Bump Starting

ggRAT

ggRAT

Street Tracker
"Threewheelbonni" mentioned BUMP STARTING in a recent post and stated that this technique works easily with the new Bonnies.

My one experience with bump starting wasn't successful. Is there a trick?

GREG

P.S. I also did a quick search and found this advice from Modre (via Hedge) about his BUMP START technique: "If you have to run and bump it... choose second gear, not first. Get it to speed just before your heart breaks out of your chest, and as you pop the clutch, bounce down to make sure the rear isn't going to skid against compression...after that. It’s an art between clutch in or out...and I can't teach that...but I know what to do when it happens."
 
fender

fender

Street Tracker
I was able to bump start it successfully once do to a loose battery terminal leaving me stranded. It wasn't easy to do but it can be done.

I had the bike in neutral to make it easier to get it rolling. Once I had it up to speed I hopped on put it in second and released the clutch. It took me two tries to get it right. Any slight downhill makes it much easier. The choke out could also help.
 
T

Threewheelbonni

Two Stroke
No special technique really. Get the bike into second or even third, fuel on, choke in the right position for a normal start at that temp, ignition on. Rock it back and forth so the clutch is fully disengaged. Run like merry ****, preferably down hill or with a mate pushing. When you are going as fast as you can, get a foot on the peg (doesn't matter, left foot on right peg will do), then slip the clutch and get your bum as far back on the seat as you can. As it starts to make popping noises give it some gas and control via the clutch. If it does kangaroo jumps, move forwards on the seat, slip the clutch even more but don't full disengage it.

Things to look out for:

On snow the back wheel may lock causing the rider to fall off. The two guys pushing will laugh at you.

Ignoring the whole world except the motor, doing a huge wheelie, not shutting the throttle, hitting a shopping trolley then falling off will cause the two guys pushing to laugh at you in the pub after they've been and got a trailer for the bike.

Having the outfit pushed round and round with the petrol tap off will cause the three guys pushing to thump you.

If it floods you'll loose a lot of energy bumping, better to take the plugs out wheel it round then start again. If it's a flat battery turn it off, it'll recover, possibly enough for some smart arse Bonneville rider to come along, push the button and have it start. At which point the assembled rally will laugh at you!

Once it's going, don't pull up in gear and put the sidestand down!

Please note the above experiences relate not to nice reliable Bonnevilles but to cheap skate XBR and Ural owners who think batteries are full of angry pixies who can be soothed with nothing more advanced than a squirt of WD-40 even when the temperature is well below freezing and they've been running heated fetish wear and enough lights for a football stadium.

Andy
 
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mikenva

mikenva

Rocker
It works ok as long as battery is up enough to fire the plugs if the battery is stone dead forget it .These bikes wont run with no voltage at all.
 
FrankieD

FrankieD

Scooter
mikenva said:
It works ok as long as battery is up enough to fire the plugs if the battery is stone dead forget it .These bikes wont run with no voltage at all.
Click to expand...


+1 That goes for bump starting most vehicles. There need to be a tiny bit of charge in the battery. Stone dead battery = No bump starting.
 
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