Wear those BOOTS!!!

Fellows just a reminder. --I sure know I needed a reminder!-- Never turn your back on that kick starter! Not ever!!! I just received 7 stitches in my right ankle from the -gear shift- rubber (in brand new shape) on my 73 850. I have "rear sets" on the 850 so only the gear shift was sticking out. Seeing the -hole- above my ankle was worse than the pain and all that blood. Really. You could have put a circus peanut with the shell on in the hole. It was scary... and I'm 60. I was more afraid because it looked like my flesh was "mushy." Doctor said fine, just a -Strong impact-, the biggest damn hole you've ever seen! And again, the shift shaft has a like new rubber on it. So this might be "a new one" to be aware of? The shift shaft getting you???

I had just serviced the air filter, and the bike had not been run in a few months. I --always-- start both of my Norton's on the center stand. Standing next to the bike. First I tickled her, then I properly slowly kicked her over twice with the ignition OFF. Then checked that the clutch was free. It was immediately free, which surprised me. I "thought" I was all set!

But I knew better... I had bought motorcycle boots just for this mean bitch, the 73 850. It was rebuilt not long ago, who knows what else was done? You can just about stand up on the kick starter and I'm 230! Funny my 72 750 Combat (which is supposed to be the one with high compression) kicks over sweet as pie. Easy kick, normally one kick start. Both bikes have Boyer electronic ignition.

So wear those boots! I was too lazy to go in the house and pull them on. It fired on the first kick. And the second kick, funny thing is, was a non issue, it "must have" kicked a bit on the -bottom of the stroke-. Again... it didn't even seem like a kickback? Like a snake striking! Till I saw all the blood. Thank God I was at home, or it would have been an ambulance ride. Boots are good, very good, even just in the garage!

Thanks and God Bless
Steve in Sebastian

Yeah Man KS Commandos are real tough guys hobby horse. Likely your've the only one this could ever happen too of course. Dr. hobot tapes rubbery refrig magnets directly over these local boo's boo's that hurt to the quick otherwise. There's a song that says Every Rose Has Its Thorns.

With my rearsets you have to wear boots. One swipe of the peg and you are loosing skin. They are round files of fun.

I don't have a clear picture of what happened to cause your injury. Which part of your angle hit where, and was this on a kickback or downstroke?

It's the brake pedal I fear kickstarting my 75 with rearsets. I have a scab on my shin that just wont heal .

Have to be a masochist to ride it!

Is this only for rearsets?

as a side note... modern bike boots (street/touring) have no steel shank. Beware the plantars (I think) tendon. 10" work boots are a good alternative as well as dirt/dual sport boots.
I wear the A'stars, but still figure a kickback could hurt the arch.

Well where are the bloody photo's? My Swami says stuff like this is karma payback that should of took your foot off for being such a bad boy or girl prior but only got a mean bruise/strain instead d/t your improved attitude in this life. High Compression engines are known for their overlapped cam profiles to ease effective low rpm CR. Advanced best response spark timing is the most risky no mater the CR/cam.

concours said:

as a side note... modern bike boots (street/touring) have no steel shank. Beware the plantars (I think) tendon. 10" work boots are a good alternative as well as dirt/dual sport boots.
I wear the A'stars, but still figure a kickback could hurt the arch.

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I tried on many pairs at the local shop, bouncing so hard on the peg of the steel mock up frame thy have in the shop for trying gear in a riding crouch, that I bent their frame! Settled on some Revit Apaches, with the Skywalk sole. The do nicely.

Not just boots, guys. Wear protective clothing at all times. Gravel rash from a 75 mph crash isn't fun! Even tarmac rash at 30 mpoh isn't pleasant. I had a fall during my time at N-V where I hit a patch of black ice on a turn. The scary part was watching a 10-wheeler trying to avoid running me over while he was on the same patch of ice. Obviously he succeeded!

When I was at N-V a friend who wasn't riding any more offered to sell me a one piece, neck to ankle, leather racing suit for $30. I wore it all the time I was riding at N-V, along with a good set of boots. I donated both of them to the company when I left.

Thanks for the warning.

Yeah Man like an Over The Hill Gang member paired down to the essentials for better power to weight and less drag yet still too dam immature to know better than risk life and limb around motorcycles. Logging raw land with chainsaws is safer productive risk taking for instance. I hate it when rubber cushion slips on in the wet so boot down w/o it with full thrust force right through boot sole into bones as it slides over the peg flair - sort of like hitting the 'funny bone' and infamous prisoner torture. Had fold up peg loosened to unfold mid kick with public watching to shear across ankle knob trying to be a silent Indian brave. A few like me just ain't man enough to own them w/o getting hurt but press on regardless.

I actually had to explain to a friend what a 'non-skid' road surface is. I think he must be blind. If you fall off on it at walking speed you lose skin. I crashed onto it at Phillip Island in 1967 at about 90 MPH, rolled every inch of the way. Knocked a few corners off my body and tore the backside out of my leathers. It was like getting a kicking in a bar-room fight, with someone taking to you with an angle grinder at the same time. Never ride without the protective gear.

Boyers, eh!

It has to be said - those (starter functioning) mk3 s are pretty great :mrgreen: