Idea for 212 kickstart

[BruceBanner1983]

I saw a YouTube video where someone made a kickstart on a mini bike, by rigging a pulley and lever to attach the pull start rope to, so they were still pull starting, but via a foot lever instead pulling the rope by hand. This got me thinking, no reason the same couldn’t be done on a bike, as long as one could find a place to mount the pulley and lever. I’m thinking they make chain tensioners that mount to both sides of the rear triangle, I’m not seeing any reason a pulley and lever couldn’t be attached to one of those. Now, this is purely for cosmetic purposes. It’s not a mechanical necessity. But I am building my bike to look as close to a motorcycle as possible, so a “kickstart” adds more to the look I am going for. Mechanically it would not be that difficult to do. Would most likely need to drill a hole in the pull start cover for the rope to route correctly to the pulley, and would need a large enough pulley to provide enough pull to start the motor, but I’m not seeing any reason this can’t work. The pulley could also possibly be attached to the motor mount underneath the engine, or another location. I’m just thinking now that I’d like to put saddlebags on it and I’m not sure if a pulley and lever mounted behind the saddlebags would work. I’ll have to wait till I get the bike put together, and then figure out where to mount the pulley and lever, but the idea is pretty simple and thought I’d share for others who might have wanted a kickstart but couldn’t figure out how.

 

[GW's Motorized]

That sounds like a cool idea. Just make it to where it doesn't pull the rope all the way out. That is the main reason pull cords break is people pull them all the way out. I don't see a need to drill a hole in the pull cord case, there are holes that allow you to clock it in different directions.

 

[BruceBanner1983]

That sounds like a cool idea. Just make it to where it doesn't pull the rope all the way out. That is the main reason pull cords break is people pull them all the way out. I don't see a need to drill a hole in the pull cord case, there are holes that allow you to clock it in different directions.

I think to pull the rope all the way out would require a bigger pulley than the rope pulley inside the pull start housing. The guy in the video used a 6” pulley and it wasn’t pulling it all the way out. It’s more than likely a 1:1 between the rope pulley inside the housing and the lever pulley. But I’ll start by measuring the pulley inside the housing and go from there.

 

[GW's Motorized]

I think to pull the rope all the way out would require a bigger pulley than the rope pulley inside the pull start housing. The guy in the video used a 6” pulley and it wasn’t pulling it all the way out. It’s more than likely a 1:1 between the rope pulley inside the housing and the lever pulley. But I’ll start by measuring the pulley inside the housing and go from there.

Every 212 Ive had starts easy. I don't think you would have an issue with it only pulling out partially. Just make sure you kick it over like you would a motorcycle.

 

[BruceBanner1983]

That sounds like a cool idea. Just make it to where it doesn't pull the rope all the way out. That is the main reason pull cords break is people pull them all the way out. I don't see a need to drill a hole in the pull cord case, there are holes that allow you to clock it in different directions.

Ok if there are multiple holes for clocking different directions, shouldn’t be a problem then. I’m thinking without a seriously oversized pulley, a foot lever shouldn’t have enough throw to pull the rope all the way out.

 

[GW's Motorized]

Ok if there are multiple holes for clocking different directions, shouldn’t be a problem then. I’m thinking without a seriously oversized pulley, a foot lever shouldn’t have enough throw to pull the rope all the way out.

It likely won't. The chord wrapps around 3 or 4 times on the pully under the cover.