View Full Version : Crash/push start - How?
Ok so I have never had to do it, but what do you know, this morning the battery sounded rather flat and dieing. I dont have a battery charger but I do have some large hills in northland which I am on one. How do I crash start? Is it... Ignition on, Clutch in, 1st gear, Rolling, clutch out?
The Pastor
11th June 2007, 16:34
wack the bike into 2nd or 3rd hold the clutch in and sit on it and get someone to push you when you get up enough speed dump the clutch.
EASY!
Cajun
11th June 2007, 16:36
what renegade master said
use 2nd than 1st, wait until you are doing turn key on go down hill, with clutch in, and wait until you are doing 20km/h or so dump the clutch and hopeful bike will start, (remember to be ready to pull that clutch back in.
slinky
11th June 2007, 16:38
wack the bike into 2nd or 3rd hold the clutch in and sit on it and get someone to push you when you get up enough speed dump the clutch.
EASY!
wat he said.
ignition on and be in 2nd or 3rd - NOT 1st.
u won't need a push cus u gotta hill tho! n if your wondering how much speed to get up... not much.
God, I hope this is gonna work, our its a long way back up the top :P
The Pastor
11th June 2007, 16:47
I think somone said somthing about bikes being hard to push start with the clutch in? Kawasakis have some cool clutch thing that makes push starting with the clutch in easy but other bikes you have to put into neutral and then wack into gear when up to speed
Spyke
11th June 2007, 19:13
I think somone said somthing about bikes being hard to push start with the clutch in? Kawasakis have some cool clutch thing that makes push starting with the clutch in easy but other bikes you have to put into neutral and then wack into gear when up to speed
ive found that if you cant get it into the right gear while you've got the clutch in and not moving, rock the bike backwards and forwards as you change to the right gear. this makes the gears mesh together easier.
but please correct me if im wrong.
xwhatsit
11th June 2007, 22:24
I find it perfectly fine using the clutch push starting, no hill involved. I have to do it about 50/50 with kickstarting, so I have to do it even on the flat. Clutch should be fine unless it's about 5 degrees outside (in which case the oil doesn't seem to want to let the clutch move) or the clutch isn't adjusted correctly.
I do it in first gear, as my bike needs high revs before it'll fire, and it's OK -- should be even easier on a four cylinder bike. The only thing you have to do (at least on a single), is put the bike in gear first, then roll it backwards until it stops and goes hard. This turns the engine backwards until it's at compression, so it won't lock the rear wheel when you dump the clutch.
Another thing to do is to stand on the pegs (assuming you're going down the hill), then when you dump the clutch, bang your arse down onto the seat. This also puts weight on the rear wheel to stop the engine from locking.
All of this should be way easier with a four-banger, singles are just a bitch to get underway.
gijoe1313
11th June 2007, 22:29
Aha! I wondered when Xerxes would rear his head! He is the master of the running bump start. I am always fascinated and amazed every time I see him perform this complicated, dark art. :yes: :scooter: :chase:
Shadows
11th June 2007, 23:14
Another thing to do is to stand on the pegs (assuming you're going down the hill), then when you dump the clutch, bang your arse down onto the seat. This also puts weight on the rear wheel to stop the engine from locking.
Yep, commonly referred to as a bump start, rather than a crash start (and "crash" just sounds wrong anyway).
Bumping at just the right moment compresses the rear shock providing the rear tyre more positive contact with the road, which is much more effective than just sitting on the bike and dumping the clutch when up to speed. The latter will more often then not result in the rear wheel skidding and the engine not turning over.
Waylander
11th June 2007, 23:19
Had to do it with my bike for the last couple months so.. yea....
No one else seems to have mentioned this but you have to hit the startbutton as you dump the clutch.
scumdog
11th June 2007, 23:53
Hmmmm.......
scumdog
11th June 2007, 23:55
My XL350 did it best in 3rd - and no risk of 'skidding' the rear tyre, - and it never had a 'start' button.
Shadows
11th June 2007, 23:57
No one else seems to have mentioned this but you have to hit the startbutton as you dump the clutch.
I've never had to do that. What for?
Had to do it with my bike for the last couple months so.. yea....
No one else seems to have mentioned this but you have to hit the startbutton as you dump the clutch.
No. That would be like having to turn the key at just the right moment when trying to push start a car.
There is no reason to push the starter button. The whole point of bump starting is making the bike turn the engine, not the starter motor.
Make sure the kill switch isnt on though :P
Waylander
12th June 2007, 00:12
Odd that my bike would never start unless I did hit the starter then.
scumdog
12th June 2007, 00:24
Odd that my bike would never start unless I did hit the starter then.
IF your battery is not completely flat it MAY help turn the engine over if you hit the button as you try to 'bump' start the bike.
Otherwise no help at all.
Kornholio
12th June 2007, 00:35
Just run along side with key on and in neutral then jump aboard and when your weight hits the seat ram it into first...watch out you dont give it too many revs when you get it started tho...............
Waylander
12th June 2007, 06:18
IF your battery is not completely flat it MAY help turn the engine over if you hit the button as you try to 'bump' start the bike.
Otherwise no help at all.
Might be it ince it was my starter clutch that was buggered, not the battery.
Well my missis got home round 6pm and I surpised her with the old "Honey, ya wanna help me with the bike? I needed her help pushing my bike up our walk-way (We live in Welly, down beside the road so I had to push the bike up the walking path) Once onto the road I pushes it up a bit further, so if I did get it going it would be whilst riding past my missis and she would see how much of a 'bad ass biker dude' I am for starting it without the battery.
So thus began a furious 'duck like' walk, holding in the clutch in 1st (wouldn't change to 2nd for some reason) dumped the clutch, hit the starter for good measure and....
cough, cough, splutter splutter, Vrooom!!!! It was alive! Was kind of like being reunited with an old friend. Anyway took it for a ride out to the Hutt and back. And this morning, started without fault.
Im so happy.
Paul in NZ
12th June 2007, 09:20
Couple of points of caution and advice...
A competent motorcyclist should be able to bump start their own bike by running along side and jumping on side saddle etc etc - If I can do it to a fully laden Moto Guzzi at 2 am in the pissing rain you can do it to anything... Have a go - it may just save your arse...
A thoughtful motorcyclist would think twice about doing it because some ECU's don't like it (for some reason - it varies)
A competent and thoughtful motorcyclist would never need to do this because the battery would be kept in good condition. You bike needs a healthy battery and they are not overly expensive or difficult to test...
Cynos
14th June 2007, 14:10
I think somone said somthing about bikes being hard to push start with the clutch in? Kawasakis have some cool clutch thing that makes push starting with the clutch in easy but other bikes you have to put into neutral and then wack into gear when up to speed
Not my bloody Kawasaki.
Freakshow
14th June 2007, 14:57
A quick note to add is when you drop the clutch make sure it is the gear you want. It is really annoying running jumping on the bike and droping the clutch to realise it is still in nuteral... Cos then you have to do it all again!
Paul in NZ
14th June 2007, 15:01
And if it's a twin or a single - put it in gear and pull it backwards against compression first. It gives the engine a chance to spin some momentum up and help you.
quickbuck
16th June 2007, 18:10
Couple of points of caution and advice...
A competent motorcyclist should be able to bump start their own bike by running along side and jumping on side saddle etc etc - If I can do it to a fully laden Moto Guzzi at 2 am in the pissing rain you can do it to anything... Have a go - it may just save your arse...
A thoughtful motorcyclist would think twice about doing it because some ECU's don't like it (for some reason - it varies)
A competent and thoughtful motorcyclist would never need to do this because the battery would be kept in good condition. You bike needs a healthy battery and they are not overly expensive or difficult to test...
Good points there.
Also running around on a bike with a flat battery will send you to the shop to buy a new regulator/ Rectifier as well as a barrtey.
Not nice to the wallet at all.
stelartia
16th June 2007, 20:31
make sure you give it a good run once youve got it goin. last ime i had to crash start my bike is was the spark plug more than the battery. then it was the choke depressor stuck slightly out.
*sigh*
dramas
Make sure your kill switch isn't pressed in, as I found out to my cost last time I tried a bump start.
Used to bump start my mini pushing in a flat car park by myself as was able to push, jump in and away so bikes are a piece of piss after that (and no bastard kill switches)
swbarnett
16th June 2007, 23:09
God, I hope this is gonna work, our its a long way back up the top :P
You want to try pushing an old (heavy) CB250 a kay or two up a steep road when I ran out of petrol on the AK harbour bridge :doh:. Took me a couple of hours (not to fit at the time but knew there was petrol on Ponsonby Rd).
Dadpole
16th June 2007, 23:31
One last tip. When bump starting a big bike (GSX1100) do NOT jump on sidesaddle so enthusiastically that when the engine fires, you are falling backwards off the bike.
