Kick start a cold 1976 FLH Harley Davidson

Kick starting the old girl, a 76 FLH. she had not been started in about three weeks. BTW I bought this bike in the crate at the tender age of 19.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• motorcycle
• Harley-Davidson
• kickstart
• FLH

[dawg141]

I've seen it done on a warm motor. Only once in all the years I've been riding. He was a machinest/mechanic and his shovel ran like a swiss watch.

[RoadCaptainEntertain]

Reminds me of the old '64 Duo-Glide. Prime it then light it up.

You had to hop up and down on her a little more on a cold day.

One of my Honda riding buds wanted to start it......the heel of his boot flew out the front of the garage and his knee hit him in the mouth.

Manual spark advance is not for kiddies.

[dawg141]

@RoadCaptainEntertain LOL!!! I sold a kicker to a kid at work once. I wrote out all of the rituals, hot, cold, flooded, etc for him. A week later he told me he didn't need that BS to start the bike, The next Monday, he came in with a limp and asked me very nicely if I could write it out for him again.

[truckdawg43]

You either had a bigger leg or sprained ankle or thats the only use for a head bucket .Had a FLHP and this skinny little critter decided he wanted to kick it after we got off the ground from laughing so hard we took him for stiches and a beer LOL

[dawg141]

@truckdawg43 The old girl has kicked back before and layed me out like a little girl! I've tried all the different styles of kick starting and I go between the standard style and this one. I learned this one from an old HD wrench that was about 125 lbs soaking wet.

[morgietheblackdog]

Putting a piston @ the beginning of a compression stroke before kicking is causing the slippage. Try easing it through to TDC and then give it a goose. Allows some of that (big!) flywheel inertia swing the other piston through the firing cycle. In fact, you came close to doing just that on the last attempt when it did finally light off.

Ride safe.

[dawg141]

@morgietheblackdog I've learned a lot since I made this video. I found out that I just need to feel a little compression, then kick her. BTW, the first 6 kicks were prime only with the ignition off. She lite on the first kick with the power on!

[dawg141]

@Foolhollow

That is why the old bikers were so tough! You couldn't run!

[dawg141]

I have always felt that HDs were female, especially the old ones. They can be hard to start, expensive, tempermental, and require lots of attention. But when they are warmed up and purring, OMG, is it good! What does that sound like?

[TietLung]

Sweet shovel. I have a video of my 74 if you want to check her out.

[6806goats1]

I'd like to see a video of someone hand starting one of these ol' gals. Planets must have been aligned just right, hot oil or I pulled her through to the top just perfect. Push her on through and she started right up. Don't remember trying that when I put a kicker on my 78 FXE. Damn, missed an opportunity there.

[hfa555]

I don't miss the old days,, it could be a real bitch on a cold damp day, far from home, to get moving out. No wonder all the cops let their Hogs idle to death all day. You could tell an old cop bike by the way it would whine from idling on the kickstand for hours. Pushing a button now makes a lot more sense.

[rekaten1966]

Get rid of that man purse

[xmasterT]

@Jakeisgoth u suck

[Jakeisgoth]

that bike sucks

[gzrmember1976]

yep nice . i own the same year and model bike and mine starts just about the same way cool bike

[ybot1983]

Ah the anticipation

[c5dave1999]

Nice FLH!! I never use the electric start on my Shovel...Somethin about bringin it to life by hand bonds you to the bike. If it wants to start, it will start...Can't force these ol' girls to do what they don't want to. LOL It's like starting an old radial aircraft engine...Juice it and roll it through a couple times. Juice it again and give it fire! Usually they will lite off on the first or second kick!!