Kick start lever shaft wear - repair options?

[tsa]

So my most recent aquisition, the R75/5, has a kick start lever that's drooping down and out due to wear of the lever shaft. A new cotter pin only lasted a couple of weeks until it got slightly bent and reshaped itself until its profile matched that of the worn shaft.

I think I see three possible repair options: a) take the gearbox apart and replace the shaft, b) remove the shaft and weld (& re-grind) it to restore the flat area the cotter pin connects to, or c) weld & re-cut in situ.

This is probably not an unusual problem, so similar repairs have probably been carried out before. Suggestions to what to do most welcome!

[hal]

What 've heard is avoid to use the kick start as it is bad engineered. Stick with the electric start. For that reason i changed to a gearbox without the kick when my gearbox broke down. I think the kikc is a cool thing though...
Hopefully someone more experienced in this will add knowledge.

[Duane Ausherman]

"This is probably not an unusual problem, so similar repairs have probably been carried out before"

Yes it is. The reason can be a few.

1. Owner usually doesn't use it correctly. The rider jumps on it and it should only take a gentle shove through compression to start up. When I would demonstrate the correct procedure, the rider would be amazed at how easy it is.

2. The bike is in horrible tune and takes several, or more kicks to get started. Fix the bike and then go to #1.

3. Someone wore down the sector gear on the kick start system and it now gives the engine rotation less travel.

4. By this time the groove on the shaft is probably badly worn down and the tapered pin no longer fits tightly. It should be possible to buy a good used one. I would almost bet that your trans needs a refresh too, as bits of metal come off of the kick starter segment gear and usually damage bearings.

We found these when the bikes were only 10 years old. By now any combination, or another factor could be involved.

My last daily rider, home built, had no electric starter. I didn't want one. It started very easily and never gave me any trouble.

While we used to start /2 bikes by hand as a test of our tuning job, the /5 and later are nearly impossible to do this even when hot, perfectly tuned and with a glove on the hand.

[hal]

Thanks Duane, this added to my knowledge.

[Duane Ausherman]

Thanks hal for the kind words. I often wonder if my verbosity in writing has any benefit to those poor readers who have to read a volume to get a tidbit.

I now take this as permission to write up more about nothing when I am otherwise bored. Blame hal.

[Bamboo812]

Brain fart

[Ken in Oklahoma]

Thanks hal for the kind words. I often wonder if my verbosity in writing has any benefit to those poor readers who have to read a volume to get a tidbit.

I now take this as permission to write up more about nothing when I am otherwise bored. Blame hal.

Blather on, Duane! We're hanging on every word, uh, except when we disagree. But even then, a bit of 'studying up' first would be desirable to avoid looking foolish.

Now then, politics is an entirely different thing!

Ken

[SteveD]

Thanks hal for the kind words. I often wonder if my verbosity in writing has any benefit to those poor readers who have to read a volume to get a tidbit.

I now take this as permission to write up more about nothing when I am otherwise bored. Blame hal.

Go forth and write up all ye wants to Duane! Please avoid multiple colours and blocks of text "highlit" in yellow.

[hal]

)
Glad to be to any help

[Duane Ausherman]

I may be missing a few posts in the coming days since I plan to leave for CA in only a week. Lots of stuff to get ready, such as a flight.

I am so lucky that several old good friends are taking very good care of me.

I have lost a lot of weight since arriving here. I am now down to 71 Kg, or 163 lbs. Without my belt, my pants would just fall off now. I was cinching up my belt this morning and as most of us, I just do it by feel. I wasn't able to find a hole for the tang, so I looked down and I am out of holes. Yep, I ran past the last one.