Bump Start (Push Start)

A bump start, also called a push start or clutch start, starts the engine by using the bike's motion to turn it over, typically when the battery is too weak for the starter motor.

• Turn the ignition on and the kill switch to run.
• Select second gear, which turns the engine with less wheel lock-up than first.
• Pull in the clutch and push or roll the bike, ideally downhill, to a brisk running pace.
• Release the clutch quickly while dropping your weight onto the seat; once the engine fires, pull the clutch in again and add throttle.

Many fuel-injected bikes need some battery voltage for the fuel pump and ECU, so a completely dead battery may prevent a bump start; jump-starting or charging is then the answer. Bikes with automatic transmissions, such as scooters, cannot be bump-started. Find out why the battery went flat.