cl350 Kick Start Issue

[jqdp]

Quick question for you guys tonight. Ive got a 69' cl350 with a kickstarter issue. When the bike was together, I'd give her a good solid kick and once in a blue moon the kick-starter gears would not catch and I'd come close to hyper-extending my knee. I have the kick starter out of the case and the teeth look perfect. Now that I can see the motion that the kick starter goes through i realize that the teeth sometimes miss-align, and never engage on that stroke. My gut wants to say that both Kick-starter springs have lost their spring (#2 and 4 in the diagram below).

I just wanted to confirm my purchase before i flop another 20$'s down.

 

[montessa172]

Just an observation, I usually engage the gears by using the kicker to slowly turn the engine over to a (just before) compression stroke before I get into it. Might your issue be technique?

 

[jqdp]

I just ordered the springs last night from fleabay. If the springs don't resolve it, I'm thinking of filing down the gears a tad to make them have a lil more of edge so they can "grip" a bit better when engaging. I will however try using the compression stroke as a start from now on.