Electric start wanted

Howard

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
OK. 2 years ago a slipping kickstart ratchet injured my knee, and it took 18 months to mend properly. The same thing happened yesterday and it seems to be the same problem - worn ratchet teeth.

What this has shown me, is that if I don't lose my marbles (and I can hear so-called-friends laughing) and my heart holds out, the first thing that will stop me riding the twin, is the kickstart.

Questions - Is the Grosset electric start the only / best option? Is there a UK stockist of electric start (Grosset or other)? Does anyone have a valid reason why an old man with a dodgy leg should not have electric start?

H
 

greg brillus

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VOC Member
Hi there Howard, when you suffered your first round of bad luck with the kick start.......did you replace all the ratchet parts or only some...? The Grosset kit is a good one if only a bit fiddly to install....not much room left in there to squeeze it all in....also consider that your bike needs to be 12 volt electrics....Cheers for now........Greg.
 

hadronuk

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VOC Member
I would also be interested in comments, as I have a similar problem, although with me it is more the whole body is knackered.
The kickstart was the first job I did on my bike, as it was both slipping and jamming.
I concluded the original cause of the slipping was a weak ratchet spring and dried out grease, causing the teeth to then get damaged. The spares company spring was much stronger being made of thicker wire. Fitting all new bits was expensive, but the kickstart has been perfect since then, so I have put off the electric leg for now.
 

Howard

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VOC Member
Hi there Howard, when you suffered your first round of bad luck with the kick start.......did you replace all the ratchet parts or only some...? The Grosset kit is a good one if only a bit fiddly to install....not much room left in there to squeeze it all in....also consider that your bike needs to be 12 volt electrics....Cheers for now........Greg.

Honest answer is "I don't know" but I suspect it may have been G47 and bushes, because my first problem was actually after I replaced the parts because they looked worn, not because they were slipping, and the new VOCSC G47 wasn't hardened, leading to premature failure, and painful leg.

If it's good, I can put up with fiddly fitting.

I've run 12 volt since about '76 when the first JGs came out - suffered boiled battery in France and exploding armatures in UK, before turning to alternator so power shouldn't be a problem, finding space for the battery may require a battery box rebuild.

H
 

stumpy lord

Well Known and Active Forum User
Non-VOC Member
OK. 2 years ago a slipping kickstart ratchet injured my knee, and it took 18 months to mend properly. The same thing happened yesterday and it seems to be the same problem - worn ratchet teeth.

What this has shown me, is that if I don't lose my marbles (and I can hear so-called-friends laughing) and my heart holds out, the first thing that will stop me riding the twin, is the kickstart.

Questions - Is the Grosset electric start the only / best option? Is there a UK stockist of electric start (Grosset or other)? Does anyone have a valid reason why an old man with a dodgy leg should not have electric start?

Hi,
the the grosset starter is probably the best option being a bolt on mod. The starter produced by bob dun although being a solid bit of kit does requires extensive work to your crancases, where as Francois starter is a bolt on kit All the bikes produced by patrick Goddet come with a francois starter as standard, none of his bikes has a kick starter. thats got to tell some thing about how good the starters are.
AS far as I know there is no british stockist as such, but Francois speaks good english and is verry help full. ( see his advert in the back of the M.P.H.
Ihave used Francois starters for many years, and would not be without it. Do not worry what the young studs say, fit a starter and continue to enjoy your machine.
regards norman lord

H
hi ,, the grosset starter is probably the best opption being a bolt on mod. the Bob Dun starter alyhough being a solid piece of kit does require extensive work to your crankcases, where as Francois starter is a bolt on kit. All the machines produced by Patrick Godet come with Francois starters as standard, none of his machines come with a kick starter.Thats go to tell you some thing about how good the starters are.

