Bump Starting?

[RedRover]

Not having a kick starter on my 2010 GZ250 is a definite negative if you find yourself stranded with a dead battery. Back in "the day" I used to push start (bump start) my Yamaha 90 CC. Is push starting possible with these bikes? What gear would you attempt to start in?
Got a scare 2 days ago when starting was difficult and it got me to thinking of starting options. Buying a new battery today!

[blaine]

Welcome to the family.You can "bump start" no problem.Second gear works well for bump starting.If ever boosting from another vehicle ,make sure the other vehicle is not running or you can fry your electronics.
:) :cool:

[Water Warrior 2]

Funny that should come up today. Yesterday after a nice drive I was back at the usual coffee shop. A rider in costume had to bump start a mega dollar custom H-D. He was out of sight around the back of the building when it finally started. Wow, did it sound good at full throttle ridden by an embarrassed/angry pirate.

[Rookie Rider]

I had to jump start my bike for the first time yesterday. I stopped to say hello to someone for 10 minutes but didnt turn the key to off, just stopped the motor with the red switch. Went to start it and nothing, just some clicking. Connected the cables to the car and bike, and she says, tell me when to turn the car on. I said no no, leave it off !! She didnt think it would start but it did, first try. I learned to leave the car off when jump starting this bike on this great forum. Thanks again guy and gals.

[mrlmd1]

RR- better check and charge up your battery. It shouldn't crap out after 10 min of sitting with the key on which just left the headlights/taillights on.

[Rookie Rider]

I didnt ride the bike all week, and before i saw her it was a 15 minute ride, so maybe it didnt charge enough from the ride to. I will get a new battery over the winter. I have a year of riding and i really really love it man.

[mrlmd1]

You don't need a new battery, just get a battery tender/maintainer/1.5 amp charger and hook it up to a plug left connected to the battery terminals that come with those things. You will have the same problem with a new battery and you need to have a charger anyway.
BTW, the amount of juice you use up to start the bike is more than will be replaced in a 15 min ride, and leaving your lights on for another 10 min killed your battery.
Get a charger.

[Rookie Rider]

I do have the tender, didnt hook it up all week. :/

[clonak]

I stopped to say hello to someone for 10 minutes but didnt turn the key to off, just stopped the motor with the red switch.


Done that before. What they taught me in basic handling though was to just use the key. Always leave the switch on, its there for emergency.

Pain in the ass when someone borrows your bike and flipps the swtich though. Sat there kicking the RGV for 5 minutes wondering what the hell he had done to it, then I relised the switch was off...

[Water Warrior 2]

I always use the red switch on the bar to shut off the engine. Then turn the key off. There is a reason for my habit. Prior to the next ride I just need to turn on the key to check all the lights, signals, brake lights and horn without the ignition system being on. When I'm ready to ride I just need to turn on the red switch and start up the bike. That is my routine and I like it.

[Water Warrior 2]

I do have the tender, didnt hook it up all week. :/
If you need a tender hooked up every week you might need a new battery. It has likely lost it's ability to hold a charge.

[Rookie Rider]

I always use the red switch too.

[northsidegz]

I had a problem relating to this at the gas station the other day. Rode the bike about 3 minutes to the gas station. Shut it off (using the red killswitch). Turned the key to off, too. Filled it up. Went to start it and nothin'. Flipped that killswitch back and forth a bunch of times and still nothin'. The lights worked. Blinkers worked. Just no response at all trying to start the engine.

A Harley guy was filling his truck and offered to bump it for me. So he hopped on, put it in first, I pushed him on the bike for about 5 or 6 feet and he got it started with the bump start.

I'm still perplexed why the biked died. I rode it back home and took my car to work. Then later in the evening when I returned home, I checked to see if the bike would start and it did. But it wasn't holding an idle well, so I increased the idle speed and that seemed to fix the problem at that time anyway. Put it on a charger that night and so far, haven't had a problem. Not sure I got my idle speed right though so am thinking I gotta get something that will tell me what my idle speed is at.

[mrlmd1]

You had the clutch pulled in, side stand up, in neutral, all those things to try, and it still wouldn't turn over the starter? Was the key switch set to ON? If you tried all of those - then clean the red ON/Off switch.

[Rookie Rider]

Listen to your cars rpm's at 1400-1500. Then set.the bike idle to it or close to it. You will get used to the sound of the bike sooner then you think.

[Rookie Rider]

I think it may be 1200-1400 rpm's. Someone here will correct me.

[northsidegz]

You had the clutch pulled in, side stand up, in neutral, all those things to try, and it still wouldn't turn over the starter? Was the key switch set to ON? If you tried all of those - then clean the red ON/Off switch.

Yep. Made sure all those things were good to go. How does one clean the on/off switch? (this question is assuming you're referring to something more 'component' or 'internal' or 'cable' cleaning? :??: )

[mrlmd1]

Also check the cleanliness and tightness of the battery cable connections.

[alantf]

I think it may be 1200-1400 rpm's. Someone here will correct me.

:plus1:

[Skunkhome]

They will bump start in second very easily if there is a little juice left in battery to fire te ignition. (it really doesn't take much to power the ignition.)