Whos done the kicker conversion

[monkeyballs]

I am looking into converting my 400ex to a kick start so I can lighten.. I would like to know who all did it so I can get some help. thanks

[TRXRacer1]

Unless you're totally in love with your 400ex it's a waste of money. You could easily buy a kicker 450r with what you'll have into parts and what your machine is probably worth. Add in your time and you're really at a loss.

[monkeyballs]

I dont think you know how im doing this conversion.. Im not taking the hole low end from an xr. From what I understand, I need a clutch gear, the kick shaft.............., hinston clutch cover (for the xr) then the xr right crank casse, idler gear then ill have to lighten the fly wheel and do a couple simple free mods... I found most of these parts off of e bay for less then 200$ so far. I alredy have the extra gaskets... And to get the fly wheel done there is a local machining shop that will do it for 40$.. So have you seen any 450's go for 250$?

And I love my ex, I do kinda wish I went with a 450 but my 400 is alredy whooping some ars... I love seeing 450's getting whooped by what they think is a lil 400ex...

[togup]

i wanted a kicker so i started collecting
parts i got as far as installing the xr side case and a duncan clutch cover then lost intrest and plugged the kick start hole

[monkeyballs]

Do you have the other parts? And why would you stop. This mod will be insane. Im so jealous of my friends 450r. He can just flick the throttle and it will rev right the crap up.. Once this is done it will have so much more torque. I cant wait. Myself I do some mx every now and then and I get so anoyed of its throttle responce. Comming around a corner or threw one.. Same just b4 I hit a jump..

Any who, would you be willling to sell the parts you have collected if you are sure you are done with this...? Thanks

[MyKe2g3]

Just do a search on it theres a thread a few pages back on what is needed and how to do it. I think its neat to do it but honestly its not going improve the performance enough for some people to justify it. I think thats why most quads went electric start its just so much eaiser to hit a button than to have to stand up and kick. I have a few 250r's and a banshee that kick start and im hear to tell u that you arent missing much not being able to kick. 400ex's arent that heavy anyways the weight savings dont really justify it. But like i said to get any more info you need just do the search and itll pull up what you want to know good luck.

[monkeyballs]

Originally posted by MyKe2g3
Just do a search on it theres a thread a few pages back on what is needed and how to do it. I think its neat to do it but honestly its not going improve the performance enough for some people to justify it. I think thats why most quads went electric start its just so much eaiser to hit a button than to have to stand up and kick. I have a few 250r's and a banshee that kick start and im hear to tell u that you arent missing much not being able to kick. 400ex's arent that heavy anyways the weight savings dont really justify it. But like i said to get any more info you need just do the search and itll pull up what you want to know good luck.
Thanks, and you do relize that its not just for the weight diffrence right? It will give it way more torque. 32% to be exact I think thats the right amount. Any who thanks

[dustin_j]

If you do put a kicker on, it'd be great if you would wait to lighten the flywheel until after you tried it. I used to want to put a kickstart on, but I'm doubting if you will gain that much from removing the e-start. The only drag or rotating mass you are eliminating is the bearing rotation of the one-way bearing. I guess a good test to see if it will help would be to just take out your one-way and gear, and then push start it down a hill to see if it revs faster. You can lighten your flywheel without doing the kicker and this should yield faster revs, but remember it may kill easier in low rpms. Just some things to think about...

[dariusld]

Read this thread. He says its easy. It doesn't sound easy. (http://www.exriders.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=293068&highlight=kick)

[Snipe]

Would be cool but I would sell my 400ex and just buy a 450R kicker instead I dont like hassle lmao.

[monkeyballs]

Originally posted by dustin_j
If you do put a kicker on, it'd be great if you would wait to lighten the flywheel until after you tried it. I used to want to put a kickstart on, but I'm doubting if you will gain that much from removing the e-start. The only drag or rotating mass you are eliminating is the bearing rotation of the one-way bearing. I guess a good test to see if it will help would be to just take out your one-way and gear, and then push start it down a hill to see if it revs faster. You can lighten your flywheel without doing the kicker and this should yield faster revs, but remember it may kill easier in low rpms. Just some things to think about...
Well, I will be shaving the fly wheel, removing the starter gear, and eliminating the need for the one way.... This will lighten the fly wheel by 32oz. If I keep the elec start I can only take of 9oz and still be able to use..

