What is "kick start"

n. 1 The metal bar on motorcycle that is used to start its engine. 2 The act of starting a motorcycle by quickly depressing the kick start with one's foot. 3 A fast or strong start; help with starting or beginning well. 4 An impetus that starts or restarts some process. vb. 1 (context transitive English) To start a motorcycle 2 (context transitive English) To start or begin strongly or quickly.

n. a starter (as on a motorcycle) that is activated with the foot and the weight of the body [syn: kick starter]

Kick Start is a best of album by English mod revival band The Lambrettas. It contains the hit singles " Poison Ivy", "Da-a-ance" and the band's first ever single "Go Steady", which until Kick Start had never been released on an album.

Kick Start was a popular series on BBC television inspired by motorcycle trials riding, a sport akin to horse show jumping, but on motorbikes. The programme was first aired in August 1979 and ran until 1988.

The programme was devised by Nick Brittan and produced by BBC Pebble Mill producer Derek Smith, who also created Top Gear.

The idea for Kick Start originated when the 1978 Lombard RAC Rally organiser, Nick Brittan, realised that top trials motorcyclists, competing over a hazardous track and obstacles, might make exciting television

Run against the clock, the show illustrated some of the skills needed in normal trials riding. In the Kick Start format, the riders went over obstacles such as piles of logs, oil drums, rockeries, water troughs, up a wall, up steep banking or a cliff-face and over a car ( VW Beetle). Penalties, in the form of time added to their round time, would be given for putting a foot on the ground while tackling an obstacle or touching or knocking over specified parts of an obstacle (such as the "bunny hop").

The show aired originally during the summer, filling the slot vacated by Nationwide. It was hosted by Dave Lee Travis. who deserted his own sport of drag racing to take part in the series.

The course for the three-part series was devised by trials rider Sammy Miller and constructed within the Donington Park Race Circuit. Later series filmed at Easton Neston near Towcester.

The knock-out competition had a modest first prize of £500.

For the following series, Travis was replaced by Peter Purves of Blue Peter fame. In later years, an offshoot programme, Junior Kick Start, was also screened. Of a similar theme, this programme was for younger contestants, notably Dougie Lampkin. Perhaps the best remembered incident from both versions of the programme was when a ten-year-old competitor in Junior Kick Start, Mark Scofield, fell from an obstacle into a ditch. Two volunteers from the St. John Ambulance attempted to help but themselves fell into the ditch in comical fashion; commentator Peter Purves had to apologise as he struggled to hold back laughing at the incident.

The courses and obstacles were designed to be slightly easier for the younger contestants in Junior Kick Start.

The other notable contestant to appear on the show is Jean-Pierre Goy, who later became a stunt motorcyclist, most notable for his stunt sequence for the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies.