2007 KLX-250S

My bike starts pretty easily when using the electric start (50 deg. F, full choke.) I run the bike for about 45 seconds with full choke and then no choke and it usually idles around 1400 rpm.

When I approach my bike under the same conditions and try using the kick start, it takes probably 20 kicks or so until it starts. It seems a little much to me for one of these bikes. What can/should I do to get it to start at 2-3 kicks? Is it a modification or technique issue??

It's got the original carb, jet kit, fmf muffler, stock header, no airbox lid, sea level, mixture screw 1 turn out, 38 pilot, what else do you need to know?

Thanks,

Jon

 

I am no expert but I wonder how many kicks it would take to get it started if the only parameters you changed were:

A) 35 pilot
B) airbox lid replaced (with or without a snorkle)
C) mixture at approximately 1.5 -2.5 turns out

In my minds' eye, after reading your experience, you need to get the air that is going through the carburetor accelerated when you are giving it a kick with the kicker. I think your tune-up has to be more spot on when using the kicker.

Others with WAY more experience than I will be along with their opinions, experiences and suggestions.

 

After reading another post, the KACR may also be limiting the kick starting pop that would start the motor.

OR....You need a carburator with a actual choke, not a pilot choke... or you have to have the carb tuned exactly right with a very rich start circuit.

 

Have you drilled out the starter jet (choke)?

 

That's pretty much the set-up I had when I bought the bike. It started the same.

 

Yes. I read about the starter jet mod, so i bought a #77 drill and found out that someone had already done it. I went to the next size larger (that I could find) a #76. I really didn't notice any appreciable change in starting. Once started though, it seems to idle differently when the choke is pulled.

 

Is there a fix involving the KACR? Why wouldn't it affect my bike when using the e-start? Does it work only with the kick-start?

 

Just went out to the garage to try and kick start the bike. 30 kicks later... nothing. Frustrating.

 

Or keep your battery charged and forget about the kickstarter. My 650 has done without one for about 17 years and 45,000 miles, not to mention virtually 99% of every streetbike built in the last few decades have done without them too. With maintenance free batteries, any bike with electric start is simply adding weight when a kick starter is included. Why bother with it. Heck, some of the true enduro bikes and maybe a few European MX bikes have electric start now. That ought to tell one something about electric start now, shouldn't it.

If you ride with friends if you ever did have battery issues a 250 is relatively easy to bump start.

One last thought, if you can bring the bike up against compression, then take a full kick that is how it's done on the old singles. You will have to do some figuring when that is due to the KACR. The drill for a big single is to get it up barely over TDC compression, then take a full kick. You do any different with bikes like an SR500 or a BSA single and you risk some serious damage to a leg if it decides to kick back.

 

What if your out in the middle of nowhere not riding with anyone though? I would agree that probably 99% of the time a kickstart is not needed, but for 300 bucks if you just needed it one time it would be worth the price and the few pounds it adds to the bike.