kick start??

[honda400ex01aca]

can you put a kick start on a 2001 400ex?

[CSR400EX]

heres a link to a thread that goes pretty in detail on what you need to do. they also say that it adds a a** load more torque!

Kickstart Conversion (http://www.exriders.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=293068&perpage=13&highlight=kickstart&pagenumber=1)

[steve #7]

I put a kick start on and raced it at the nationals against big bore stroker 450's they were scratching ther heads and kicking what ever was near. Some would look over in the staging lanes and on the starting line and laugh. But when the green dropped all they saw was number 7 they were in awe. Last year I was actually protested in the open class for being to small since you have to be 451 or bigger. 28 lbs dead weight 2 lbs 6oz recipricating weight total 30 lbs 6 oz. What is there to think about or discuss. If your not a pansey aren't affraid of a kicker and don't stall in every turn . Go for it. Curtis sparks was impressed with are effort. he spent 45 min. with my son giving him more ideas this past Saturday in Illinois. And we will be trying them also. He is very out going and great to talk to not like others who only try to push there products. Everything we used from Curtis Sparks Made a noticable difference in performance. Its not that hard once you've did it. I have a parts and labor list of what you'll need and what you'll have to do. And bought everything on Ebay. It can not be done on 2005 and up the cases are not machined for the kicker. The main reason I did this conversion was to eliminate recipricating weight. This is every thing the motor has to turn . all the electric start gears and oneway clutch that the motor turns even after it is started. attached are pics of the difference in just the flywheel. This also eliminates the rev limiter no need for after market CDI.

[steve #7]

Another tip . We installed a 2002 xr400 trans this has a stronger main shaft and is geared higher because the counter shaft gears are lighter ( less Weight) . also the gears are space even. sprockets are 15-35 with a now overdrive trans and 19 inch. dia american racers. the top speed is unbelievable. 460 is the biggest you can go and still get good revs any bigger the piston gets to heavy and wide . We cut a standard stroke wisco 440 piston to fit a stroker crank. (Pics attached) this gave us 15-1 compression and a ligther piston (less wieght). 250r rear axle and brakes, smaller rotor cut even smaller (less weight) I can go on with everything we did to cut recipricating weight. the list is endless. we weighed everything. we even cut rubber off the tires. All threads on all bolts that stick out past the nuts were machined off. I recently sold a seat on ebay and the person came here to pick it up. He was amazed at how light it is. We have two built like this . One for TT and one for play. We were racing 250r's for years with alcohol micro sprint motors. We took my 11 year old daugthers 400 and did eveything we could to beat my 23 year old sons. Eddie sanders 350 alcohol stroker. Thats where it started . The 400s are now faster than all are quads even his 450r. We are done racing do to injuries until my daughter gets a little older. remember recipricating weight. no matter where it is from. If you don't need it take it off. I am not saying there were no obstacles in doing all of this. There were days where anything that could go wrong at the track did . It is now bullit proof. Are next move is a XR400 4 mm stroker crank.The crank is narrower and the flywheel cover is smaller .(less weight) The only reason we use stroker cranks is to raise the compresion. no one makes more than a 12-1 piston for the 400. they won't thump unless you have 14/15-1 if you have a big web cam , oversize valves and you need compression. This brings the piston to the top of the deck. So you have to cut the compression land and the valve reliefs. I am 52 and always told my kids If you can hold on at wide open throttle it aint fast enough . Git-r done seeya Steve Sr.

[maxfior]

Originally posted by steve #7
Another tip . We installed a 2002 xr400 trans this has a stronger main shaft and is geared higher because the counter shaft gears are lighter ( less Weight) . also the gears are space even. sprockets are 15-35 with a now overdrive trans and 19 inch. dia american racers. the top speed is unbelievable. 460 is the biggest you can go and still get good revs any bigger the piston gets to heavy and wide . We cut a standard stroke wisco 440 piston to fit a stroker crank. (Pics attached) this gave us 15-1 compression and a ligther piston (less wieght). 250r rear axle and brakes, smaller rotor cut even smaller (less weight) I can go on with everything we did to cut recipricating weight. the list is endless. we weighed everything. we even cut rubber off the tires. All threads on all bolts that stick out past the nuts were machined off. I recently sold a seat on ebay and the person came here to pick it up. He was amazed at how light it is. We have two built like this . One for TT and one for play. We were racing 250r's for years with alcohol micro sprint motors. We took my 11 year old daugthers 400 and did eveything we could to beat my 23 year old sons. Eddie sanders 350 alcohol stroker. Thats where it started . The 400s are now faster than all are quads even his 450r. We are done racing do to injuries until my daughter gets a little older. remember recipricating weight. no matter where it is from. If you don't need it take it off. I am not saying there were no obstacles in doing all of this. There were days where anything that could go wrong at the track did . It is now bullit proof. Are next move is a XR400 4 mm stroker crank.The crank is narrower and the flywheel cover is smaller .(less weight) The only reason we use stroker cranks is to raise the compresion. no one makes more than a 12-1 piston for the 400. they won't thump unless you have 14/15-1 if you have a big web cam , oversize valves and you need compression. This brings the piston to the top of the deck. So you have to cut the compression land and the valve reliefs. I am 52 and always told my kids If you can hold on at wide open throttle it aint fast enough . Git-r done seeya Steve Sr.

Interesting stuff Steve. What sort of numbers were you getting out of your built mill? With such high compression did you have trouble with the engine holding together? I'd love to see that built 400EX in action, got any video's :) I've always felt that the 400 had a lot of potential and it looks like you've found it!

Max

[drew416ex]

Hey steve #7, how much do you think it would help to just lighten the flywheel. I dont want to go as far as a kickstart yet, but if i could gain something from the flywheen they i would like to try. IF so, how much do i take off and can I do it on a lath? Thanks!

[honda400exr]

Hey man I would love a parts list and labor list for the conversion if you could send me one that'd be great.

email is: hobtyx54@pct.edu

Thanks

[Brauap]

The XR bottom end will just bolt right on to the 400EX. I know so, because people take the 400EX bottom end and bolt it right on to their XR400 to have electric start. I would prefer to just find a bottom end and have it done almost like it was done from the factory..

awesome, bradley0903@hotmail.com sounds like the next project going on in the garage.

[liex21]

ya same here wrxspeed21@hotmail.com and some videos of it would be pretty sick to

[togup]

steve#7 could you go into more detail on the piston mod you done. Did you turn the piston180 then cut the hole for the wrist pin & maybe cut some of the skirt off?