I added audible beeper to indicators on both my old bikes because I have seen so many motorcyclists (including myself) forget to turn off after turn. The sound is annoying when waiting at intersections or traffic lights, so I fitted a relay that disconnects beeper when brake is applied (stop light circuit). Put on brake when you stop and sound stops. Starts again as soon as you take off. Simple solution.
I like this feature too and added it to my Aprilia. No relay needed - just a $5 beeper with diodes on the positive to the two turn signal + leads, and the negative to the brake light + lead. Beeps when signal is on and brake is off. No beep when signal is on and brake is on.
my old yamaha dirt bike has one. I use it when I go down steep hills as a brake... dont know what else it would be for. maybe a non-electric kill switch? two strokes dont usually require a whole lot of kick to turn over.
@@lukewarmwater6412 well I got an old Vespa bravo with no electric start or kill switch, or kickstart. It’s only got pedals, so running next to it and releasing the decompression lever is a good way to start it. And I can tell you from experience, that a decompression lever makes that a heck of a lot easier than it otherwise would be.
3:40 In Switzerland we have almost a kind of tradition of driving around in small 25cc motorbike-bicycle-hybrids (we call them "Töffli") which are always pedal started. Many teens drive them as your allowed to as soon as you're 14yo but there are still many enthusiasts which like to put bigger engines and tune them because those bikes where made to be easily tuneable. So at least in Switzerland you see those pedal starters very often, especially after school when all the teens start pedaling up their Töfflis to drive home.
@Dr Sinixi Grüß Gott aus Österreich. The Puch MS (50cc) may have it it too. It was one-seater. Well up until the late 1970, don't see them around anymore, so it may be a dying thing....
Jawa used to have Kickstarter that doubled up as the gear lever & operated the clutch also even though it had clutch lever as well, self lubrication on swinging arm bearings & interchangeable front or rear wheels were other strange features.
You've absolutely read my mind. Also in addition to this it has a fully enclosed chain drive to protect it from dirt and make the chain last longer. The exhausts are also slip on and slip off from the downpipes when unbolted and can be swapped to either side of the bike.
Remember the ks gear lever. CZ s had it ( though that probably was a Jawa with a different tank. ). MZ filler with measuring cup under for two stroke oil, that was a good touch
@@TriumphBeezaman I think you're right and they made a 350 with oil injection probably around the mid 70s called an oilmaster and then later models were premix again but the 350 twin they currently make has gone back to oil injection.
The buggers that stole mine couldn't figure out how the electric start worked as it obviously didn't have a kickstart. They did cut and short most of the wiring though.
I'm pretty certain that Royal Enfield still supply a tool kit with their bikes. I've got a 2018 Himalayan that came with a tool kit. Come to think of it I've also got a 2018 Honda NC750X which came with one.
3:15 You don't just pedal and badabing magic happens engine on. You spin up the flywheel separately from the engine with the pedals and then drop the clutch, dumping the pedals momentum into the crank whenever you think it's fast enough. It's a lot like the way some tanks can be started with a handle you cranked by hand
Yeah, if you had pedals connected to the crankshaft and just tried pedaling normally in place of a kickstarter, it wouldn't do anything. Anyone who's ever kickstarted a bike incorrectly knows what I mean. It requires a lot of sudden momentum to be able to kick over, a relatively slow steady movement does nothing
On that with tools, my soviet motorcycle did not have any, but a fun little fact is that you can take both wheels off with a wooden stick or a screwdriver.
One thing missing from the list: Anti-dive forks. (I wonder if the lack of tool kits is just a US market thing? I think bikes sold in Europe still have one. My R1 does)
i worked at a yamaha and ktm dealership and i think the kits are in general getting smaller but i cant recall a single bike that doesnt come with one. maybe the big scooters? not sure if ive ever seen a tool kit on a yamaha tricity tbh ive had plenty of bikes and i can count the amount of times the tool kit was usefull on one hand.... basically only when someone else needed a screw driver, i gave them the one from my tool kit. otherwise the kits are pretty useless. often you dont even have the tools you need also anti dive forks still exist. just in different forms. like electric forks can do that, bmw telelever does it and ive read about some drop in cartridges for my DR650's forks that pretty much prevent diving too
All bikes sold in the US come with toolkits, except for Harley-Davidson. Either this guy has never purchased a new bike or he's only purchased Harleys; either way, he's completely wrong in his assessment.
Every bike I have ever owned in 51 years of riding has come with a tool kit of some sort. I have one as recent as 2018 vintage. This "lack of tool kit" is a complete shocker to me. I typically add tools to my kit, but how one uses one's tools depends on the person, not the tool, of course.
Royal Enfields still come with toolkits. My 2021 Interceptor has got one, the same with Continental GT and the Himalayan. I wouldn't call RE a boutique brand, they're just doing a hell of a job. 👍
I have three new Hondas (CB125, Rebel 500 and CB650R) of different shapes and sizes and a 2016 KLR and they all have tool kits in various locations... I didn't think they were so rare.
It used to be common to add a decompression valve and lever to the second spark plug hole in single cylinder 2stroke dirt bikes, not to assist with starting but to provide serious engine braking. It was the best way to slow down quickly without locking up the back wheel on slippery terrain.
I remember 2 stroke dirt bikes with an added compression release. I installed one on my 68 DT1 250 Yamaha. This was done under advice from my brother who had a similarly equipped Bultaco Matador. It turns out that the Bultaco had poor brakes, my Yamaha didn't.
@@burkestorti4586 Bultaco definitely had inadequate brakes. It was ment to go not stop. Stupid engineers ruined the brand that way. The brakes were so bad I'd not be surprised if that was the plan all along. Destroy the brand.
Carbide is the mineral that, when decomposed by water exposure, produces acetylene. So your headlamp would have a water tank, a dripper, and a carbide cup. You set the dripper to produce just enough acetylene to keep the lamp lit.
My 2017 Ural has a tool kit that will just about allow you to rebuild the motor. It's even got two great big steel tire irons that weigh about a pound and a half apiece. Not to mention the spare wheel and tire pump.
That tool kit was a huge marketing thing for them. I had two of them, back in the early 2000. Actually pulled a transmission out, replaced a bearing and put out back in, 150 miles from home. With just the tool kit in the bike
@@dieselguy62 back in the seventies Lada cars (made in Russia), even came with a tin of touch up paint!, we could do with that today with all the car park scratches, even a paint pencil would be nice.
@@CrusaderSports250 ladas came with a paint can because they knew the painters were sloppy and if the owner wanted their car painted propertly they have to do it on their own. Many did. Not because they wanted to, but because they had no other choice.
I believe that was because in that era it was very common to have a sidecar mounted to your bike and with that you want to have the steering easier to turn as opposed to riding solo.
You need to have someone explain the decompression lever to you. Except on very early motorcycles, it does not work as you describe it. Actually, you bring the bike up on compression, pull the lever, ease the piston over the top, release the lever, then kick.
You are absolutely correct. Without the lever, it was almost impossible to get the piston over TDC with enough momentum to fire. Easing over TDC while decompressing meant that a hearty jump on the kick start gave the speed needed to get the engine started.
I rode a tank shift once, with a long lever it was super easy to ride. Also to hell with that tool kit nonsense, they do the same thing in games. Eliminate a feature and act like there's an actual reason beyond just cheaping out.
Every new bike I've ever owned has come with a toolkit and every second hand bike has had an available OEM toolkit. This dude is straight up wrong on that point
@@iguana51 I am aware, new bikes meanwhile could cause testicular torsion regularly and I wouldn't know, I couldn't afford a new bike if I saved for 20 years
The decompression lever is no longer needed. Newer bikes that I know like Yamaha have automatic decompression cam disc that allow the exhaust valves to crack open during start up.
yup. I have two relatively modern chainsaws 55cc and 72cc both with decompression valves, hardly rare in the saw universe. Small engines like on a generator tend to decompress themselves for ease of startup as well.
