How do you usually start your Commando?

How do you usually start your Commando?

Centre stand for me most of the time.

always astride it on mains-powered rollers, if I have them - otherwise bump-start.

I've always started mine astride. Never on the center or side stand.

After years of kick starting my tin primary hog on the side stand, any other way seems awkward. Done properly it shouldn't put any strain on the side stand

acotrel said:

always astride it on mains-powered rollers, if I have them - otherwise bump-start.

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Then why didn't you chose the last option?

I push the little green button.

Desmopower said:

I push the little green button.

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Just adding another component that can malfunction. My foot always works.

I look at kickstart as a combination field sobriety/roadworthiness test. Either I'm not fit to ride or the bike isn't tuned properly.

Center stand when asphalt or concrete surface is underneath. Added benefit is as it's warming up you can rev it and entertain the audience with it walking backwards on the stand due to the vibration.

Until three years ago always astride with no stands. But now my knees are seriously painful and it's got a CNW starter. Matt knows his market.

I push the button
But for the previous 46 years I kick start it on the side stand

Dan1950 said:

Just adding another component that can malfunction. My foot always works.

I look at kickstart as a combination field sobriety/roadworthiness test. Either I'm not fit to ride or the bike isn't tuned properly.

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Dan,
One time on the Rubicon Trail west of Lake Tahoe, one of the older guys gave me a hard time about my ‘80 CJ5’s power steering and brakes potential to malfunction. I told him with that attitude he should crank start his Jeep

ILLF8ED said:

Dan,
One time on the Rubicon Trail west of Lake Tahoe, one of the older guys gave me a hard time about my ‘80 CJ5’s power steering and brakes potential to malfunction. I told him with that attitude he should crank start his Jeep

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I now drive a 4Runner TRD Off Road premium.

I have the best of both worlds.

When I first converted my 850 to the Featherbed frame back in 1980/82 I built it so nothing could scrape when carking over in the tight twisties, for about 20 years no side or centre stand fitted, everyone knew my bike as it be leaning on a fence, house, poles etc. when parked, I have a clamp on side stand on it now just for when I need to use it but I still lean on things when I can, so since 1982 have never used any stands to fire up my Norton since.
With the Joe Hunt and longer T160 folding kicker my Norton starts 1st time every time when things are set right, but I find it easier to kick if my left leg is up higher like on a gutter (curve) or a large besser block on the floor of my shed, with the left leg up higher gives a better swing on the kicker with the right leg, but once my Norton has been fired up for the first time of the day it will fire up every time after that with a lazy kick and always fires up before the kicker get 1/2 way in the swing.
My Norton will never have an ES or a huge battery to start it, wouldn't have the room for a big battery anyway lol.

Ashley

Funny (painful) story on the last option:

A few years ago, I got a B25 running for a 40 something, just divorced, in a mid-life crisis guy who had just bought his first motorcycle - an absolutely original 1969 BSA B25. He was having a hard time starting it. I showed him that need not jump on the kick starter like it was some hard to start monster by hand starting it - didn't sink in. I had promised to teach him how to ride (tells you how hard it is to get a motorcycle license - he had one). Again, he jumped on the starter and broke the ratchet.

I said I would fix it, but let's get you taught. So, I push started him. Of course, he stalled it over and over, and big old me walking to him every time to push him again. BTW, I was 67. Finally, we are part way up a small hill so I was trying to explain how to bump start it himself - he couldn't get that done. Now I'm pushing down hill and he's starting and stalling. Each time, before pushing him I reminded him to pull the clutch as soon as it started because he needed to learn how to pull away from a stop without stalling. The last time, I was pushing/running hard try to give him enough speed that he couldn't stall before he got the clutch in and he got stopped. When it fired, rather than pulling the clutch and not listening about the throttle, he had it wide open. I'm leaning over, exhausted, running hard, and he jerks the bike out from under me. On the way down, my years of Judo training kicked in and I tried to make the turn to fall without getting hurt but didn't quite make it to my back. I REALLY wish my collar bone had broken - when I got up, my AC joint was destroyed, and the end of my collar bone was at the back of my shoulder.

The medical nonsense that followed is a story for another time. Suffice to say, I spent 8 months without the use of my left arm and 8 more months of PT before I had full motion back, but it was still very weak. Took another year, to get it back to near full strength.

Even if I were still strong enough to push start someone, ain't no way in hell I'm doing that!

Sometimes I stand behind and watch just to make sure everything is in order …

Deckard said:

Center stand when asphalt or concrete surface is underneath. Added benefit is as it's warming up you can rev it and entertain the audience with it walking backwards on the stand due to the vibration.

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As I was leaving a local watering Hole, there was a bunch of young 20 somethings gathered on the front porch of the bar. We left because you couldn't hear yourself think inside for the loud music. Trixie fired up the first kick and the peashooters were pointed right up at them. They got quite a shock. LOL LOL LOL. A sudden gasp came from the crowd!

I have the straight through type too! I usually have to crack the throttle so it barks pretty loud on start up.

Back in 1979 some scum bag stole my seat and kicker while my Norton was getting a new layshaft bearing fitted, well them days of no internet and finding a new kicker wasn't an easy task, my Norton was my only transport/get around on bike and me being a skinny 9 stone nothing light weight I had to learn real fast in how to clutch start my Commando 850 on my own, first and 2nd wasn't any good with my pushing jumping on to bump start it, just locked up the back wheel, 3rd gear was better but then sometime it would just lock up as well, then I used 4th gear to bump start it and it made its so easy to do without pushing it too hard and fired up so easy without the rear wheel locking up but when it fired I had to be real fast on the clutch lever, I did this for 4 months before chasing up a new kicker.

Ashley

ashman said:

Back in 1979 some scum bag stole my seat and kicker while my Norton was getting a new layshaft bearing fitted, well them days of no internet and finding a new kicker wasn't an easy task, my Norton was my only transport/get around on bike and me being a skinny 9 stone nothing light weight I had to learn real fast in how to clutch start my Commando 850 on my own, first and 2nd wasn't any good with my pushing jumping on to bump start it, just locked up the back wheel, 3rd gear was better but then sometime it would just lock up as well, then I used 4th gear to bump start it and it made its so easy to do without pushing it too hard and fired up so easy without the rear wheel locking up but when it fired I had to be real fast on the clutch lever, I did this for 4 months before chasing up a new kicker.

Ashley

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I once bought an old rusted out Chevy half ton that had the throw out bearing pushed through the pressure plate. I drove the thing for months shutting it off when I had to stop and then starting it in low gear. I spent enough years driving semi to know how to shift without using the clutch. A few months later my dad came down and brought me a clutch pressure plate and throw out bearing when he came to visit. I had to learn to drive the damn thing all over.

Inspect tires .
Check fuel level .
Turn on fuel .
Key into ignition .
Ignition on .
Sit on bike .
Reach down and depress both ticklers until fuel visibly comes out .
Pull in clutch lever.
Check neutral light is on .
Throttle to slightly open .
Hit the starter button .

In the morning at home:
Bike on center stand; tickle carbs; stand on right side and kick through with left leg. Turn on ignition and kickstart with left leg.

On street near curb: Bike on sidestand; start as above.

At the fuel/gas/petrol station: Straddle bike, no tickle, ignition on, kickstart with right leg.

Rarely use the choke.

No pushbutton bikes in my stable--yet!