How to Install a Kick Starter on an Electric Start Suzuki DR350

I take you step by step through the installation of a kick starter in an electric start Suzuki DR350SE and show all the parts needed. The parts and procedure are the same on DR250 and DRZ250. There are many kits available to add a kickstarter to a DRZ400 and the installation would be the basically the same but the orientation of the parts are different (and the kits come with a decompression lever that would need to be installed).
Skip ahead to minute 10:25 for the internal installation.
Here is what I paid:
Lever $30 (Used-Ebay)
Shaft $43 (Used-Ebay)
Parts $52 (New-Webike-Japan)
Bolts $4 (New-Tractor Supply)
Total $129
(All prices include shipping and were rounded up to the next dollar)
Here is a list of all the parts needed with part numbers.
It is cheaper if you can get some of the parts used - although the kick start lever is no longer available new.
1. SHAFT
26211-14D03
2. SPRING GUIDE
26221-22A00
3. SPRING
09448-50001
4. KICKSTART RATCHET
26231-14D21
5. SPRING
09440-32002
6. WASHER
09181-17167
7. GUIDE
26232-14500
8. STOPPER
26233-14500
9. BOLT, (2 NEEDED)
07130-0612A
10. OIL SEAL
09283-20044
11. GEAR
26240-14D20
12. WASHER
09181-22139
13. WASHER
09181-22251
14. CIRCLIP
09380-22006
15. KICK STARTER LEVER (NOT AVAILABLE NEW)
26300-14D11
16. COVER, KICK LEVER (NOT NEEDED)
26312-14D00
17. BOLT
09106-08102
30. KICK IDLE GEAR
26261-14D10
31. IDLE GEAR BUSHING
26262-14D00
You can find schematics and part numbers at the Adept Motorsports website here:
You need everything on this page:
www.adeptpowersports.com/oem-...
And parts 30 and 31 on this page:
www.adeptpowersports.com/oem-...

[@Sam-xt5gb]

Dude, what a coincidence. I literally installed a kickstart onto my '99 dr350se last year with the intention of making a video. I recorded everything but never got around to editing and it got lost in my project list. This is a much better video than mine would be, and I applaud you for the effort and quality. Even tho the dr350 crowd isn't as big as the other guys, I love our community. Thanks man!

[@umpquaoutdoors]

Glad you liked it. DR 350's are still great bikes even if they are well over 20 years old.

[@TheRuralOnes]

Thank you for taking the time to make this video! I’m grabbing parts for my 1997 and subscribing! Thank you sir!

[@TonyMontana-lh5bp]

Thanks for making this video! I was just starting to source the parts and I came across your video. Well done.

[@elcucuy13496]

Woah man, this is the EXACT video i was looking for... With parts, numbers and everything...You are amazing!!!! I love the DR-Community

[@cow7boy]

Awesome video! I don't have a DR350 but I'm in the market for a used one in good condition and I've been watching as many DR350 videos on KZbin as I can. This is one of the best so far. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Keep up the good work.

[@bobwilson5325]

Excellent tutorial. Thank you.

[@carlparcesepe246]

Awesome detailed video. Thank you. I have to try and find a kit.

[@cobramatt1]

Great Video!!!

[@user-by4ul2xr7w]

Merci beaucoup pour ce tutoriel. Opération réalisée avec succès grâce à vous.

[@fknfreddy5625]

Good job on that mod sir. 👍

[@ShaneZettelmier]

Good video 👍🏼

[@everydaybiker]

Nice one, thanks

[@peterkiss7875]

Hi Nice Video! I have the bike and i think about, to do the same. ( Install a kicker). You explain very well, so its look so easy. Thank you! Nice greats from Germany.

[@sunshinestatestroller1239]

Great video. I’m thinking of doing this to my dr250. I think all the parts would be the same.