As far as i know there are no stockist in england, but Francois speaks good english and is verry helpfull.( see his advert in the back of the M.P.H.)
I have used a Francois starter for many years , and would not be with out it. Do not worry what any body else says, fit a starter and contiue to enjoy your machine.

sumpy lord.
norman
 

Monkeypants

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Non-VOC Member
I don't think Godet uses Grosset starters anymore. He has a housing cast rght into his crankcases for a Harley davidson starter, Bendix type drive, so no sprag to blow up.
At the IOM centenary in 07 Godet and friends were disassembling a Grosset starter that had blown its sprag on a 1330 Egli, not many miles on it either. Now the Grosset unit may work quite well on 1000cc engines, but I think the sprag is the weak part. They tend to be a bit susceptible to damage from kickback.
At one time Paul Hamon was modifying the Grosset starter to make it tougher, but I believe he is working on a unit of his own design now.He was trialing a unit that he hoped would be capable of starting a high compression 1360cc motor.
Glen
 

greg brillus

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VOC Member
The only prob i've seen with the spragg clutch is lack of grease....the one i had seen had turned blue from the heat. But if checked periodically as per the instructions and a small amount of synthetic grease added...all should be well. It is the sheer pin on the starter motor pinion that lets go, but easily replaced. This is only due to kick backs, which as the instructions describe "In much detail".....will NOT tolerate, so engine must be in a very good state of tune, and with a strong idle, not likely to conk out and stall. It works well on the 1000 cc machines and the engine should be stopped with the decomp lever not by ign kill, this to avoid the engine rocking back under compression...and damaging the starter sheer pin. It also works on larger engines...example is Reg Boltons ex race bike...now a sreet bike and 1250cc capacity with Grosset starter. Reg was sheering off starter pinions x3 times till i suggested he use the decomp lever on start up and to kill the big engine....no probs since. Try Conways for a kit, as i needed one not so long ago and they had one in stock.....this was a couple of months back mind you......cheers for now......Greg.
 

Howard

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VOC Member
I've contacted Grosset (and Conways), it seems to be the best option, without too many mods to Vincent parts.

If the spragg clutch is the only problem, it doesn't scare me too much as I work in the power transmission industry, and can source them quickly,and maybe find a better alternative. I've contemplated building my own starter, but as my wife points out, I should ride the Egli and let other people have the heartache of developing starters. That's the second time she's been right, if you include marrying me.

H
 

greg brillus

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VOC Member
Hi again Howard, yes i had the same problem with my wife....explaining to her that i had only been wrong once.......and even then, she was mistaken....!! Do buy yourself the starter kit.....you wont be dissapointed, there is a little bit of machining involved, and be mindful of the minimal clearances with all the parts within the kickstart cover.....the spragg clutch is quite large in diameter, and allowances must be made for the kickstart ratchet and the quadrant to function without jamming. But all will become apparent when you start fitting it. The spragg is pretty maintanance free, the issue i had with one was because of damage to the seal causing loss of grease.....an interesting side effect is that whilst the bike is in gear (with engine not running) the bike cannot be wheeled backwards....and this feels really odd..............Cheers.....Greg.
 

Howard

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Hi again Howard, yes i had the same problem with my wife....explaining to her that i had only been wrong once.......and even then, she was mistaken....!! Do buy yourself the starter kit.....you wont be dissapointed, there is a little bit of machining involved, and be mindful of the minimal clearances with all the parts within the kickstart cover.....the spragg clutch is quite large in diameter, and allowances must be made for the kickstart ratchet and the quadrant to function without jamming. But all will become apparent when you start fitting it. The spragg is pretty maintanance free, the issue i had with one was because of damage to the seal causing loss of grease.....an interesting side effect is that whilst the bike is in gear (with engine not running) the bike cannot be wheeled backwards....and this feels really odd..............Cheers.....Greg.

Thanks Greg. Conway haven't got one and Francois' first reply was a bit ambiguous so I'm waiting for confirmation he's got stock.

The wheeling backward comment is interesting, the resistance can only be coming from trying to turn the starter motor backwards. Is it the same with the ignition on and off?

H
 
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