I did not do this and there was not a large crowd watching.
Squiggles
16th June 2007, 23:56
with the real light on the rear bikes (such as GN's) have to drop ya wait onto the rear as ya let the clutch out, else rear'll lock (if the bikes being a bastard that is, otherwise she'll splutter into life easy)
NighthawkNZ
17th June 2007, 00:03
On my XJ if my battery was too flat that it couldn't start the lights on the dash then you could crash start it. :doh: something to do with the electronic ignition...
It was also easier to crash start in 3rd or 4th. but yeah basically what they said... but before you do, check yah kill switch :slap: cause the guys pushing yah will only do it a couple times before they are outta puff... ;)
Waylander
17th June 2007, 02:14
You want to try pushing an old (heavy) CB250 a kay or two up a steep road when I ran out of petrol on the AK harbour bridge :doh:. Took me a couple of hours (not to fit at the time but knew there was petrol on Ponsonby Rd).
Dude try pushing a VMax uphill when you run out of gas.
Crasherfromwayback
17th June 2007, 08:25
Just run along side with key on and in neutral then jump aboard and when your weight hits the seat ram it into first...watch out you dont give it too many revs when you get it started tho...............
Definately not 1st gear. The higher the gear, the less chance of simply having the back wheel lock when you dump the clutch.
holding in the clutch in 1st (wouldn't change to 2nd for some reason)
Im so happy.
Kawasaki's are fitted with a 'positive neutral finder'. It's a ball and ramp system that stops second gear being selected until you've reached a certain road speed. Supposed to 'help' you find neutral when at a stop when coming up out of first. Congrats on doing your first bump start without ending up lying on top of your bike!
A thoughtful motorcyclist would think twice about doing it because some ECU's don't like it (for some reason - it varies)
It should be fine if there's some sort of life in the battery Paul......it's jump starting with 'jumper leads' you've gotta be careful with. You can give the ECU a rather nasty 'spike' and f*ck it.
Also running around on a bike with a flat battery will send you to the shop to buy a new regulator/ Rectifier as well as a barrtey.
.
Shouldn't do mate. The reg/rec only dictates what sort of charge the batt gets.
Paul in NZ
17th June 2007, 10:29
Shouldn't do mate. The reg/rec only dictates what sort of charge the batt gets.
I think he means if the battery is rooted the system can try and dump full charge over a long time which aint good... Point is - a new battery costs bugger all and can save a lot of trouble...
Crasherfromwayback
17th June 2007, 11:37
I think he means if the battery is rooted the system can try and dump full charge over a long time which aint good... Point is - a new battery costs bugger all and can save a lot of trouble...
Granted! I took it that seeing as it seems to have come up on charge and retained it...it may (the batt) be ok....but was simply 'flat'. So I kinda meant riding your bike with a flat battery will do the reg/rec no harm.
You're obviously far too familiar with batt woes being a Guzzi rider!:innocent:
Sketchy_Racer
17th June 2007, 11:50
i find if there is enough juice to turn the motor, still hit the starter. It aids the motor to begin turning over, so stops the wheel from just skidding as you drop the clutch.
Trust me, im a master crash starter.. (looooots of experience)
Paul in NZ
17th June 2007, 11:52
You're obviously far too familiar with batt woes being a Guzzi rider!:innocent:
Its got a truck battery to run it! Honestly - it's bigger than the one in the starlet!
Madness
17th June 2007, 11:54
Take it from me that if you live on the flat & own a ZZR1100 with a dead battery, you should not waste any time in buying a new battery.
Serious helath risks involved in bump starting something that heavy, especially if you accidentally have the kill switch in the wrong position on the first run.
swbarnett
17th June 2007, 12:21
Dude try pushing a VMax uphill when you run out of gas.
Agreed my 250 probably wasn't the heaviest. Imagine trying to move a GoldWing!
Kornholio
17th June 2007, 15:51
Definately not 1st gear. The higher the gear, the less chance of simply having the back wheel lock when you dump the clutch.
What clutch...I just land on the gear lever when my bum hits the seat and BLAMMO...shes away
One last tip. When bump starting a big bike (GSX1100) do NOT jump on sidesaddle so enthusiastically that when the engine fires, you are falling backwards off the bike.
I did not do this and there was not a large crowd watching.
Ha! Ace.
(hmm, message too short. Must play for time ...)
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