Kick Starting An EVO Sportster

As I have mentioned, I do believe that the days for my Sportster in its current configuration is nearing the end. I have been considering many things for its transformation and one of the things that I have been looking at is installing a kicker, however, I know that one thing that I will be doing to my Sportster is making the engine bigger, exactly how much bigger, I am not sure just yet.

My questions are these, since I like compression, can I use compression releases along with the kicker or will that just be a pain in the asss? My second question is, I don't have to run points with a kicker do I? I should still be able to maintain the electronic ignition right?

Thanks a bunch!

A kick start on an Evo is like a hand crank on a modern car - it just don't belong there. For some reason, Sportsters have a bad rep as kickers, and I'm talkin' about stock Sportsters. Ask around. They have busted many a knee & shin bone. I have hyper extended mine on this shovel several times and also had it kick back on me once or twice and believe me, it's no fun. There is PAIN, brother, PAIN! I'd stick with the starter since you already have one.
Crane makes a nice EI that has a kick start mode. On rare occasions the older ones have failed because of heat issues. They came out with a newer HI-4 they claim has solved that problem. Compression releases may make it difficult to start your motor: it has been my experience that a motor will only kick start on a compression stroke.

About this other stuff you want to do - you got me scratchin' my head, Johnny. You have said in the past your Sporty runs great with lots of get up and go.

And your point is???????

Oh, I know you like to change things. Nothing wrong with that. You did a great job on your Road Glide, and I learned a lot from the thread and pics you posted. But I thought you had already done some upgrades to your Sporty. It's a fine looking and running bike and I guess my point was, IMHO, I don't think the combination of a kick start AND higher compression is a good idea. But it's your bike . . .

My buddy Tattoo, who has been upgrading his shovel for 35 years now, recently upped his displacement to, I think, 103 CI. His is a kick start and I'll see him limping around here from time to time LOL. I saw it kick back on him once and it wasn't pretty. He did not ride for several days afterward. Another thing is that he doesn't ride as much as he used to, his shovel being the only bike he has. Nobody says anything to him about it, but we all know why . . .

But I know once an idea starts to develop, it's hard to let it go. I'm like that, too. You asked for opinions, so I gave you mine, plus a few factoids, too.

Yes, I was just looking for more explanation on what you meant exactly, but remember this, compression releases do not completely eliminate the compression, there is still some compression there, there has to be. Suck, Squeeze, Bang, Blow. Think of the S&S EZ Start cams as a good example. Those cams are specifically designed to relieve compression on big inch motors so they aren't burning up starters. Also, with the modern ignitions that are available, like the one that I have in my Road Glide, you can program it to have a delay of crankshaft revolutions before it fires the plug. Not sure how important it is for that feature in a kick start application, but the possibilities are endless. Another cool product that are out are Automatic Compression Releases.

As far as the looks and the performance of my Sportster, I do get a lot of compliments on its looks that is for sure, however, I never intended for this bike to stay in its current configuration. when I bought it, I always intended on turning WhipLash into a hard tail. All I need to do is wait until Hot Rider gets her own, which I think will be within a year, then I will do what it is that I want with it. The engine, all I can claim is insanity.

Well, it will be interesting to see what you finally come up with. Led Sled is one example of a company that makes hard tails for Sportsters. Some of them are bolt on and some are weld on. I think you'd get a slightly longer wheelbase with the hard tail. Another way to go would be to buy a hard tail frame from, say, a USA company like Paughco.

My frame is a Paughco and only weighs 50 lbs.

No, the hard tail section that I will be going with is from a place in South Dakota called Twisted Choppers and it will be the weld on.

Looks like your going for the '83 to '03 weld on hard tail? Looks good. You'll be losing some weight without the swingarm & shocks.

:roflmao: I get that at times.

The Crane HI-4 is the EI of choice for many of the older V-twins & choppers. You'd have to buy a matching coil from Crane, too, I think.

You guys said that about me, too, remember? ha-ha! I weigh about 140 now - with clothes and engineer boots LOL.

LIke the Linda Ronstadt song says: it's not the meat - it's the motion :roflmao:.

Shore did! But Johnny is going to be kicking over a real monster. Um um um!