As it came from the factory, the cord would have been long enough. If it isn't, the proper thing to do would be to have a longer cord installed. We have all seen the guy that ties a piece of cord on to extend it and that may work too.

The starter rope can be located in one of three places.
On the engine where the rope exist the starter housing. If you have this type and have slack in the cord. You can simply pull out the excess plus two inches and retie the rope in the handle and cut off the excess.

On the handle where the top section and bottom section are fastened together. The ring can be located on the bolt/hole nearest the engine.

Third it can have a ring for the rope about midway between the dead man handle and where the top and bottom sections of the handle are joined.

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Pull the starter rope out all of the way and clamp a small pair of vise grips to the rope where it enters the starter housing. Then you can see how much excess rope you have. If it is about two feet longer than where the ring is located. Just place it in the ring and see how it works.

If the rope comes close to the ring. The rope may have broke at one time and the guy just retied the handle where it exited the housing.

With a dead man switch. 99% of starter ropes are located on the handle somewhere in easy reach of the switch.