Retrofitting electric starters......

[Deuce]

Went riding with a friend last weekend. Traded off between a yz400 and a tt-r 250. Loved the power of the 400, but the button start of the 250. So neither bike is a WR, I know.

I'd like to get a WR400, (for reasons of $) but the electric start on the 450 is so nice.

Anyone figured out the price and feasability of retrofitting the electric start of the wr450 on the wr400 or 426? Haven't found anything and was wondering if anyone else had looked into it. ?

[starttman]

unless your really lazy ,or short ,or old, is it really necessary to have electric start? i was always taught that if you can't kick it you can't ride it. electric start MX bikes ...whats next...a cd/dvd player,air conditioning, and a wet bar???!!! jeeeeshhhh. ?

chris

[Deuce]

Given my bad hips and shot knees, I really shouldn't be riding dirt anyway. I'm just thinking out loud about a way to save what's left of my legs for the riding, rather than the starting. Two strokes are easy enough, but that big old four is a major pain.

There's a reason you can't find a kick start street bike anymore. When you start getting real big with the four strokes, it just makes sense. Try telling the HD guys they're pansies for giving up the kickers.

[starttman]

my opinion on harley guys....there are a few hard ass, tough nuts, out there....but most are suburban yuppies and spoiled brats with tons of disposable cash who would cry if they had to kick my 426 yami...the market was designed to attract ,not defer business. hence the electric start.

for street machinery...i would spend my $ on a nice BMW or a Honda st 1100 before i would waste my cash on a piece of crap Harley.they might look cool ...but I would not sacrifice engineering and performance, for beauty and a "cool" look.

i will probably eat a lot of sh!t for that statement ...but i gotta say what I feel...

chris

[yamaha.dude]

There are kits out there to fit an electric start, but they cost close to $1,000... if the starting is your only issue, then do the 450 cam mod for less than $150 and be done with it... starts like a two stroke, can bump start it... nice power...

Jump over to the YZ4XX side and look at the post pinned to the top, all the info is in there...

Download the instructions at www.just-ride-it.com/450cam.pdf

If you want to keep the WR timing, then you will need to get a WR 450 exhaust cam... but the YZ timing pumps you up even more... you can never have enough power, esp. if you need to loft the front wheel over a slower CRF that gets in your way... ?

HTH,

David

[Chris_from_Oz]

"you can never have enough power, esp. if you need to loft the front wheel over a slower CRF that gets in your way..."

CLASSIC ? :D

[Deuce]

$1,000 for a kit?! Dang man. Sounds like the yz exhaust cam is the way to go. I'd heard about putting the wr450 cam in there, and something about not being able to use the yz timing after that.

Me thinks I've got my solution. yz cam it shall be.

[Tom_Rowlee]

my wr 400 is a 1 or 2 kick bike . if i cant kick it i don't need to be riding it and im 45 this summer .

[Sylvain]

I like what you're saying. We'll have the same age this year, and I feel the same way about e-bike. I'm sure it's going to be nice to have the e-start when we'll be 72 (may be) ?

I know that some will say it's evolution but it's for fun