Push starting my monster

BastrdHK · February 09, 2009, 08:24:34 AM

What a bunch of wussies! AAA??? Drop it to 2nd and push it as fast as you can safely and drop the clutch. If it doesn't fire right away pull it back in and drop it again while your still coasting. Works on my buddy's carbie m750 every time... 30F-90F. I have tried to convince him to go sans battery and take out his alternator and charging system as well, which would drop nearly 20lbs off the bike and reduce rotational mass in the engine as well. For some reason he insists on having a headlight for the street, and argues that bump starting his Ducati from the coffee shop would not promote the brand

Me thinks its kickstand time!

DucRS · February 09, 2009, 10:16:24 AM

Quote from: BastrdHK on February 09, 2009, 08:24:34 AM
What a bunch of wussies! AAA??? Drop it to 2nd and push it as fast as you can safely and drop the clutch. If it doesn't fire right away pull it back in and drop it again while your still coasting. Works on my buddy's carbie m750 every time... 30F-90F. I have tried to convince him to go sans battery and take out his alternator and charging system as well, which would drop nearly 20lbs off the bike and reduce rotational mass in the engine as well. For some reason he insists on having a headlight for the street, and argues that bump starting his Ducati from the coffee shop would not promote the brand

Me thinks its kickstand time!

Might there be a difference in energy required due to compression differences from the 2-valve 60hp m750 and 4-valve 130 hp S4RS? kinda like my RM250 and my kids Honda 50?

Popeye the Sailor · February 09, 2009, 10:28:42 AM

The Brutale here push starts easily. So does the old Honda.

The Duc, not so much-I just get the rear tire skidding.

NvrSummer · February 09, 2009, 10:36:47 AM

Quote from: DucRS on February 09, 2009, 10:16:24 AM
Might there be a difference in energy required due to compression differences from the 2-valve 60hp m750 and 4-valve 130 hp S4RS? kinda like my RM250 and my kids Honda 50?

Nah, probably has something to do with the wind resistance from that giant sail of a radiator on the 4v's!

idsteve · February 09, 2009, 10:38:39 AM

I have an 08 S4Rs and even with two people pushing it down an incline, it wouldn't start. The rear wheel locked and skidded in 2 and 3rd despite multiple attempts. After the 4th attempt, we gave up and I made the wise purchase of a Battery Tender.

I suspect the battery was too low to power the fuel pump and fire the spark plugs add to that cold oil/engine. It's been a bit cold here in beautiful downtown Brooklyn

A Battery Tender will be your best friend.

erkishhorde · February 09, 2009, 10:39:04 AM

Some of you guys have gotten it to start on level ground from pushing and using 2nd?

I can't push that fast and then jump on the bike. I'm afraid of tripping and dumping it.

I used to use a really steep hill at school and at least 3rd, usually 4th gear. If I could push up the hill in less than 15 minutes it wasn't steep enough. $:-\$

On a side note, I was out on a ride and one of the guys dropped his '00 CBR600 turning around on a dead end and then left his headlight on while we rested. This was a steep ass hill, at least 20deg incline. One of the guys we were riding with managed to bump start the bike after only rolling like a foot!

I saw him do it some 5 times and it worked every time! Crazy... I can't bump start after such a short roll.

What's this about bouncing the seat when you let the clutch go? What is that doing? The guy I met did the same thing.

DucRS · February 09, 2009, 10:46:38 AM

Quote from: NvrSummer on February 09, 2009, 10:36:47 AM
Nah, probably has something to do with the wind resistance from that giant sail of a radiator on the 4v's!

idsteve · February 09, 2009, 10:59:51 AM

[moto]

Monster Dave · February 09, 2009, 11:04:15 AM

Derby:

http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=14561.0

JetTest · February 09, 2009, 12:43:06 PM

Bounce on the seat as you pop the clutch to gain traction with the back wheel so the engine turns over instead of the wheel sliding.

Monster Dave · February 09, 2009, 12:50:33 PM

My battery is on it's last leg so I've had to do this A LOT recently, check out the video in my previous link, but it really isn't that hard. 2nd gear is a must, I don't know about bouncing on the seat though; it's never been necessary for me to do.

Nitewaif · February 09, 2009, 09:23:37 PM

I've had to push start my M750 more times than I can count. Like everyone said, put it in neutral, push (or find a man to push you

), then when you get up to speed, hop on the seat and kick it up into 2nd. Fires up like a champ.

My Monster with the 944 high-compression kit is a pregnant dog to push start, though.

erkishhorde · February 10, 2009, 12:23:32 AM

Wow, that guy was barely moving in that vid and still managed to get it to turn over.

ScottRNelson · February 10, 2009, 03:21:28 PM

For those of you who are curious about what it takes to bump start a bike, you can learn most of the important details by riding the bike, pulling the clutch in, killing the engine with the kill switch, turning it back on, then letting the clutch out to get it going again. When you screw it up just hit the starter button and try again. That is an easy way to find out the difference between trying to bump start it in first, second, and third gear. You can also find out how slow you can be going and still get it to start. That's how I determined that second gear is better than first or third for a Monster.

Once you have a feel for bump starting the bike, try it with a cold engine. You can always start it, ride 50 feet, kill it, then see how things are different when cold. But you only get a few times before it will warm up enough to change the behavior.

When I've truly had to bump start a bike because of some other problem, it's always been tougher than under less desperate conditions. Jumper cables are so much easier, and a Battery Tender sure helps to keep from letting the battery go dead in the first place.

ellingly · February 10, 2009, 04:35:30 PM

I managed to use a long hill and get my S2R1k running even though the gauges didn't turn on... It was fun. I'd left the key on and it was completely flat.

Firstly, I disconnected the headlight. In Australia, we don't have a headlight switch on the switchgear so we have to pull the cables off the bulb or the fuse. Just pushed it to the top of a fairly large hill, pushed as fast as I could (side-saddling it), got up to pace, jumped over the seat so I had my left leg in the right spot, waited till I was fairly moving, pulled cluch in and gear lever up, dump clutch, arse on seat, get some small turn-over going, pull in clutch, let it gain speed, do it again etc etc.

The first time I did it, I maybe got 5 bumps (each time I pulled the clutch in I stood up on the pegs again), and went from having no gauges to having gauges. Score!

The second time, which made the hill seem considerably steeper, it took about 4 bumps and on the last it fired.

One of the secrets isn't letting the back wheel drag for too long. You just want to get it firing and pull the clutch back in.

That said, next time, I'll find my battery charger in the mess that is the garage.

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Push starting my monster