Dirt biking is a thrilling and fun method to ride off-road for pleasure or sport. Whereas most modern motorbikes start automatically, certain older motorcycles require users to kick start the engine. Users can quickly start the bike and get out on the trails after ensuring it’s ready and safe. Older dirt bikes are difficult to begin on the first try, frequently needing 5 to 10 attempts. It’s a hassle to get a dirt bike started, especially if a beginner rider prefers to save energy for the tracks ahead.
It’s even worse when anyone offers to kick start the dirt bike for you. You are grateful for the offer, but on the other, you’re dissatisfied because you wish you could do it yourself. Even if you already have an older dirt bike, you should learn this technique using the method below. The nature of a 2-stroke or 4-stroke engine is the same.
Easy Steps to Kick Start Dirt Bike
Find Neutral
Finding neutral is the first step to start your bike using a kick start. Neutral is the clicking between the first and second gear, which can be confusing for new riders. Click the gearshift down several times to find neutral. After that, try moving the gear changer halfway between the first and second gear. Roll the bike back and forth for 6 to 12 inches. You risk the bike lurching forward when you kick it over if you don’t find it neutral. Because you are not expecting the bike to move, it may pull a shoulder or arm muscle.
Pre-Kick
Your bike will not start unless you complete the pre-kick procedure. Make sure you meet all of the tasks.
- Turn on gas
Make sure your dirt bike’s gas tank is full before riding. The petcock is usually placed on the left side of your bike. The petcock turns on whenever the lever is in line with the fuel hose coming out of the valve. Although it should say on, I’ve had a few that didn’t.
- Choke the Bike
Carefully choke your dirt bike before the first kick if the temperature is below 60 degrees. The choke will be a lever that you may turn to make starting the dirt bike on cold winter days. For each dirt bike, the choke will look completely different.
- Turn on Ignition
This function is only applicable to current dirt bikes. There isn’t an ignition on every dirt bike. If your dirt bike was built after 2003, check to see if it requires a key.
Top Dead Center
While identifying the top dead center isn’t critical, knowing where the bike stands in terms of intake, compression, ignition, and exhaust. It may be more challenging to start your bike if you kick it over. You can time when you need to add extra gas to begin by understanding where the stroke is. This is primarily true for secondhand and older bicycles.
Kicking Over Bike Motor
You’ve already done a few slow kicks if you’ve been following the steps so far. You’ve now put forward some effort. It would be best if you did not kick as hard as you possibly could. Your foot can slide off and twist your ankle.
Tips for kick-starting Dirt Bike
Here are some tips that must follow for kick-starting dirt bike easily:
- Practice
Practice kick-starting at home rather than waiting until you are at the track with a slew of other riders. Even if you haven’t any riding planned, do it every day for a week. You’ll feel much more confident if you repeat the famous kick-start. It would become part of the routine for you, and you will have a better understanding of how the dirt bike responds.
- Boots
Your boot choice affects how successfully you can kick start the bike. This is a terrible idea if you’re wearing running shoes because the spring-back will be pretty noticeable. We suggest that you wear the MX boots, or at the very least any steel-capped boots, that will add weight and comfort to your ride. Any pressure in the kick-starter rebounding will be absorbed throughout the surface of the boot sole with these boots.
Two-stroke and Four-stroke dirt bike
When kicking over a 4-stroke dirt bike vs. a 2-stroke dirt bike, you’ll notice a few differences. Before returning to compression, the four-stroke engine must complete more strokes. A dirt bike with a 2-stroke engine will get you there quickly.
Conclusion
Sometimes it is challenging to start a dirt bike. But after following the above method of kick-start dirt bike, you can quickly begin to your dirt bike. Follow each step carefully.
Explore More 1. Dirt Bike Size Chart 2. How To Wheelie A Dirt Bike? 3. How To Adjust Dirt Bike Suspension To Your Weight? 4. How Old Do You Have To Be To Ride A Dirt Bike? Must Know
