The other day on a trail I broke the kickstarter off the bike. Not the shaft in the case. Just the kickstarter it cracked right wear it attaches to the bike. This looks like a really simple fix but where can I get the part? Local Yamaha dealership can only sell the whole kickstart assembly which is $130. Are the kickstarters pretty universal. There's one on ebay for a 78 XT500 and a ton of others that look loke they might fit but I don't want to order it wait two weeks and the discover it dosn't work. So has anyone ever found any genric parts for the 600?

Take it to an engineering shop and have it TIG welded... they should heat it up first with a blowtorch then when it is hot, TIG weld it.. it should weld OK

Martyn

Hi, I did the same thing om my 1VJ the day before my last long european trip!

I wouldn´t buy just any kickstarter but try at a local breakers. There is also a lot of XT600 parts for sale on the swedish advertisment site called "blocket" (Blocket.se - Sveriges största Köp & Sälj marknad)

1 Mark any county at the site start page
2 type in XT* in the first search space
3 choose "MC-delar och tillbehör" in the second space
4 choose "Hela Sverige" in the third search space

Now you will get a number of hits on XT600 and TT600 parts
(check out the one dated 7 jan)

"Delar" means "Parts" and just try and respond to one of the ads in english. It shouldn´t be a problem.

Regards / RtS

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Rikard the Swede

If it is just cracked, then get it welded or "re-bolted" so that it is a tight fit and works OK.
There are other thread(s) in this website that describe in some detail how they have done this type of repair - I suggest you do a search.

& welcome to here BTW - loads of information to be found.

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Dave

If the kickstart is cast steel then the advice to heat it etc, then TIG weld it, is just not right. Cast steel requires special rods and preparation. There's not enough metal at the area yours brike and it's also on the splines, which is a weaker area. Buy one, I'm afraid.

TIG welding is like 'stick' or ARC welding, you can choose which 'type' of filler rod to use. the TIG apparatus is a gentler more controlable way of welding a possibly delicate part than ARC or MIG, the preheating of the part IS needed preciseley because it is cast.
The general idea is to Weld the crack after grooving it to get more adhesion & Penetration, then build up a "scab" over the crack and say 8mm either side that can be ground down if required. This gives the strength required, its not an ideal solution, this is true, but has worked for me in the past and is a solution if a part cannot be sourced straight away.

Okey... this is a bit long but it´s up to you guys if you want to read it,Im not twisting anyones arm


If you want,you can weld it. I welded mine 2 years ago in exactly the same position. And the guy who bought my old engine is still useing it.
Clean the parts well and polish the edges with a grinder or a file,if you file the edges down to give them a little V-shape in the joint you will get a better "penetraton and a stronger weld.
Make sure that the parts are lined up properly.Since it´s the part that you tighten around the shaft it´s important that the round shape of the part is maintained,otherwise it will snap when you put it back on, or it will snapp after a feve kicks (and your leg will suffer)
I put mine on apice of pipe that fit inside,with a pice of cheet metal(or a thinn washer in the gap where the tightening bolt goes, tighten the bolt by hand so that it just holds the washer/sheetmetal in place.
This helps to keep the shape. If you have one of these excelent "Lockable"pliers use that to hold the pice together or ask a mate to help you

You can use castiron electrods,but a MIG with normal 0.6 or 0.8 thread will work just fine. Try to work fast, the less you heat up the metal the better. a rule of thumb when you weld castiron is that you shuld be able to put your hand on the part without burning your self,but since this pice is so small it will heat up fast.Keep your fingers off it.
Make one pass, and then tapp the pice gently with a hammer or a screwdriver along the weld on both sides,until it´s cooled down so much that you can pick it up (this relives tension in the weld) If you need to make some small repairs or fill the weld up with a nother pass it´s the same prosidure again. Clean first and then weld.

You might need to clean up the splines on the inside after wards with a file (at least if you managed to get a good penetration)

Some say that sandblasting the pice after welding is good(lessening the tensions in the welded area) I never done it,but why not.


I can´t tell you that this is the ultimate solution, and that your kick will be as good as new. But it has worked for me.


Good luck!

Tom

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Places to be and things to do, see you all out there!!

Cheers.

Tom.

I agree Martyn, but since the kick"clamp" is so thinn, I think the heat created by the welding it self will spread so fast that pre-heating is not really needed.

Tom.

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Places to be and things to do, see you all out there!!

Cheers.

Tom.

Hi. I didn't understand which part actually broke so... I know other kickstarts LEVERS fit because I have a kickstart for another Yamaha...a XJ750 I think.. can't remember right now but it does fit that's for sure and it even has a polished stainless steel finish and black anti-slip rubber on the top which looks great =)