Push starting the bike

[TheAxeman]

This past weekend GEEZER and I rode in the Rhodyrally and had the opportunity to exchange tips, tricks, and ideas regarding many different things....one of them being functions of the GPS. At one point after playing with the GPS's we went into the house to get our **** together before our departure. Of course by the time we came out, GEEZER's battery was completely discharged which at the time seemed pretty funny until I realized that mine was also. I think the neighbors got a kick out of watching 2 grown men running down the street pushing motorcycles and probably got even a bigger kick out of watching them take off suddenly after they fired up....Anybody else have the pleasure of jumping their bike yet? Note to self: Avoid engaging throttle upon start up. :blink:

 

[tstaff]

This past weekend GEEZER and I rode in the Rhodyrally and had the opportunity to exchange tips, tricks, and ideas regarding many different things....one of them being functions of the GPS. At one point after playing with the GPS's we went into the house to get our **** together before our departure. Of course by the time we came out, GEEZER's battery was completely discharged which at the time seemed pretty funny until I realized that mine was also. I think the neighbors got a kick out of watching 2 grown men running down the street pushing motorcycles and probably got even a bigger kick out of watching them take off suddenly after they fired up....Anybody else have the pleasure of jumping their bike yet? Note to self: Avoid engaging throttle upon start up. :blink:

So how long do you have to play with a gps to run your battery dead? :dntknw:

 

[vectervp1]

Only had to do it once, and that was only a few weeks back. Same basic thing, only it was with my CBR. Went out to bike ready to leave, turned the ignition key on, started b/s'ing for a while (like 30-45 min) and when I went to fire it up all I got was the click of the relay. Went home and put the battery on the trickle charger overnight.

 

[TheAxeman]

Actually it probably wasn't just the GPS's being on but we had the ignition on also meaning the other electronics and the parking lights probably drained them. We were probably only inside for about 45 minutes or so.

 

[radman]

Haven't had to yet. Whenever I'm playing with stuff that needs key on, I have the charger running. I realize this isn't always possible-but draining the battery to zero or close to it should be avoided at all cost-nothing is harder on a starting battery than a dump and fill, not to mention what it does to an already marginal stator. If one has gotta screw around sans charger, light off the engine.

 

[Nice Rumble]

Murphy's Law. One more reason to carry a set of motorcycle specific jumper cables. Cheap insurance.

 

[Geezer]

Funny thing, I am normally very careful about using the electrics without the engine running. Guess we were just having too much fun reminiscing about the rally and I wasn't paying enough attention to what I was doing.

The batteries were down low enough that the starter would not even try to spin. My X50 radar detector was on and set to read voltage. As soon as we stepped outside I heard the speakers in my helmet screaming the low voltage warning. We discussed what to do next time, in case we hadn't learned our lesson, and we both agreed to buy a compact battery charger like the Battery Tender Jr. and carry it with us.

 

[Tim05fjr]

This is the reason I have my GPS set up to plug into a lighter socket I installed in the right side pannell. It is wired to have power all the time. This way I could play with the GPS all I want and not have to leave to key on. All my other powered goodies are relayed to engine on only power. ( spliced into Headlamp circut) This way they will only run and draw power if the engine is running.( unless engine stalls or is turned off with stop switch )

Tim

 

[Bounce]

Murphy's Law. One more reason to carry a set of motorcycle specific jumper cables. Cheap insurance.

better yet, wire the gps to unswitched power. not only do you avoid additional loads when playing with the gps, but you can maintain a more accurate total avg speed by leaving the clock ticking when shutting the bike down for refueling, etc.

 

[ionbeam]

Last fall, VT, late Sunday afternoon – last town 10 miles back, next town 20 miles ahead. Came out to my FJR to find the key had been on for nearly 2 hrs. Always expecting miracles I pushed the starter button and got one CLICK, one click only. I attempted to recharge the battery with a hot torrent of expletives but no joy. Murphy was on the job at the time to ensure my FJR was in a loose gravel parking lot at the bottom of a steep gravel driveway. Ever tried to solo push a porky FJR up a gravel hill in a tacking pattern by yourself? PUFF, WHEEZE, PANT.

I finally crested the driveway to find the only flat stretch of road in VT. After a long assessment I determined that to the right the road dropped a precipitous 1 inch per 100 yards and declared it a hill. Snick into second gear and push baby push, pop the clutch and…. some ahole turned the ignition key off this time! Once again push & pop. The engine started! Oops, I stalled it. Push/pop and suddenly vroom, it lives!!! The Electrosport then went to work and within 20 minutes of cruising the battery was full of electrons again.

I do have a battery tender SAE plug connected to the battery but couldn’t find any volt source to plug it into, in that place, at that time. The last thing I wanted to do was to aim my FJR back down the gravel driveway and have only one chance to start the engine. There were long, long odds of that working and I wasn't going to risk having to push my FJR back up the hill (even if I could).

 

[evilmedic13]

3x's for me <_< .

First one was at my Dad's house and I parked it in such a manner that the headights shone onto a spot w/ sunshine on it and I didn't notice the headlights on while thinking I turned the key off. 4 hours later I go to start it and realize it was keyed on the whole time! DUH! We tried to pushstart it about 20 times and ralized if we tried a few more times one of us was gonna need CPR. I learned to jumpstart off a car battery that night, ust hook it up w/ the off and wait 20 mins and voila! Luckily I had a 45 min ride at 80mph ahead of me.I installed the powerlet after that.

Second time,same thing, but in front of my house this time. Luckily, the powerlet was hooked up and I just threw it on the battery tender for a few hours and problem solved.

