Push starting the fz6

[fox426]

I have pushed started many carb vehicles but what is the drill, sequence for a a fuel injected bike like ours?

 

[greg]

turn it on, check kill switch is set to run, put the bike in 2nd gear, clutch in, run and release!

 

[pookamatic]

I've only had to do this once. Thankfully there was a slight downhill in the parking lot and I was able to do it while on the bike. I used 1st. I believe there is logical reasoning in using 2nd, but I can't recall what it is.

 

[greg]

I've only had to do this once. Thankfully there was a slight downhill in the parking lot and I was able to do it while on the bike. I used 1st. I believe there is logical reasoning in using 2nd, but I can't recall what it is.

it's easier, plus bump starting pace will be similar to the engine idle speed, in 1st it would require the engine to turn over a lot quicker, in higher gears it would make it turn over too slowly

 

[pookamatic]

Right. The thing I was thinking about too was traction. Popping too quickly in first increases the chance of a skid. Roadside booboo is the last thing anyone needs when dealing with a dead battery.

 

[greg]

i had lots of practice learning how to bump start my bike when my generator broke :S

one thing that i learned was you don't need to press the ignition switch once you dump the clutch!

 

[regder]

turn it on, check kill switch is set to run, put the bike in 2nd gear, clutch in, run and release!

Yup, this is the way to do it. Unfortunately, I've had to do it many times.

One thing I'll add, if the battery is completely dead (i.e. nothing even comes on/lights up) it is a pain to get it going on flat ground. If you have a friend to help you push, it's doable. On your own, you're better off pulling the tank and boosting it. If it's just borderline dead (lights come on, but not enough power to turn the starter), it'll start near instantly with a quick bump.

 

[pookamatic]

One thing I'll add, if the battery is completely dead (i.e. nothing even comes on/lights up) it is a pain to get it going on flat ground. If you have a friend to help you push, it's doable. On your own, you're better off pulling the tank and boosting it.

You just gave me a great idea - modify the cigarette outlet connector I got with the battery tender to have bare leads. Store this under the seat. If a jump is necessary, just hook up the connector to the tender connection and go!

 

[FIZZER6]

I have only roll started mine once and it was on accident and almost put me in the ditch on the side of my driveway... :BLAA:

It's VERY easy to roll start the FZ6.

 

[fox426]

Yup, this is the way to do it. Unfortunately, I've had to do it many times.

One thing I'll add, if the battery is completely dead (i.e. nothing even comes on/lights up) it is a pain to get it going on flat ground. If you have a friend to help you push, it's doable. On your own, you're better off pulling the tank and boosting it. If it's just borderline dead (lights come on, but not enough power to turn the starter), it'll start near instantly with a quick bump.

That answers my ? Thought I was missing something, it was just too dead.

 

[greg]

If the battery is completely dead there won't be enough power to prime the fuel injectors

 

[mxgolf]

Ask Vegas Rider and Lone Soldier about me push starting my FZ6. We were on a vacation ride in Southern Oregon. Well my battery died mid ride. I had to bump start it for two days until I got home. It was really easy even on flat ground. Now down hill would be better but that did not happen. Glad it was normally flat when I had to push it. Try that when it's 85+ degrees like I did. The one problem is slinging the leg over the bike after pushing it while the bike is totally loaded. Short people would have a problem. Fortunutly I am sort of tall. :spank: Moral of the story would be to keep an eye on how old the battery is and if you sence it's harder to start it might be time to replace it.

 

[agf]

You just gave me a great idea - modify the cigarette outlet connector I got with the battery tender to have bare leads. Store this under the seat. If a jump is necessary, just hook up the connector to the tender connection and go!

The only thing you might need to be mindful of is that the tender leads are for a long slow current delivery for a battery recharge, the power leads for starting is heavier guage, yes? Someone correct me if I'm wrong but couldn't you actually melt the tender wiring by pulling the neccesary current to start the bike, or would it fire up so quick as to not really make heat generation an issue?

 

[regder]

If the battery is completely dead there won't be enough power to prime the fuel injectors

I have never had a battery dead enough that it would not bump start given enough speed. This includes leaving the lights on overnight, multiple times.

 

[edgeofnj]

The only thing you might need to be mindful of is that the tender leads are for a long slow current delivery for a battery recharge, the power leads for starting is heavier guage, yes? Someone correct me if I'm wrong but couldn't you actually melt the tender wiring by pulling the neccesary current to start the bike, or would it fire up so quick as to not really make heat generation an issue?

I believe you're right but the in-line fuse would blow first, if it had one and was retained.

 

[agf]

I believe you're right but the in-line fuse would blow first, if it had one and was retained.

Must admit I forgot about the fuse, I have a 30 amp in line so it will still blow witha direct short but not for a reasonable draw. Still I only use this hot connection for the tender not for running any accessories

 

[pookamatic]

I found the leads that came with the tender and it turns out they're jumper leads with small jumper clips. It's fused as well in addition to the fuse on the battery side.

Another addition to the under seat "compartment."

*** Please read below about polarity.

http://www.600riders.com/forum/fz6-general-discussion/46926-push-starting-fz6-2.html#post511993

 

[agf]

My tender had two battery attachment leads that hook up via a connector to the main lead from the tender
one of these attachment leads has circular terninal connectors to enable hooking permanently into my wiring the other attachment has clips but they are for connecting to the battery if its easy to get to or out of the bike. I use this on my sons VTR 250 with the battery accessible under the seat.

 

[pookamatic]

My tender had two battery attachment leads that hook up via a connector to the main lead from the tender
one of these attachment leads has circular terninal connectors to enable hooking permanently into my wiring the other attachment has clips but they are for connecting to the battery if its easy to get to or out of the bike. I use this on my sons VTR 250 with the battery accessible under the seat.

So THAT's how it works! Yes mine came with two as well. I hooked up the permanent circular terminal ends to the inaccessible battery, and THOUGHT I could just use the other temporary clips for jumping in a pinch (still would need other cables as they're really short).

The PROBLEM with my logic, is in polarity. If the cables are designed and marked to work as you mention (outlet -> tender -> clips -> accessible battery), then then the polarity will have to be reversed if I use them in my situation (dead battery -> permanent leads -> clips -> good battery).

I've got to think about how I'm going to mark this cable if I plan on using it this way.

 

[pookamatic]

View attachment 45475

See here how the polarities would have to be reversed if you connected the two short cables together in a roadside jump situation.