Maintenance & Technical > KX500 Original

Busted Kickstarter lever

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Hogwylde:
According to Buykawasaki.com, the part number for 98 to 04 kickstart levers is the same and the part numbers for 97 and earlier are the same.
They also don't list a separate part number for just the lever, you have to buy the whole lever and pivot assembly.  Sigh, oh well.

teamgreen500:
You can prevent "Kick-starter" failures:

The kickers often fail due to "bad" leverage at the "top of the kick" and, in some cases, at the very end of "the kick".

When the lever is at the very top/pre-engaged...people often end up pushing outward on the lever as well as downward...this creates a load on the "barrel" of the lever (where it wraps around the base/shaft mount) that the aluminum part wasn't really designed for.

Also, when we "Jump" on the lever and it kinda "Slams" into engagement/compression...the same thing...the aluminum lever takes a hellova load.

Same thing when the lever is kicked hard all the way till it stops against the foot-peg...especially when you've got the huge IMS pegs.

My solution: I push the lever gently 'til it "engages" (actually, it's always engaged...I push it to about 10-15 degrees past "straight-up") and Give it a good "JAB": BUT!, I don't let it slam into the foot peg. :wink:

The reason: When you bail during "Vegas to Reno" ('97...Won it!, '98 also...Am. Over 25...) ...and jump up and pick up your bike as fast as you can...and BREAK the KICKSTARTER out in the MIDDLE OF THE DESERT...and scream every cuss word you can while killing yourself (trying and eventually succeeding at...) push starting your bike in a SANDWASH!!!!! Well, you learn how NOT to do that again!

So, I haven't broken one since...oh, and of-course, the guys at Team Green had one at the next pit and put it on in seconds...and laughed at me for bringing in the broken one in my fanny pack...Duh!

Oh, and a motor with clean KIPS valves and a good top-end doesn't take much of a kick...let it get old and..well...you know.

kawdude:
I can't say I have broke the lever yet but I can say that I'm waiting for it to happen.  Anyway, the other day I was browsing the local dealer showroom and noticed that either the KDX220 or one of the KLX models (can't remember) have a cast lever...not aluminum.  In looking closely I think that the shaft is the same.  Has anyone tried this mod?
_Matt

dholder:
Hello, New to the board, but have been riding the green beasts for 13 years( 87,91,94,01).  I have broke 5 or 6 over the years and the latest 1 I purchased appears to be beefed up around the knuckle at the bottom.  Try to kick down and not out, this is how i screwed up several times.  cheers.

mikesmith:
Well I thought this wasnt going to happen to me since Ive never had a problem with my kick starter with all the miles Ive put on it in the last 8 years.But today I was just 20 minutes into my ride on some veary tight single track when I stalled it half way back to the road.I was on an angle where I couldnt get a straight kick,and "ping" was what I heard as I saw the knukle of my kick starter fly 10' into the air.I was by a drop and got a lucky bump start and rode out,other wise it would have been a long hard push to to another place open enough to bump it.I was thinking my day was over but decided to keep on going and finish my ride,I just had to ride where I could bump start if I killed it.

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