- Sat Feb 14, 2015 6:59 pm
#44342
potboiler writes: "...am I right to say that the best method is to give a confident full swing to the kickstarter and then hold it at the bottom of it's stroke with a slight bend to my knee, and then wait to see if the engine starts."
Well, yes, you can do that except you really don't need to hold the lever at the bottom of its stroke. As soon as you've done the strong, confident plunge to the bottom you can let it up under the control of your foot, regardless of whether the engine fires or not. In other words, there's no advantage or purpose in keeping the lever depressed.
I think you are worrying too much about kick-backs. If the bike is set up correctly it may never kick back at all. I can't remember how long ago it is that I had a bike kick back, and I've been riding for forty years.
The big secret to avoiding injury from kick-backs in NOT to lock your knee out at the end of the stroke. This is important: if you lock out your knee and it kicks back, the force will be transmitted up your leg and hurt your lower back or hip. Also, it can unbalance you enough that you drop the bike on its side.
If your knee is slightly bent, then the kick-back will be absorbed by your knee bending further as your foot is lifted rapidly up. Decades ago I had an AJS single that kicked back routinely, but the bent knee approach meant it was no problem at all.
Like I say, though, I think you'll find kick-backs to be very rare.
