More ergonomically friendly Kickstarter?.....please share verified fitments from other models/sources?

[BergyPatty37]

Thanks for sharing! I do like kicking my bike alot. I will e-start but there is something cool leaving somewhere and kicking the bike over.

 

[kevvyd]

It is a tight fit on the splines (good!), so much so that I will probably need a gear puller to get it off. Tighter than the OEM piece. The splines are not as well machined as the Honda part, and they have some powder coat on them; I had to clean them up with a small triangular file, one at a time. it does not slip. The domed head on the lever pivot *just* grazes the black trim piece aft of the kickstart shaft when the kicker is operated; I ground a few thousandths off the head with a Dremel and touched up the paint on it. I wouldn’t use this kicker on a big high-compression single, but for occasional use on our electric-start 125s it’s just fine. The position of the kick pedal is actually better than the OEM kicker, and it works great.

With all due respect:

Congrats on finding a solution!
I believe I bought that exact same kick lever and the fitment for shaft/splines was, for me, unacceptable on these grounds.
You shouldn't ever have to spread or hammer a lever onto a splined shaft. (unless its tapered or interference fit by engineering/design)
And the 2 items should definitely at least have the same # of splines, or "mesh up 100%".....iirc, the tooth count didn't match up on the one I had.

Then you figure out that you have to do some clearancing and it is almost impossible to get off the start shaft.....

I returned it to China instead of following thru with the modifications needed.

 

[dmonkey]

Keep in mind it needs to come off when you pull the RH crankcase cover for oil screen and centrifugal filter cleanout. Might not be for a while, but sounds like it could be a PITA when that is due.

 

[m in sc]

this is the one on mine.it went right on was it s bit tight the 1st time? yes but it fit well. just fyi. https://www.ebay.com/itm/203274311599

 

[BergyPatty37]

@m in sc Is the clearance better when standing on pegs? I've relocated stock kicker down a few splines and that helped, but it stil sometimes engages enough to grind when standing in certain positions.

 

[Rusty Nuts]

this is the one on mine.it went right on was it s bit tight the 1st time? yes but it fit well. just fyi. https://www.ebay.com/itm/203274311599

That appears to be a better made version of the one I got; I wouldn’t be surprised if they came from the same factory. All good comments above; I’d probably try this one if I was doing it again. I have a gear puller to remove the one I have, but if the splines don’t look good when I remove it, I might give this one a go.

 

[BergyPatty37]

I believe this would be the same on that M in SC posted, but in black finish:

Kick Starter Lever Start Pedal For Yamaha TT225 250 350 500 600 | eBay

Yamaha Yamaha TT225 250 350 500 600.

www.ebay.com

Just ordered one so I will report back with fit and finish.

 

[dmonkey]

I believe this would be the same on that M in SC posted, but in black finish:

Kick Starter Lever Start Pedal For Yamaha TT225 250 350 500 600 | eBay

Yamaha Yamaha TT225 250 350 500 600.

www.ebay.com

Just ordered one so I will report back with fit and finish.

I think you had posted elsewhere about having a JA65, so just wanted to note that the JA55 and JA65 kickstarters are different. Not sure if the splines are different, but the shape of the factory ones are so just be mindful that what fits @m in sc 's JA55 isn't a sure fit for the JA65 unless someone's confirmed that.

 

[Rusty Nuts]

FYI, mine is a JA55

 

[BergyPatty37]

I think you had posted elsewhere about having a JA65, so just wanted to note that the JA55 and JA65 kickstarters are different. Not sure if the splines are different, but the shape of the factory ones are so just be mindful that what fits @m in sc 's JA55 isn't a sure fit for the JA65 unless someone's confirmed that.

I do have a JA65. Thank you for catching that. Well, I'll guess I'll see what happens lol. Its $20 so its not the end of the world.
I'm curious if the difference is the spline count, diameter, or just some difference in the lever features. I guess well find out.

