KX250F Kickstarter on H-Series?

[bufftester]

What about taking a torch to the first bend where your foot goes and just flattening a bit of that angle out? Seems you wouldn't need to do much to get there. I'm interested to try this on my Hybrid, but luckily my OEM kicker is still in very good condition.

[SS109]

@John_S Hmm, I think a small plate bolted on between the upper pipe mount bolt and the mount would keep the kicker from hitting the tank even in a crash. That's what I will try when I make the swap. Could make the plate even go all the way to the head stay and bolt on there as well if you want it really strong. I also might try spinning something up on the lathe for the spacer behind the kicker.

Thanks for the awesome pics and insight!

[Tyl3r]

John, you might be able to get away with just cutting off the nub at the end and it wont hit the tank. Trying to straighten it out some might be the trick too tho...im nervous Id mess it up!

I have some metal shim washers i ordered off of mcmaster carr to use as spacers. I think im using 2 behind mine, they are probably in the ballpark of 2-3mm thick, i cant remeber off hand.
Shoot me a PM and i can mail you a few of them. I had to buy a whole pack lol

[John_S]

Good suggestions you guys. I have a plan that I think will be fairly easy looking at it again today. When you open and close the boss looking at the lever upside down (off the bike) it shows you exactly how much to relieve and not affect the function at all. I'll get the piece all cleaned up, make some marks on it and take a couple pics.
Thank you Tyler for offering up the spacers. That would be great. I was thinking I was going to have to buy a 5/8 id 7/8 od metal spacer sleeve and then cut it down. I'll send you a pm.

[John_S]

Update…it’s going to work without much hassle. Tyler is sending me some 22 OD x 16 ID x 1.5 thick stainless spacers. 2 of those will space it out just right.

The only tool I needed to modify it is a grinder with a 4 1/2 metal cut off blade. Knowing what I know now and if I had the washers on hand, I could take a 250F lever, shave a little here and there and have it mounted in 10 minutes.

I cut the lever down one ridge like I had it marked on a previous post and also shaved down the long ridge that faces the ceiling. Even cut down it’s the same size as the stock lever where you place your foot. It clears the gas tank and snaps shut with a positive click.

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[John_S]

See where I put a pencil mark on the right side of the lever that follows the line of the boss? That’s where you have to relieve it for it to clear the clutch cover. Once you do that and make the little “slice” on top of the lever to clear the frame, the fat part of the lever hits on the back of the foot peg just like it should.

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I should get the spacers next week sometime. I’ll clean up my grinds a little before then and it should go on without any issues and be a nice alternative to the stock lever. I’m excited about it now.

[SS109]

This is awesome. My KDX will for sure be getting this mod down the road. Maybe when I do my AF conversion.

[MoonStomper]

It looks pro, nice work Sir!

[John_S]

Thank you moonstomper. I got the stainless spacer tonight that Tyler sent me. I thought I would need 2 but 1 is just right and has the shaft just barely proud of the nut.

Long story short… one 22x16x1.5 spacer, cut some length off where your boot goes, shave the part down that would come in contact with the clutch cover, and I shaved about 1/16” from the upper left where the socket rides to tighten the nut down so the socket doesn’t get wedged in there.

It’s bolted up and got it’s first start tonight. I think it’s a great modification and worth the effort. Mine is used but RMATV has OEM ones in stock for $104.

[Tyl3r]

I agree, its a good mod, worth the effort. I found a flapper wheel on my grinder worked very nicely to remove the necessary material from the kicker and the boss (I took a little off of there too). Other than that, about the same mods that John mentioned for me as well, but I think I have two washers behind mine.

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[SS109]

This is such a simple yet awesome upgrade IMO. I'm looking forward to doing it to mine.

[SS109]

Just got my kicker today. Got it all modded and installed it. Such an awesome and simple mod. Will be trying it out for the first time tomorrow.

[SS109]

I did the mod Saturday and tried it out Sunday. This was a really easy and awesome upgrade over the OEM kicker. Kick starting somehow feels way smoother and it holds your boot more securely. Wish I had known about this years ago! Did a quick vid about it as well...

[billie_morini]

Thank you to the many that contributed to developing this mod. Explanations, trials, errors, & successes are supported by large, clear photos and very descriptive video. Muchas gracias!

[John_S]

Great video SS, thank you.

[SS109]

Thanks. The one addendum I would add to that vid is where I said I ended up not clearancing the kicker on the top. After using it some I have gotten a small mark there and it rubbed the paint off the round area around the swingarm bolt. Still just a very minor mod but thought I should mention it.

[ebulic19]

John, you might be able to get away with just cutting off the nub at the end and it wont hit the tank. Trying to straighten it out some might be the trick too tho...im nervous Id mess it up!

I have some metal shim washers i ordered off of mcmaster carr to use as spacers. I think im using 2 behind mine, they are probably in the ballpark of 2-3mm thick, i cant remeber off hand.
Shoot me a PM and i can mail you a few of them. I had to buy a whole pack lol

Got any more of those metal shim washers? I am thinking of doing the same mod to my KDX with an ovaled boss and kickstart lever.

[Kawibunga]

Love the MOD! It's going to applied to mine. The original kicker is tired and this mod looks and performs way better. Thanks to everyone for the time put in to sort it all out!

[Chuck78]

Thanks Tyler & John etc for bringing this to light.
I loved my 96 KX125/KX250 shorty lever, but after I failed to use threadlocker on the retaining nut and lost it and the spacer on the trail (luckily I was able to backtrack and find the kicker lever without stalling in any precarious rugged low areas between hills where no bump start would be possible!).
After that, I decided to try out a complete 96 KX250 kicker with 250 lever, which I'm still running 2 years later. It fits quite well with the spline spacer (better than the pictures of the same one on Tyler's hybrid frame, as well as the 125 lever fitting better on an H-series KDX frame better than the hybrid.

Still, the massaged/clearanced '06-'12 KX250F lever looks to give the longest possible kick throw with nice clearance around the foot peg, so I think massaging that and making a thicker spacer for the splines will be the best setup, and being a more recent model, will be easier to obtain used or new.

Not to mention the weight savings over the awkward goody stock steel hockey stick! I'm estimating nearly 13.4lbs weight savings on my bike with a ton of Titanium hardware + aluminum parts like the kicker, modified mount + Trail Tech billet kickstand, 93 KX alloy shifter & mods to fit 03-08 KX 2-stroke aluminum brake pedal like Tyler's etc... I'll make a seperate posting fir that late in winter when I get to tear into my KDX220 rebuilds...