So if simply lightening the fly wheel of 9oz makes quite the diff picture 32oz. I will actualy have more of a holeshot once I take it off. But I will have to rev it higher to take off, then poping the clutch will have less of a grunt. But way more torque... :D

And I never thouhgt about just testing it by taking off the one way clutch smart.. I think I might test it out some time.

[monkeyballs]

Originally posted by dariusld
Read this thread. He says its easy. It doesn't sound easy. (http://www.exriders.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=293068&highlight=kick)
That was the link that I had previously looked at. I actualy finde it pretty straight foward. Just one thing that I dont know.. Is how much to take off the fly wheel. But I will figure it out.

Thanks for the help.

[BamBam21]

Hey guys,

I did a kick start conv on my bike, and let me tell the low end power I feel is ALOT better than before. The mods needed to do this are pretty extensive, but in my opinion worth it.

Thanks BB

[dustin_j]

Originally posted by monkeyballs
Well, I will be shaving the fly wheel, removing the starter gear, and eliminating the need for the one way.... This will lighten the fly wheel by 32oz. If I keep the elec start I can only take of 9oz and still be able to use..

So if simply lightening the fly wheel of 9oz makes quite the diff picture 32oz. I will actualy have more of a holeshot once I take it off. But I will have to rev it higher to take off, then poping the clutch will have less of a grunt. But way more torque... :D

And I never thouhgt about just testing it by taking off the one way clutch smart.. I think I might test it out some time.

You're right, you will lose more weight if you remove the one-way bearing as well as shave the flywheel. However, I just wanted to remind you that not all of the one-way or starter gears are rotating when the engine is running as the bearing is freewheeling at this time. I do not know how much of a difference you will feel here.

You could run tests to dispute all. If you bought a spare flywheel and had it ground to steve#7's specs (or whatever you were going to grind to), and put it on your bike with all the electric start stuff. Ride it (or dyno if you want) to see the difference of just grinding the flywheel. Then remove the electric start components and install just the stock flywheel and ride (or dyno) to compare this. Finally, install only the ground flywheel and test this as well. Your results would be able to tell you where the most power is gained and whether it is worth your time creating a kickstart kit. It would also just be interesting, but it'd take some of your time for sure.

[dustin_j]

Originally posted by BamBam21
Hey guys,

I did a kick start conv on my bike, and let me tell the low end power I feel is ALOT better than before. The mods needed to do this are pretty extensive, but in my opinion worth it.

Thanks BB

Did you just remove the electric start components, or did you grind your flywheel as well? Did you have your engine mods done prior to this mod to know what difference the kickstart alone made? It's nice to see a 400ex that'll wipe 450s :macho

[BamBam21]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by dustin_j
[B]Did you just remove the electric start components, or did you grind your flywheel as well? Did you have your engine mods done prior to this mod to know what difference the kickstart alone made? It's nice to see a 400ex that'll wipe 450s :macho

Yes I removed the e-start completely and you can machine more off the flywheel when doing so. I had the mods all done then did the conversion and definitely a big diff. especially low end. I have not raced many 450's yet, but I have one (450) and so far there is no comparison. My 436X as I call it will wipe up my 450r (for now).

Thanks BB

Just looked at my notes I took 18.75 oz or 531g off the flywheel itself (not including the one way sprag (clutch).

[TRXRacer1]

I had the mods all done then did the conversion and definitely a big diff. especially low end. I have not raced many 450's yet, but I have one (450) and so far there is no comparison. My 436X as I call it will wipe up my 450r (for now).

Thanks BB

Just looked at my notes I took 18.75 oz or 531g off the flywheel itself (not including the one way sprag (clutch). [/B] So you did all the work at once? How do you know removing the e-start did anything?

[BamBam21]

Originally posted by TRXRacer1
So you did all the work at once? How do you know removing the e-start did anything?


No I had the big bore kit for a year or so, then I converted to the kick start.

BB