 

[BergyPatty37]

It is probably not going to work, the kick-start shaft are two different part numbers, so it is not just the levers itself. Could still use the same diameter and spline count but I'll report back either way.
Curious if anyone here has replaced their lever on a JA65 and what they used.

 

[m in sc]

the pin the c clip sits on needs to be filed down a bit to clear the black bracket behind it. its in this pic (pointing to it)

 

[CTExplorer]

Mine is a JA55 as well. Mine went on fine. At least nothing I remember having an issue with and know it was the correct number of splines but perhaps the JA65 has a change where this part is not ideal for it.

 

[BergyPatty37]

Just received the kickstarter, does not work for JA65. The shaft diameter is much smaller on the JA65. Probably 13 or 14mm compared to the 16mm on the JA55.
Furthermore, I don't think an aftermarket kickstarter will work for the JA65 because the fill cap on the JA55 is also the dipstick on the JA65, so the side cover sticks out farther and there isn't really any clearance.
Moral of the story, probably can't upgrade kickstarter on JA65.

 

[dmonkey]

Thanks for sharing your findings.

 

[m in sc]

thats a bummer.

for anybody that can weld, a pretty easy work around but still. booo. im sure there's something out there though

 

[dmonkey]

I don't have an issue with the stock JA55 kick start lever on my bike and have only hit it by accident a few times when my foot wasn't in its usual placement, but at the least it looks like the stock JA65 kicker design might be a little bit more out of the way if your heel hits it higher up.

JA55


JA65

 

[m in sc]

I hated the way the damn thing looked tbh. never got in my way but its a stupid design just hanging out there

 

[TRAIL SNAIL]

Hey riders,
I know I am not the only one who dislikes it when the kickstarter rubs, blocks, or otherwise impedes upon your right heel. It bothers me enough that I began pursuing alternatives.
I measured the kickstart shaft and got to work cross referencing all kinds of bikes, and styles of kickstart pedals.
I ordered and returned 4 variants before abandoning my quest in favor of no kickstart pedal at all.
In the past 6 years none of my Austrian off-road machines have had a kickstart.....so I'm pretty trusting and comfortable with the kickstart pedal as an unnecessary relic. Especially on this low compression Japanese stalwart of reliability.

But if somebody showed me or told me that they had unlocked the "holy grail" of CT 125 kick pedals......I'd buy it immediately.
That "holy grail" would include: Fits the shaft correctly. Does not interfere with the foot of the rider (much if at all). Is ideally black in color. Folds in without interference from either the engine side case, that hump panel on the body, or the exhaust pipe/muffler.

Meanwhile, a 5/8" Dorman coolant bypass cap fits perfect, looks decent, and protects the splines. You can buy a 2 pack of just 5/8.....but I definitely will find uses for the other 4 sizes included in this multi-pack.
(**yes, I know there's that member who torch heated and bent an OEM kicker to be "perfect". I don't want to go down that road. I despise doing the heat-n-bend voodoo on brake handles, expansion chambers, etc. I just want to buy and bolt up. So lets keep this on topic)
Thanks, please let me know what this community has found as a solution!

View attachment 11309

Yup that’s what I did also. This bike doesn’t need a kick starter. If the battery dies the bike is so light you can just push start it.

 

[m in sc]

^I agree with the above. However, i was curious if i could make it work w a 1st gen grom clutch cover (mines been swapped to a fully manual clutch, the chrome cover is actually off a super cub if you look at the pic). there was a casting boss in there for a kicker the groms never had, so i put it on my mill at home and bored it out, and counterbored it to the correct ID for the trail seal and it worked. i was fully prepared for it to not clear or something unforeseen, and would have been happy to cap it off and remove the shaft if it didn't work. But i like the 'if its on the bike it should work, or remove it' mind set. and, i just wanted to see if i could do it.

But yeah, for what i use the bike for its pretty pointless. I have -plenty- of kick start only bikes in my garage.