Starting rollers

[Rosco86]

Thanks Allison I would be much obliged
NQ Rosco

[VMX247]

Rosco NQ,
Spoke to the owner and did a few measurements..
Next time he said he would put the back roller about 8" higher as this give the bike more stability and support,as its tied down now when started.(probably should tie it down anyway)
The diameter of the rollers are 5" approx X 9" long,bought from industrial conveyors/boat parts or any kind of roller place.
One starter motor is a 12v out of a 350 Fee  and the other a 6 cylinder ford.
bit of extra info=there is also a Bultaco kickstart gear roller to start one of these motor.
The material on the rollers can be bought from the local skate board shop which is used for the decks of the skate board (ask any  kid  ).
One more thing watch all feet hands and bits when starting this piece of machine as it bites 
Hope I explained it ok...let me know if you need more info etc.
cheers Alison

[Rosco86]

Thanks Alison the picture andinfo is great.
If possible could you pm me the gentleman's phone number. I'm intersted to see how he works the tie down thing, with the bikes speed v the roller speed. When you say he would put the back roller 8" higher is this correct as I would have gone longer rather than higher?
NQRoss

[VMX247]

PM sent 
cheers Alison

[TC91]

Just something to remember when building these starter rollers. At the HBBB I rode a Vincent 1000cc road racer and it wouldn't start Sat morning. The rollers would spin it over all right but when I applied a little throttle it would cough and lock up. Myself and Barry ( bikes owner) were very confused until a fellow watching us who wanted to hear it run ( it sounded horn at 6000 rpm ) commented that the rear wheel was turning backwards. make sure you build them so they only go one way. Barry's is battery/startermotor  driven and can be put on the ground upside down if you are not awake. Imagine the clusterf@#k if it had started. It is an evil bastard in forward let alone reverse

[Rosco86]

Used to ride a Vincent with Peter Tolley in the 70s at Brooklyn speedway, so I know how they can be beauts to start. At least we had 2-3 to push start the beast. Intersting one day when we tried some new cams and it jsut locked up each time. finally worked out that the lobes were too high and had bent the pushrods. hmmmm just a little too much pressure there!
NQ Rosco.

[DR]

great little story there TC91. The starter motor and battery method are the type I've seen built and they worked just fine but I never gave a thought to the possibility of them working in reverse also reminds me of an accident at home one christmas. I'd just bought a nice shiney Honda Oddessy. My dad was sitting in it feeling the weird controls totally ignorant to the fact my eldest bro was toying with the recoil starter. You guessed it, it burst into life and my dad not knowing which was brake and which was throttle unfortunately had the throttle to the stops. It took off and smashed a couple of kitchen chairs to oblivion before it crawled halfway up the back of my FJ Holden I'd in the garage restoring. Could have been bad had someone been standing in front but the look of sheer horror on both my dad and brothers face was priceless. Somethings ya never forget

[Oggy Doggy]

I'm not getting any younger and my knees aren't what they used to be. I envision my impending Triumph Metisse to be a bit of a pig to start so I'm looking into the roller start option. At the Barry Sheene meeting at Eastern Creek I noticed a large number of racers were using commercially made rollers that use a modified electric grinder for motive power. I realise you need power to drive them but I've got a generator so that shouldn't be too much of a problem. Does anyone have any information on the manufacturer(s) and aproximate cost of these units?

[Bamford#69]

Hi
oggy doggy, , re hard to start Triumph Metisse 650, mine has been the easiest starting bike I have ever built, a couple of tips to guarantee you won't have a problem , MIKUNI,& PVL,  I'm afraid to even look at the kickstart in case it starts all by itself ! Hot or Cold , 1st kick  if you set it up right . leave the rollers to those who own a CCM  or those who can't tune a two stroke

[Rosco86]

Have to agree, my Triumph Metisse (T100, 500cc, 11 to 1 Comp) is the easiest starting of all my bikes. I run an amal on it, give it a big tickle then lean on the kick starter. When you have big singles you have to expect greater difficulties. My metisse I start with my sandshoes, the 400/440 maicos i put my boots on, cos I want to walk for the rest of the week. Would be very intersted to know who is making the rollers powered with the electric grinder. If anyone comes across them let see if we can squeeze out a contact.
NQ Rosco.

[YZ250H]

What ever happened here - this thread seems to have run aground ( a bit like Mainlines Bike stand thread) 

[VMX247]

What ever happened here - this thread seems to have run aground ( a bit like Mainlines Bike stand thread) 

They all took off to the shed to design the new buete starter roller 
cheers

[GD66]

If you contact Murray West at [email protected] he will explain the two models he is producing with the grinder motor. They are breeding like rabbits in the classic roadrace pits...

[Lozza]

Here's a  run down.
9 in angle grinder
4 pillow block bearings
 2 boat rollers V/ concave shaped
Some shaft
a small and large sprockets and drive chain
some RHS steel
A 'normaly open' switch.
Approx cost $120 with a saturday afternoon of cutting/welding and machining
Put all together and you get something like this a 1 man operation

CLICK ON THIS

[TT5 Matt]

a cheep chainsaw could be the start for a set of track rollers on the design of CJ500 setup with the added advantage of the centrifical clutch and a good serve of twoey fumes for the two poke boys