caravan_monster Posted December 10, 2017 Report Share Posted December 10, 2017 Any suggestions on easy to kick over bikes? I've had the 315r for years and it is perfectly adequate, but my right knee isn't brilliant and it is really jarring to kick over, whilst not the end of the world gets a bit much if there are queues on every section. The 4rt is certainly a candidate and the betas with the kick start on the other side. Anything else worth a look? Just want something fairly recent to keep on wobbling round the novice route, max budget ~ £3.5k. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trapezeartist Posted December 10, 2017 Report Share Posted December 10, 2017 My Beta 4T is pretty easy to start. Like all Betas (and a few others) the kick start is quite high. I find that if the bike is on a steep slope down from right to left, it's best to stand on the high side beside the bike and use my left leg. If it gets reluctant, the "hot start" thingie generally helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heffergm Posted December 10, 2017 Report Share Posted December 10, 2017 I think a Montesa 4rt is the easiest thing I've ever started. You don't really even kick it so much as just push the kicker through it's stroke. As for 2t's, they all get easier to start as they drop in displacement... a Beta EVO 200 is probably a good choice if your right knee is bad. It moves the kicker to your left, and the 200 is pretty easy to kick over. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjw123 Posted December 10, 2017 Report Share Posted December 10, 2017 4RT, a gentle stroke required & starts every time, & puts a smile on your face. Beta 4t can be bit of a madam, especially once they are a few years old & tappet clearances aren't what they were. Beta 200 is a brilliant little bike. IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcman56 Posted December 10, 2017 Report Share Posted December 10, 2017 I have a friend that rides a Beta 125 just for that reason. It is surprisingly powerful for a 125 and has very quick response, even at elevation. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lineaway Posted December 10, 2017 Report Share Posted December 10, 2017 It is true you can just push a 4rt to start, but sometimes they do not start right away. I was out on a 2017 the other day. It had been sitting for over a month. Started first kick. I rode it for about two hours. That was the only time it started the first kick. I stopped many times with the motor off. (I was chasing the ranches dogs. GPS collars.) Most times it was 3-4 kicks vs my Beta would start first kick every time, except the first kick would be 2-3 times. Funny difference between bikes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inchhigh Posted December 10, 2017 Report Share Posted December 10, 2017 Beta evo 250 2016 one of the easiest bikes I've ever had to start! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2stroke4stroke Posted December 10, 2017 Report Share Posted December 10, 2017 3 hours ago, lineaway said: It is true you can just push a 4rt to start, but sometimes they do not start right away. I was out on a 2017 the other day. It had been sitting for over a month. Started first kick. I rode it for about two hours. That was the only time it started the first kick. I stopped many times with the motor off. (I was chasing the ranches dogs. GPS collars.) Most times it was 3-4 kicks vs my Beta would start first kick every time, except the first kick would be 2-3 times. Funny difference between bikes. This pretty much sums up my 4RT in that starting is unpredictable, always requires more than just a push and needs several resets during a trial. Just why correctly set up injected machines should differ from each other I can't figure out. A friend who has a disability moved from a Beta 250 to a 4RT due to the supposed ease of starting but he really struggled. He's now on a 200 Beta with no problems. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john b Posted December 10, 2017 Report Share Posted December 10, 2017 I had a bad motocross accident which makes it difficult to kick with right foot . I've had a few betas which were ideal, but I find it easier now with right kick bikes to get off the bike and kick with left foot. Not much of an inconvenience as you think ! cheers john Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caravan_monster Posted December 10, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2017 Thanks all some food for thought there. More recommends for the beta than I was expecting. Comes down to a choice between trying a 4rt for a change or sticking with a familiar 2 stroke in the beta. Fairly risk free decision in the sense that either should be fairly painless to sell on if they don't work out. 10 minutes ago, john b said: I had a bad motocross accident which makes it difficult to kick with right foot . I've had a few betas which were ideal, but I find it easier now with right kick bikes to get off the bike and kick with left foot. Not much of an inconvenience as you think ! cheers john I've noticed my dad does that, especially with tall or vintage bikes, but never got the hang of it myself. Much like trials, must practice more! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taffe Posted December 10, 2017 Report Share Posted December 10, 2017 In my experience gas gas bikes are hard to start, impossible for some, if you don't know how. cheers Taff 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbofurball Posted December 10, 2017 Report Share Posted December 10, 2017 My Gasgas TXTPro started first kick and was very easy, once I got the carb cleaned. My TY is also very low stress on my right knee (which is bad from an operation) and very low down, which also helps. The Cota is the hardest bike I've ever had to kick start, and I can only manage it standing next to the bike and using my left leg! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miner Posted December 11, 2017 Report Share Posted December 11, 2017 10 hours ago, taffe said: In my experience gas gas bikes are hard to start, impossible for some, if you don't know how. cheers Taff What he said.... kicking over a Gas Gas is like the Robin Williams sketch about golf shots are called strokes... because every time you kick it over over and it doesn't start you feel like you are going to die! There is a knack to them as it is only a 1/4 turn gear, also sensitive to fuel and plug issues (blocked/dirty carb / worn plug) if you get an older one you'll be out in the middle of nowhere thinking about actually kicking it over and setting it on fire.... gets better if you clean the carb and change the plug. This is my experience as a newcomer to an older GG, other experiences may differ but they can be a bit fickle sometimes. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nhuskys Posted December 11, 2017 Report Share Posted December 11, 2017 2 hours ago, miner said: What he said.... kicking over a Gas Gas is like the Robin Williams sketch about golf shots are called strokes... because every time you kick it over over and it doesn't start you feel like you are going to die! There is a knack to them as it is only a 1/4 turn gear, also sensitive to fuel and plug issues (blocked/dirty carb / worn plug) if you get an older one you'll be out in the middle of nowhere thinking about actually kicking it over and setting it on fire.... gets better if you clean the carb and change the plug. This is my experience as a newcomer to an older GG, other experiences may differ but they can be a bit fickle sometimes. I bought a new GG TXT125 and it was hard to start from the beginning for me with a bad knee. I switched to a Scorpa 125SC and problem solved! If I had done more research about the Pro motor kick start, I never would have bought it. That 120 degree kicker and I don't get along! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig10 Posted December 19, 2017 Report Share Posted December 19, 2017 Scorpa 125 4 stroke has to be the softest ever starter, you can start them using your hand. Not to everyone's taste of course and been a while since they were available, the last ones did have electric start though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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