Jump to content

A bike with a Left Hand Kickstart


neo
 Share

A bike with a Left Hand Kickstart  

82 members have voted

  1. 1. Would you buy a bike with a Left hand kickstart?



Recommended Posts

 

 
 
 

I don't care which side, but I do care how ergonomic they are.

A few years ago my wife wanted a modern bike and the choice was down to a Beta Rev 3 (left side kick)or a 2 stroke Yamaha motor Scorpa (right side kick). We bought the Beta because the end of the Scorpa kickstart was so high she couldn't get her foot high enough to reach it. She had no probs starting the Beta.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

So you're stuck on the side of a hill and have stalled the engine. It's very steep. You try to hold the bike stationary with just the front brake while you kickstart it but the front can't find grip and you start to slide backwards... Oh wait that's right, i've got a left hand kickstart - i'll just put my foot on the rear brake while i kick the bike over with my left foot. Easy! ;)

This was drilled into me last month by a Brisbane Beta owner who is annoyed his new 4 stroke Beta has a 'normal' right side kickstart. He misses his left side kickstarter.

If i could afford a new Evo it wouldn't bother me.

cheers

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

I should hate left hand kick starters. I was at a 3 day event in `95. Put a Beta kick starter in my leg, all the way in and ripped a full hand down. Three layers of stitches a drain and the damn thing bled for a month. Wife was p****d, kept bleedin` in her bed. Had to miss our next series event, but I think I drank more beer that month than I ever had.(For medicinal purposes only)

I grew up on a Ossa, have had Many a Beta. Left right does not matter, but I like the Fantics the best!!! If you dislike kickstarters then get one of the electric bikes!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 
 

I broke a bone in my left foot kicking over a Rev3 back in 04 and it still hurts me now, so I won't be rushing to buy a bike with a LH starter.

Being on the left didn't cause the injury, it was the poxy Beta Stator that did it.

I had only changed the stator (under warranty I must add)two events previous and the replacement stopped working (half way round a trial in a section on the side of a steep hill) after a while I became so frustrated I kicked the kick starter down in anger and.... broke my foot! My own stupid fault!

Left the useless dead pile of junk on the trailer and took it straight round to BVM the next day and bought a new Scorpa.

Needless to say, I have less than fond memories of my LH kick-non-start 04 Beta.

Pete

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 
 
 

some of the best bikes ever made have had left hand kickstarts

Bultaco

Ossa

SWM

Beta

to name a few

sorry but think this is a bit of a pointless poll.The other thread Neo started had more potential ie how long has the same basic design of Beta engine been in production.. and how come people still complain about the clutch draggging when Beta have had a good 15 years to sort this, Electrics do seem to be sorted now but thats took about 10 years

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Hello all. I own a Bultaco Sherpa T and also race a mk 7 360 Pursang in classic motorcross so I find left side kick normal but I have no hassle starting a right side kick bike either. It is just what you are used to. I also have no problem changing from right side shift to left side shift so maybe I am just strange. Bully Lover.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

The side of the kickstart is for me not a problem,

sometimes I need some time getting used to the "other"

side when switch the bike.

For me it's all about:

- how it's mount, (height),

- how good the kickstart mechanism works,

(much wear had the aluminium kicker that was used for the Italjet Piuma f.e.,

or the lever of the TY 175 that is possible to break by accident).

Then the internal ratch mechanism where you sometimes find "soft"

solutions where "dedentition" is not uncommen,

(f. e. Fantic 1994 K-Roo, not mine shown here):

DSC00240.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 
 

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

×
  • Create New...