That makes sense. Many times, it only takes a kick or two to start it....at times, it has it's fits. It is one of the more difficult engines to start. I remember the first time that I tried starting it (when my friend owned it that I purchased it from), I didn't listen to him on the proper procedure and treated it like a Japanese bike. Big mistake, I was limping the rest of the day! I shouldn't have been wearing sandles to being with, but the main point was not needing to stand on the thing while it's on the stand, like so many people seem to do.

Hah, that's funny - until you pointed that out, I never realized I had called it a 'decompression release'. You're the first one. It's alot easier to type correhently for me, than to speak apparently. I never did prime it before but did after people have suggested it, and it does help. The point of using the bare feet and sandles, and video in general, was more to show that it can be kicked without standing on the thing. Every BSA I've ever had has literally had the center stand and side stands both trashed because whatever 'Big Boy Harley Rider' tried to start it previously could only apparently kick the bike full on standing on it when attempting to start it. The quadrant spring has since been replaced, when I finally found the motivation in an evening to do it. I have a handfull of other bikes/projects and that one hasn't got much attention. I'm likely going to sell it this next spring - not to use the money for shoe purchase, but because oil leaking at the frame weld has now added to the already other parts of oil leaking on the bike, and as cool of a ride as it is, I just don't have the time with my other rides/interests to give her the attention that she deserves.

Yep! I've seen several of them damaged exactly in that manner. Even though it took a few kicks to get the bike started when the video was made - you definitely don't want to kick over these while putting all of the weight onto the center stand!

That bike had sat for several months before making the video. If it's run regularly, it's actually not terrible to start. A couple priming kicks do help. It's a riot to ride BUT definitely less refined than newer bikes. Leaks oil everywhere. Shakes enough to crack welds at the horn mount, engine support, and who knows where else. Fun as an old bike, but I can't imagine having one as your 'nice' bike years ago 😀

Nice! Quadrant spring was replaced with a new one, and bike was sold on Bring a Trailer recently.

Ha! I've had it 'coax' my foot back upwards as well when coming up slowly to the compression stroke :)

I got kicked back on by a CCM B50 with a 550 motor. I was on the ground crying. I don’t remember that much pain since. Forty years on

Thanks! It's one of my favorites to ride. I've had a couple twin cylinder A65s, but love the 500cc single. Super punchy bike, lightweight, and a ton of character.

@@retro_grade I live in north east England, I have a B44. I’ve not rode it yet, just waiting for some warm weather. Hope you have a good riding season 👍🍻

Jason, thanks! It took a few kicks, but it shows that it can be done without putting all of one's weight and pressure onto the kick stand or center stand. I love riding the B50 (as well as other British twins/singles), it has so much character! Someone suggested adding a priming kick or two before trying to start it, and that actually does seem to improve starting as well.

Derek, you are correct. Normally, the bike doesn't start THAT hard, but after someone else also suggested that I've since added it in. It does help quite a bit. My main gripe with BSA's are the guys who put all their weight on the kicker, standing one the bike while it's in its center stand, and destroy the stand as a result. Great advice! 👍

@@retro_grade Used to be the only way to start a Harley , when they were kick only , back in the early 70's when i worked for a dealer .

@DEREK SMITH - that explains why it's the 'Harley' guys that are usually the culprits 🤣 Last one was a 1972 BSA A65 - the big old Harley rider that tried starting it before I got it did a real number on both the side and center stands. The rear shocks also got bent somehow 😳

Well then, it seems like alot of BSA owners are doing it wrong. I was always taught to use the compression release to get it just past TDC (so that you could actually kick the thing over), and then kick it. The compression is so high at TDC that it's very difficult to kick downward at that point. When I first tried starting it years ago when a friend owned it (before I bought it off him) I treated it like a 4 stroke dirtbike with compression release (pulling the release in to get it started and then releasing it midway through the stroke) and hurt my ankle. Gave the old guy a laugh. When the bike was actually ran, it normally took about 2 to 3 kicks. Priming kicks also helped. I've since sold it on Bring a Trailer, and made a few riding videos on it before I let it go. Check those out!

