- Joined
- Aug 18, 2008
- Messages
- 198

I suspect that this post will be a statement of the blindingly obvious to some members with a strong mechanical background, but it might be useful for some members who like me, blunder along and learn by doing everything three times. And at the risk of restating something that has already been posted, here goes.
I have read at least one thread recently where a member has had trouble with his kickstart. Maybe this tip might be of benefit.
The kickstart shaft has spines right around its perimeter to enable the kickshaft to grip on to it. The kickstart lever itself has a slot cut into it so that it can be tightened around the kickstart shaft with a bolt. The tip is to file off five or six splines of the kickstart shaft directly where the slot of the kickstart abuts the shaft. The benefit of this is that by taking away those few splines, you enable the bolt that goes through the kickstaff to tighten the kickshaft lever more around the shaft than would otherwise be the case; the effect of the splines is that they prevent keep the kickstaff lever in exactly the position that the splines dictate; by removing those few splines you allow the kickstaff lever to be tightened more - over that small area - than is the case if the splines are still there.
I was given this tip by Ken McIntosh, a Manx Norton guru who is something of a legend in New Zealand and I suspect internationally in Manx racing circles. His workshop is not too far from where I live, and I visited it last week to see if I could purchase two Amal screws which I needed for my brake lever. He had them in stock. For a great $6 purchase he spent about 20 minutes talking to me about different bolt and screw threads, which lead into the topic of kickstarts, and him giving me this suggestion, which he maintains should increase the life of the shaft and kickstart by some margin.
In case any one is interested in visiting his site it is http://www.manxnorton.co.nz/. His workshop was amazing; there were probably about 20 Manx Nortons there, a Vincent , and a McIntosh Suzuki, the bike that used the frame that he developed, and which probably started his reputation.
I have read at least one thread recently where a member has had trouble with his kickstart. Maybe this tip might be of benefit.
The kickstart shaft has spines right around its perimeter to enable the kickshaft to grip on to it. The kickstart lever itself has a slot cut into it so that it can be tightened around the kickstart shaft with a bolt. The tip is to file off five or six splines of the kickstart shaft directly where the slot of the kickstart abuts the shaft. The benefit of this is that by taking away those few splines, you enable the bolt that goes through the kickstaff to tighten the kickshaft lever more around the shaft than would otherwise be the case; the effect of the splines is that they prevent keep the kickstaff lever in exactly the position that the splines dictate; by removing those few splines you allow the kickstaff lever to be tightened more - over that small area - than is the case if the splines are still there.
I was given this tip by Ken McIntosh, a Manx Norton guru who is something of a legend in New Zealand and I suspect internationally in Manx racing circles. His workshop is not too far from where I live, and I visited it last week to see if I could purchase two Amal screws which I needed for my brake lever. He had them in stock. For a great $6 purchase he spent about 20 minutes talking to me about different bolt and screw threads, which lead into the topic of kickstarts, and him giving me this suggestion, which he maintains should increase the life of the shaft and kickstart by some margin.
In case any one is interested in visiting his site it is http://www.manxnorton.co.nz/. His workshop was amazing; there were probably about 20 Manx Nortons there, a Vincent , and a McIntosh Suzuki, the bike that used the frame that he developed, and which probably started his reputation.