Alternative kick start levers

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Recently I've seen some new or improved versions of kick start levers. It appears that extended length for easier effort and better clearance around the exhaust are achieved. With the price of original kit, I'm interested to see what is readily available or what others may have fabricated to improve over the Mk3 design, which I currently have on my Mk2. My preference would be for a bolt on replacement, happy to send the old one away in exchange but I'm concerned about the condition of the splines which always seem to require replacing the pawl shaft as well.

I am very interested in Andy's design - and I hope Andy can tell us where he got it or had it made up?

Mick

Alternative kick start levers
 
I have seen that type of kick start lever for sale from RGM and Commando specialties. It looks pretty good, but it seems overpriced to me.
 
I've just purchased one from commandospecialties and it sure makes it easier to spin the old girl over. You pay for it once but you love it every time you start your old girl. You will never wish you had not gotten it.
 
I went on commandospecialties' site but don't see a kick lever like in Swooshdave's photo. How much are these?
 
Mick,

I got mine from RGM http://www.rgmmotors.co.uk

which was 85GBP last year. For me it's not overprized, as it does the job and quality is spot on.
Lever ratio is right and downpipe clearance is not an issue any more. And I think it fits the lines of my old girl very well.
Seems to be the same that commandospecialties sells.

Cheers,
Andy
 
Does any one know if a folding kickstart arm would clear a set of rearsets with a straight shift lever as opposed to the big loop needed to clear a stock kickstart arm? I would like to make or buy a "modern" set of rearsets for my 850. It would be nice to be able to just have a "straight" shift lever if it would clear.
 
Well thanks katescottageiom but I tried searching "modified kick starters" as suggested but no such luck unless your suggesting converting to "Electric start" & removing the kick lever.???
 
gtsun said:
Does any one know if a folding kickstart arm would clear a set of rearsets with a straight shift lever as opposed to the big loop needed to clear a stock kickstart arm? I would like to make or buy a "modern" set of rearsets for my 850. It would be nice to be able to just have a "straight" shift lever if it would clear.
Click to expand...

Wouldn't the one pictured above work?
 
Well having read on another thread on here that the pattern one Britbits in Christchurch, UK sell is better quality and fit than OEM, I'm just nipping down there to get one and start getting the gearbox back together. I will certainly post back and let you know what it is like.
 
Alternative kick start levers


HI can I ask a favour can you measure the distance between the kick start about 4 inches ab above the shaft centre to the gearbox....
Cheers Paul
 
plj850 said:
HI can I ask a favour can you measure the distance between the kick start about 4 inches ab above the shaft centre to the gearbox....
Cheers Paul
Click to expand...

Hi Paul,

I measured it today. It's about 1 1/4".

Cheers,
Andy
 
Thanks for all the good replies. I'm doing a job on a 850 Mk2 for a mate whos had a hip replacement and anything that will ease the kick over will be helpful. I'm also considering the inevitability of this for mine. On an A10 BSA which had a fixed lever, so the foot section stuck out permanently, I adapated a Jap swiveling lever top end to it, had it rechromed and it looked OK and worked fine. I like Cookies idea of welding in an extenstion to a Mk3.

Mick
 
gtsun said:
Does any one know if a folding kickstart arm would clear a set of rearsets with a straight shift lever as opposed to the big loop needed to clear a stock kickstart arm? I would like to make or buy a "modern" set of rearsets for my 850. It would be nice to be able to just have a "straight" shift lever if it would clear.
Click to expand...

Gtsun — Jean de Rosiers (jeandr) made a fold-out kickstart lever to clear his rear sets. He has a Featherbed frame so I am not sure if this would work on a standard Commando. His thread with all his build photos is on this forum, so you could do a search for it. Or, if he's reading this, he could re-post the photo himself... I think Jean had to extend the splined part of the lever outwards quite a bit to clear his fixed footrest and he had several attempts at it before he got it right.

Swooshdave, I'd be interested in a fold-out k/s myself and I have rear sets. Could you measure the distance between the inside of your lever and the outside of your Z-plate while the lever is at the 8 to 9 o'clock position? Could you measure straight out from the rearmost footrest mounting bolt to the kickstart lever? I can then measure the length of my rear set footpeg and we can see if the lever would clear the peg or not. This should give gtsun an indication if it will work for him.

Dave
 
Here you go:

Alternative kick start levers


There is one annoying problem which I had not foreseen, when the kick start lever gets all the way down, it tends to fold. On a bike without a centre stand and only clip on handlebars, it is too much to take so I will replace it with one from RGM. The cost of the one I did was about $145 CAD for lever, welding and chrome, the RGM kick start lever is about $190 CAD shipping included, not much difference.

Jean
 
daveh said:
Swooshdave, I'd be interested in a fold-out k/s myself and I have rear sets. Could you measure the distance between the inside of your lever and the outside of your Z-plate while the lever is at the 8 to 9 o'clock position? Could you measure straight out from the rearmost footrest mounting bolt to the kickstart lever? I can then measure the length of my rear set footpeg and we can see if the lever would clear the peg or not. This should give gtsun an indication if it will work for him.

Dave
Click to expand...

That's not my picture. I just reposted it as Mick had some code errors. Perhaps LAB can fix it and delete mine?

[Yes, I've fixed it - and deleted your post - thanks for correcting the error. L.A.B.]
 
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