Amal tickler

Just purchased a 74 850 Commando. One dumb question. What does the carb tickler actually do whaen pressed - does it hold the float down to flood the bowl? Also, when starting, do you hold it down until gas comes from the tickler itself? thanks

You got it, pushes float down to over flow gas in stead of using choke. Yes it will overflow in several areas and drip to the ground, even flooding to start in some times. Generally just till first drip seen is enough and often just one carb but trickier to learn to judge coldness and moon phase to stop pressing just short of any drip with its lingering smell of gas on fingers. Don't take long to be as automatic as scratching your own groin just right : 0

Thanks for the qucik reply Hobot - heard you don't need much choke ( or air valve at it's called ) or any at all most of the time? Bike seemed to run good when I picked it up but kickstarter lever is really loose on the shaft splines even when bolt is tight - ordered a new one - don't want to mess up the shaft.

Oakland850, If you order one from a 1975 norton much less chance of hitting mufflers
Phil

Oh yes sir Oakland, in for a penny down for pounds and pounds.
Ideally on old gasoline if didn't need choke or a bit of tickle to start then it was too rich once warmed up. New booze gas runs leaner so helps to diddle float or needle to enrichen some, by trial and error as usual of course. Most remove choke guts and just tickle to start and blip till can idle on its own. Float level is right when best idle is got by 1.5 turns of pilot air screw out. Sets base line for everything else. Pilot jet behind this screw is ImFamous for frequently getting clogged from the zinc oxide collecting and need a careful poking open for stable idle w/o stalls.

On next kick lever, hack saw out the slit wider to get more splines involve in the clamping. I've taken to putting a longer bolt with a back up nut on mine. Good point about version that don't kick in the muffler too.

OH yeah, best wishes pulling off the booggered spline kick lever.

Hi- regarding the kick lever removal- I am no expert, but I have had mine off about 4 times recently. To remove, I find it helpful to wedge a stubby blade screwdriver into the gap until it's pretty tight- then it's relatively easy to remove the lever. Several guys here have made the good suggestion of removing a little metal from the gap (widen the gap) prior to installing the lever. That way it cinches down pretty good when you tighten the bolt. Also re-tighten after a few good kicks and a few miles. And yes, the later levers miss the muffler! Good luck!

hehe xbackslier, you just ain't come up against a really boogered one or two that about breaking hammer off beating a spreader wedge in still does not release the lips hanging up. So again I repeat best wishes removing the kicker and hope it works as slick as it does of others, just not me till replacing the lever and once the dang kicker shaft too. Next time - real soon I'm going to grind some flats on back sided to get better grip from a puller as claw hammer and crow bars tend to impress the case face. One of the few places heat is useless, only brute force can win. Swing arm spindles can be like that too.