Motorcycle Repair: slipping kick start, engine crankshaft, clutch lever

Question
my son has a rm 80 1985 and the kick start keeps on slipping i have had it a part but can not see nuthing wrong all teeth are good on gears can you help please?

Answer
Stephen, not really a Honda question, is it? Still, kickstarters are either driven directly through the gears to the clutch hub, driven through the transmission gears or through the clutch assembly. If the clutch is used as the pathway, then the clutch could be slipping, causing the disconnect between k/s and engine crankshaft.

Some designs allow for the kickstarter to work, when the clutch lever is pulled in and others do not. If it goes through the transmission, then you could have a stripped gear or spline in the transmission.

http://www.bikebandit.com/houseofmotorcycles/suzuki-motorcycle-rm80f-1985/o/m663...
for some illustrations of the parts.

Make sure the clutch is adjusted properly and that it isn't slipping when you ride it normally. If you can bump start the bike and the clutch is acting normally, then the problem is probably in the transmission gears. If the clutch is slipping, fix that first.

That is about all I can say about a non-Honda question.

Bill Silver