why no more kick starter?

[Spud786]

Who has a voltmeter on their dirt bike???

Its a must have item, if you ride distance imo

[cadman_ks]

Its a must have item, if you ride distance imo

 

What's your definition of distance?

 

Do you have one your bike?

[sirthumpalot]

Remember, when your battery dies so does your fuel pump... They got this one right. Ditch the kickstarter and all the internals associated with it. Make the engine compact and light. Push forward..

The bike will kick start fine without a battery, all you need is a little capacitor to clean the noisy power from the alternator. There are plenty of fi bikes that are kick start only, there's enough electrical power from the kick to get the fuel pump going.

[Spud786]

What's your definition of distance?

 

Do you have one your bike?

well of course I have one, distance is too far to push. 

[cadman_ks]

well of course I have one, distance is too far to push.

Hummm. Interesting.

My buddies and I must just be lucky then. We have been a LONG ways in CO, and not one of us has a volt meter. That's just not something I would think is a "necessity", but everyone has different ideas about what is necessary...

[oldfuddy]

Some folks want a kick starter because we've always had one, it's always been part of the bike, e-button or not.

With new technology it's a paradigm shift. However, it's not a shift for all. There's a crap ton of big Adv bikes without kick-starters roaming the planet for decades riding in the same places these 500's go (and rtw trips) and they don't have kick-starters. Not having a kick-starter on my 950 doesn't limit where I go with it. Not having a kick start on a '17 wouldn't bother me as I've never needed to kick start my '12 or '16 500. I'd take the risk because I already have with older technology for the last decade or so. Cables and a tow strap are part of my tool kit and I never ride alone.

[cadman_ks]

... Not having a kick start on a '17 wouldn't bother me as I've never needed to kick start my '12 or '16 500. I'd take the risk because I already have with older technology for the last decade or so. Cables and a tow strap are part of my tool kit and I never ride alone.

I agree with this.

I too always have cables, a tow strap, and don't ride Aline. That way, we only need to have one bike that runs...

[sirthumpalot]

I have needed the kick stater on my 500 and it saved a ride day. If they make it an option on the new bikes,I'll pay extra for it.

[cadman_ks]

.... If they make it an option on the new bikes,I'll pay extra for it.

 

IMHO, this is what they need to do for the EXC.  

 

Maybe make it standard on the XC-W, but not the EXC...

[oldfuddy]

I have needed the kick stater on my 500 and it saved a ride day. If they make it an option on the new bikes,I'll pay extra for it.

What happened where you needed it?

[sirthumpalot]

The bike was sitting for a couple weeks and I loaded up and took my young son out to go riding, got there and it wouldn't fire with the e start. I tried until it wouldn't barely spin the motor. A few kicks and i was off and running. Second time, i installed a gps tracker that runs off the bike battery. Apparently it draws more juice than i expected, a week later the battery was too dead to turn the motor over. A few kicks and I'm back in business.

Edit - i would like to add that the 500exc fires instantly with the estart of it has been run in the recent past, but after sitting for a week or few the estart isn’t always a sure thing. Now that i keep it connected to a battery tender it typically will start with the estart after prolonged sitting, but not right away. It can take several attempts over the course of a minute or two.

Edited November 11, 2016 by sirthumpalot

[cadman_ks]

The bike was sitting for a couple weeks and I loaded up and took my young son out to go riding, got there and it wouldn't fire with the e start. I tried until it wouldn't barely spin the motor. A few kicks and i was off and running. Second time, i installed a gps tracker that runs off the bike battery. Apparently it draws more juice than i expected, a week later the battery was too dead to turn the motor over. A few kicks and I'm back in business.

Edit - i would like to add that the 500exc fires instantly with the estart of it has been run in the recent past, but after sitting for a week or few the estart isn’t always a sure thing. Now that i keep it connected to a battery tender it typically will start with the estart after prolonged sitting, but not right away. It can take several attempts over the course of a minute or two.

 

Wow, the battery in mine has never been that bad.  Over the winter, there will be periods where I let it sit for a couple of weeks without starting it, and it will be in out in the cold (below 25 the whole time).  It will always start when I go out there...

[oldfuddy]

Ahhh, I see Thump.

As for the harder starts after sitting. run a good healthy dose of seafoam through it. Like 1/4 of a bottle or more at a time per tank until bottle is gone and then splashes of it every other tank or so. I've used a whole bottle in my 950 mixed with about a gallon of fuel when I left it sitting too long. It was starting and idling bad (pilots and idle circuit clogged). It cleared it right up. Both my 500's always fire right up after the first full crank cold, never have to pull the black button in the winter and rarely needs to crank more than once. Although my winters are very mild, but it can get down to the freezing point at times and still fires on those days maybe on the 2nd or 3rd turn over at most. I love the stuff. Bikes start like the day you brought it home. Ymmv.

Edited November 11, 2016 by oldfuddy

[Spud786]

If bike doesn't start in the first two/3 motor revolutions cold, turn key off and try again.  works much better that way, If the bike has sat for a week.  

 

That's what I find, if it doesn't fire easily the first button push

[OrangeYZ]

I have needed the kick stater on my 500 and it saved a ride day. If they make it an option on the new bikes,I'll pay extra for it.

It is an option.

You can buy it after from the KTM Hard Parts Catalog, or when you buy the bike say to the dealer "Hey can you add the kickstarter kit to that while I'm here?" and he will likely abide.

Not for free of course, but you said you'd pay for it so there it is.

[TimeToStartRidingAgain]

As a consumer I like electric start, and do not care if it has a kick start as well.

But i would like bikes lighter and lower.

A 33 inch seat height and weight around 40 pounds wouldnbe perfect.

Not realistic I know..mmbut damn it would be awesome to have.

Oh and a center stand to please for working on it, and 8 hours of riding on a 1 gallon gas tank.

Hey if talking about dream bikes, I may as well dream big!

[cadman_ks]

...

A 33 inch seat height and weight around 40 pounds wouldnbe perfect.

...

KTM might get there at the rate that they are going!!! I didn't think that they could shave 10lbs off, and they did!!!

[Spud786]

KTM might get there at the rate that they are going!!! I didn't think that they could shave 10lbs off, and they did!!!

kick start and the battery weight was the main loss, not really earth shattering. maybe 2 pounds between shorter seat smaller pipe.

[G-BRO]

Kick starters are useless until you need them.

I see this all the time. Guys saying that they have never used their kick starter are just lucky so far.

Kick starter

Tow Strap

Jumper kit

[Mike Samsen]

For less than 1 lb and less than the cost of an add-on kick starter, you can carry a Microstart which easily starts a truck, let alone a motorcycle. And, you may become your riding buddy's best friend!

If you love kick starters, for it. But, there are more efficient, cheaper solutions

Edited November 19, 2016 by Mike Samsen