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kick starter question

5K views 23 replies 16 participants last post by  stagewex 
#1 · (Edited)
all this action about kick starters implies my 2013 tw200 will run without a battery !!?? is this so ?? id like a kick starter.
 
#2 ·
Welcome! :eek:ccasion14:

I think a few members here have successfully bypassed the battery with a capacitor.

Personally, I like to keep both electric and kick start options available.

Have fun! :thumbsup:
 
#5 · (Edited)
See above +1.
No is is not "necessary". It is a rare option that you can gather the parts or buy a kit and the empty cavity where Yamaha used to have it is exactly the way it was when a kick-starter existed there. There are very few if any new motorcycle engine designs where you can do this anymore. So it is an added bit of insurance (like a AAA card for your car) for when things go bad.

I probably ride my TW in the woods more than on the street so I have seen folks stuck with flooded bikes, dead or dying batteries, water in the carb from a fall. A simple kickstarter can remedy those things for you when you are in the middle of nowhere.

Right now during the cold of Winter and not riding as much it really helps to turn the engine once or twice with the key off to help the starter. I've been just using the kick starter anyway because it's so easy to do. 4 of my 5 bikes are kick-start (2 of them kick-start only). Starting the TW with the kick is like starting a toy.

So it's not necessary at all. Rather, t's an opportunity.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Yes, the TW will run without a battery. When I bought my 2008 it had a dead battery. I rode the TW without a battery for 2 weeks before the lithium battery that I ordered finally arrived. You can push start a TW in about 15 to 20 feet. The battery/starter are convenience items but eventually, without a kick starter, you'll want them. In college, I drove my FJ40 Landcruiser for 6 months with a non-working starter. The key was to always make sure I parked in a position where I could push start it (at the top of a slope facing down). With the TW, you don't even need a down slope, just 15 to 20 feet of flat ground will do. It can be done but it's not convenient.
 
#7 ·
I am not an electrical wizard by any means. I think the question should be clarified. Can you simply remove the battery leaving the red and black wires hanging lose and bump or kick start the bike? I think not. With the battery in place, dead or alive there is still a connection between the positive and negative completing the circuit. Deleting the battery all together I believe will require some sort of wiring connection, maybe a capacitor or some other electronic gadget to keep the circuit completed. I also believe the 1987 models that run the lights off the magneto might be better at running without the battery or the battery being dead. After 1987 I think the lights run off the battery but again, I am not the electrical guy here.

GaryL
 
#8 ·
If you ride on the streets, your lights will most likely not function properly without a battery, especially at idle at a red light. Turn signals, brake light, headlight, and tail light will all be compromised at engine idle speed. If you only ride off road, maybe it’s not a big deal.

These bikes are remarkably easy to bump start with the fat rear tire, unless you’re in loose sand or dirt.
 
#9 ·
The circuit that runs the spark (on all years) does not require a battery to work – everything else electrical on the bike does

If you remove the battery completely, you will need to put a capacitor in its pace – this will allow power from the running engine to feed all the other electrics (indicators, headlight, brake light etc). In this state, without the engine running, you will have nothing – this is when you need a kickstart to get the engine turning over (to produce the spark), and once running everything else will work as normal. The downside to this is when you stall at the traffic lights at night – watch your six

The ’87 was an oddball year, at which point, Gary is correct – the headlight (at least) was an A/C feed, and as such, independent of the 12vDC battery – so in theory, if you stall that one at night, you’ll only lose the headlight

My knowledge of capacitors is limited – I’ve tried to get my head around the theory, but it’s like learning to speak Welsh – nothing makes sense ……
 
#10 ·
I put one on (kick starter) last year before my family reunion trip to Arkansas - went in motorhome with Dub attached to back. I knew I would be on some pretty intense, muddy trails with some Cousins. They warned me so! Push starting in mud is a no go. Also last winter I left the key on and only kickstand stopped motor on accident by my local lake... in slush. Getting that thing push started was a B#@$%! I kick start the bike most the time now as a habit, it is so easy. I plan to keep this toy so why not put on what shouda been there anyway...glad they are still available "somewhat" they're not from Yami any more unfortunately.
 
#11 ·
You definitely don't need a kicker on a TW as they are easy to push start. This summer on a bike trip with my daughter at the farthest point from home and about 20kms down a bush road the start button screwed up on my FZ6. She gave me a little push and it fired up in second or third even on dirt. Even though I know it can be bump started I am still installing a kicker on my 2015 TW.
 
#12 ·
I burnt my clutch up in the bottom of a deep hole in the backcountry of Idaho. Way back with no means of recovery other than a horse or a helicopter. Three weeks later I went back in and she had been mauled by a bear. I successfuly replaced the clutch and rode her out. I packed in a new battery as it had been down in the teens for several weeks and with no kicker I was concerned. She started up and I rode her out. I have a new kickstarter in the shop but haven't installed it yet.
 
#15 · (Edited)
TW's will (kick) or (bump) start with a dead battery or, no battery and the wires hanging unconnected and in my experience the lights work fine w/o the battery even at idle

that being said I've had TW's that don't quite want to start bumping the motor with the elec start but when I use the kicker they fire right up, same deal with BW's too

Not sure what it is about a kick starter but bikes seem to respond to them the best of any starting options
 
#21 ·
Lol wait for it..... second or third.
 
#23 ·
It is rather doubtful but you could go to the partzilla site and bring up both bikes in 2 side by side windows to match part numbers. You would need to punch up a TW prior to the year 2000 that did come with a kicker.

GaryL
 
#24 ·
Extremely doubtful.
 
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