Back in the late '50s I weighed 134 lbs. soaking wet and I rode a '46 Harley. Being basically penniless, of course, all it's care and feeding was up to me. One of the skills I acquired at that time was starting a big V-twin; if not done right sprains and breaks of the right leg were fairly common, even with guys that out-weighed me by 80 or 90 pounds. A 74 or even a 61 would test your mettle and determination but when flathead 74 or 80 inch flywheels were fitted the resulting increase in displacement and compression ratio added a wholly-new dimension to kicking one over. An older mentor of ours that rode a built 84 incher with about 11:1 CR gave me and my bud the starting tips that I still use today and the procedure applies to pretty much any internal-combustion engine. The 'trick' is to get the engine 'up against' compression, let the kickstarter back up to get a full stroke, bring it to compression again and then kick it clear through. At 134 lbs. this meant putting my back, shoulder and arm muscles into it .... 100 per cent; my buddy was about 5" taller and 60 pounds heavier than me but he was the one that sprained his ankle (bad) when starting his '36 61 'whomped out' to 86 c.i. with about 13:1 CR (no stroker plates under the jugs). I had started it and made a beer run with the same bike earlier in the week, starting it twice on that trip. It was obvious to me that he hadn't given that hundred per cent.
I am relating this bit of trivia to verify what many others have said in response to the question posed in this thread and that is:there are 'tricks' that are not readily apparent to an observer and can only be learned in one of two ways: advice from somebody who 'has been there; done that' OR getting in there and learning by attending the 'School Of Hard Knocks'. It's good that those with experience with things that are now becoming a 'lost art' are willing and able to pass on some of their knowledge to others! :D Quoting an old Irishman, 'It warms the cockles of me heart!'
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Today's Featured Article - Restoration Story: Fordson Major - by Anthony West. George bought his Fordson Major from a an implement sale about 18 years ago for £200.00 (UK). There is no known history regarding its origins or what service it had done, but the following work was undertaken alone to bring it up to show standard. From the engine number, it was found that this Major was produced late 1946. It was almost complete but had various parts that would definitely need replacing.
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