I bought an Indian Scout in 2016 and the toolkit was a single allen key that clipped into a spot behind the rear number plate. That's it, one tool for everything they expected the owner to do.
Your dealer ripped you off then. It should have come with four combination hex key/screwdriver bits, dipstick and fuse puller in a nylon pouch behind the license plate. If you ordered saddlebags as an option, it would have had an additional mini ratchet set, shock adjuster tool and Leatherman-style multitool in the right side saddlebag. Unscrupulous Indian dealers are known to pull these kits and try to sell them as options and/or put them on eBay. My 2017 Scout came with all of the above, at no cost. But then again, I purchased from Indian of Daytona Beach, which is the largest Indian dealer in the country, and not Crazy Joe's Indianporium of Buttlick, Montana or whatever backwater dealership people go to in order to save $340 off MSRP.
Indian of Sturgis told me they sell more bike than any Indian dealers in the world. They sell a lot of traded in Harley-Davidson , too! Tell you anything?
A bike with no kick start is lame. There is nothing worse than having Low Battery power or a broken starter and not being able to start the bike. One of my bikes had a broken rectifier and it took a few weeks to get the part order. So I just removed the battery and kicked started the bike until I could fix it, no sweat. Apparently the new SR400 comes with a kick start and my first thought was, "it had bloody well better have one." Any SR I tried was ONLY kick start, separating the men from the boys.
Agreed.....especially with no decent hill to roll down...I have vowed that if the starter on my FXDL goes, I will pick up an aftermarket kickstart setup.
Actually a good feature in my humble opinion was the direct to neutral lever on some old twin Royal Enfield. No matter what gear you stopped in, move this lever with your right foot, ( same side as the shifter), and the bike went straight to neutral.
@@SchoggiHD it was a wonderful device but only Enfield seem to have used it, it was good on a four speed box so just imagine it on a six speeder! no need for digital indicators just push down and your in neutral, what could be easyer. My Enfield also used cerrated cams for chain tension, just move both sides the same number of "clicks" and your done and the wheel remains in line, never seen that on other bikes either.
Hah! That takes me back... The frickin' thumb operated decompression lever on my old RE 500 single, the crusty & rusty (and wet metal & plastic stinking) tool kit I found in the side box of my Yammy XS650 project bike and the ꜰᴜᴄᴋɪɴ’ ʙᴇᴇᴘ-ʙᴇᴇᴘ-ʙᴇᴇᴘ on my CB750... It took every ounce of mental fortitude not to start randomly tearing out wires on my first ride home with that one. Thanks man! 30+ yrs of memories in under 10 mins!!
My ‘89 Honda NX650 came with a tool kit, and it’s even easy to access behind the front fairing. When I was a kid Harley’s with a hand shifter were still around. People called them ‘suicide clutches’, because if you were in gear at a light and began to lean the wrong way, taking your foot off the clutch to catch yourself could launch you into traffic.
Tools came with my 2022 RE INT650 and also with my 2018 Yamaha TW200. Funny thing with the TDub though, you need a 10 mm to remove the seat to access the tool kit!! 🤔
My tdub you just pull off the panel opposite of the air filter to get the tool kit. I would think yours should be the same since tdubs pretty much haven't changed.
I stand corrected, I believe. I didn't see tools on my TDub, but does look like a spot that they'll fit behind the side cover. Hey, I was told by TDubs Kid video!
Interesting video. Thank you. I had a DR350 and an XT500 and they both had valve lifters. Both early versions of those bikes, no electric start on either.
I've still got my Honda turn signal beeper! I rigged it up with some jumper cables and alligator clips and use it as a wire tracer./ fuse tester. I have used it that way for decades. I'll never get rid if it.
Self cancelling indicators on Yamaha XS400 and 250. Worked by a magnetic Reed switch in speedo head. Wasn't time related, it counted pulses from rotation of speedo cable. Worked superbly.
I had an RD200 from 1977-1980 and an XS400 around 1989; I think that the self cancelling was both time and distance related: 10 seconds or 100 metres, so that if you were waiting at traffic lights, they would continue working. I cannot understand why this excellent feature isn't on my 2017 MT-09 or my 2021 Guzzi V7.
Back in 1974 the U.S. DOT set "standards" for new motorcycles sold in the States. Those standards included putting the controls in the same place on all bikes. Turn signals became required then, along with the Headlight always being on.
My KMZ Dnepr has an in gearbox reverse, and the foot shifter also operates the clutch when shifting. All 4 wheels are the same with one carried as a spare on the back top of the sidecar. It has a real alternator and not a simple stator type like modern motorcycles. It can be removed and replaced in 15 minutes unlike replacing a stator buried inside the engine that can take hours. The owners manual is also a complete service manual. A parts catalog shows everything used and where in detailed drawings so no need to wonder what screw or bolt went where or how it was assembled. It includes a light switch for turning on and off all the lights unlike modern motorcycles where the lights are on all the time the engine is running. It even has a trailer hitch for towing a 1/4 ton trailer or towed weapon such as a heavy machine gun. There are two neutral positions. Idle neutral between 1st and 2nd gears and towing neutral between 3rd and 4th gears used when towing it with another vehicle. The back of the sidecar seat can be switched so the gunner can sit facing forward or backwards depending on guarding the front or rear of a marching troop column.
When I toured the Harley Davidson factory a while back in York, Pennsylvania, they told us you could still order a foot clutch if you wanted it. Not sure about the hand shifter.
The first bike I owned was a 1965 Yamaha. It came with a tool kit, which I needed because it fouled its spark plug every 300 miles. I sold it a couple years later, but I still have the tool kit.
In 1978, in America, the DOT (Department of transportation) established by law that Motorcycles made from 1978 forward would have the left foot shifter, a right foot brake, the throttle on the right handlebar front brake lever on the right handlebar and the clutch on the left handlebar. You can modify this to accommodate a person with a handicap but this is the production layout required. As to compression releases My 2010 Harley has them, and the newer ones have electric ones. As to the turn signals, Most modern motorcycles use a BCM to control the turn signals they self cancel.
I have a toolkit with my 2007 honda and it is amazing. i can basically take apart the whole bike with it. And some tools are even better than my workshop ones . For example the spark plug that came with the bike is the only one i can use to get one of the spark plugs out.
Kick-start is a must have feature here, because someone will always forgot to change their battery and that's the only way to turn it on when the battery dies.
My 72 Suzuki TS 125 had what compression relief valve (i think what you were calling a "decimoressor") i felt it was there more for 2-stroke "engine breaking", not sure if that's what it was designed to do, but for a 12 year back in the 70's, worked great for me
On my 1929 Harley and many other bikes: hand pump built in the oil tank used for pumping extra oil in the engine when riding at higher speeds, left handlebar grip turns to adjust ignition timing, ammeter in dash to monitor charging when riding, cruise control (gas grip is not spring loaded, so stays where it is when you release your grip ;-) ), automatic primary chain lubing (oil drips on the chain through a pipe from the engine), hand adjustable generator output, separate cold weather priming valves in each cylinder with a gas injection syringe screwed in the gas tank, air filter bypass option, and a front brake, which was not a standard option then. Almost forgot the dozens of grease fittings all over the bike that needed your attention very regularly. I really admire our ancestors that used these machines every day and in every kind of weather.
As for manual decompression levers... they are not a complication, but a necessity on high compression single cylinder British bikes. On bikes like my BSA B44SS and B50SS the clutch (even when well set up) would slip and stop the piston passing top dead centre. The technique for using it is not how you describe. Use the kickstart lever to get the piston to compression, ease it past compression slightly with the use of the decompressor and kickstart, let the kickstart return and release the decompressor, the a good swinging kick will get it started.
