How do you bump start a bike?

[FlightRisk]

How do you bump start a bike (on your own)?
I've push started someone else's. Bloody big heavy thing it was too, it took two of us plus owner, felt like pushing a car.

I imagine you'd have to walk/run beside it?

Today my CB ate it's battery while I went to the shop and ended up being taken home in a van.
I was thinking of trying to bump start it but I was having visions of it lurching from my grip and taking off in the direction of the car park.
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Honda CB500S

[notbike]

I dunno if push starting and bump starting are the same thing. But if bump starts and push starts are the same thing then have someone push you while you're on the bike. I'm lucky because when I had to push-start my brother's CBF there was a little downhill so I had to do no running.

[Itchy]

It's a CB500 twin should be easy. Easier if the battery is not completely dead.

Key in, ignition on (you'll kick yourself if the ignition is off!)

Anyway. Put it into 3rd.

Hold the clutch in. Push the bike until you're running full pelt.

Then in one fluid motion, let the clutch out, jump onto the seat to give it more traction, AND push the starter.

Then rev heavy to keep the engine alive.

(Doesn't work on FI bikes!, automatics and variomatic belt drives).


What will happen in practice is you will get tired, or the back wheel will lock (happens a lot in 2nd and 1st) and it may take several attempts.

If you do have a narfed battery and know it, park at the top of hills and do the same but let the hill do the work, clutch in clutch out. It should spin the engine for you when you let the clutch out.
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Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[cheeseman]

Found this on the tube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Jh2wIGTFLA

[cheeseman]

Should add, that if you have a Kawasaki, you might have trouble selecting a gear higher than 1st when stationary! Not sure how you'd get around this TBH

[Itchy]

Forgot to add, once it starts clutch in else you may well er lurch and it'll die again and you'll get tired trying again.
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Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[FlightRisk]

[wr6133]

[wr6133]

[Itchy]

[FlightRisk]

[Rogerborg]

Give it a go, I've bumped my GPZ500 in about 20' of car park.

Think of it this way: I kick started my 500cc Enfield this morning with the power of one leg. It doesn't take that much oomph to fire up a small to mid sized bike engine.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[Baffler186]

I bumped mine a few times, it's very easy on a slight hill but never tried it on the flat. As mine is FI, as long as there's enough juice left to prime the injector then it will start ok.
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Current: 2009 SV650 S, 1990 Kawasaki GT550
Previous: 2009 CBF125, 1998 GSF600, 2004 FZ6 Fazer, 1978 CB400a Hondamatic

[cheeseman]

I did try to bump start my 1100 pan back in March this year when the alternator gave up and left me stranded in Boroughbridge. I had one unsuccessful attempt running down a slight hill while astride the thing and let out the clutch in 2nd, but I just came to a grinding halt. I was too chicken (and knackered) to try it again so after looking unsuccessfully around for anyone with jump leads who could jump start me I had to resort to the RAC.

I wonder if it is ever possible to start a Pan by bump starting? It probably takes a bit of practice that I haven't the constitution to stomach.

[The999Kid]

[Marmalade]

[wots]

I did see this done in our car park, wet floor and he had it done in about 10-15 feet. His bike was warm, think it would've been more difficult cold. Nevertheless, it was easy. He'd done it before I was able to offer help!
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Currently: Yamaha DT 125 LC2,Repsol Fireblade, and Bumblebee MSX 125

[Doovy]

I used to run alongside my Hornet, push it along in 2nd and drop the clutch - quickly pull it in once it starts. I didn't jump on. Worked every time I needed to in the 4 years of ownership.
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Yamaha RXS 100 > Honda CD 250 > Honda Hornet 600 > Honda CBR 600RR > Yamaha RXS 100 > Kawasaki ZX6R J2 > Yamaha FZ1

[Clutchy]

[weasley]

I have managed to bump start my Thundercat by paddling along from the saddle and dropping the clutch in 1st. Admittedly this was when the engine had only recently stalled, not from a dead cold start. I didn't have much room to work with so thought I'd give it a shot.
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Yamaha XJ600 | Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat | KTM 990 SMT | BMW F900XR TE

[Itchy]

[rideslikean00...]

Tried rolling my XJ-6 down a hill when I killed the battery leaving the parking light setting on for 9 hours while it was sat up at work. Wouldn't start, as far as I know the injectors fired but the starter is electric and it can't be rolled.

I often wonder if you can cheat and put a bike on centre stand, spin the back wheel by hand at speed, do the little clutch/2nd or 3rd gear thing and get it running that way, save pushing potentially a big bike up the top of an incline to roll it down. 100 feet up a ten degree one at work (the car park is down a slope) was bloody difficult with a 200+ kg bike.
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Previous/Current Bikes
2013 Yamaha YBR-125ED -> 1997 Yamaha YZF-1000R Thunderace -> 2009 Yamaha XJ-6 Diversion -> 2007 Yamaha FZ6 Fazer S2

[FlightRisk]