Bump start procedure

[Flydoc]

Can someone describe a safe procedure for "bump starting" a fz6 by one's self?
Can it be done on a flat (no slope) surface? It would be good to have options if I have continuing issues with dead batteries.

Thanks

 

[DefyInertia]

You don't need a hill but it can help....

• Make sure the kill switch is in the ON position
  
• Make sure your high beam, heated grips, etc. etc. are OFF
  
• Put the bike in 2nd gear (or higher if you are on dirt)
  
• Turn the ignition on (if the fuel pump primes, you should have no trouble. If it doesn't, get a friend to help push you because you have some work to do).
  
• Stand next to the bike with your hands on the bars, pull in the clutch, and start pushing.
  
• When you get the bike going at a slow to fast jogging pace, jump on, hit the starter (optional) and drop the clutch.
  
• Be ready to pull the clutch in and start working the throttle to coax the bike back to life.

This may take several attempts. Make sure you ride a while to get the battery charged up again.

For reference....

On a camping trip this summer I left my heated grips on all night (dumba$$). When I discovered this in the morning my bike was completely dead. completely dead. the clock was even out. when I turned the key I got nothing. to make matters more interesting, I was on a dirt road. thankfully my friend was able to help push and we got hte bike clicking and caughing back to life after a good while and a lot of swet. I'm still using the same battery and it turns over strong. :thumbup:

 

[Cloggy]

You don't need a hill but it can help....

• Make sure the kill switch is in the ON position
  
• Make sure your high beam, heated grips, etc. etc. are OFF
  
• Put the bike in 2nd gear (or higher if you are on dirt)
  
• Turn the ignition on (if the fuel pump primes, you should have no trouble. If it doesn't, get a friend to help push you because you have some work to do).
  
• Stand next to the bike with your hands on the bars, pull in the clutch, and start pushing.
  
• When you get the bike going at a slow to fast jogging pace, jump on, hit the starter and drop the clutch.
  
• Be ready to pull the clutch in and start working the throttle to coax the bike back to life.

This may take several attempts. Make sure you ride a while to get the battery charged up again.

For reference....

On a camping trip this summer I left my heated grips on all night (dumba$$). When I discovered this in the morning my bike was completely dead. completely dead. the clock was even out. when I turned the key I got nothing. to make matters more interesting, I was on a dirt road. thankfully my friend was able to help push and we got hte bike clicking and caughing back to life after a good while and a lot of swet. I'm still using the same battery and it turns over strong. :thumbup:

I left my heated grips on yesterday morning ( for the second time in the last 2 weeks) so I had to bump start it (damn oxford hotgrips automatic turn off my a$$). Anyway I agree with all of the above but I found jumping on it "side saddle" worked better for me (as by the time I had swung my leg over I had lost a lot of momentum) here in Holland there are few hills, so everybit helps.

 

[sxty8goats]

Do you need to hit the starter on this bike to jump start it? I've never had to do that on other bikes.

If I'm on a flat run, street or parking lot, I don't try to get on the bike to bump it. I just run with it in second or third and pop the clutch on off quickly. That was on my old CB750 and once with my 93' Shadow.

 

[Cloggy]

Do you need to hit the starter on this bike to jump start it? I've never had to do that on other bikes.

No just make sure the ignition's on

If I'm on a flat run, street or parking lot, I don't try to get on the bike to bump it. I just run with it in second or third and pop the clutch on off quickly. That was on my old CB750 and once with my 93' Shadow.

Doing it this way the back wheel can slip (depending on the surface) and if you get it started it can shoot off with you running beside it, I did this last week but it was more luck than judgement that everything went ok.

 

[Andz]

Easy peasy. key on, kill on, second gear, pull clutch in, get it rolling, hop on the seat, drop the clutch, job done. Don't touch the starter, it is distracting and if the battery is flat will have no effect anyway.

 

[reiobard]

hills help, but you can definately do it on the flat and you don't need a ton of speed to do it, as long as the injectors prime, if not you may as well just start taking some stuff apart and get a jump start

 

[sxty8goats]

Doing it this way the back wheel can slip (depending on the surface) and if you get it started it can shoot off with you running beside it, I did this last week but it was more luck than judgement that everything went ok.

So you are saying we are both a little foolish?

 

[DefyInertia]

I hit the starter if there is some juice in the battery...it certainly helps on certain engines and/or when you have low traction. Definitely not necessary all the time.

My 640 Adv will lock the rear when cold and with knobby tires on unless I help that massive thumper along with the starter.

It's easy for me to jump on my bikes while running next to them because I'm tall. the downward force caused by jumping on the bike also provides more traction for the rear wheel.

 

[xnay]

I remember having to back the bike up to align the piston before bumping it. Anyone else or am I just creating extra work?

I was on a bike trip once with a guy whose starter/battery was acting up. He had to bump start every time. The rest of us felt a bit arrogant simply hitting the starter switch. His transmission was having issues too, so he only had 4th and 5th gears. Made for interesting starts and an even more interesting trip. :BLAA: