I've noticed that most Sport-Utility ATV models with electric start have a
recoil backup starting system whereas most Sport ATVs with electric start do
not. I have personally never used one and cannot imagine pull-starting a large
displacement ATV.

Are they really necessary? Would you not buy an ATV (Like a Sportsman 700)
because it does not have one? When is the last time you used one?

 

I could start my Prairie 300 with it, but there is no way I can start the big v-twin on my Prairie 650. It is of no use to me.

 

2fat....does your Prairie have a compression release lever?

 

I have never tried to start my Rubicon with the rope, but my father-in-law said he started his Traxter and it was tough. He said it was hard and if the weather was very cold he might not have been able. I thing any chance to get it started if the battery goes dead is better than no chance. Maybe that is why Polaris doesn't put one on the 700 is because no one is big enough to start that large of engine with a rope!
[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

I ahd to use one last week. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]
g/f riding a POS polaris ( its about 5 years old, poorly maintained , and dead batter ) , it wasnt a trailblazer but i cant remember the exact name of it, it was a 325. I was really surprised how easy it was to pull, may it had some sort of autodecompression?? either that or that engine is seriously toast!

I think sport bikes do not have recoil starters for weight reasons and because you can "push it off". ( something i dont imagine you could do with a polaris )

 

I think back up kick starters would be a lot better then recoil starters. This way the rope can't snap on you when you try to start it and your legs are a lot stronger then your arms.

 

The one on my rancher works easy, never had to use it, but I intentionaly check it/start with it on occasion to make sure it's ready. Now for the grizz's recoil, that's a bear-no really [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] , when it was new and stiff there wasn't a chance in hell of me getting that 660cc fired up with the recoil. Anymore I'm just glad the grizz has a strong electric start, but I've fired it up a few times the trick is slowly turn it to half down the powerstroke then pull like hell to get it up to speed over the exhaust-intake-compress cycles and it might go.