Can’t even find a kick starter motorcycle anymore.
The hand crank was not an unmixed blessing.
The engine has to be tuned correctly for this method to work. In the very old automobiles, there was a manual spark adjustment, a hand-controlled throttle, and an external choke access. If the spark was too far advanced, for example, the cylinder would fire before top dead center, causing a nasty kick-back on the crank, and if the person was trying to start the engine by “spinning” the crank, with both hands on the end of the crank, it was a guaranteed broken shoulder or wrist. The ends of the bones of the forearm would break just above the wrist, the “Model T wrist”. The proper technique was to wrap the fingers only over the end of the crank, squatting on the left side braced against the front fender, and PULLING the crank over the top. That way, if the engine does fire prematurely, the crank is snatched out of the curled fingers, and doesn’t take the rest of you with it.
But the system would work at below-freezing temperatures.
Easier was parking at the top of a slope, nudging the vehicle forward, with the clutch depressed, then popping the clutch quickly to turn the engine over, then disengaging it just as quickly to make sure the motor is running smoothly, then you can simply drive away.
But apparently you can’t do that any more.
You ever use a hand crank starter? I about had my arm pulled off trying to start my dad’s tractor when it kicked back on me. Not a pleasant experience. Luckily I just dislocated my shoulder.
Its been a few years, but I drove a Model A to high school and helped Dad farm with a Massey Harris Challenger and a Massey Harris 44. The Model A and the 44 had electric starters, but the new battery always went to the family car, a 48 Ford. Next it went to the 44. Last to the Model A. Eventually the 44 starter didn’t always do the job. The Challenger had no battery. That meant a lot of hand cranking. Don’t ever remember having a kick on any of these engines. There were no stories of Dad or my older two brothers having broken arms or dislocated shoulders. I suspect people that had those problems failed to adjust the spark and choke properly for starting.
Many years ago, I bought a 1952 Lincoln SA200 welder with a magneto and a hand crank starter on the V4D Wisconsin engine.
As the seller was showing me how to start it, he warned me that it sometimes kicked back and sure enough it did. He also added that his brother had 2 teeth knocked cranking a combine with the same engine.
I bought an flywheel and starter for it soon after. I never broke anything but it sure hurt when it slapped you with the pointy end of the crank or tried to jerk it out of my hands.