Do not take this as an anti-kick start option thread, far from it. When I read about someone wanting to add kick start I get curious how many people actually got stuck where they couldn't bump start and their battery failed. Dead batteries seldom happen in the middle of a ride and 250s aren't too hard to bump off, making the cost of the kick start kit a bit pricey. Perhaps a good participation in this poll would give members a better idea if they should to spend the money for the kick start parts.

Give some background on why the need if you did need to use one. I am sure some do need the kit because of their travels in obscure areas and the risk of being stuck, but some information will help all with this. I think if I were riding alone miles from no where I would seriously consider one, but I wouldn't ride alone in those circumstances. Doesn't mean others wouldn't. I also remember when street bikes started losing the kick starters, but that's a bit different. Back then starter failures were far more common, seems a lot of those early-mid 70s bike starters were mediocre at best.

For me, in 20 years with a KLX650 and several with a KLX250 I have not encountered a situation where a kick start would have done the job. I did have to bump start the 650 a few times, it would crank over absolutely fine, but not fire a majority of the time. Turned out to be a well worn spark plug, something kicking wouldn't solve. Otherwise no problems with either in normal conditions, other than sub-freezing with the 650, it can really drag the starter down and kill the battery if it isn't tops on charge making it highly unlikely a kick could get those cold parts rotating. My own thoughts are more toward carrying small light jumpers with a battery saver end to use the battery saver pig tail. I don't ride alone off road and seldom alone on dirt/gravel roads, so we can always bump start.

 

I'm in on the small jumper battery. 25 years with GS500E, KLR650, KLX250S, Versys 650, TRX350 4-wheeler, CJ-7... never had a starter go bad, just a flat battery and I'm getting too old to kick

 

So far starting has been very reliable. I have thought about one of those jump start batteries as well for carrying on trips. That would also give me the added benefit of being able to charge electronics phone, gps, etc. Which I would prefer over the expense and hasle of tearing the engine apart to install something I may never use.

 

I had the starter system fail, I think I could bump start that time. I was stuck in the bottom of a raven when the battery failed, could not bump. I now carry mini jumpers with a cig lighter connection.

Unless you carry your battery charge on the bike and have someplace to plug it in, it only allows charging the batt. But if the batt is bad, it will start and then out on the trail is where you find out you are a pickle.

 

klx78,

I have to admit I'm not as prudent about riding alone on gravel roads and seriously crappy FS roads, but my strategy with a KLR650 for 17 years, and an XT225 & a KLX250 for the last 6 years is to be aware of design issues and do whatever I can to minimize those issues. Because I do a fair amount of riding in the middle of nowhere either alone or with another rider, I also try to stay on top of maintenance and replacement items. Maybe its just luck, but in 49 years of dual sport riding (including enduros back in the day) I've only been stopped once due to mechanical issues - a completely burnt out clutch on the KLR650 due to the most ungodly mud (on the Plains of St. Augustin in NM) that I've ever seen. Present day dual sports seem to be extremely reliable.

If you could buy the parts for $30-40, and install in an hour, I'd be tempted, but its not something that's causing me too much worry.

 

I have to say that I'm grateful that the battery and starter haven't given me any issues-yet. I'm sure that I will replace the battery after this winter-it is 5 years old now. I'm more concerned with my artificial leg falling off and bouncing down the mountain......

 

Had a friend ask me about this yesterday. In short, I said when I've done every conceivable mod (almost there) and one day I'm really really bored, I might think about putting in a kickstart.

I'm one of those who always rides alone and more often than not, in semi remote areas. I carry one of those lithium jumper batteries and have yet to use it (used it twice in my car; go figure)

I've ran my battery down a couple times but being in the mountains, a bump start was easy as pie. The only time I worry is on the riverbeds here. Rocky and flat - impossible to bump start. But that's what the jump battery is for.

For me, a kickstart would be installed out of boredom.

 

Yeah, I've never had one issue with the electric starter or the battery since I've owned my '06 since '09. Mine had the original battery when I got it in '09, and I'm on my second battery since then. Were any of the batteries weak or dead when replaced?...no. I never waited until a problem arose, because many of the places I go by myself, and I can't afford to milk every last ounce of volts or pennies to find out when it will fail. As a result I've never experienced slow cranking or other electrical issues. When you dump the bike in a sand wash or elsewhere, you can often get a flooded engine which might require a bit of cranking to get the engine cleared out and restart.

For example, I just got back from about 2.5 weeks of riding in the hinterlands of the Texas Big Bend area. At least half of my rides resulted in not seeing another soul all day while out on the ride on the trail. While I carry a SPOT locater, I don't won't to have push my "need assistance/non-emergency" button. The electrical system of the KLX is pretty darned reliable. On the issue of installing a kick starter, I had an '85 KLR600 that had a factory kickstarter. I pulled it and installed it in a new '88 KLR650. I never needed it. When I got an '03 KLR650, I let the kickstart go with the '88, and never needed one on the '03. Nothing wrong with having a backup kickstart. It's just not that necessary these days.

 

I have wished for a kick starter several times. Usually while trying to start the bike for the first time after an extended winter layup, and/or trying to start it in very cold weather. Bump starting this beast when cold would be nigh impossible without a tow vehicle ( I have not drilled the starter jet)... i've tried the running up and down the street and hopping on thing...just not happening. So I usually end up jumpstarting it in those conditions. As an aside, I have found that my charging system was not working properly due to poor factory wiring to the regulator rectifier, so my batteries weren't ever charging up quite the way they were supposed to.

I have had a battery run flat on the trail too, when I forgot to turn off the key after snapping off the shift shaft. The battery went dead relatively quickly as I was dealing with the broken shaft (again weak battery due to unknown bad charging system). Fortunately that happened on a flat piece of trail with a straight run, warm engine, and a bunch of helpers to get me rolling... so it bump started easily that time. We were out riding in the mountains so there are plenty of situations where a bump start wouldn't have happened.

So in my book, it wasn't ever worth it to buy all the kick starter components and install them but it sure would be nice if the kick starter had been there. On a perfectly dialed KLX, or one that is used in not so challenging conditions, I think the E start system just fine. But as they roll out of the factory, the bikes have enough weak areas related to electrical and carburetion, that a kick starter is certainly not a bad idea.

 

I wish I had a kick starter, I would get rid of the battery and just put one of those capacitor things in its place. Years ago when I had more motivation and time to ride keeping a battery healthy was not a big deal. Now its a hassle and I get tired of seeing that pile of junk batteries in the shed and the pretty much wasted money they represent. Might just do the capacitor thing anyway and just keep one of those jumpstarter packs in pit lane instead of throwing money away on yet another battery this next year.