Motorcycle Repair: xl 175, honda manuals, clutch gear

Question
I just got a 1976 xl 175 from a guy for a case of beer. He thought it was seized I removed the side case and found the kick start shaft where the return spring hooks on jamned in the clutch gear. I wiggled the shaft and got it free. My problem is why does that shaft rotate so far forward, how do I get the shaft out to fix it. The motor turns over now but if you jump on the kick start it sticks straight down and tries to jam up.  Hope you can help. thanks.

Answer
Craig, the kickstarter has a pair of gears that ratchet one way and are supposed to release in the other direction. Sounds like they are jamming on the shaft, which could be bent or damaged from other causes.
There is a stopper in the case that keeps the gears from getting tangled up in the clutch primary and if the lever is released from the full down position, will fly up a few times, break the stop in the case and then the gears get damaged from being out of position.
You can find some microfiche photos on line at
http://www.powersportspro.com/partsfish/
If you need to replace the shaft, you will have to tear the whole motor down, to split the cases in order to get the shaft out.

I did just find a Honda bulletin on positioning the "retainer claw" on the shaft to prevent the gears binding up. There is a punch mark on the shaft and the outer retainer claw ( O- ) flat surface should line up with the punch mark during assembly at a three o'clock position. Bulletin is XL175#2 from the Honda manuals.

Bill Silver