Royal Enfield's Neutral Finder. A small lever to put the into neutral quickly. Helpful in red lights. Drove bikes with all those features you mentioned. Well except that retractable tricycle. Bob just reminded the Jawa kick-cum-gear-lever, so much fun !
At least some Yamahas from the ´80 es had side stands that foldet up when lifted. Another forgotten feature is the twist-grip gearchance in the left handgrip, where the cluch was the lock.
In 1973 / 74 US Congress passed a law that forced motorcycles to have a standard shift setup. So now you see all motorcycles everywhere (except older models) have left side shifts, and clutch and right-side throttles. This was done for safety but, it was to crush the British motorcycles in the 70's that all had right side shifts. Harley did have to re-engineer the Ironhead Sportster to left hand shift.
Indeed..I have had 1970 and 74 Sportsters with the right side shift, no big deal as I had already owned BSA and Nortons before....but I worked on an ex's 1976 Sportster and recall the factory workaround being a bodged looking shaft thing that moved the shifter to the left side.
@@TheWolfsnack the 75's and 76's are two years that I would avoid because of all that heavy linkage carried under the belly of the bike just causes strain on the transmission. I bought a 75 from a buddy who was out of work and needed some cash. The bike ran good until the shifter shaft lost a c clip inside and the shaft was sliding in and out of the tranny and making it very hard if not impossible to shift. I sold the bike on Ebay to some father and son from PA looking to put it all back to stock (as if it were rare motorcycle gem) I gave them a full run down and allowed them to ride it up and down the driveway and I'm happy I got out of that bike even steven....
@@pebear Agreed....part of the reason I haven't ridden one in decades....after decades of pans and shovels, these days it's an older 1340 Evo for me. I don't trust anything newer...any more than I trusted a new stock AMF product.
@@TheWolfsnack Can't go wrong with an EVO, it's the fix for everything wrong with the Shovel. I have an 01 Twin Scam (cam) FLSTF. The only thing I have done it it besides a couple carb rebuilds, was I replaced the cams at 60K. I went to replace the tensioners and noticed a couple flat spots on the cams, so they got replaced. I have my 73 XLCH that I converted to electric and threw on an S&S Super E, that's for around town, bar hopper.
@@pebear Agreed on the Evo, this is actually my first one, bought four years ago after a garage fire burned up a chopped 54 Pan/Shovel and a rolling chassis I was about to get a motor and tranny for. Insurance covered everything but the bikes...I did get a new and larger garage, plus all of my tools replaced with better tools, and had enough cash to buy the Evo...a 93 FXDL ported and polished, a Head Quarters cam, Screaming Eagle ignition, and Andrews gears. She runs real strong. Stay safe brother!
1. Carburettor + Choker 2. Center stand 3. Fuel reserver and main switch 4. Headlight on off switch 5. 2 stroke engines 6. Easy maintenance and reliability
I think you got the mechanism to use the decompression lever a bit inaccurate. I primarly used the decompression lever on my old Royal Enfield in corrlation with the Ammeter to find the TDC of piston just after spark which puts the bike at the start of the four stroke cycle. The concept is that on high capacity bikes it is difficult to compress 350 or 500 cc of air multiple times in one kick. So the gearing of kick is so designed that one kick only turns the crank twice, i.e. 1 complete four stroke cycle. The decompression lever lifts the exhaust valve making the turning of engine easy and a sharp movement of the Ammeter needle communicates that the spark has happened. Therefore finding the aforementioned TDC and setting the kick position right at the start of the 4 stroke cycle.
My 74 Suzuki GT750 had a 70's red led gear indicator that was way more visible in direct sunlight than you would think it would be. More visible than some modern LCD displays in cars in direct sunlight.
In the sixties, I had a Vincent Comet 500 cc single. The "compression release" was a spark retarder. If you got it wrong, the backfire would travel back to the kickstarter and break your ankle. I also had a Harley 45 with tank shift. The clutch pedal was as big as the sole of your shoe.
My dad was a cop in the '60s, and he rode a Harley Davidson police bike when he was in the traffic division. They still had bikes with hand shifters, as well as newer ones with foot shifters (and Harley discontinued hand shifters in the mid sixties, IIRC). Dad liked the hand shifters better for a police bike, because radio technology had not been miniaturized to the point where they had earpieces and mikes in their helmets like motorcycle cops today. They had the same kind of radios that were in the patrol cars, with a handheld mike on a cord. Dad preferred the hand shifter, because you operated a foot clutch, and you could use the heel of your hand to push the shifter while you were holding the radio mike. This was not possible on a bike with a foot shifter, because you needed a hand free to operate the clutch on the handlebar, so you had to clip the radio mike back down onto the bike.
The 2005 VFR800 I picked up this summer still had it's tool kit minus a couple of Allen keys. When I asked the seller about the tools he said he got the bike without, and neither of us saw one when he removed the seat. Later when I had it inspected I asked the mechanics who replied they hadn't noticed one even with the seat and all fairings off. A few days later I took the seat off to check something out, and something else caught my eye. The tool kit! It was right where it was supposed to be looking like it hadn't been touched in years. Not only did the black vinyl pouch blend in really well with the black structural member it was wedged in, but also the accumulation of dust and dirt in the under-seat compartment from years of riding had essentially camouflaged it to near invisibility. Of course it's an almost 20 year old bike. Dunno if Honda still includes a tool kit with some of their current models. Cheers!
My 1980s CZ125 had a tool kit to which I added an emery nail-file board - the points were under the same side casing as the primary sprocket, so used to get oil burned onto the gap!
I have an old 80's Puch moped with a pedal start I rode when I was just out of HS. Think the cylinder is blown now but man, so much fun. I'd love to get that running again
I have a old 1980s Yamaha DT175 that had weird carb problems resulting In 2 days of trying to kick it over untill I broke off the kick starter. That pedal start you were talking about would've been so nice to have
I kick my BSA 500 single over without the compression release all the time. My SR500 race bike with a 12.5:1 piston was impossible to kick over without it. The correct procedure is to use the compression release to get the engine just past compression, then kick it and let the momentum of the flywheel turn carry the motor past the next compression stroke.
Hi Bart, am a regular watcher and like the channel. 1. Decomposition leavers. You turn the engine over until it stops on compression. Then using the decompression leaver you ease it just over compression. At this point, one full swing on the kick-start will take the engine through Suck/Squeeze/Bang/Blow and it should start. Get it wrong and it hurts. Try srarting a 600 Panther single without one. 2, Sprung loaded side stands. An intermediate safety feature between nothing and ignition cutout switches. Honda NX250 had one. Hated it. 3. Beeping indicators. Had several 70s bikes with them including 2 GL1000s. They were fazed out quickly because Honda uses a beep very similar to the audible GO signal on some European pedestrian crossing for the visually impaired.. Not good. I found them quite useful. Keep up the good work.
I had a bike with turn signal sound. It really helped while riding through sleek lanes, where you can't see the turn. It kind of gave a heads up for any incoming vehicles or pedestrians.
9:40 In Czech republic, Jawa made model called Babetta, the moped is kickstarted by pedals, does not require licence plate (no insurance or anything) is cheap af, easy to maintain but you still need driver's licence to ride it on roads. It also serves as a leg day workout when the engine refuses to start
I used to have a very strange moped, called Piaggio Ciao, it’s a 50cc pedal start moped with a decompression lever to make it easier to start (like it’s hard to start a 50cc moped) and you could disengage the motor with a button to pedal if you ran out of gas (very Common thing since it had a 2 liter fuel tank) and despite looking like a bike and going almost as slow ad a bike (40km/h max) it was very fun to use since it wheith 36kg and in the 80s everyone used to have a Ciao here in italy because it costed like 700€ new and it was very cheap to mantain
@@ItsDaJax in europe it was sold as a Piaggio ciao, in the us it was sold as the Vespa Ciao with some minor changes such as suspencion and the back light, here in europe the Vespa is a scooter Made by Piaggio from the 50s until now
@@stefaniabrotto3750 Vespa and Piaggio scooters are sold here. Fun fact; here in Louisville Ky, they were sold through a bmw motorcycle dealership, that was owned by a Buick dealership across the street. When the dealership closed both stores, the local Harley-Davidson dealership started selling them.
