KX Kickstart Lever How-To

[Slick_Nick]

The stock KDX kickstart is a piece of crap. Sure you can start the bike with your hand, but the lever is far too long, and gives you so much leverage, that it ends up wearing out the boss very quickly. A KX 125 lever can be retrofitted instead, and provides a few advantages.

- Shorter lever makes starting in tight spots easier
- Sealed unit keeps dirt out
- Looks better
- Tucks away better than stock

So, first off, why do we want to do this swap? Well, here's how the KDX kicker should look:





And here's how it does look:




You can see that the boss and lever wear on each other because there is too much leverage with such a long kicker, and once this starts it gets exponentially worse. Your foot continuously slips off, the bike is harder to start, the lever won't tuck away nicely anymore, it has to go.



The solution comes from a 1992-1998 KX125 kickstart. (13064-1158) However, you'll notice that the splines in the boss are too small for the KDX shaft.





For this, we'll need a boss from a 1999-2001 KX250. (13061-1692) We're going to substitute the KX125 boss, for the KX250 boss.



Both parts are available at your dealer, or online. Here the KX125 boss (right) compared to the KX250 boss.



Don't forget the grease seal!



Obviously, clean everything thuroughly, install the grease seal, and apply lots of grease. Assemble the lever.





I had to take just a hair off the "heel" of the lever, because I use Acerbis frame guards. With a bare frame, I know some guys still take a little off, this is up to you.



The width of the KX boss is just a hair thinner than the KDX boss. A washer must be added behind the kick lever, to space it out enough, or when the nut is torqued, the lever will still wiggle on the shaft. A washer with a 5/8" internal diameter hole is a perfect fit.





Torque the nut to 36 ft.lbs and enjoy your new kicker!

[Mr. Wibbens]

I can't stand those little kickers

I'll stay with the stocker

[KDX Butterfly]

We have a YZ125 with a miniscule kicker. What a pain in the arss!

I'm with Wibs. I'll keep my stock kick on my KDX.

[dfeckel]

Thanks for the orderly pictures of the process. That's a great mod. Does the shorter kicker result in your toes hitting the foot peg at the bottom of the stroke?

I have a 1998 (?) KX 250 kicker that I'll probably fit to my hybrid soon--it'll just need a little reshaping to clear my frame. The washer behind the boss that you show cleared up one of my concerns.
Thanks for the write up!

[Julien D]

I did the same thing recently. I lost my stock kicker out on a 26 mile trail. got a good deal on a 2000something kx125 arm and a 1990something kx250 boss. Worked out just fine. I kind of like the short kicker. Easier to get the bike started in bad situations. Off camber and such. I don't have to raise my knee up to the sky anymore!

Yes, if you don't angle your foot, your foot will hit the footpeg before the kicker does.

If you don't like the short kicker, try the entire kick assembly from the kx250. The arm is about as long as the KDX arm, but it's aluminum. Boss seems a little beefier too.

[Coop]

I have been considering this ever since I read "Canadian Dave's" article on this on justkdx. Click on "KDX Tech Tips" and then "Hybrid Kickstart Lever".

http://www.dirtrider.net/justkdx/

[BobbyZ]

excellent write up

[Slick_Nick]

I have been considering this ever since I read "Canadian Dave's" article on this on justkdx. Click on "KDX Tech Tips" and then "Hybrid Kickstart Lever".

http://www.dirtflamer.net/justkdx/

I was gonna go that route, but there were two reasons why I didn't.

- My stock KDX boss was worn out, so I'd need a new one anyway

- If I'm getting a new boss anyway, why not switch to the better design of the sealed unit.

Personally, I was always an advocate for the stock kicker, but now that I've tried the shorty, I see what all the fuss is about! The bike lights up midway through the stroke, and I haven't had a problem with my foot hitting the peg. I mean it does hit, but because you don't need to kick as fast, it's not a problem, even in sneakers.

[Mr. Wibbens]

Sometimes it comes in real handy to be able to start the bike with your hand

[Slick_Nick]

Sometimes it comes in real handy to be able to start the bike with your hand

Or a well-directed sneeze!

[hockeyboysomers]

I used a completly stock 1999ish KX250 kicker on my hybrid it worked fine. I needed a washer also

[JoKDX220r]

I've also done this mod fallowing KarlP word instruction's document . Great upgarde!

[Slick_Nick]

I used a completly stock 1999ish KX250 kicker on my hybrid it worked fine. I needed a washer also

Might work on a hybrid but if I remember, member Frankenschwinn tried it on his kdx, and found that the 250 lever is too long.

[KDXsg]

I have used FRP shorty lever and found that shorty lever is great. i will never go back to the stock lever again. in my opinion, shorty lever is for those riders that are smaller and more agile and can kick a shorty. but for those riders that are not so agile and nimble and "bigger", they tend to find the shorty lever not so useful.
Just thinking, in what situation do i need to kickstart my bike with my hand? was i thinking too much. its just a lever.

[Mr. Wibbens]

I have used FRP shorty lever and found that shorty lever is great. i will never go back to the stock lever again.
Just thinking, in what situation do i need to kickstart my bike with my hand? was i thinking too much. its just a lever.

Picture yourself stalled out on a hillside so friggen steep the only way to keep the bike from rolling backwards is to jam your foot behind the back tire.

You've made 7 or 8 attempts and are very close to the top, but just can't make it. So your buddy climbs down to lend a hand.

I'm standing on the left side of the bike, he's on the right. Again it's so steep and slick, he can't stand up let alone get his short little legs on the kicker. So he reaches down with one hand and cranks on the kicker, the bike fires and you both manage to get the bike up and over the summit

capiche?

[jad628]

Great write up. My stocker is in very good shape and I have a size 13 foot, so (for me) this was good information, but not likely something I'll do.

[KarlP]

Piece of cake. Done in 2009, see the product rweview sections, "Fredette shorty lever"

All right, job done.
I used a '99 KX250 knuckle (herafter known as a "boss") and the '95 KX125 lever off of our KX100.

The boss is narrower so a thick washer of the correct ID and OD has to be put under the nut on the splined shaft.

I had to file a wee bit on the groove on the boss that the screw that goes through the lever rides in. The screw did not want to go through smoothly. Maybe a '98/'02 KX125 lever would not have that issue.

I had to file a good bit off the heel of the lever to get it to clear the frame on my CR hybrid. I don't know if the same issue would be present on the KDX frame - I think not.

The boss to lever joint is a better design than the FRP design, IMO.

The lever itself is weaker than the FRP lever, or at least substantially thinner. Time will tell if it holds up as well as the FRP lever.

I have a document with pictures and words I will be glad to send to anyone, given an address.

[maxpower]

I like that set up.
Kawasaki cheaped out on things like the kicker shifter and brake lever on this bike
Thanks for posting the how to
I think it looks a lot cleaner too

[turtle]

Nice write up, Nick. Whether someone likes the mod or not, it gives people who want to try it a clear set of instructions.

[David_L6]

While I'm not really interested in changing the kick start lever to a different length, I do have a question that, hopefully, someone here can answer...

The kick starter on my KDX doesn't engage until the lever is about half way down. It doesn't catch up at the top like every other bike I've ever had did / does. It works and starts the bike just fine it's just strange that the lever is already half way through it's stroke before it starts turning the motor. Anyone know why it does that?