1VJ Kickstarting Mystery
 

I have a 1VJ which srarts beautifully on the button. The bike runs well too. When I try to kickstart
it is almost impossible to turn the engine over. It feels as though something is dragging. For long enough I put it down to feebleness on my part but now I have 2 more 1VJs which kick easily I know better. Could the starter motor somehow be dragging?

Automatic decompressor
 

No, your automatic decompressor is probably not correctly adjusted (if at all present).
If it is still there, you'll notice a cable from near the kickstart shaft to the cilinder head. There's an adjuster on it. To adjust: start engine (button :-)). The cable ends on a little lever on the cilinder head. If you push the lever towards the rear wheel there is a point where you feel the exhaust valve rocker touching it intermittently. Now, the play in the cable should be adjusted so that from 'rest' position of the cable to 'touching' rocker there is 1 mm.

Auke