The Royal Enfield Himalaya actually does come with its own toolkit underneath the seat. And the manual has full instructions on how to do basic repairs on the side of the road.
Before I got my motorcycle endorsement, I was riding around on an old moped from 1980. Pedal start was honestly rather annoying since, in the event of stalling out while at idle, unless I got fully off the bike, put it on the center stand, then got back on and started pedaling, I couldn't restart it without pedaling the whole bike forward. Or rather, being a moped, that's how it was *supposed* to work- to start the engine, you start riding like a bicycle, then pull the clutch lever to spin the engine over until it starts using the bike's own momentum just as much as your leg power. For anything with an engine bigger than a moped, kickstart makes a bit more sense since you can start it without moving and you can put your full body weight into it. To make it even more silly and outdated, I re-wired the whole bike to add a battery and turn signals... To my surprise, the amazon flasher relay I had bought turned out to be the kind that beeps! So every time I put the signals on, it would beep, just like that honda. I called it a feature and got on with my life. Everyone else made fun of it though, for some reason.
My RE Bullet came with a tool kit with enough tools to do basic maintenence such as change spark plugs, adjust the chain and even adjust the valves. You could probably get the head off the engine with the tool kit it came with but that would be a bit of a stretch. It is kick start only and has a compression release which is really handy. And the kick stand doesn't flip up automatically but has a rubber fob that will flip it up if you ride off without raising it first. Nice safety feature. My Ducati had the flip up stand which never caused me to drop the bike btw.
i got certified as a motorcycle mechanic just to do it, now i can legally do insurance, and some warranty work on my own bikes. and more confidence to do my own work. i suggest lots of people study the testing, and do the same.
Most cheap Chinese bikes sold by local brands here in Argentina and latinoamerica in general have a tiny tool box/kit below the battery. It comes with almost all the wrenches needed to service the bike and i usually use the toolbox to store essentials like fuses and things that could break on the go
There are still decompression levers on dealer-bought racing motorcycles.The Go-Cart store near where I used to live still sells one. I don't remember the make or brand but, the engine is a 125cc Malossie Sport, which is a 2 stroke engine.
Pedal starting is much harder than kickstarting, that's why one replaced the other. A friend of mine has a very old moped that has a pedal start, keep in mind it's a small 50cc engine, pedal starting it feels like trying to ride a bicycle with 2 other people sitting on it, trust me, much much harder!
Chain cases were a highly useful component that kept abrasive sand grit off the drive chain which reduced wear greatly on the chain and sprockets and especially was good when riding off road or in the rain which quickly fouls any chain causing maintenance to be constantly needed. Why such a good feature was ever not provided on every chain drive motorcycle is a mystery.
Decomp is still common on moped kits to allow for higher compression cylinders and still pedal as mopeds are often required to have them legally. Also toolkit is still standard for modern Vespas. Audible turn signals are also standard on some import scooter.
My Dad has that same orange 550-Four. It's in sorry shape, but he still has it. It also has that beep, but that is me remembering it in the 70s when he took me for a ride a few times. Oh I forgot, he bought it brand new.
pretty sure there are still kits on ebay that coinverts a normal peddle bike into a peddle start motorcycle so it exist in a sense but as a kit rather then a product that's ready to go out of the box
Hand shifters are a common mod for people with injuries and disabilities. The only 2 I've seen in person relocated the clutch lever to the hand shifter so it was just a squeeze and push/pull with the same hand. Both single leg amputees.
In the USA, the only legal requirement on manufacturers related to control placement is "left side gear shifting, right side braking", and that is as of 1975. Your clutch and shifter have to be factory installed on the left, but the market has dictated hand clutching/foot shifting. Racing bikes first switched to foot shifting (because it's nice to keep both paws on the grips as much as possible), and the street riders have always liked to look like the race boys, lol.
I added audible beeper to indicators on both my old bikes because I have seen so many motorcyclists (including myself) forget to turn off after turn. The sound is annoying when waiting at intersections or traffic lights, so I fitted a relay that disconnects beeper when brake is applied (stop light circuit). Put on brake when you stop and sound stops. Starts again as soon as you take off. Simple solution.
I like this feature too and added it to my Aprilia. No relay needed - just a $5 beeper with diodes on the positive to the two turn signal + leads, and the negative to the brake light + lead. Beeps when signal is on and brake is off. No beep when signal is on and brake is on.
Hand singles only for a few years.
I did the same thing on my CB250G5. Your improved version is better. Thank you for sharing.
I tried (but failed beacuse relay is needed) to attach vibration motors from gamepad so you can feel vibrations when turn signals are on
Decompression Levers are still quite common, you just don’t see them anymore as they are engaged/disengaged automatically.
I lost interest when you said that vintage lights ran on Kerosene, they were actually Carbide gas lamps. Do some research will you.
Had one on my KTM 620cc single. You could always tell if the exhaust valve tappets needed adjusting by the chatter it would make at idle.
my old yamaha dirt bike has one. I use it when I go down steep hills as a brake... dont know what else it would be for. maybe a non-electric kill switch? two strokes dont usually require a whole lot of kick to turn over.
@@antonyhughes4702 not all were carbide lamps. ... german engineers.... some had to be pumped up like a camp stove.
@@lukewarmwater6412 well I got an old Vespa bravo with no electric start or kill switch, or kickstart. It’s only got pedals, so running next to it and releasing the decompression lever is a good way to start it. And I can tell you from experience, that a decompression lever makes that a heck of a lot easier than it otherwise would be.
3:40 In Switzerland we have almost a kind of tradition of driving around in small 25cc motorbike-bicycle-hybrids (we call them "Töffli") which are always pedal started. Many teens drive them as your allowed to as soon as you're 14yo but there are still many enthusiasts which like to put bigger engines and tune them because those bikes where made to be easily tuneable. So at least in Switzerland you see those pedal starters very often, especially after school when all the teens start pedaling up their Töfflis to drive home.
We had mopeds called "Luna" in India until the 90s - early 2000s.. which had a pedal start.. I remember using my friends Luna in my college days...
@Dr Sinixi Grüß Gott aus Österreich. The Puch MS (50cc) may have it it too. It was one-seater. Well up until the late 1970, don't see them around anymore, so it may be a dying thing....
Jawa used to have Kickstarter that doubled up as the gear lever & operated the clutch also even though it had clutch lever as well, self lubrication on swinging arm bearings & interchangeable front or rear wheels were other strange features.
You've absolutely read my mind. Also in addition to this it has a fully enclosed chain drive to protect it from dirt and make the chain last longer. The exhausts are also slip on and slip off from the downpipes when unbolted and can be swapped to either side of the bike.
Remember the ks gear lever. CZ s had it ( though that probably was a Jawa with a different tank. ). MZ filler with measuring cup under for two stroke oil, that was a good touch
@@highdownmartin seem to remember the Jawa going from petroil to oil injection then back to the old pre mix then oil injection once again.
@@TriumphBeezaman I think you're right and they made a 350 with oil injection probably around the mid 70s called an oilmaster and then later models were premix again but the 350 twin they currently make has gone back to oil injection.
The buggers that stole mine couldn't figure out how the electric start worked as it obviously didn't have a kickstart. They did cut and short most of the wiring though.
I'm pretty certain that Royal Enfield still supply a tool kit with their bikes. I've got a 2018 Himalayan that came with a tool kit. Come to think of it I've also got a 2018 Honda NC750X which came with one.
They do. I have a 2020 Conti GT.
Yes my 22 Royal Enfield came with a tool kit which I was surprised about, it was pretty cool
I used the one that came with my Int 650 quite a couple of times 😁
Bought a BMW in january, it had the kit
Even the Honda CB350 (made for India) has one.
3:15 You don't just pedal and badabing magic happens engine on. You spin up the flywheel separately from the engine with the pedals and then drop the clutch, dumping the pedals momentum into the crank whenever you think it's fast enough.
It's a lot like the way some tanks can be started with a handle you cranked by hand
Yeah, if you had pedals connected to the crankshaft and just tried pedaling normally in place of a kickstarter, it wouldn't do anything. Anyone who's ever kickstarted a bike incorrectly knows what I mean. It requires a lot of sudden momentum to be able to kick over, a relatively slow steady movement does nothing
On that with tools, my soviet motorcycle did not have any, but a fun little fact is that you can take both wheels off with a wooden stick or a screwdriver.
One thing missing from the list: Anti-dive forks.
(I wonder if the lack of tool kits is just a US market thing? I think bikes sold in Europe still have one. My R1 does)
My 2022 Ninja came with one, no idea why it was included on the list
Happy to report that even my pal's Honda CB125F came with a toolkit! I was pretty surprised. It's a nice bonus for such a small affordable bike.
i worked at a yamaha and ktm dealership and i think the kits are in general getting smaller but i cant recall a single bike that doesnt come with one. maybe the big scooters? not sure if ive ever seen a tool kit on a yamaha tricity
tbh ive had plenty of bikes and i can count the amount of times the tool kit was usefull on one hand.... basically only when someone else needed a screw driver, i gave them the one from my tool kit. otherwise the kits are pretty useless. often you dont even have the tools you need
also anti dive forks still exist. just in different forms. like electric forks can do that, bmw telelever does it and ive read about some drop in cartridges for my DR650's forks that pretty much prevent diving too
All bikes sold in the US come with toolkits, except for Harley-Davidson. Either this guy has never purchased a new bike or he's only purchased Harleys; either way, he's completely wrong in his assessment.
Every bike I have ever owned in 51 years of riding has come with a tool kit of some sort. I have one as recent as 2018 vintage. This "lack of tool kit" is a complete shocker to me. I typically add tools to my kit, but how one uses one's tools depends on the person, not the tool, of course.
Royal Enfields still come with toolkits. My 2021 Interceptor has got one, the same with Continental GT and the Himalayan.
I wouldn't call RE a boutique brand, they're just doing a hell of a job. 👍
I have three new Hondas (CB125, Rebel 500 and CB650R) of different shapes and sizes and a 2016 KLR and they all have tool kits in various locations... I didn't think they were so rare.
It used to be common to add a decompression valve and lever to the second spark plug hole in single cylinder 2stroke dirt bikes, not to assist with starting but to provide serious engine braking. It was the best way to slow down quickly without locking up the back wheel on slippery terrain.
I remember 2 stroke dirt bikes with an added compression release. I installed one on my 68 DT1 250 Yamaha. This was done under advice from my brother who had a similarly equipped Bultaco Matador. It turns out that the Bultaco had poor brakes, my Yamaha didn't.
@@burkestorti4586 Bultaco definitely had inadequate brakes. It was ment to go not stop. Stupid engineers ruined the brand that way. The brakes were so bad I'd not be surprised if that was the plan all along. Destroy the brand.
Headlights never ran on kerosene, they ran on acetylene, p.s. sometimes called carbide.
yup.
Carbide is the mineral that, when decomposed by water exposure, produces acetylene. So your headlamp would have a water tank, a dripper, and a carbide cup. You set the dripper to produce just enough acetylene to keep the lamp lit.
The amount of mistakes this guy makes is kind of shocking. Should call him fart
Piaggio "Ciao" has pedal starter and also a decompression lever, so it's easy to use the pedals!
My 2017 Ural has a tool kit that will just about allow you to rebuild the motor. It's even got two great big steel tire irons that weigh about a pound and a half apiece. Not to mention the spare wheel and tire pump.
That tool kit was a huge marketing thing for them. I had two of them, back in the early 2000. Actually pulled a transmission out, replaced a bearing and put out back in, 150 miles from home. With just the tool kit in the bike
@@dieselguy62 back in the seventies Lada cars (made in Russia), even came with a tin of touch up paint!, we could do with that today with all the car park scratches, even a paint pencil would be nice.
@@CrusaderSports250 ladas came with a paint can because they knew the painters were sloppy and if the owner wanted their car painted propertly they have to do it on their own. Many did. Not because they wanted to, but because they had no other choice.
You forgot the steering damper knob that stiffened the turn handling on most 1950's bikes.
isn't this still a thing on big litre street bikes?
@@daylightsensor8695 they generally don’t have a knob from the factory. Stunt riders often use them however.
My Honda CB77 (1966) has one. Pretty cool feature
I wish this was a more common feature
I believe that was because in that era it was very common to have a sidecar mounted to your bike and with that you want to have the steering easier to turn as opposed to riding solo.
You need to have someone explain the decompression lever to you. Except on very early motorcycles, it does not work as you describe it. Actually, you bring the bike up on compression, pull the lever, ease the piston over the top, release the lever, then kick.
You are absolutely correct. Without the lever, it was almost impossible to get the piston over TDC with enough momentum to fire.
Easing over TDC while decompressing meant that a hearty jump on the kick start gave the speed needed to get the engine started.
I rode a tank shift once, with a long lever it was super easy to ride. Also to hell with that tool kit nonsense, they do the same thing in games. Eliminate a feature and act like there's an actual reason beyond just cheaping out.
both of the suzukis I owned had toolkits inside
Every new bike I've ever owned has come with a toolkit and every second hand bike has had an available OEM toolkit.
This dude is straight up wrong on that point
@@iguana51 I've never owned a vehicle less than 20 years old, I wouldn't know.
@@russetwolf13 I can guarantee OEM toolkits will be available for at least some of your bikes hahaha 😂
@@iguana51 I am aware, new bikes meanwhile could cause testicular torsion regularly and I wouldn't know, I couldn't afford a new bike if I saved for 20 years
The government made Harley switch the 1975 Sportster controls so bike thieves wouldn't get confused.
The decompression lever is no longer needed. Newer bikes that I know like Yamaha have automatic decompression cam disc that allow the exhaust valves to crack open during start up.
yup. I have two relatively modern chainsaws 55cc and 72cc both with decompression valves, hardly rare in the saw universe. Small engines like on a generator tend to decompress themselves for ease of startup as well.
All indian manufacturers provide toolkits and indicator beeper with their bikes. It's kind of a mandate here in my country
I bought an Indian Scout in 2016 and the toolkit was a single allen key that clipped into a spot behind the rear number plate. That's it, one tool for everything they expected the owner to do.
Your dealer ripped you off then. It should have come with four combination hex key/screwdriver bits, dipstick and fuse puller in a nylon pouch behind the license plate. If you ordered saddlebags as an option, it would have had an additional mini ratchet set, shock adjuster tool and Leatherman-style multitool in the right side saddlebag. Unscrupulous Indian dealers are known to pull these kits and try to sell them as options and/or put them on eBay. My 2017 Scout came with all of the above, at no cost. But then again, I purchased from Indian of Daytona Beach, which is the largest Indian dealer in the country, and not Crazy Joe's Indianporium of Buttlick, Montana or whatever backwater dealership people go to in order to save $340 off MSRP.
@@RockandrollNegro so you paid $340 for your toolkits 😜
Indian of Sturgis told me they sell more bike than any Indian dealers in the world. They sell a lot of traded in Harley-Davidson , too!
Tell you anything?
Both my Honda Monkey (2022) and Honda rebel 500 (2020) come with a toolkit :)
Hunter cubs as well
So did my 2015 Yamaha TW200!
My 04 Honda Shadow has a toolkit too.
my Kawasaki W175 too!
Kawasaki KLX 250 (2018) does too
The ingenius shifter for me is left grip shifter like in old vespa
my 1982 royal Enfield bullet has 4 unique outdated features
1. ammeter
2. right side gear shifter
3. neutral finder
4. decompression lever
A bike with no kick start is lame. There is nothing worse than having Low Battery power or a broken starter and not being able to start the bike.
One of my bikes had a broken rectifier and it took a few weeks to get the part order. So I just removed the battery and kicked started the bike until I could fix it, no sweat.
Apparently the new SR400 comes with a kick start and my first thought was, "it had bloody well better have one." Any SR I tried was ONLY kick start, separating the men from the boys.
I miss having a kick starter on my bike. All of my older ones did.
Agreed.....especially with no decent hill to roll down...I have vowed that if the starter on my FXDL goes, I will pick up an aftermarket kickstart setup.
I do like the idea of a kickstart. It looks pretty cool watching somebody do it.
Actually a good feature in my humble opinion was the direct to neutral lever on some old twin Royal Enfield. No matter what gear you stopped in, move this lever with your right foot, ( same side as the shifter), and the bike went straight to neutral.
Have this on my 1994 bullet, it's an amazing addition
@@SchoggiHD it was a wonderful device but only Enfield seem to have used it, it was good on a four speed box so just imagine it on a six speeder! no need for digital indicators just push down and your in neutral, what could be easyer. My Enfield also used cerrated cams for chain tension, just move both sides the same number of "clicks" and your done and the wheel remains in line, never seen that on other bikes either.
Lots places, outside the US, still have toolkits provided. All my bikes, Japanese and UK brands have had them.
Hah!
That takes me back...
The frickin' thumb operated decompression lever on my old RE 500 single, the crusty & rusty (and wet metal & plastic stinking) tool kit I found in the side box of my Yammy XS650 project bike and the ꜰᴜᴄᴋɪɴ’ ʙᴇᴇᴘ-ʙᴇᴇᴘ-ʙᴇᴇᴘ on my CB750... It took every ounce of mental fortitude not to start randomly tearing out wires on my first ride home with that one.
Thanks man! 30+ yrs of memories in under 10 mins!!
My ‘89 Honda NX650 came with a tool kit, and it’s even easy to access behind the front fairing. When I was a kid Harley’s with a hand shifter were still around. People called them ‘suicide clutches’, because if you were in gear at a light and began to lean the wrong way, taking your foot off the clutch to catch yourself could launch you into traffic.
Tools came with my 2022 RE INT650 and also with my 2018 Yamaha TW200. Funny thing with the TDub though, you need a 10 mm to remove the seat to access the tool kit!! 🤔
My tdub you just pull off the panel opposite of the air filter to get the tool kit. I would think yours should be the same since tdubs pretty much haven't changed.
@@classCexplosive Yeah? I'm gonna have to double check that.
@@PineyRider let me know how it goes. You probably have an untouched tool roll in there haha
@@classCexplosive Took tomorrow off. Gonna have a look-see! Stay tuned.....
I stand corrected, I believe. I didn't see tools on my TDub, but does look like a spot that they'll fit behind the side cover. Hey, I was told by TDubs Kid video!
Interesting video. Thank you. I had a DR350 and an XT500 and they both had valve lifters. Both early versions of those bikes, no electric start on either.
I've still got my Honda turn signal beeper! I rigged it up with some jumper cables and alligator clips and use it as a wire tracer./ fuse tester. I have used it that way for decades. I'll never get rid if it.
Great video! FYI: all my 3 motorcycles: a 2007 Suzuki DRZ400, a 2007 Moto Guzzi Griso and my 2016 Honda CB1100 came with OEM toolkits.
My Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 came with a functional tool kit. Nice!
The signal beeper sounds like the bike wishes it could back up by itself!
We need to bring back propeller powered bikes. It would help with annoying pedestrians.
...and at a stop light in the hot sun....you would have a nice breeze....which brings to mind...what about in the rain?
@@TheWolfsnack everyone behind the bike would get blasted lmaoo
@@Fred_the_1996 ...don't even begin to discuss the aftereffects...errr...backblast... of a night of beers and chili....
Unfortunately, when you popped a wheelie you'd find yourself hanging below a helicopter as it rose into the sky. ;-)
Self cancelling indicators on Yamaha XS400 and 250. Worked by a magnetic Reed switch in speedo head. Wasn't time related, it counted pulses from rotation of speedo cable. Worked superbly.
I had an RD200 from 1977-1980 and an XS400 around 1989; I think that the self cancelling was both time and distance related: 10 seconds or 100 metres, so that if you were waiting at traffic lights, they would continue working.
I cannot understand why this excellent feature isn't on my 2017 MT-09 or my 2021 Guzzi V7.
Back in 1974 the U.S. DOT set "standards" for new motorcycles sold in the States. Those standards included putting the controls in the same place on all bikes. Turn signals became required then, along with the Headlight always being on.
Someone with a memory
My KMZ Dnepr has an in gearbox reverse, and the foot shifter also operates the clutch when shifting. All 4 wheels are the same with one carried as a spare on the back top of the sidecar. It has a real alternator and not a simple stator type like modern motorcycles. It can be removed and replaced in 15 minutes unlike replacing a stator buried inside the engine that can take hours. The owners manual is also a complete service manual. A parts catalog shows everything used and where in detailed drawings so no need to wonder what screw or bolt went where or how it was assembled. It includes a light switch for turning on and off all the lights unlike modern motorcycles where the lights are on all the time the engine is running. It even has a trailer hitch for towing a 1/4 ton trailer or towed weapon such as a heavy machine gun. There are two neutral positions. Idle neutral between 1st and 2nd gears and towing neutral between 3rd and 4th gears used when towing it with another vehicle. The back of the sidecar seat can be switched so the gunner can sit facing forward or backwards depending on guarding the front or rear of a marching troop column.
Last feature very useful to deter tailgating 👍
@@goldilocks913 ...even better than the old...throw a sparkplug over your shoulder...
There have been a few bikes with alternators. I'm sure Goldwings have them, I know BMWs do, or did.
@@ItsDaJax yes Goldwings do 👍
Love that you have a 500 Trumpet. I had one in ‘80 in Greensboro and have had another since ‘2012. Keep the faith 👍
When I toured the Harley Davidson factory a while back in York, Pennsylvania, they told us you could still order a foot clutch if you wanted it. Not sure about the hand shifter.
The first bike I owned was a 1965 Yamaha. It came with a tool kit, which I needed because it fouled its spark plug every 300 miles. I sold it a couple years later, but I still have the tool kit.
AH... Was wondering what happened to the tool kit!
I have a 1980s Checoslovakian moped and it has a pedal start! It's hilarious and actually very effective at starting the 'beast'!
Couldn't think of 10 features that no longer exist? Chuck in a couple of wacky inventions, problem solved!
In 1978, in America, the DOT (Department of transportation) established by law that Motorcycles made from 1978 forward would have the left foot shifter, a right foot brake, the throttle on the right handlebar front brake lever on the right handlebar and the clutch on the left handlebar. You can modify this to accommodate a person with a handicap but this is the production layout required.
As to compression releases My 2010 Harley has them, and the newer ones have electric ones.
As to the turn signals, Most modern motorcycles use a BCM to control the turn signals they self cancel.
The compression lever was a seriously good feature. Especially if you've ever kicked over a 600 CC single Thumper
Or tried to start a Vincent Black Shadow. Sailing sailing sailing over the handlebars with one leg punched through your chest.
its amazing to me how so much of this guy's video comes from other channels with just his own voiceover. brilliant
I have a toolkit with my 2007 honda and it is amazing. i can basically take apart the whole bike with it. And some tools are even better than my workshop ones . For example the spark plug that came with the bike is the only one i can use to get one of the spark plugs out.
Kick-start is a must have feature here, because someone will always forgot to change their battery and that's the only way to turn it on when the battery dies.
My 72 Suzuki TS 125 had what compression relief valve (i think what you were calling a "decimoressor") i felt it was there more for 2-stroke "engine breaking", not sure if that's what it was designed to do, but for a 12 year back in the 70's, worked great for me
On my 1929 Harley and many other bikes: hand pump built in the oil tank used for pumping extra oil in the engine when riding at higher speeds, left handlebar grip turns to adjust ignition timing, ammeter in dash to monitor charging when riding, cruise control (gas grip is not spring loaded, so stays where it is when you release your grip ;-) ), automatic primary chain lubing (oil drips on the chain through a pipe from the engine), hand adjustable generator output, separate cold weather priming valves in each cylinder with a gas injection syringe screwed in the gas tank, air filter bypass option, and a front brake, which was not a standard option then. Almost forgot the dozens of grease fittings all over the bike that needed your attention very regularly. I really admire our ancestors that used these machines every day and in every kind of weather.
Wow! A propeller driven motorcycle! Gives new meaning to the term 'Chopper'.
Num num num.
As for manual decompression levers... they are not a complication, but a necessity on high compression single cylinder British bikes. On bikes like my BSA B44SS and B50SS the clutch (even when well set up) would slip and stop the piston passing top dead centre. The technique for using it is not how you describe. Use the kickstart lever to get the piston to compression, ease it past compression slightly with the use of the decompressor and kickstart, let the kickstart return and release the decompressor, the a good swinging kick will get it started.
Royal Enfield's Neutral Finder. A small lever to put the into neutral quickly. Helpful in red lights.
Drove bikes with all those features you mentioned. Well except that retractable tricycle.
Bob just reminded the Jawa kick-cum-gear-lever, so much fun !
I love that I can get my fathers ancient pedal start Motobecane started in 2 seconds, but modern bikes with kick starts take ages sometimes.
At least some Yamahas from the ´80 es had side stands that foldet up when lifted. Another forgotten feature is the twist-grip gearchance in the left handgrip, where the cluch was the lock.
Like Vespas used to shift.
In 1973 / 74 US Congress passed a law that forced motorcycles to have a standard shift setup. So now you see all motorcycles everywhere (except older models) have left side shifts, and clutch and right-side throttles. This was done for safety but, it was to crush the British motorcycles in the 70's that all had right side shifts. Harley did have to re-engineer the Ironhead Sportster to left hand shift.
Indeed..I have had 1970 and 74 Sportsters with the right side shift, no big deal as I had already owned BSA and Nortons before....but I worked on an ex's 1976 Sportster and recall the factory workaround being a bodged looking shaft thing that moved the shifter to the left side.
@@TheWolfsnack the 75's and 76's are two years that I would avoid because of all that heavy linkage carried under the belly of the bike just causes strain on the transmission. I bought a 75 from a buddy who was out of work and needed some cash. The bike ran good until the shifter shaft lost a c clip inside and the shaft was sliding in and out of the tranny and making it very hard if not impossible to shift. I sold the bike on Ebay to some father and son from PA looking to put it all back to stock (as if it were rare motorcycle gem) I gave them a full run down and allowed them to ride it up and down the driveway and I'm happy I got out of that bike even steven....
@@pebear Agreed....part of the reason I haven't ridden one in decades....after decades of pans and shovels, these days it's an older 1340 Evo for me. I don't trust anything newer...any more than I trusted a new stock AMF product.
@@TheWolfsnack Can't go wrong with an EVO, it's the fix for everything wrong with the Shovel. I have an 01 Twin Scam (cam) FLSTF. The only thing I have done it it besides a couple carb rebuilds, was I replaced the cams at 60K. I went to replace the tensioners and noticed a couple flat spots on the cams, so they got replaced. I have my 73 XLCH that I converted to electric and threw on an S&S Super E, that's for around town, bar hopper.
@@pebear Agreed on the Evo, this is actually my first one, bought four years ago after a garage fire burned up a chopped 54 Pan/Shovel and a rolling chassis I was about to get a motor and tranny for. Insurance covered everything but the bikes...I did get a new and larger garage, plus all of my tools replaced with better tools, and had enough cash to buy the Evo...a 93 FXDL ported and polished, a Head Quarters cam, Screaming Eagle ignition, and Andrews gears. She runs real strong. Stay safe brother!
In the Netherlands it used to be legal to drive a
1. Carburettor + Choker
2. Center stand
3. Fuel reserver and main switch
4. Headlight on off switch
5. 2 stroke engines
6. Easy maintenance and reliability
I think you got the mechanism to use the decompression lever a bit inaccurate. I primarly used the decompression lever on my old Royal Enfield in corrlation with the Ammeter to find the TDC of piston just after spark which puts the bike at the start of the four stroke cycle.
The concept is that on high capacity bikes it is difficult to compress 350 or 500 cc of air multiple times in one kick. So the gearing of kick is so designed that one kick only turns the crank twice, i.e. 1 complete four stroke cycle.
The decompression lever lifts the exhaust valve making the turning of engine easy and a sharp movement of the Ammeter needle communicates that the spark has happened. Therefore finding the aforementioned TDC and setting the kick position right at the start of the 4 stroke cycle.
my Yammy SR500 and Guzzi Nuovo Falcone both have decompressor levers. I only use them to get just over compression to kick start.
British pedal cycles used to come with a basic toolkit, often along with an oilcan, pump & a saddlebag.
Still bikes in India has beeper as an option for turn indicator
My 74 Suzuki GT750 had a 70's red led gear indicator that was way more visible in direct sunlight than you would think it would be. More visible than some modern LCD displays in cars in direct sunlight.
My 1972 Yamaha RT360 came with a decompression lever. Made a world of difference starting it. My 2018 Suzuki SV650 came with a tool kit.
The second one (retractable whee) is one I first heard about when it was featured in Popular Mechsnics. I still want one!!
In the sixties, I had a Vincent Comet 500 cc single. The "compression release" was a spark retarder. If you got it wrong, the backfire would travel back to the kickstarter and break your ankle. I also had a Harley 45 with tank shift. The clutch pedal was as big as the sole of your shoe.
My dad was a cop in the '60s, and he rode a Harley Davidson police bike when he was in the traffic division. They still had bikes with hand shifters, as well as newer ones with foot shifters (and Harley discontinued hand shifters in the mid sixties, IIRC). Dad liked the hand shifters better for a police bike, because radio technology had not been miniaturized to the point where they had earpieces and mikes in their helmets like motorcycle cops today. They had the same kind of radios that were in the patrol cars, with a handheld mike on a cord. Dad preferred the hand shifter, because you operated a foot clutch, and you could use the heel of your hand to push the shifter while you were holding the radio mike. This was not possible on a bike with a foot shifter, because you needed a hand free to operate the clutch on the handlebar, so you had to clip the radio mike back down onto the bike.
The 2005 VFR800 I picked up this summer still had it's tool kit minus a couple of Allen keys.
When I asked the seller about the tools he said he got the bike without, and neither of us saw one when he removed the seat. Later when I had it inspected I asked the mechanics who replied they hadn't noticed one even with the seat and all fairings off.
A few days later I took the seat off to check something out, and something else caught my eye. The tool kit! It was right where it was supposed to be looking like it hadn't been touched in years. Not only did the black vinyl pouch blend in really well with the black structural member it was wedged in, but also the accumulation of dust and dirt in the under-seat compartment from years of riding had essentially camouflaged it to near invisibility.
Of course it's an almost 20 year old bike. Dunno if Honda still includes a tool kit with some of their current models.
Cheers!
