The starter lever on my T120 does not engage until it is almost horizontal. Apparently there is not enough motion left to start it, because it just turns over weakly when I kick it the rest of the way down. Whatever it is happened while I was riding, because it kicked over fine when I started out, but wouldn't fire after I stopped to fill up. I coasted it down a hill, got it running, but it's never run again. Any ideas?
Steve Lane
Hi Steve, What year is your motor?
Can you post photo straight on from the side so we can see angle if the kicker lever when it’s at rest against the stop.
Is there a chance clutch is slipping?
I clock my lever horizontal 100% of time when starting. So there’s likely more going on here.
If you have oil fill hole in gear box cover you can see all sorts of kick start things through the fill hole. I wouldn’t take anything apart just yet.
Don
Can you post photo straight on from the side so we can see angle if the kicker lever when it’s at rest against the stop.
Is there a chance clutch is slipping?
I clock my lever horizontal 100% of time when starting. So there’s likely more going on here.
If you have oil fill hole in gear box cover you can see all sorts of kick start things through the fill hole. I wouldn’t take anything apart just yet.
Don
Sorry, I should have been more clear. I mean the up stop, like where the lever is with bike just sitting there or as you ride.
Being chopper is not a problem one way or the other. Starter mechanism & clutch etc. still works the same.
Don
Being chopper is not a problem one way or the other. Starter mechanism & clutch etc. still works the same.
Don
These are my kickstarter engagement points, they are a bit tighter than normal as I have shimmed out the ratchet mechanism to minimise clearance.
You say it was fine then failed on a ride out, the free position looks the same as mine, but the engagement is very low. I suspect the mainshaft nut has worked loose, allowing the gearbox mainshaft to slide backwards and forward.
If this is the case the clutch should also feel funny.
A loose shaft nut will allow the end of the shaft to break off fairly easily, it cannot be left.
good luck
Peg.
Hi Steve, Thanks for 2nd photo. Your cotter bolt on lever is correct way round, nut to front. Your at rest lever position is correct, meaning crescent gear is correctly clocked on shaft.
I looked at my bike. My at rest position is same as yours. Depending on where motor stops I push lever by hand & motor turns over to compression & stops. My lever is just above horizontal.
I lift lever all the way up, push down until lever stops. (All by hand). This is where lever stops now.
If your shaft nut is loose you can’t feel it in kicker. It really doesn’t change position of lever. Loose nut is very common. I expect it’s loose on many bikes & nobody knows until locking tabs on locking washer break off. Then nut backs off. The main shaft moves to left & it’s hard to release clutch.
My & John’s nut & some other ones were loose but the locking washer kept nut from actually unscrewing. I’ve never heard of nut falling all the way off, the clutch non release gets so bad bike is unridable. As long as kick start ratchet is still on spline It still kicks over.
At this point my thoughts are clutch is slipping.
More later. I have to run.
Don
I looked at my bike. My at rest position is same as yours. Depending on where motor stops I push lever by hand & motor turns over to compression & stops. My lever is just above horizontal.
I lift lever all the way up, push down until lever stops. (All by hand). This is where lever stops now.
If your shaft nut is loose you can’t feel it in kicker. It really doesn’t change position of lever. Loose nut is very common. I expect it’s loose on many bikes & nobody knows until locking tabs on locking washer break off. Then nut backs off. The main shaft moves to left & it’s hard to release clutch.
My & John’s nut & some other ones were loose but the locking washer kept nut from actually unscrewing. I’ve never heard of nut falling all the way off, the clutch non release gets so bad bike is unridable. As long as kick start ratchet is still on spline It still kicks over.
At this point my thoughts are clutch is slipping.
More later. I have to run.
Don
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