Coming up in Cafe Racer magazine’s next issue is a section dedicated exclusively to one of the motorcycle world’s most divisive components: the kickstarter. Loved by some and cursed by just as many, these calf-stressing, backfiring and occasionally reluctant starting systems have left an indelible mark on the sport of motorcycling. Asa sign of just how fast time flies, an informal poll of our staff revealed that everyone involved can recall purchasing or riding a streetbike equipped with a kicker pedal, which is not something you could say about most folks under the age of 40.
A few years back, I sold off a Yamaha SR400 that we’d customized extensively in several issues. The lightweight single was a favorite of retro-minded riders the world over and not just for its simplistic, uncluttered design and air-cooled engine. The Sr was the only motorcycle of its kind on the modern market to lack an electric starter, making it a tough sell on showroom floors and a real rider’s machine for its fans.
A young fellow contacted us about purchasing the Yamaha after reading in issue #44 of contributor Blake Kelly’s ability to wrest a solid 100 MPH from the 28-horsepower thumper. Yes, Blake’s top speed exploits were helped along mightily by the addition of a fully-enclosed dustbin fairing which helped slice through the wind, propelling the SR to speeds it was never designed to achieve. I informed the would-be buyer that the sale would not include the fairing which we had plans to race at a later date. Sold on the idea of owning a pre-customized cafe racer that looked and sounded just like one of those legendary British singles from the original Ton-Up era, the young bloke promptly made his way to the CRM offices, his pockets stuffed with cash.
Taking a quick stroll around the bike, he began staring at the right handlebar switches, asking which button was for the electric starter.
I wasn’t surprised that he’d somehow missed the fact that the SR400 was well-known as a kickstart-only machine and it’s tough to conceive that a tewntysomething rider didn’t look this up on his trusty smartphone before deciding to buy.
“I guess you could teach me how to use the kicker…” he sort of asked, sort of demanded. The hardest part of the sale didn’t involve teaching someone to utilize a mechanical device that went out of style with captain and Tennille records or eight-track tapes, more to the point. The tough job was not bursting out in laughter as he repeatedly heaved up and down on the starter lever without once remembering to place the kill switch to the ON position.
This is typical of the sort of wacky, purely human stories we’re compiling for the next issue. Got a kickstarter story- either funny, horrible or enlightening- you’ like to share? Send it to us via rockersrule@caferacermag.com. Who knows- it could be good for a laugh or a lesson. or both.
