Working with my RGM folding kickstart lever

Back in 2010 I bought an RGM folding kickstart lever from Commando Specialties. It seemed fine to start with but then the rubber loosened up and would nearly come off with each kick. Got a new rubber but now it has loosened up. I hesitate to glue because something needs to turn so still working on that issue.
Also originally the lever would stay folded when not in use but lately it flops at will. Right now I have one wavy spring washer in there with it but it has lost any ability to hold the lever. Don't know if it had one wavy washer to start with or two and one went astray. But right now the one is doing nothing.
I called Commando Specialties and they say that they can no longer get these levers from RGM. Also, they could care less if it is not working satisfactorily. I don't see them on RGM website either.
I have not been able to find a rear set that would work with this kickstart lever but apparently some do work but not sure if these are currently made or much available.
Anybody have any experience with this kickstart lever and hopefully some remedies.

The rubber problem is the same no matter what kick stater you have. What I did on my Norton is I made an aluminum tube that is knurled on the outside. It fits onto a hose that is stretched over the original pedal. I drilled and tapped the end of the pedal for a bolt and a washer to hold everything on. That has been on there two years and will probably last forever.

The loosening problem at the lower pivot is much harder to solve and so far I have been un successful. Every once in a while I put a thicker washer in. I am thinking there may be a way of installing a detent spring and ball that would reduce the vibration and at least prevent the lever swinging out from the wind.

I have had my folding kickstarter for about 4 years now and have not had any problems with it, the rubber is loose on it and moves to the end if I have to kick more than a few times but my bike starts first kick every time so it don't bother me, the rubber these days aren't as good as the older ones from many years ago and the newer ones seem to wear out the centre as well the foot part much quicker, I alway order a few new rubbers at a time, but its great not having a kickstarter that don't sit in the back of my leg when ridding.

Ashley

I have a Ducati bevel drive that has a similar problem. My (admittedly inelegant) solution was to use a piece of old inner tube, zip tied to a convenient lump of bike, and simply loop it over the end of the kickstart to prevent it flopping out. Works like a charm.

/Steve in Denmark

As far as I know the Rgm folding kick starts are made by terry weedy give him a try for parts etc ......baz

baz said:

As far as I know the Rgm folding kick starts are made by terry weedy give him a try for parts etc ......baz

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I emailed them and they say that there's is different from RGM's. No relation.

i have the same problem with mine its kind of driving me nuts. have not found a proper solution yet either.

I have used the same runner on my 850 since I got it. The trick was to wrap twitching wire twice round near the end. This stops the rubber expanding and falling off. The purists wont like it but who gives a stuff when you are riding a hell of a lot. I just did 1750 miles over the last week at the NZ rally. And thats another story.
Dereck

kerinorton said:

I have used the same runner on my 850 since I got it. The trick was to wrap twitching wire twice round near the end. This stops the rubber expanding and falling off. The purists wont like it but who gives a stuff when you are riding a hell of a lot. I just did 1750 miles over the last week at the NZ rally. And thats another story.
Dereck

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Yeah, it had dawned on me that some wire might be the solution. Thanks for letting us know of your success. Do you have issues with the lever flopping around?

The lever is of T160 design and is made by RGM. I've found reversing the rubber can help though I now use one from a T160 . As said earlier wiring will help.

Cash

cash said:

The lever is of T160 design and is made by RGM. I've found reversing the rubber can help though I now use one from a T160 . As said earlier wiring will help.

Cash

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Yeah, I believe the wire is a good idea. The lever flopping is a little tougher to figure though.

I have a folding kickstart on my project bike. It is quite long in order to get the necessary mechanical advantage, so it is made from 2 Honda CB 750 kickstarts and gussetted. The mechanism for holding the kickstart from flopping around is a simple spring loaded ball with a detent for folded in position and a detent for folded out. It is debateable as to whether the detent for the out position is needed. Initially I had problems with wind pressure on the kickstart when at speed. At 70 to 80 MPH the kickstart would fold/flop out into the wind and remain there. To rectify the problem I took the kick knuckle apart and installed a stronger spring behind the ball.
If your RGM kickstart uses the same ball / spring/detent idea, it might be worth looking at changing the spring for one a bit stiffer.
If not, it might be possible to drill a hole plus a half hole (detent) and utilize a ball/spring method to hold the kickstart in place. With an appropriate spring, it can work well and is completely hidden from view.
Glen

worntorn said:

I have a folding kickstart on my project bike. It is quite long in order to get the necessary mechanical advantage, so it is made from 2 Honda CB 750 kickstarts and gussetted. The mechanism for holding the kickstart from flopping around is a simple spring loaded ball with a detent for folded in position and a detent for folded out. It is debateable as to whether the detent for the out position is needed. Initially I had problems with wind pressure on the kickstart when at speed. At 70 to 80 MPH the kickstart would fold/flop out into the wind and remain there. To rectify the problem I took the kick knuckle apart and installed a stronger spring behind the ball.
If your RGM kickstart uses the same ball / spring/detent idea, it might be worth looking at changing the spring for one a bit stiffer.
If not, it might be possible to drill a hole plus a half hole (detent) and utilize a ball/spring method to hold the kickstart in place. With an appropriate spring, it can work well and is completely hidden from view.
Glen

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Thanks Glen but that RGM lever is not like a conventional lever in the area where the spring and ball would go. There is a decided gap in that area so the spring and ball would not stay contained.

Would it be possible to then use a cylindrical roller bearing with it's end ground to a round shape, so a bullet shape overall? Some transmission camplates use this style of positioning mechanism and it can span a bit of a gap from end of barrel to detent.

Glen

Yellow_Cad said:

Back in 2010 I bought an RGM folding kickstart lever from Commando Specialties. ...
I called Commando Specialties and they say that they can no longer get these levers from RGM. .... I don't see them on RGM website either.

Click to expand...

The T160-style kickstart is still listed - look at Home / shop / gearbox / kickstart and you will find p/n 574941.

Sorry - this IS the T160 K/S. The derived type is 050179 - indeed not listed as a complete unit.

-Knut

mdt-son said:

Yellow_Cad said:

Back in 2010 I bought an RGM folding kickstart lever from Commando Specialties. ...
I called Commando Specialties and they say that they can no longer get these levers from RGM. .... I don't see them on RGM website either.

Click to expand...

The T160-style kickstart is still listed - look at Home / shop / gearbox / kickstart and you will find p/n 574941.

Sorry - this IS the T160 K/S. The derived type is 050179 - indeed not listed as a complete unit.

-Knut

Click to expand...

Thanks Knut. I contacted RGM to see what they thought on this.

Hi Yellow_cad, I do have problems with the my original type lever moving round [ don't have the folding lever ] and it is funny, when on the last big trip, with a tight setting on the lever, it was more annoying. It seemed to work outwards , and because it was tight, it was having to be physically pushed back quite often. When it was loose, it didn't seem to anoy me so much.
Dereck

I have em come off too easy in rain wet conditions and last one caught me out on Trixie exiting a power wash just stepped down sweet easy as usual but boot heel struck pavement just right wo sense of impact but heel sheared clean off. Next time out I'm using one of those wire wrap cinch tools to choke it on good. Many times trying to get going in muddy conditions or rain I can't keep boot on a bare metal peg and can bruise through boot sole as knobby end scraps past. Have noticed everything rubber decays and breaks up rather sooner than I remember 20 or more years ago.