Avoiding another injury!

[G3L1946]

Good morning all,

Strange subject title. Well, I’ll not go into too much detail but, down to my own stupidity and miscalculation, I suffered a torn / ruptured Achilles’ tendon which now requires surgery. Kick back, due to me incorrectly setting the timing!. That’s all sorted now thanks to help and advice from forum members and local club ( also dispensing with cigarette paper and purchasing a timing set up device, and I did remember to set the auto advance open with a wooden peg! ). My hesitation is now at its peak. Is there anything else I may have overlooked that would cause this kick back to re occur? I’m pretty sure it was down to the engine pre ignition as it was pretty far out. I only have my left leg available right now ( if I’m daft enough to try ) so looking to avoid another injury! Kick start engages correctly but could this, in anyway, be involved?
I think riding for a while will be on hold as I’m going to be in a ‘boot’ for three months!
Any advice, keep it nice, would be appreciated!

Steve

[SPRIDDLER]

Your avatar is misleading as you haven't said the year or model of your bike but I assume it's a '55 G3LS as in your Profile because you mentioned wedging the A/R open. These units are well known for sticking at the Advance position due to dirt and old grease/oil in the mechanism plus weakened pull-off springs. I guess I don't need to mention that if trying to start on full advance it will kick back.
It's not easy to give a long swinging kick if you do intend to use your left leg for starting as you can't be astride (and it's no good trying astride whilst facing backwards ) so be very careful - giving it a just tentative prod is asking for kick-back trouble. Always keep your knee bent.

The kick-start engagement is highly unlikely to be an issue.

[G3L1946]

Hi Spriddler,

Sorry, always forget to mention machine. 1955, G3LS. I’m not going to give myself further problems so I’ll probably wait several months after surgery before giving it another shot. I’ll confine myself with tinkering and cleaning until I feel fit enough to try again. I didn’t think it was the kick start as this operates pretty freely and as should. I must admit that kicking it over is quite an effort but that might just be down to me being a weakling! Advance/ retard unit is clean and operating with new springs and I have checked it returns correctly.
Cheers

Steve

[RL]

I have a 55 16MS so same bike and I always use the valve lifter to ease over on compression, this of course won't stop kick back if timing is advance but it makes the starting a lot easier.

[G3L1946]

Thanks for reply. I employ this method, but as yo say, unfortunately didn’t prevent kick back. I’ve since discovered, the valve timing (exhaust side ) was massively out which I have re set. Shouldn’t have taken what I was told as correct, it wasn’t set correctly!
Thanks,

Steve

[Taid]

I have a 55 16MS so same bike and I always use the valve lifter to ease over on compression, .......

Way, way back when I used to ride, (some 60 years ago) I always brought it onto compression, pulled in the lifter and kicked,
dropping the lifter immediately.

When I bought by current 16ms, I followed the instruction to use the lifter to ease over compression and then kick.

I have recently gone back to my old method and feel starting is easier and that I am spinning the engine faster ..

Subjective, I know, but it works for me ..

[clive]

My method, worth trying, is to bring it up to compression and then use valve lifter to move the kick start down about 2/3 of its travel. Then bring it back up and a long kick. This method ensures the crank travelling too fast not to past the next compression and so cannot kick back. Worked for me for the last 43 Matchless single years. Only once had a kick back, just before an International, hobbled my way there.