Jump starting modern bikes

[makatya]

Will it cause any damage jump starting a ZX10R? I know that on some EMCs they can freak if you link another battery onto them. I have turned the bike over a few times but the alarm has drained her. Any clues?

[odyssey2200]

Normal rules apply for jump starting

Depending on location of battery it might be difficult to get both leads on the battery so put the neg on the frame or foot peg to help if required.

I have jump started a few of my bikes including the SP-1 which has Fuel Injection with no problems

[rumpelstiltskin]

Bumped my TL1000r more times than i care to mention during the times my alarm was draining the battery(got Hawker battery now,brilliant!)Im lucky i stayed on a steep hill,not so lucky when the sodding thing wouldn't cough into life at the bottom though!

[odyssey2200]

rumpelstiltskin said:

Bumped my TL1000r more times than i care to mention during the times my alarm was draining the battery(got Hawker battery now,brilliant!)Im lucky i stayed on a steep hill,not so lucky when the sodding thing wouldn't cough into life at the bottom though!

Bump starting a big V twin is a bastid isn't it?

[Carl-H]

Just bump it instead of jumping it. Put it in gear (probably 1st considering how long the gearing is) and push it along then let the clutch out

[odyssey2200]

Carl-H said:

Just bump it instead of jumping it. Put it in gear (probably 1st considering how long the gearing is) and push it along then let the clutch out

you are joking right?

I tried bumping a Honda Firestorm down a hill and all ot did was lock the rear wheel in any gear or any speed.

I doubt a big 4 will be any easier.

[Ordinary Bloke]

odyssey2200 said:

Carl-H said:

Just bump it instead of jumping it. Put it in gear (probably 1st considering how long the gearing is) and push it along then let the clutch out

you are joking right?

I tried bumping a Honda Firestorm down a hill and all ot did was lock the rear wheel in any gear or any speed.

I doubt a big 4 will be any easier.

Are you small

Anybody who can ride a 4, can bump start one. Run run run, then let out the clutch in 1st or 2nd as you jump on the seat. It get's you sweating though...

[D_T_W]

Ordinary Bloke said:

odyssey2200 said:

Carl-H said:

Just bump it instead of jumping it. Put it in gear (probably 1st considering how long the gearing is) and push it along then let the clutch out

you are joking right?

I tried bumping a Honda Firestorm down a hill and all ot did was lock the rear wheel in any gear or any speed.

I doubt a big 4 will be any easier.

Are you small

Anybody who can ride a 4, can bump start one. Run run run, then let out the clutch in 1st or 2nd as you jump on the seat. It get's you sweating though...

Trouble is, leathers and boots aren't really designed for running in, i could never get up enough speed for the damn thing to start

[odyssey2200]

D_T_W said:

Ordinary Bloke said:

odyssey2200 said:

Carl-H said:

Just bump it instead of jumping it. Put it in gear (probably 1st considering how long the gearing is) and push it along then let the clutch out

you are joking right?

I tried bumping a Honda Firestorm down a hill and all ot did was lock the rear wheel in any gear or any speed.

I doubt a big 4 will be any easier.

Are you small

Anybody who can ride a 4, can bump start one. Run run run, then let out the clutch in 1st or 2nd as you jump on the seat. It get's you sweating though...

Trouble is, leathers and boots aren't really designed for running in, i could never get up enough speed for the damn thing to start

Could you run and ballance a 1000cc bike at the same time?
Then jump on it, while it's moving, while still holding the clutch in and not drop the bike?

Could end in

[robstvr]

Run with the bike in neutral, then when at speed jump on, clutch in, first or second, clutch out. Ta-da!

Maybe...

[odyssey2200]

robstvr said:

Run with the bike in neutral, then when at speed jump on, clutch in, first or second, clutch out. Ta-da!

Maybe...

If its all the same, I'll let you show us how its done

[Ordinary Bloke]

I see yout point, maybe a 1000's not the place to practice your technique. I learned on a moped, after my mate's mate snapped my kickstart off! Worked my way up through a range of unreliable or difficult to start bikes, got an electric start on my 500 but the battery would go flat in the winter. Eventually, 600 and 750 fours before 'the accident'. But I have bump started 600 and 750's, wearing leathers and boots. And I'm not exactly superman...

How about buying a moped to practice bumpstarts

[odyssey2200]

The possiblility of losing ballance and dropping it away from me and ending up in a big heap would scare the st out of me TBH.

[Ordinary Bloke]

odyssey2200 said:

The possiblility of losing ballance and dropping it away from me and ending up in a big heap would scare the st out of me TBH.

Yup, I can understand that.

OK, either jump leads or why not just connect a battery charger and trickle charge it overnight? No, you won't damage the electronics, as long as you connect the right voltage the right way round.

[catso]

odyssey2200 said:

I tried bumping a Honda Firestorm down a hill and all ot did was lock the rear wheel in any gear or any speed.

I doubt a big 4 will be any easier.

An I4 is easier to bump than a twin, although I've only ever done it on a hill and TBH I've never actually tried it with a big twin (doubt the 916 would be easy to bump) but I've bumped a KTM 500 (single) motorcrosser a few times and there's no way I could have done it on my own on flat ground from cold - but it was a bastid to start at the best of times, plus it's light and doesn't matter too much if you drop it.

[Busamav]

I definitely wouldnt use first gear to bump a bike

[sprinter885]

robstvr said:

Run with the bike in neutral, then when at speed jump on, clutch in, first or second, clutch out. Ta-da!

Maybe...

..after first turning ignition on ! Oh & best wear all the protection too (JUST IN CASE) :

Used to bump my Beezer 650 Lightning occasionally (side-saddle get on too- just like Hailwood, Ivy etc) but not too sure how modern bikes take to it. Definitely 2nd gear as well I'd say.

[makatya]

Haven't got a prob with bump starting, just wondered if jump starting from another battery would screw the brains out the bike. Not the same thing but i know a mate that jump started his ford probe screwed the electronics in the Dizzy! Just don't want to damage the bike. Thanks for the input peeps.

Edited by makatya on Tuesday 25th March 21:04

[bean455]

Get an Optimate.£40 well spent.

[makatya]

bean455 said:

Get an Optimate.£40 well spent.

So do you have a fix a lead that hangs out the side of your bike to plug into? How does it work? Cheers.