[@umpquaoutdoors]

Yes the parts are the same with DR250 DR350 and DRZ250. I've heard they also work in DRZ400 but I can't confirm this (and it is a liquid cooled engine)

[@henrylindall-wi8ik]

Yeah I like the video very informative I'm having problems with my starter I have a 96 dr350 I need to change the idler gear for the electric start you ain't got a video like that do you know how to change that gear I want to put a kick-start gear setup like you just did that'll never let you down in the woods even if your battery dies or whatever you can kick it and get home do you know of any videos showing the installation of that idler gear in there for the electric start I think mine's wore out and I need to put a new starter on cool video nice job

[@noautojules9294]

My kickstarter is kind of lose any tips on how to specifically to put on the spring for it .

[@elcucuy13496]

Where do you find all the torque-specs for the bolts??

[@hendersonhandmadeironwoodc8881]

Really enjoying the content you provide on this channel,definetly got my sub...I just completed this install on my 98 350se and the kicker arm is hitting the brake lever on the way down and not able to return,did you have to tweak yours any at all to make it work?...I'm thinking I will need to heat and bend mine just a little bit.

[@hendersonhandmadeironwoodc8881]

Merry Christmas 🎅 🎄

[@umpquaoutdoors]

Merry Christmas to you too. No, I don't have any clearance problems. There is an inch or more space between the kick lever and the brake lever. Is your lever from a DR250? Early models of DR250 (1982 through about 1990) had a different motor and a different lever. I believe they had just a single curve to them instead of an "S" type curve of the 1990 and up. But if it fits on the shaft, I would definitely try heating it and bending. If you can't return it you don't have anything to lose. Good luck!

[@hendersonhandmadeironwoodc8881]

@Umpqua Outdoors Thank You,yes the kicker arm is off of a 250 but not sure what year,however I did end up bending the lever and also grinding the back side of the lower swivel section of the kicker arm and it worked out great so now I have the piece of mind of hopefully not getting stranded out in the woods somewhere alone,thanks for the quick response as well and looking forward to your next video. Have a good one

[@kennymeinor4894]

What about the compression release lever that dirt models with kicker stock have ?

[@umpquaoutdoors]

Hi Kenny. Electric start DR350's have "Auto Decompression" so they don't need the lever for kickstarting. If you want a lever, I believe you would have to change the head, cam and valve cover (and of coarse get the lever and cable). And then I don't know how your electric starter would work (probably wouldn't). Since the kickstarter (for me) is just a backup in case my starter or battery goes out during a ride, I want my electric start to work good. To kick start my bike I slowly push down the kick lever till I feel the resistance of compression, then go just past it (I believe that is when the compression lever of a kick start model would click off). Then raise the lever to the top and kick it to start. 👍

[@elblitzb]

AWSOME!! anybody know if this miracle is possible for a dr650 2016? I never trust 100% on an electric starter

[@umpquaoutdoors]

As far as I've heard it isn't possible. 95 and older DR650 had kick start. 96 and newer DR650SE you are stuck with electric start only.

[@backstreetzero2019]

Hi, thanks for the video, very useful, do you happen to know if the Drz kits would fit the DR350 they seem way cheaper/easier to find? Thanks

[@umpquaoutdoors]

Parts from a DRZ250 work but I don't think there are any kits for them. The DRZ400 it a water cooled engine and the kick starter is configured totally different. The parts for DR350 DO NOT cross reference over to the DRZ400. However when looking at pictures of the kits, the gears and and other internal parts look identical and it wouldn't be the first time a manufacturer changed the part number on an identical part for a different bike. But whether they are the same or not I don't know.

[@backstreetzero2019]

@@umpquaoutdoors thanks for the detailed reply - much appreciated 👍. Subbed

[@jjt.1502]

I have a 90’ DR350S, it only has a kick start. Does anyone know if I can convert it to an SE ? Or a video referring to it please and thank you.

[@TKettle]

No you can't. Too much of the engine is different. By the time you swapped over all the parts you would basically have a new engine. You could buy an SE motor though and add your kick lever to it.

[@josephvespaz]

Do you know what specific years of dr250 / dr350’s would work as donors?

