bike roller starter systems

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Left foot here too - after merging my right heel and arsehole and tearing my ACL in the process learning/trying to start her last summer.

BIke on side stand, left foot on starter 'til side stand lifts off ground then kick through.

Park on a hill whenever you can - pretty easy here on the left coast.
 
I've given this some thought prior and one idea was to install cordless power tool with a friction wheel to press on rear to spin up then let clutch out. Grab handle or chain to press on tire, then let go to release to free wheel. Most my roll offs start ok but not always so end up at low spot dead in the water. Takes about 15+ mph not to just slide tire in 2nd. Another thot was a long lever to slip over modified kick lever so pump by arm action while leaning against bike to brace.
 
I saw a guy back up a scooter to a race bike that was sitting on a paddock stand; he backed the scooter up, set it on it's cennterstand, then sooted it back to make contact with the race bike's tire. The racer got on, dropped it into 2nd gear, pulled in the clutch, then the scooter pilot revved the sucker up, spinning up the bike's wheel; the racer dumped the clutch and rode off. This method requires a scooter and a second person, harder than the starter rollers.
 
grandpaul said:
I saw a guy back up a scooter to a race bike that was sitting on a paddock stand; he backed the scooter up, set it on it's cennterstand, then sooted it back to make contact with the race bike's tire. The racer got on, dropped it into 2nd gear, pulled in the clutch, then the scooter pilot revved the sucker up, spinning up the bike's wheel; the racer dumped the clutch and rode off. This method requires a scooter and a second person, harder than the starter rollers.
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Sounds like the way to go to me.
 
So that's what scooters are for :lol: All this time I thought they were just for girls to ride.
 
Scooters make great pit bikes, also because they double as starter rollers.

Although, I suppose you could use a Commando with a centerstand to do the same job...
 
Scooters and te like have at least 5 HP motors which is why a cordless drill will not have enough guts to start a Norton. I used to start my mower with a ½" drill, but it was old and tired, a healthy motorcycle is just too much. Starting rollers like the DocZ do require two people and you must really put weight on the rear tire in order for the rollers to hook up, just the bike without weight will see the rollers spin on the tire.

Jean
 
Jeandr said:
Starting rollers like the DocZ do require two people and you must really put weight on the rear tire in order for the rollers to hook up, just the bike without weight will see the rollers spin on the tire.
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It all depends on the bike's compression and the abilities of the rider. I can start my 9.5:1 Bonnie just fine by myself with my Doc Z's, and I only weigh 140 in full gear...
 
Digging up an old thread....

I just ordered a DocZ starter. My knee is killing me trying to get bike started after winter.

Who has a DocZ? Apparently h's recently made some improvements so I'll post once I get mine. Thanks guys!
 
Johnnymac said:
Digging up an old thread....

I just ordered a DocZ starter. My knee is killing me trying to get bike started after winter.

Who has a DocZ? Apparently h's recently made some improvements so I'll post once I get mine. Thanks guys!
Click to expand...


O.K., the Doc Z looks like a nice piece of kit, but wouldn't converting to an "E" start be a whole lot more practical?
 
JimC said:
Johnnymac said:
Digging up an old thread....

I just ordered a DocZ starter. My knee is killing me trying to get bike started after winter.

Who has a DocZ? Apparently h's recently made some improvements so I'll post once I get mine. Thanks guys!
Click to expand...


O.K., the Doc Z looks like a nice piece of kit, but wouldn't converting to an "E" start be a whole lot more practical?
Click to expand...

Since the roller starter is only $850 and can be used on all of my bikes, it's a lot more economical.
 
Johnnymac said:
JimC said:
Johnnymac said:
Digging up an old thread....

I just ordered a DocZ starter. My knee is killing me trying to get bike started after winter.

Who has a DocZ? Apparently h's recently made some improvements so I'll post once I get mine. Thanks guys!
Click to expand...


O.K., the Doc Z looks like a nice piece of kit, but wouldn't converting to an "E" start be a whole lot more practical?
Click to expand...

Since the roller starter is only $850 and can be used on all of my bikes, it's a lot more economical.
Click to expand...

Can you carry it on the back of the bike when it stalls at a light?
 
^^^ Well, it's a lot easier to kickstart a nice warmed up engine than to have to repeatedly kick over 4 cold (and wet sumped) vintage british bikes after a long winter. :) If I use it once a year the money I will save on future related knee replacements is worth it.
 
Check out Matt @ CNW their E start conversion is priced right and like everything else from them.... Perfect in every way... I'm waiting for mine right now,I optioned my kit out but I believe they are less
Expensive than some of the more popular conversions and CNW is head and shoulders above anyone else when it comes to service and support after the sale....no "waiting to hear back " BS with these guys....anyway I'm in the same boat.... Aging body..... And a perfectly sorted out and dialed in 750 that I'd not trade for love nor money and now with the E start kit I have what to me is .... The perfect motorcycle !! Just do it .... You'll forget the price paid long before you forget the great times spent on the machine you love... There's cheap... And there's good... But Hardley ever is something cheap any good... Long as you get a value for your buck ?? Then it's money well spent....
 
Johnnymac said:
^^^ Well, it's a lot easier to kickstart a nice warmed up engine than to have to repeatedly kick over 4 cold (and wet sumped) vintage british bikes after a long winter. :) If I use it once a year the money I will save on future related knee replacements is worth it.
Click to expand...

If one has it in their budget, a good roller starter is a nice thing to have. We use ours in the shop all the time when working on customer bikes just to get them going so fine tuning can happen. And starting up a batch of bikes after a long quiet winter is a perfect non-racing use. Good do.

Curious how your conversation went with Mr. Zimmerman... he's a classic!

-KC
 
I borrowed a powerful set of rollers to get the oil pumped round after my engine rebuild and they saved a lot of knee agro. The only problem was, once I had fired the bike up and then stopped it, for some obscure reason I walked away from the bike and surprise surprise it fell over. I nearly cried. A serious brain fart.
 
Holmeslice said:
Johnnymac said:
^^^ Well, it's a lot easier to kickstart a nice warmed up engine than to have to repeatedly kick over 4 cold (and wet sumped) vintage british bikes after a long winter. :) If I use it once a year the money I will save on future related knee replacements is worth it.
Click to expand...

If one has it in their budget, a good roller starter is a nice thing to have. We use ours in the shop all the time when working on customer bikes just to get them going so fine tuning can happen. And starting up a batch of bikes after a long quiet winter is a perfect non-racing use. Good do.

Curious how your conversation went with Mr. Zimmerman... he's a classic!

-KC
Click to expand...

It's funny. I was looking at ordering one of these two years ago and called Mr. Zimmerman about it. We talked for maybe 45 minutes about his racing years, the bikes he rides and Isle of Mann. After the conversation I felt like I knew him. I ended up not ordering it because I needed it at the time for a race bike I was looking at (First race bike) but ended up not buying.

Fast forward 2 years and I called him again to actually place the order this time. I left a voicemail message for him and he called me back 10 minutes later. When I answered he said, "John, I'm returning you call and I have some bad news for you". I thought that he was going to say that he didn't sell them any longer. He went on to say that the bad news was that he was heart broken because I never placed my order 2 years ago...but that he eventually got over it. I couldn't believe that he remembered me or our conversation. He's a very nice guy and says he stands by his equipment. I'll let you know how it goes. It should get here this week. I just have to find time to put it together and test it.
 
I've been using a Doc Z set of rollers to start bikes at the races for years, mostly for big 4 stroke singles. I use the twin starter version with single battery. It works pretty well, unless the bikes are really cold, and the clutch has so much drag that the tire slips on the rollers. Helps to have a 200 lb+ helper to push down on the rear. This last weekend at the AHRMA races we had some trouble starting one of the bikes when cold, and worked out a procedure where we spin the wheel up in neutral to get speed, then pop it into second gear and drop the clutch just as it shifts. Seems to work pretty well. These are high compression engines that make more horsepower than most Commandos, so the system should work fine on a street Commando. You can also put two batteries in series for 24 volts and more torque, but it's harder on the starters. I'm thinking about doing that. The biggest problem for a solo rider to use it is to coordinate using the foot switch while still trying to bump down on the bike for traction, all while operating clutch and throttle in a coordinated fashion. But you do learn how to do it with practice.

Ken
 
This is a picture of the Doc Z starter set up in our pit area at the recent AHRMA races in California. It has the optional rolling stand to make it easy to move around, plus the optional tray for a second battery.

bike roller starter systems


Ken
 
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