starting. I wouldn't expect the gearbox/kickstart to last for 30 years or several 100 000 miles. |
My G/S has a kicker
I've started it with the kicker a few times, just to ensure I can do it in case of need but I much prefer the electric start. As others have posted, to convert yours, you'll need to get a transmission with a kicker -- they are hard to find, and if you can find one, it will be expensive. For me the kicker is a device that makes me appreciate the electric starter.
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