Oh-No! How am I going to start the Pan?

All other topics
Forum rules
Please do not start new topics here, but here: New Panhead and Flathead topics
Post Reply
Schwee
Member
Posts: 154
Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2009 2:54 pm
Bikes: 57 Pan, 42 WLA
Location: SW Florida
Been thanked: 8 times

Oh-No! How am I going to start the Pan?

#1

Post by Schwee »

Getting Knee Surgery next Monday (meniscus tear, right knee) and I'll be on PT for three weeks.
I've never even tried to kick over the old pan with my left leg.
Been riding the same old rigid since 1974.
It NEVER starts with a lazy, uncommitted kick.

What to do?
FlatHeadSix
Senior Member
Posts: 2677
Joined: Sat May 29, 2004 8:21 am
Bikes: '31 VL, '34 VD, '45 WLA, '47 WL, '49 FL, '51 WL, '58 ST (Hummer), '71 GE (Servi)
Location: Lonoke, Arkansas
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 49 times

Re: Oh-No! How am I going to start the Pan?

#2

Post by FlatHeadSix »

http://www.4speedelectricstart.com

this is not an endorsement but I saw this thing at the AMCA Meet in Fremont Nebraska this February, works great and doesn't look too bad either.

just passing it along...

mike

and, by the way, until I put the sidecar on my '49 I ALWAYS kicked it with my left leg, you get used to it
Cotten
Senior Member
Posts: 6937
Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2002 2:30 am
Bikes: -
Location: Central Illinois
Has thanked: 112 times
Been thanked: 310 times

Re: Oh-No! How am I going to start the Pan?

#3

Post by Cotten »

Schwee!

How long did they say it would be until you can use it?

The only time I was comfortable kicking left-footed was when I could stand upon the sidecar frame.

Not real comfortable even then.

Please consider how high you must jump, especially if it leans.
Consider also that while leaning on the stand, a lot of your grunt is lost straight downward instead of the arc of the arm.

....Cotten
Huck
Senior Member
Posts: 634
Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2011 5:35 pm
Bikes: 58 hd
91 hd
09 custom
Location: Wake Forest NC
Has thanked: 15 times
Been thanked: 35 times

Re: Oh-No! How am I going to start the Pan?

#4

Post by Huck »

You'll be fine, I've had both my knees done, no issues to date. You'd be surprised in how much enjoyment you can pass to people that have never kick started a motorcycle. Share the fun! you can almost charge admission!! Do that or park on a hill for a while...
Hog54
Inactive member
Senior Member
Posts: 817
Joined: Tue Aug 31, 2010 2:10 pm
Bikes: 1954 Panhead
1980 Lowrider
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 33 times

Re: Oh-No! How am I going to start the Pan?

#5

Post by Hog54 »

I would have my wife kick mine.All I have to do is bet her she cant. :D
Sir_Rat
Inactive member
Member
Posts: 285
Joined: Sun Nov 01, 2009 10:10 am
Bikes: '37 UL, '79 Frankenstein, '88 Sporty
Location: Oahu Hawaii
Has thanked: 7 times
Been thanked: 8 times

Re: Oh-No! How am I going to start the Pan?

#6

Post by Sir_Rat »

Schwee...I did the opposite. I always kicked with my left leg...until I fractured my foot then I had no choice since I didn't have a wife to bet against, I had to learn to use my right foot, even though my left foot healed up fine I still use my right...only cause like flatheadsix said "you get used to it". You be fine dude!

Aloha....Mike
Schwee
Member
Posts: 154
Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2009 2:54 pm
Bikes: 57 Pan, 42 WLA
Location: SW Florida
Been thanked: 8 times

Re: Oh-No! How am I going to start the Pan?

#7

Post by Schwee »

Hog54 wrote:I would have my wife kick mine.All I have to do is bet her she cant. :D
My wife can barely hold up the pan. (She had to for a couple of weeks when the kickstand broke. I'd have her hold it up in the parking lot while I went in for a beer. Now that was a challenge - kick starting with no kick stand!)

Also, no hills in Houston - thanks for the thought.

Maybe I will try with the left leg. Only alternative is to ride the old 45 flatty (my backup bike) for a few weeks. You can almost blow start that thing.
Panacea
Senior Member
Posts: 2087
Joined: Fri May 24, 2002 1:00 am
Bikes: 64FL 99FLHR 01FXSTD
Location: Mpls. MN.
Has thanked: 72 times
Been thanked: 145 times

Re: Oh-No! How am I going to start the Pan?

#8

Post by Panacea »

Schwee wrote:
Hog54 wrote:I would have my wife kick mine.All I have to do is bet her she cant. :D
My wife can barely hold up the pan. (She had to for a couple of weeks when the kickstand broke. I'd have her hold it up in the parking lot while I went in for a beer. Now that was a challenge - kick starting with no kick stand!)

Also, no hills in Houston - thanks for the thought.

Maybe I will try with the left leg. Only alternative is to ride the old 45 flatty (my backup bike) for a few weeks. You can almost blow start that thing.
Schwee, I bet she got tired standing next to the pan all night while you slept!
Kuda
Member
Posts: 349
Joined: Tue May 10, 2005 1:08 pm
Bikes: *
Location: Maryland
Has thanked: 8 times
Been thanked: 6 times

Re: Oh-No! How am I going to start the Pan?

#9

Post by Kuda »

I'm another vote for the "you'll get used to it" crowd. Before I got the intake leak fixed, mine could take between 2 and 200 kicks to start. Once the right leg crapped out, I'd have to switch to the left to keep going. Once that one crapped out, I'd switch back. You really do get used to it pretty quickly...

-Kuda
'49 panchop (only one or two kicks now) :-)
tcb-1
Inactive member
Member
Posts: 106
Joined: Sun Sep 11, 2011 12:06 am
Bikes: 1950 FL
Has thanked: 4 times
Been thanked: 4 times

Re: Oh-No! How am I going to start the Pan?

#10

Post by tcb-1 »

And a good tune up will help too. You'd be amazed at how easy a pan will fire when all is right with the world. a well tuned pan can fire with very little effort....
CaptMike
Member
Posts: 323
Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2011 2:23 am
Bikes: 1998 Roadglide, 1957 FLH
Location: North Myrtle Beach
Has thanked: 8 times
Been thanked: 10 times

Re: Oh-No! How am I going to start the Pan?

#11

Post by CaptMike »

I hate it for you. All the kicking I've done... 5" strokers with 13.1 compression and 60 weight oil, I feel your Pain. Lean to kick it with your left foot. My right knee has been repaired once and I made the mistake of kicking my Pan too many times after a rebuild. Forget using your right, it won't last if you do. It took my right knee about three years to settle down after surgery.

Keep us posted.
Post Reply

Return to “General/Miscellaneous topics”