Why have kick starters gone extinct?

I've been pondering this thread. While I'm kinda relieved that I don't have the option of kick starting the CB1100, perversely I'm mildly disappointed that Honda didn't put one on the bike to really give it that retro look.

The good news—for me at least—is that the 'kinda relief' side of the equation is winning out.

A fake kick start, now, would be totally unacceptable. But a quasi-fake kickstart of the kind proposed by the good Captain Klutz may well have been good for a laugh. At least it would appear to work.
 
I had a car like that once.
 
There appears to be, where a circular chrome plain end cap for the swingarm should be, nuts or bolts of some sort on the bike in that video. I'm thinking some sort of fake kickstarter that somehow bolts in there.
 
DaSwami_imp said:
Picking up a SR400 in a couple of days that is kick start ONLY.

The bike has NOT been a commercial success.....I'm guessing the high price and no e-start are the culprits
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How to learn to hate kick start bike..

I had 3 sr500's.... If you don't start it right, you'll sit for a bit.. I hope you live on a hill.

I still have a srx in the back of my garage, it's far easier to start, but with needing some work, it just sits
 
DaSwami,

I considered an SR400. Kick start only, rear drum, and high price eliminated it for me.

Edit to show my dumbness: I considered a TU 250, not the SR400.
 
Short Timer_imp said:
Probably just a matter of economics and refinement. I had frequent starter button problems on the old bikes. Used the kicker fairly often. But that was then and this is now. The other thing is the average size motor back in the day was about half or less than what everyone is tooling around on now. Not sure I'd want to be kicking one over very often these days. :cool:

Memories include bruises and skinned shins and breaking a sweat before I ever got moving! :-/

Interestingly enough, however, the new Yamaha 400cc is kick start only! Guess they saved a few bucks by going in the other direction.
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I like that SR400. If I downsize I might get one. Clearly EFI will work with a kickstarter as it's EFI.

The compression ratios and horsepower of modern bikes would create a real danger of personal injury, and since electric starters are now so light and powerful, there is just no reason to consider a kick starter.

Kick starters can break bones and cause very serious injuries, especially with four-stroke engines.

Some bikes do have them; dirt bikes, dual sport, some retros.

Next thing you know someone will want to go back to using carburetors. :rofl:
 
I can still kick my Bonnie into life. Just in case you didn't grow up with it, it's kind of a satisfying experience to boot a bike into life.

Cheers
 
Traded in the SR400 for the V7 II, after about 1000 miles.

Nice bike, that never failed to start within 2-3 kicks (one kick when warm).

Just too small and underpowered for me.
 
Every review I've read about the SR400 suggests it's very easy to start with the kick starter -- you can even start it with your hand instead of your foot. But I agree, the lack of electric start caused me to look elsewhere when considering a lightweight bike for my lady.

Were they even sold in California? I've seen several around here, among the myriad and ubiquitous HD's and R1200GS's.
 
You guys haven't lived until you've tried to kick-start an old AMF 1000 HD Sportster...

I was 12 years old...my uncle says, "If you can start it, you can ride it."

About an hour later and the need for new ankles, he had mercy on me and started it for me. The next year he bought one with a starter. I grew up riding in the dirt, first bmx style then dirt bikes, but I had a blast riding that sportster. Good Times.
 
Toddman, my first Harley was a 59 XLCH Sportster in 1969, and I can tell you as a 19 year old weighing maybe 120# it was all I could do (and sometimes more than I could do) to kick start that thing. One time, after an unsuccessful kicking exercise, I had my brother tow me with his 64 Ford with the windows down while I rode along side him holding on to the pillar between the windows. When we got up to about 20 mph I let go, shifted it up into second (on the 4 speed trans) an let out the clutch. The rear tire skidded for awhile and then rolled over and it fired up. I'm not sure I turned it off all day. Sometimes I would go into someplace and leave it sitting outside idling. Wonder it wasn't stolen, but then kicking it over would have been someone else's problem lol.
 
The ferret_imp said:
Toddman, my first Harley was a 59 XLCH Sportster in 1969, and I can tell you as a 19 year old weighing maybe 120# it was all I could do (and sometimes more than I could do) to kick start that thing. One time, after an unsuccessful kicking exercise, I had my brother tow me with his 64 Ford with the windows down while I rode along side him holding on to the pillar between the windows. When we got up to about 20 mph I let go, shifted it up into second (on the 4 speed trans) an let out the clutch. The rear tire skidded for awhile and then rolled over and it fired up. I'm not sure I turned it off all day. Sometimes I would go into someplace and leave it sitting outside idling. Wonder it wasn't stolen, but then kicking it over would have been someone else's problem lol.
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That's great! Obviously addicted from tender age to motorcycling.
 
Yes sir, it's a family thing. My dad rode, my mom rode, 3 out of 4 of my brothers and sisters rode. Heck we still have 12 riders in the family (my older brother just passed away but was still riding at 77). Technically my first street bike, was a new Harley in 1965 (but in reality it was just a rebadged Italian Aermacchi which made Harley's small street bikes to compete with that new company Honda that was just coming into the states). I wanted a Honda C110 50 Sport but my dad, a Harley rider and WW2 vet hated the Japanese and refused to let me get the Honda. Since I was 15 and he had to sign for it, I ended up with the Harley. Weird little thing. Looked like a girls bicycle. Kick starter was on the left side of the bike, 3 speed gear changer was in the clutch side twist grip. 50cc 2 stroke with oil measuring cup on bottom of gas cap. You filled up with gas, turned gas cap over, measured (or guessed) on right amount of oil to add, dumped it in, replaced cap and bounced the suspension up and down to mix it up. Like I said.. weird. Still I was on two wheels, enjoying life, and have been ever since. Start my 51st year of riding middle of next month. It's been a great life on two wheels.
 
Considering his understandable disdain for the Axis, I'm surprised your dad allowed you to have an Italian bike, despite the HD badge. I imagine any talk of an R60/2 would have been verboten!
 
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