Can you kick start you Beta 4 stroke?

[usedtobefast]

I now have about 500 miles on my 2013 Beta 520RS and this past weekend I decided to try and kick start the bike.  I tried when I had ~50 miles on it and I couldn't even move the kick starter.

 

I'm used to kicking bikes.  Have owned/started - ATK 605, Husky 610, Husaberg 650, Honda XR650R, and more.

 

So I tried with the engine cold.  Could barely kick it over. I could not start it.  I pressed the starter button and it instantly fired up.  Rode it around, warmed it up, and turned it off.  No way I could get it to start with the kick starter.  Several times I'm just standing on the kick starter, jumping up and kicking it, I don't know, Maico style?  No luck.

 

So I'd better take good care of my battery!

 

Is this unusual? 

Edited September 26, 2013 by usetobefast

[YZDOC]

520 can be a hard kick. I have had the dead bat in CO when I first got my bike. it would kick but a beast to get to fire. Auto decomp can be the culprit. It is hard to start cold for sure, but doable if you get it into the right stroke. Your engine is new and tight, mine was back then and the 2012 decomp was not as good as the 13. I have the 13 now and over 2K and it might still be a beast at cold, it will start. Mo betta hot...

The bike gets better as it settles in. 

[JustRon]

I got lucky once, and was able to kick it when my battery died. But, the few times I've tried, I could barely move the lever. Seriously, I would put all my weight into it, and it wouldn't even budge! Since I switched to a lithium battery, I haven't tried to kick it.

[usedtobefast]

Whew, was starting to think I was becoming a girlie-man.  ?   I pulled out my Husaberg 650 supermotard and easily fired it up with the kickstarter just to make sure I wasn't going nuts.  And very odd, the 'berg will fire cold with half a kick stroke.

 

Are there any adjustments possible to the Beta auto decompression?  really seems like it is not working. 

[thebob_za]

My 400RR has 45 hours on it and kicking it is still a pain. I sometimes get lucky with it, but the electric start is really reliable so don't really use it at all.

[GTi4lifee]

My 450 has no battery installed and she fires up first kick every time.  I am thinking of removing the starter all together.

 

ALSO NOTE!  These things hate being started in gear!  Neutral is the only way mine fires up.  I am not sure if it is due to the rekluse setup or not.

[be350ka]

Hmmm. I'm not sure what's going on here with other users but I can start mine with the kicker in flip flops. 2013 498rr.

Edited September 26, 2013 by be350ka

[offworlder]

My 2012 wouldnt budge, until I got the auto-decompression fix.

[usedtobefast]

My 2012 wouldnt budge, until I got the auto-decompression fix.

 

What was the fix?  Seems like by 2013 might need it.  thanks

[hawaiidirtrider]

I could not turn over my Beta 525 for nothing when I first got it. Bottom line is for some 4stroke bikes a longer break in time is in order. Now my 525 kicks over easy with one or 2 cranks. In the beginning I went through with some battery problems. Now I know after going through it that it was a long break in period. The battery was run down by the super hard energy needed to turn over the bike. This has been common enough with other 4 strokes too . not only Beta. Just to start off don't fool around and get the biggest baddest stronges shorai you can put on your bike. I went through at least 3 in the beginning and I was thinking it was a bunch of other things which cost me money. It was just this simple thing. What was bad was I was supposed to use my bike like a light trail ds bike. I take it into horrible slow tight brutal stuff with no wind so I'm stupid for taking it in that right off the bat and continuing to ride those kinds of trails. I mean people don't usually choose a 525 rfs motor as the best for extreme enduro type riding. It does work well . It's pretty good now though. I've addressed overheating issues that I saw was common with those motors (really all 4 strokes in tight slow stuff) and the bike broke in and the bike works great. I have some big radiators that I haven't put on yet so when those are on it will be awesome. I  also have a fan, an overflow bottle, a high pres. radiator cap, have an HToil cooler , took out my thermostat, and run water wetter/or whatever special coolant. When I put the fluidynes I figure there should be a bigger improvement with the much larger volume of coolant. We will see. Most of the time it's good now but when it sucks is in the rainy season when it's been storming for a few weeks straight.

Edited October 2, 2013 by hawaiidirtrider

[usedtobefast]

Hawaiidirtrider - the electric starter works fine.  I just can't kick the kickstarter.  Mega compression, feels like no auto-decompression at all. My Berg 650 has 1900 miles on it and I can kick start it easily.  550ish miles on the Beta and no can kick.  I think the motor would have to be pretty clapped out before it'll start being easy to kick.  ?    I think I'll stop by my dealer and try kicking other Betas to compare. 

[Blulu]

My 13 498 just clocked up 1000ks today, i thought id give it a kick this morning, stone cold.

 

first kick, just a light one to see what all the fuss was about, fail

 

so i gave it a big boot, no go

 

then i put the stand down, and gave it a big hoof while standing on the peg, away she went.

 

I won't be trying it in flip flops.

[-ride4life-]

Iv'e had battery issues from day one (earth x) so I have had to kick start my bike most of the 2000 miles Ive got on it.  Id say the trick is to do little kicks til you get past that real stiff point (tdc) but yeah its not easy.  On a recent dual sport event I went down and flooded my bike out. I broke the kick starter on my bike kicking it over...  Lucky for me the dealer who I bought the bike from was at the same check point at the same time and gave me his kick starter!  He also shipped me out a Shorai battery that Monday, talk about good customer service.  

[ballisticexchris]

I have nothing but good to say about my EarthX Battery. As stated in an earlier thread, running a ground wire from the starter to the grounding lug on the frame makes a huge difference.

[Mckay]

At 600 miles I finally got mine ('13 520RS) started twice last weekend. It is definitely getting easier as the hours build up.

Edited October 9, 2013 by Mckay

[-ride4life-]

I have nothing but good to say about my EarthX Battery. As stated in an earlier thread, running a ground wire from the starter to the grounding lug on the frame makes a huge difference.

Yeah I must have got a dud...  The dealer wasnt very fond of the earth x and highly recommended shorai, I will be dropping my bike off there soon so he can do a full check of the charging system just to make sure its all working properly.  Ground mod is a great idea to ease starting Ill be doing that for sure.

[ballisticexchris]

Yeah I must have got a dud...  The dealer wasnt very fond of the earth x and highly recommended shorai, I will be dropping my bike off there soon so he can do a full check of the charging system just to make sure its all working properly.  Ground mod is a great idea to ease starting Ill be doing that for sure.

 

You can't beat the Shorai battery either. The one that has been trouble (and why American Beta quit offering them in the BYOB program) is the Ballistic battery. I'm pretty sure Dave at Get Dirty Dirt Bikes has the original Shorai in his 2010 450 race bike.

Edited October 10, 2013 by ballisticexchris