3 weeks isn't so bad though your fuel should be fine
it's not milk...
it's not milk...
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Using the kick starter
- Thread starter Scorpio1963
- Start date
ratrodder69
XS400 Addict
It will normal start with 1-2 kicks most,It hasnt been started in about 3 weeks.It trys to fire off the 1st couple of times then nothing.
Ya I agree with xschris make sure you got gas to the carbs even after a couple of days that could be it. As far as the kick back I always try to focus on keeping my knee bent on my 61 iron head so I'd doesn't throw me
also when you decide to kick only a bike you learn to be one with the bike
for mine if it pops on the first or second but doesn't fire I hold the throttle wide open a couple kicks and she'll wake up 
if its been a while since she ran I always leave the ignition off open the throttle and kick her through a few times to get her primed
Carbs have plenty of gas it was flooded and its a good thing it didnt start.I would have did major damage to the lower end of the engine.Please see my thread about starter and starter gear/chain problems and help me out if you can
ratrodder69
XS400 Addict
They flood easy Cruz your not turning it over as fast as the e start that's why you open the throttle and kick a few more
Under Dog
XS400 Addict
My method...
Bike on center stand.
I stand on right side of bike.
Right hand on handlebar.
Left hand on seat.
Left foot on ground.
Right foot on kick starter.
Bike on center stand.
I stand on right side of bike.
Right hand on handlebar.
Left hand on seat.
Left foot on ground.
Right foot on kick starter.
I have a sucessful way I just hold the bike up and put my body into kicking.Since my estart is working now I wont have to kick it over much unless I want to.
Rambo814
XS400 Addict
I guess I need schooled in this as well. The story starts out yesterday afternoon. I finally got the bike started after having it die on me Saturday, I think it was just a fouled plug, by jump starting it from my tractor. I took off down the road and ended up stalling it, cause it was running on 1 cylinder, and found out you can't kick start it in gear. Once I put it in neutral, though, the kick starter would not engage. I got it roll started and realized it was running on one cylinder, so I went back home. After messing around with a few things I tried kicking it again and same thing; the kicker engages while in gear but lunges forward but when in Neutral, it does not engage. So, I jumped it again and went for a ride after wire brushing the right side plug and picking it back up. By this time my wife and son were home so I had to cook supper. After we were done eating I went back out and checked the tire pressure and put it on the center stand and checked some other things. I jumped on it and in Neutral it started on the first kick, so I went for a short ride before putting her to bed. 
When I first tried kick starting mine I was holding the clutch and could not figure why the engine was turning over so easy.
Rambo814
XS400 Addict
When I first tried kick starting mine I was holding the clutch and could not figure why the engine was turning over so easy.
Ha, apparently I just didn't know how the kick starter worked.
Hold back the laughter guys, Not everyone goes to school to learn how to drive, some have to learn the old fashion way, The school of hard knocks. Some people learn things very hard.
If somebody has never had any experience with bikes all their life or actualy watched some closely kick start a bike they dont learn until you try it.Almost everything I have had to figure out my whole life has been by experience.Which is a good thing because we develope wisdom
