ATC250r Massive kickback when starting

[jerricho1422]

Hello all! I just purchased a 1985 Honda ATC250r. As you can imagine, it has some issues. When I got it home, I noticed an ankle breaking kickback when trying to kick it over. Surely this isn't normal? I have already been inside the case and most everything looks good. The stator has seen better days (water in the case), but I don't believe it to be the culprit. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know. Thanks, Jerricho

[toyvette81]

does it do it every time? my 350x gets me a couple times a week, it may have high compressio and i hear you, it sure is ankle breaking, it usually ruins my riding time for about an hour

[hrc85250r]

sometimes my R will backfire but it didnt before i advanced my timing 3 degrees with the hinson bearing holder....that backfire can ruin your day if you are a pussy about it...just get you foot positioned on the kick lever, jump up and slam all you weight down until your left foot lands on the footpeg...she will fire right up no prob...

[toyvette81]

yeah mine almost kicks my knee into my chin lol

[BigGreenMachine]

lol my T3 does it every now and again. ruined my week lol. now i wear my MX boots all the time and it doesnt hurt when she kicks me.

[jerricho1422]

Hey guys, I appreciate all of the replies. When I first brought the beast home, i kicked until I couldn't kick anymore. I also hit my knee on the handle bar which caused me to limp for a week. My friend almost broke his big toe trying. It made for a hilarious show with all of the cussing and laughing. I may look into some decent boots. Thanks, Jerricho

[hotroddal]

same thing happens to me after i rebuilt the engine in my 84 R, not all the time it does it, but a few times a have cracked my knee right into the handlebars, its quite funny when it happens i think.

[TeamGeek6]

The stator has seen better days (water in the case), but I don't believe it to be the culprit.

Right, water in the stator wont do that, but it can ruin the left crankshaft seal. Ive varied the timing on a stock 250R quite a bit both sides of stock and it doesnt kick back. Its got ignition problems. They didnt do that new, and mine doesnt do that since the ignition system was rebuilt.

Hang a timing light (automotive type powered from a car battery or battery charger) and check the timing, the "F" mark should line up with the index mark in the case. Thats 19*.
Or:

a.) pulse coil wired backwards, thatll put it way out of time, the bottom wire (Blu/Grn) is ground.

b.) flywheel key sheared. Pull the spark plug, put the spark plug in the hole upside down for a rough TDC indicator and turn the flywheel till the spark plug rises then starts to fall - thats TDC. Then see if the "F" mark on the rotor and the index mark in the case behind it line up. If not, the key is sheared.

c.) Rust in the pickup coil magnet or incorrect gap. Gap changes timing a little. Gap should be 0.016" but itll run at anything up to 1/4"

d.) bad wiring, this is very common. Disconnect and reconnect the CDI plugs several times and restart it, see if the problem goes away.

Crank seal - remove the stator and aluminum plate is bolts to and look for rust on the crank near the seal. Doesnt take much to ruin that seal.