[@DR350Rider1]

Any year DR350 1990-1999. DR250 from 1989-1999 and any year DR-Z 250. Just stay away from DR250's before 1989, they had a totally different motor. I would be wary of 1989 DR250's as that was a transition year and possibly had some old models in there. I guess the rule would be if the bike looks like a DR350 it has the right motor, the older DR250's looked different.

[@bradmiller5189]

Hey there, off topic question but what size rear tire are you running? I just picked up a dr350se and got new tires and the rear is a 4.10-18 but it seems small for some reason. Thank you.

[@umpquaoutdoors]

Hey Brad, I am running a 5.10-18. I also run a 130/90-18 knobby at times. The stock tire is a 110/90-18 (metric) which is 4.10 - 4.25-18 in inch sizes.

[@bradmiller5189]

@@umpquaoutdoors Thank you for the reply, got them on and I am looking to add a kickstarter now!

[@TheAmadeus75]

Nice Video SIR! Is it possible to insert a E-Starter to a dr350s ?

[@umpquaoutdoors]

It's not really possible to add electric start to a kick start bike. You would have to get an e-start motor (and then use the parts from your kick start motor to add the kick starter to the newer motor if you want both)

[@AzPauly]

Question for you.. did the install, now clutch seems like it's not fully releasing despite cable adjustments (impossible to get neutral)..do you think I may of over torqued the clutch basket- I went on the high side of 48ip on a cheap harbor freight wrench...

[@DR350Rider1]

Yea, common problem with th DR. You need to leave the center nut almost loose. The fix for this is to take a little bit of aluminum off the back side of the clutch basket with a belt sander or something. I did this to mine when I had it apart because I always had that problem before I did this. Google it and you should be able to find some info on doing it.

[@AzPauly]

@@DR350Rider1 thanks for the info, I'll look into it..

[@umpquaoutdoors]

@@AzPauly Also there are 2 thrust washers on each side of the basket and they wear and make the problem even worse. If they are grooved they should be replaced (or they can be flipped over once). I had already flipped mine over once before so I replaced mine while I had it open. I think the part number I got was 08211-20363.

[@AzPauly]

@@umpquaoutdoors Thank you, my bike only has 4k on it.., had it apart to install the kick start, now it's not fully releasing and is hard to find neutral-it was always a little tricky but definitely worse now...not super excited to take it apart again, maybe in a few months when it's cooler here in Phoenix..

[@Mrfollowill]

Awesome Video!!!! where can I find the part Numbers?

[@umpquaoutdoors]

I used the Adept Motorsports website to look up the part numbers. You need everything on this page: www.adeptpowersports.com/oem-parts/1997-suzuki-dr350-kick-starter-assembly.html And parts 30 and 31 on this page: www.adeptpowersports.com/oem-parts/1997-suzuki-dr350-transmission-assembly.html

[@AzPauly]

I picked up a donor DR250 to do this conversion to my DR350SE..Did you use blue or red locktight (and or is there a hi temp locktight I should look for) on the internal fasteners? Also, did you use any sealant on the cover gasket or just clean and dry? Thank you so much for posting this video!

[@umpquaoutdoors]

I think I used red only because that's what I had at the time. As for the gasket, I used a new gasket and put it on dry.

[@AzPauly]

@@umpquaoutdoors Did the install today, thanks again for posting-a terrific help!

[@stevehernandez20]

93 Dr 350 owner. Kick only. Is it possible to install an electric starter?

[@umpquaoutdoors]

Possible, yes. But it would probably be cheaper to sell your bike and buy an electric start bike. E-start motors use a different case so you would pretty much have to buy an e-start motor and wiring, bigger battery, CDI, different intake manifold, airboot and carburetor.. There are a few relay/sensors involved. It wouldn't be cheap or easy.

[@sookasians2871984]

Hi can you please post all part numbers .

[@umpquaoutdoors]

I have listed all parts and part numbers in the description. You would probably want a new side cover gasket also.

[@Atari490.]

What ? I thought that's where the lever comes in and that's all... No, then I won't do that