cooperplace wrote:The problem is, with the dial gauge probe in the cylinder, the piston comes up, hits the probe, and locks the engine solid. Reasonably large amounts of force, thru the kick-starter, won't move it. So I don't know if it's at TDC.
you will find it very difficult to get to exactly TDC by using the kick starter. put the bike in high gear, rotate the rear wheel or depending on how you have your degree wheel bolted to the crank use a wrench on the bolt and rotate the crank directly.