Kick start slips when engine is hot.

I have noticed on my KZ650, when the engine is warmed up after I have riden a while, the kick start will not engage all the time. I sometimes need to use it as I have not yet replaced my starter clutch yet (this week I hope). It is hit and miss when hot, but works every time if engine is cold.

Check your clutch adjustment. Are you kicking with maybe your hand on the clutch lever? Roy

The kicker can't act much different hot or cold. The innards that fit inside the engine sit on a keyed plain bearing or plain surface. They engage 1st gear when the kicker is pushed backward by one-way splines engaging. There isn't enough play in the shaft to allow the splines to miss engaging I think. On the external side, there is a spring and inner spacer between the shaft and spring. To install the spring where it works, you have to FIRST push the the kicker down and then all the way clockwise, install the spring in its two holes; one in the engine case and the other the shaft and then slide the spacer in. I would check to see if the spring is located properly as that is the ONLY thing that would cause erratic operation of this mechanism that I can think of. Perhaps whoever installed the spring, didn't know how to install it properly.

If you take the outer kicker cover off, you will need to completely remove the bolt that retains the kicker. Once you have the four bolts off, you will likely have to do some prying to get this cover off as it has locating dowels and the gasket will probably tear. Have some gasket paper handy to cut a new gasket using the cover as a template.

I just went out and checked, and sure enough, the clutch will disengage the kick start. Could be, I had the clutch disengaged, I was sitting on the bike at the time. Sure was frustrating, wondering if I was going to get it to start.
Thanks