folding kick start

[v.bellman]

Morning all,
I recently bought a 55 VH500.It has a HC piston fitted, the trouble is, as I am 80 and I am a bit concerned over kick back breaking my leg, as there is a NON FOLDING kick start fitted.
Anybody got a folding one tucked away anywhere.
Usual paypal payments, and I,ll let you have the straight one too?
Ta
Vaughan
ps I never had this trouble with my NH 350 ??

[simon.holyfield]

Morning all,
I recently bought a 55 VH500.It has a HC piston fitted, the trouble is, as I am 80 and I am a bit concerned over kick back breaking my leg, as there is a NON FOLDING kick start fitted.
Anybody got a folding one tucked away anywhere.
Usual paypal payments, and I'll let you have the straight one too?
Ta
Vaughan
ps I never had this trouble with my NH 350 ??

Will a folding kick start help? The pedal will still kick back...

Wouldn't it be easier to change the piston?

[adrie.degraaff]

Wouldn't it be easier to change the piston?

Or put the piston in a lathe and give it a squishead.

[Steven.Carter]

Definitely, a soft piston is your friend

[v.bellman]

will you listen to yourselves, all I asked was does anyone know where I can get a folding kick start, I,m 80 years old and |i live in retirementville, it,s hardly likely I,m going to have a lathe is it, let alone a major engine rebuild for the sake of a kick start ?? In my day I could kick and start an 850 Commando,the only one on my police riding course that could, and now I,m at an age where I have to be careful, I ask a simple question and get very involved answers. Please don,t turn this into a VMCC, in other words a bunch of unhelpful snobs

[paul.jameson]

Non-folding kickstarts are standard on Ariels. In consequence, although I have seen them, the folding type are somewhat rare.

[adrie.degraaff]

I ask a simple question and get very involved answers.

My be you where asking the wrong question .
A folding kickstarter will make no differends to the kickback, it's just not in the way of your legg when in competition.

[JohnnyBeckett]

hi i think you need to ring John Bugden he may be able help you with a folding kickstart and if you can get one that has a spring in folding part i keep meaning to look in to one for myself for my NH

[nevhunter]

Vaughan... The K/s arm from a 500 twin is longer. That can help. I can assure you the folding item is scarce and any poor repro won't be much good.. Retard the spark a bit on ARIEL 500 OHV or they will kick you alright. Use the decompressor also. They are much nastier than the 350. I can kick them while on the bike and that is a big help in traffic. Nev

[TonyBaxter]

I have a 600cc sidevalve Triumph single. I kick start it with the valve lifter still pulled in and only release it when the engine starts to cough into life. With enough retardation it never kicks back.
It's also worth noting that I have found the only problem with the VMCC forum isn't getting over complicated answers, it's more of a problem when folk are unnecessarily rude.