My 1980s CZ125 had a tool kit to which I added an emery nail-file board - the points were under the same side casing as the primary sprocket, so used to get oil burned onto the gap!
Love the two dudes back in the day sharing a few swigs then ripping doeys in the dirt
I have an old 80's Puch moped with a pedal start I rode when I was just out of HS. Think the cylinder is blown now but man, so much fun. I'd love to get that running again
I have a old 1980s Yamaha DT175 that had weird carb problems resulting In 2 days of trying to kick it over untill I broke off the kick starter. That pedal start you were talking about would've been so nice to have
I kick my BSA 500 single over without the compression release all the time. My SR500 race bike with a 12.5:1 piston was impossible to kick over without it. The correct procedure is to use the compression release to get the engine just past compression, then kick it and let the momentum of the flywheel turn carry the motor past the next compression stroke.
Larger chainsaws still have decompression buttons. Life saver on a big saw like that.
Hi Bart, am a regular watcher and like the channel.
1. Decomposition leavers. You turn the engine over until it stops on compression. Then using the decompression leaver you ease it just over compression. At this point, one full swing on the kick-start will take the engine through Suck/Squeeze/Bang/Blow and it should start. Get it wrong and it hurts. Try srarting a 600 Panther single without one.
2, Sprung loaded side stands. An intermediate safety feature between nothing and ignition cutout switches. Honda NX250 had one. Hated it.
3. Beeping indicators. Had several 70s bikes with them including 2 GL1000s. They were fazed out quickly because Honda uses a beep very similar to the audible GO signal on some European pedestrian crossing for the visually impaired.. Not good. I found them quite useful.
Keep up the good work.
I had a bike with turn signal sound. It really helped while riding through sleek lanes, where you can't see the turn. It kind of gave a heads up for any incoming vehicles or pedestrians.
9:40
In Czech republic, Jawa made model called Babetta, the moped is kickstarted by pedals, does not require licence plate (no insurance or anything) is cheap af, easy to maintain but you still need driver's licence to ride it on roads. It also serves as a leg day workout when the engine refuses to start
I used to have a very strange moped, called Piaggio Ciao, it’s a 50cc pedal start moped with a decompression lever to make it easier to start (like it’s hard to start a 50cc moped) and you could disengage the motor with a button to pedal if you ran out of gas (very Common thing since it had a 2 liter fuel tank) and despite looking like a bike and going almost as slow ad a bike (40km/h max) it was very fun to use since it wheith 36kg and in the 80s everyone used to have a Ciao here in italy because it costed like 700€ new and it was very cheap to mantain
So it was sold as a Piaggio and a Vespa? First I've heard. Kinetics are clones of the Ciao. I had a TFR I never got together.
@@ItsDaJax in europe it was sold as a Piaggio ciao, in the us it was sold as the Vespa Ciao with some minor changes such as suspencion and the back light, here in europe the Vespa is a scooter Made by Piaggio from the 50s until now
@@stefaniabrotto3750 Vespa and Piaggio scooters are sold here. Fun fact; here in Louisville Ky, they were sold through a bmw motorcycle dealership, that was owned by a Buick dealership across the street. When the dealership closed both stores, the local Harley-Davidson dealership started selling them.
@@ItsDaJax lol
The Royal Enfield Himalaya actually does come with its own toolkit underneath the seat. And the manual has full instructions on how to do basic repairs on the side of the road.
Before I got my motorcycle endorsement, I was riding around on an old moped from 1980. Pedal start was honestly rather annoying since, in the event of stalling out while at idle, unless I got fully off the bike, put it on the center stand, then got back on and started pedaling, I couldn't restart it without pedaling the whole bike forward. Or rather, being a moped, that's how it was *supposed* to work- to start the engine, you start riding like a bicycle, then pull the clutch lever to spin the engine over until it starts using the bike's own momentum just as much as your leg power.
For anything with an engine bigger than a moped, kickstart makes a bit more sense since you can start it without moving and you can put your full body weight into it.
To make it even more silly and outdated, I re-wired the whole bike to add a battery and turn signals... To my surprise, the amazon flasher relay I had bought turned out to be the kind that beeps! So every time I put the signals on, it would beep, just like that honda. I called it a feature and got on with my life. Everyone else made fun of it though, for some reason.
My RE Bullet came with a tool kit with enough tools to do basic maintenence such as change spark plugs, adjust the chain and even adjust the valves. You could probably get the head off the engine with the tool kit it came with but that would be a bit of a stretch. It is kick start only and has a compression release which is really handy. And the kick stand doesn't flip up automatically but has a rubber fob that will flip it up if you ride off without raising it first. Nice safety feature. My Ducati had the flip up stand which never caused me to drop the bike btw.
i got certified as a motorcycle mechanic just to do it, now i can legally do insurance, and some warranty work on my own bikes.
and more confidence to do my own work.
i suggest lots of people study the testing, and do the same.
Most cheap Chinese bikes sold by local brands here in Argentina and latinoamerica in general have a tiny tool box/kit below the battery. It comes with almost all the wrenches needed to service the bike and i usually use the toolbox to store essentials like fuses and things that could break on the go
There are still decompression levers on dealer-bought racing motorcycles.The Go-Cart store near where I used to live still sells one. I don't remember the make or brand but, the engine is a 125cc Malossie Sport, which is a 2 stroke engine.
Pedal starting is much harder than kickstarting, that's why one replaced the other.
A friend of mine has a very old moped that has a pedal start, keep in mind it's a small 50cc engine, pedal starting it feels like trying to ride a bicycle with 2 other people sitting on it, trust me, much much harder!
Chain cases were a highly useful component that kept abrasive sand grit off
the drive chain which reduced wear greatly on the chain and sprockets and
especially was good when riding off road or in the rain which quickly fouls
any chain causing maintenance to be constantly needed. Why such a good
feature was ever not provided on every chain drive motorcycle is a mystery.
I’ve sold loads of new Japanese bikes and every single one had a tool kit…maybe they don’t in the US though?
My 2016 YZF-R3 has a toolkit under the pillion seat. It’s not comprehensive by any means, but it’s enough to get you home if something comes loose
Decompression sickness is when you get thrown over the handlebars trying to kickstart your bike.
I loved making the girls jump when I hit the decompressor lever on my kawasaki f-7. SNAKE, SNAKE!
I think another function of the decompression lever is to allow you to apply a faster kick to spin up the magneto faster to get a good spark
Decomp is still common on moped kits to allow for higher compression cylinders and still pedal as mopeds are often required to have them legally.
Also toolkit is still standard for modern Vespas.
Audible turn signals are also standard on some import scooter.
My Dad has that same orange 550-Four. It's in sorry shape, but he still has it. It also has that beep, but that is me remembering it in the 70s when he took me for a ride a few times.
Oh I forgot, he bought it brand new.
pretty sure there are still kits on ebay that coinverts a normal peddle bike into a peddle start motorcycle so it exist in a sense but as a kit rather then a product that's ready to go out of the box
My interceptor came with a tool roll
Lol I thought that's a real Ducati bike until I saw your hand 😁
I wish cruisers still had kickstarts, pretty cool
Don’t know if they still do, but Vespas featured Hand shifters for a long time.
I'm not sure if they still make manual scooters.
Hand shifters are a common mod for people with injuries and disabilities. The only 2 I've seen in person relocated the clutch lever to the hand shifter so it was just a squeeze and push/pull with the same hand. Both single leg amputees.
In the USA, the only legal requirement on manufacturers related to control placement is "left side gear shifting, right side braking", and that is as of 1975. Your clutch and shifter have to be factory installed on the left, but the market has dictated hand clutching/foot shifting. Racing bikes first switched to foot shifting (because it's nice to keep both paws on the grips as much as possible), and the street riders have always liked to look like the race boys, lol.
I want inertia starters to come back. I’ve seen them on old Harley’s and airplanes, and the torque from those are amazing