Kick Starting with an artificial knee

I have finally cured my kneemonia with a new artificial knee that went in a couple of days ago. I've begun my physiotherapy and should be much better off when I get through this.
I told my surgeon that I had an older motorcycle with a kick start, and was hoping I could kick start it. He said 'Absolutely, Yes' with great confidence. I doubt if he knows much of anything about Combat Commandos, so here's my question.
Does anybody here kick start their bikes with an artificial knee?

Thanks for your time and Merry Christmas!!

While I admire your spirit and enthusiasm, why take the risk? Your new knee will give you back many degrees of increased movement, walk without the pain you were bearing. If you injure the new knee you won't likely get a third chance.

I hope my disclosure that cNw offers a robust e-start system for pre Mk3 Commandos isn't news to you, but if so, it is a shit load less expensive then going through another iffy surgical procedure.

Show your surgeon a video of someone kick starting a British motorcycle and see if his/her tune doesn't change rather quickly. There are a few posts on this topic, and IIRC, all posters were advised to NOT do the K/S dance.

Enjoy riding, not recovering...

The addition of an electric start may be a good investment in your health and longevity of mobility. Another thought is to switch to your other leg for kick starting. I switched to the left leg years ago but still use the right on the odd occasion the bike "stalls" at a light!

~998cc

Because of a severe knee issue, I bought the Alton kit which can retain the original air filter. Brilliant bit of kit. All can be easily reversed.

I can no longer kickstart any motorcycle with my right leg so I use my left all the time now
And with my commando I have extended the Kickstart shaft by 90mm it works but is not ideal

Tri spark and Alton - job done. I knew someone who used to start his manx's with hip and knee replacements, but then he did have years of practice.

I met “delagem” from this forum this past summer to offer him some help (tools) on his long ride with his sons .... he on a ‘72 Combat with tri-spark , he could sit on bike move engine to TDC and then literally just push it over and it was running , have never seen a Commando fire this way , really hard to believe even after watching him do same routine two or three times ..... looked to be no stress on his leg at all..... for me it’s been left leg start for many years now ...

my right knee has been bionic since dec2014. i have no issue starting my Nortons with the right leg. having said that i do want to eventually add electric assist. ( i really hate the stress when it dies at a light, and you begin the frantic routine to get it running before the light goes green...)

I've heard - though never witnessed - claims of folks starting a Commando pushing the lever by hand so starting it with a fake knee should be no issue! But I'm with those that suggest an E-start. In the old days, I often bump-started my Commando. Hey, thats what the racers did! But the addition of E-start is a fine thing. Remember, Norton had planned to install E-start much earlier than they were able to do it so it's not as if you are "flying in the face of tradition" by installing it. You are just finishing up what Norton didn't complete until '75!

IMO, the Alton and the CNW have different strengths. The CNW is, IMO, more robust and also changes the primary to belt drive. If you want belt drive, that's a good thing but you have no choice - that's part of the kit. You cannot retain the OEM air filter. The Alton is, IMO, more elegant in appearance and allows the OEM air filter. Of course, if you don't run the OEM filter, that doesn't matter. It also can be removed and the bike put back stock with very little trouble. I think the CNW will be working flawlessly for as long as you - or anybody else - owns the bike. I don't feel that way about the Alton - the design, using a sprag clutch is more subject to wear and possible damage through kickbacks. That being said, I have had the Alton on my bike since '13 with no problems at all after some teething issues which resulted in Alton producing a revised alternator rotor (the current version).

I initially installed E-start for exactly the reason 850Commando mentioned in the post above. All the horns honking is really stressful!

“I've heard - though never witnessed - claims of folks starting a Commando pushing the lever by hand so starting it with a fake knee should be no issue! ”

Paging Hobot....
Dr. Steve

Yup Hobot had more than one video posted that showed hand starting ... too bad he absent ..

Thanks for the responses. I'm well aware of the Alton kit and CNW's offering (recently got my 25 year INOA pin). My plans for the Combat are to build a rider and sell it, hopefully to a somewhat younger enthusiast who will appreciate it. The cash for an electric start conversion doesn't fit very wellin that scheme. However, I already bought a Pazon ignition and will now spring for a longer kick start lever. I'm fairly sure I can start it with my left leg, and probably shouldn't even try with the right one. I do recall in the bad old days having to get home with questionable electronics and bump starting. It's possible I no longer have the finesse for that solution..... If this bike was going to be "MY bike" it would be getting an e-start for sure.

Again, thanks for your time in responding. I knew this was the right place to get some input. Merry Christmas!!!!

MexicoMike said:

I don't feel that way about the Alton - the design, using a sprag clutch is more subject to wear and possible damage through kickbacks.stressful!

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I thought that the CNW starter system also has a sprag clutch (although it was originally intended that it wouldn't have one).

I bought the CNW kit. First time I hit the button and it roared to life, the cost of the kit disappeared as I said to myself, "How did I live without it before?"

My wife and I agreed not to kick Nortons again after I turned her into a nurse for a year with a kickback incident. Think of your loved ones and buy a kit.

My new knee was about 6 months along when this video was taken. -
The Commando was the reason I chose to replace the right knee first!
My left knee has been just fine since the surgery -- I think it saw what happened to the other one . . .

@#ck the money, small image in the big picture.
Nothing I would rather do than kneel down and attempt a to start my bike from a a kneeling/leaning/sitting position with my arm and shoulders....jeez, people will see you do that and try to put money in your helmet.
All it takes is one kick back from a finnicky kick starter to send the whole deal to the dark side...what is the down side to electric/mod.?

After all the PT to engage your new knee and making it interactive I don't understand taking a chance on sending the whole deal south on an attempted kick start....you want to tell your wife your new knee is screwed up because you wanted to KS your bike?!
Logic and accountability.....it applies to our better half as well as us.

I have two new knees.

Ibex said:

I thought that the CNW starter system also has a sprag clutch (although it was originally intended that it wouldn't have one).

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Per CNW - "The starter itself is solenoid operated which means that it is not engaged with the system when the bike is running."

I had a severe injury to my right foot, ankle, and leg 36 years ago. I've had to kick start all motorcycles with mt left foot ever since. For this reason I prefer bikes with a centerstand, as they are more stable when kick starting them.

The injury changed the biomechanics of how I walk. As predicted by my original surgeon I am now starting to have some problems with my right knee. So last year I installed a CNW starter kit on my 74 Commando. It is one of the best things I've ever done to the bike. I can continue to enjoy it without fear that I'm going to hurt my knee while starting it. I highly recommend the CNW kit.

Dutch said:

My new knee was about 6 months along when this video was taken. -
The Commando was the reason I chose to replace the right knee first!
My left knee has been just fine since the surgery -- I think it saw what happened to the other one . . .

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Watching you kick start the bike wearing sandals makes me cringe. I've had a kick start pawl break on a bike and my lower shin ended up smacking the foot peg hard. Ever since then I wore boots whenever I kick started a bike.