Third and (hopefully) final time was last summer w/ the wife. We went to the bank so as to add her to my account prior to the wedding. I was a little too anxious about the whole thing that, once again left the key in the ignition w/ the headlights on :dribble: . It started pouring while we were in the bank and my view of the bike was just enough so that I didn't see the taillights on until we were done(40mins later!). I had just enough juice for it to try to turn over, to no avail! The wife asked what to do now, I said we culd get soaked or go eat and try after the storm passed over. Well,she was hungry,wet and crabby so we went across the street to Hooters :drinks: and ate.

After the storm had passed, we went back to the bike and still no turning over. Gave the wife the option of pushing or trying to ride the beast while I pushed. She pushed. It wasn't too bad, we had an incline from the bank's drive thru to aid in this adventure. It tok about 2 tries, one on the flat lot and one on the drive thru. 2nd time was the charm, fired right up and rode around the parking to pick her up. We took a little ride after that to charge it back up and put it back on the tender when we got home.

Since then, I carry the litte j/c under the seat and have replaced the battery, even though thre was never a problem starting it after all those dummy moments, I figure 3x's is enough nd it's 2yrs old. It's my backup just in case, for now!

 

[DocDanDC]

2nd gear bump start worked like a champ for me. I have not tried 3rd gear start yet though.

I like using a Battery tender junior, plugged into a powerlet outlet, to charge it up without the hassel of removing plastic pannels. Small sized charger travels easy in the hard bag next to the flat tire kit.

https://www.cyclegear.com/spgm.cfm?L1=2&amp...02&tier2=38

https://www.cyclegear.com/spgm.cfm?L1=2&amp...19&tier2=53

 

[James Burleigh]

Last fall, VT, late Sunday afternoon – last town 10 miles back, next town 20 miles ahead. Came out to my FJR to find the key had been on for nearly 2 hrs. Always expecting miracles I pushed the starter button and got one CLICK, one click only. I attempted to recharge the battery with a hot torrent of expletives but no joy. Murphy was on the job at the time to ensure my FJR was in a loose gravel parking lot at the bottom of a steep gravel driveway. Ever tried to solo push a porky FJR up a gravel hill in a tacking pattern by yourself? PUFF, WHEEZE, PANT.
I finally crested the driveway to find the only flat stretch of road in VT. After a long assessment I determined that to the right the road dropped a precipitous 1 inch per 100 yards and declared it a hill. Snick into second gear and push baby push, pop the clutch and…. some ahole turned the ignition key off this time! Once again push & pop. The engine started! Oops, I stalled it. Push/pop and suddenly vroom, it lives!!! The Electrosport then went to work and within 20 minutes of cruising the battery was full of electrons again.

I do have a battery tender SAE plug connected to the battery but couldn’t find any volt source to plug it into, in that place, at that time. The last thing I wanted to do was to aim my FJR back down the gravel driveway and have only one chance to start the engine. There were long, long odds of that working and I wasn't going to risk having to push my FJR back up the hill (even if I could).

That's a very funny story. Well told. Thanks. Jb

 

[dbvolfan]

Tried push starting my FJR this past winter when I got stranded at work (it was 2 degrees outside and the battery was alredy on the last leg). didnt have much sucess but then again, I had never tried it before so who knows if I was doing it right.

I am sure it was pretty darn entertaining for those watching me from inside the warm office though!

 

[Rogue]

Well I haven't had to push start my FJR (yet, knock on wood) but I have pushed lots of bikes from a Kz440 to a 1000 Sportster to a GS1100E.... Which leads me to my favorite push start story ( I've got better pull start stories ):

In the mid 90's my 83' GS1100E was my sole transportation (anyone who has owned a GS series Suzuki can tell you the FJR charging system is the **** compared to GS's that went through voltage regulators like Warchild goes through soup sandwiches ).

One night I forgot to put my bike on the charger (not having the $$ for a new voltage regulator), and the next AM I had a need to get to work and a dead battery.

So I'm pushing my bike up and down my flat and level street (it usually started on the first or second try) in full gear.

After 5 or 6 tries I take off my helmet and jacket.

On the next try I push and jump with my left foot on on the left peg and drop it into 2nd gear.... AND it starts! and my foot slips off the peg!

So I'm wiped out from pushing and being dragged down the street!

No problem, I pull in the clutch, and nothing happens!

Don't you love old cold sticky clutches?

So after being drug up the street almost hitting every parked car and giving any looking neighbors plenty of entertainment I get myself on the seat and my feet on the pegs.

After a couple tries and a few minuites the clutch starts working enough that I can stop and put my gear back on.

 

[E1Allen]

I've had to push start at one time or another every bike i've ridden except the FJR so far. *knock on wood*

 

[dcarver]

Did you all know that Harleys will fire the ignition system all the way down to 6.4 volts? I left the ignition on my UltraClassis all *night* and the bike still fired in the AM. Yet another reason that Harleys are much better than FJR's.

 

[Carnifex]

I had mine a few weeks ago - I had been to my dad's, and when I got home I managed to leave the key on. Came back out about 2 hours later to a dead bike.

Luckily my driveway is paved and sloped, so I was able to hop start it after only 2 tries.

 

[chipset]

I damn near had to today.

I was out in my first run with a group of guys here in Dallas. We had gone out to breakfast and started doing some runs. I was in the slower group when my motorcycle decided to start acting funny. The tachometer and speedometer would reset. The abs light and check engine light would come on and off. And, it seemed, like the engine was losing a little power.

As I approached the group, we stopped and I told everyone I was having a problem. I was telling them that I might head back when we started to pull away. I went to start my ride and nothing. The dash wouldn't even come on. I looked left and right, and sure enough I was in the valley of two little hills. Damn.

So, I decided to take the fairing apart. I looked down and the positive lead on the battery was a little loose. I tightened it up and everything ran like a champ!