@@retro_grade have you tried looking at the crankshaft where it actually is .. when you feel compression .. then the piston is at the bottom of the stroke, then you move the piston up 1/4 before the top ,, then it can create enough pressure to it can turn on petrol .. there must be 3 things for it to start .. petrol compression and spark , I have a honda xr 600r I can stand on the kickstarter with all my weight so I examined it on the crank ,, before top

@@gertkristensen6451 you are correct. My method was correct (which on initial read I thought you were correcting), by my terminology was wrong. Where I am in my stroke would not be just past Top Dead Center. I don't know why I had that stuck in my head - either it's what a bunch of others had been saying, or I have that position stuck in my head from using it as a reference for everything else. Either way, good catch, and thank you for the correction.

@@retro_grade ha ha good.. now you can explain it to your BSA friends, you have to understand what happens in the engine, it's easy to misunderstand when everyone says tdc 😃😃😃😄😄 👍👍👍

My critcism at the time was towards those who put the bike up on the center stand (or even lean it on the kick stand), climb up onto it, and then stand on the footpegs while straddling the seat and proceed to throw all of their weight downward. Because they can't get their bike started. I've had a couple BSA's with damaged center stands, center stand mounts, and side stands as a result. Putting the bike on the center stand for added support if kicking from the side, and more rotating through the kick stroke than putting all of the weight down into it is a different story. I typically start the B50 in this manner if hasn't been run for half a year and takes a few kicks, then kick start it while on the wheels and straddling the seat after it's been run (and starts in one or two). The kick starter on this bike, even after replacing the quadrant spring on it with a new one (after this video was made) is so slow to return for whatever reason, that it barely comes up with any speed. But yeah, probably good practive otherwise.

It's not too terrible when it's been shorter than several months when its been run. Typically she starts in a couple of kicks. I don't mind kick starters - at least there's less to break than on an e-start. I at mininum always like having one as a back-up. Unfortunately, Retro Grade is not yet monetized so we have been unable to budget for a Director of Saftey to prohibit us from doing silly things such as starting a 500cc motorcycle in bare feet for the sole purpose of KZfaq views. Hopefully we can get that rectified at some point before one of us gets seriously injured, as you mentioned :(

It might have been a bad edit - I used the decompression lever each time to get the kick starter into position just past TDC. Although I did stop saying it towards the end, as I figured the viewers got the idea. I think I cut out around 3 or 4 other attempts at starting the bike. I didn't want to necessarily be dishonest, but KZfaq is also about keeping viewers interested and there's no point in showing that many attempts. I suppose I should have stated how many total it took. Now, I feel as if I should have probably pulled out more of them in the video, as it got dry. That's great to hear that your 441 will start after sitting all winter. My B50SS typically will, if I don't flood it first too much with the tickler as I did this time, pushing it over and over for the video (including a second shot with my camera moved in close). These bikes are admittedly not that bad to start (contrary to their reputation), but are also not the same as a Japanese motorcycles either. That's great you're looking forward to the next starting video! Subscribe and I'd imagine KZfaq will probably notify you when it's up!

Are you just mad that you have been posting vids for over a decade and you still suck? “My bike blah blah blah..” “ I bet you cut out blah blah blah...” shut up and go back to your PBR and remember the good old days when you were a cool guy.

I think you are being a little harsh on the man, after all he did warn about the dangers of damaging the stands and of the kick-start lever swinging back and breaking your foot.

Did you actually watch the video or just comment on the thumbnail like a dumbass? Ooooh, I bet you are one of those guys (or want to be) with all the HD leather gear that looks like they are heading to a S&M pegging party or local glory hole. That’s cool, you do you bro 👍🏿.

While I have had the kick starter kick back before, I can't say I've had my knee hit me in the face. Heck, I'm trying to touch my face with my knee here standing at the desk and am having a hard time! When it's happened to me, it usually results in a sore ankle. The sandals and bare foot was more to prove a point - that if a more experienced rider can start it in that manner, than a novice, with a bit of practice, should be able to start even a 500cc machine without standing on the center or side stand when kicking it.