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My sd900 is kick only. I dont want to bash my shin up when i get it running. I sthe 900ss and mhr kicker interchangable with my bike? Looking at photos of the kickers on those bikes, it appears to me that the whole arm will swing out and clear the stock foot peg and rear brake lever. Am I wrong?

It will fit the splines and should clear the footpeg. Just clear an area around you of any hot or sharp objects before checking the price of the kickstart lever! Refining ones kicking technique is the usual solution. Good boots,ball of foot,firm and quick kick.

I start my Darmah with the stock kickstarter often. Closest my shin gets to the stock peg is 3" away. Darmahs are one of the easiest Ducs to kickstart. You should only have to kick through 90 degrees - no further. And as Bill says, kick it like you mean it. There is thread on the forum somewhere about kickstarting techniques adressing positioning etc that is worth a read.

Be careful of wet footpegs,my foot slipped off the kickstarter on my brothers 860 and I belted my calf good,almost imediatly a lump the size of an orange came up,scared me good,so I head off to the hospital but it
went down before we got there,I was way more carefull after that.

machten wrote:... There is thread on the forum somewhere about kickstarting techniques adressing positioning etc that is worth a read.

I've been searching for this post on "kickstarting techniques" - I can't locate it. I'd sure be interested in reading if somebody wants to clue me in. Granted, I just got out of a cast from a broken foot, but I am having a hell of a time with my 900SS kicking back at me. It wrenches the hell out of my knee I wish those carbs had chokes.

try kicking it on TDC on the rear cylinder

Martin Mille / SSD wrote:try kicking it on TDC on the rear cylinder

I'll give that a try. Thanks for the tip!

i kick mine with it on the mainstand standing beside it no worries

ST3s wrote:

machten wrote:... There is thread on the forum somewhere about kickstarting techniques adressing positioning etc that is worth a read.

I've been searching for this post on "kickstarting techniques" - I can't locate it. I'd sure be interested in reading if somebody wants to clue me in. Granted, I just got out of a cast from a broken foot, but I am having a hell of a time with my 900SS kicking back at me. It wrenches the hell out of my knee I wish those carbs had chokes.

I recall giving you a description of the generally accepted starting technique in another forum. All I can add to that is, as Sevicke says, make sure you kick it over with the bike on the centrestand with you standing beside, not astride, it. Bump one of the pistons up against compression and follow through to the bottom of the kickstarter's travel and you shouldn't have any problems unless something else is amiss.

Bruce

I kick it over to free the clutch, then I kick gently until I hear the front carb suck (rear on compression), ignition on, kick.
cu
joseph

Started mine up for the first time since last October. Old fuel, spark plugs haven't been changed in years - went first kick.

Bruce

Started mine up for the first time since last October. Old fuel, spark plugs haven't been changed in years - went first kick.

That must be what happens when you store 'em frozen, Bruce

Trust things are thawing out now.

Kev

On both my 860s I have modified the footrest so that it flips up and stays up(no spring) makes kicking a breeze, if I stall at the lights rather than drag it up on the centre stand I kick it with my heel with the foot pointing outwards, usually I can get it restarted without a cracked shin.

Jock

My mechanic uses a bootlace tied into a loop to hold the footpeg back, he passes it under the frame and around the footpeg, then holds the top on the seat with his left hand as he kicks the bike, (standing beside with the bike on the centre stand). My Darmah is kick start only and is a bit tricky to start. It does not have chokes like my other bevels, just the float depressors on the carbs. I never know how much fuel it wants, sometimes it starts easily with no flooding, sometimes it seems to want lots of fuel. Is there a secret?