Yes, you can bump start an ST1300 with a dead battery

jonz · May 8, 2016

Howdy gang,
The only time I stopped all day during my first ride of the year in Yellowstone, I stopped to admire Lamar Valley for 1/2 hour or so. I got certified this year to teach the MTC class to beginning motorcyclists in California and I'm trying to practice what I "preach" (teach), and we teach students to turn the motorcycle off with the cutoff switch first and then turn the key off. Well, I turned it off with the switch but I got distracted by a car driving on the shoulder towards me and forgot to turn off the key. If you look closely in this picture, you don't see any headlights and unknown to me, the key is still on at this point.

As I geared up to go, all cars left the pull out. Then I discovered the dead battery. Not a flicker. The next thing I remembered was switching my jumper cables for the ST to my KTM for yesterday's ride, and NOT switching them back for this ride. Fortunately, I had the foresight to park at the top of a hill. Got it coasting faster than I could run, switched on the key, shifted to third, and dumped the clutch. The ST sputtered to life and i rode for close to an hour before stopping again. Whew!!!

In a few forums, I've read one knock against fuel injected bikes vs carb'ed bikes is that you can bump start the fuel injected ones. I'm glad to report that is BS

TerryS · May 8, 2016

I was imagining that you pushed the bike across a parking lot and jumped on to bump start, and that is not something I would want to attempt on an ST. Lucky you were on a decent hill.

SupraSabre · May 8, 2016

I've push started my brother's '05 ST1300 a couple of times! Yes, you can bump start a ST1300.

Glad you didn't have to push it up hill, first!

ST Gui · May 8, 2016

jonz said:
In a few forums, I've read one knock against fuel injected bikes vs carb'ed bikes is that you can't bump start the fuel injected ones.

There were three of us (two ST1300s and a Wing) in Montana at some indian monument. A buddy's battery gave up. After playing around for several minutes he bump started it and it fired right up.

One night I was farkling around with some LEDs on my ST and the next morning not even a click. I didn't hear the fuel pump click either. Rolled the dice then the ST down the hill. At about 8mph I let the clutch out in second and it fired up in about a half-second. Good thing too because at the bottom of the hill was the start up the next hill.

I'd never heard that FI bikes can't be bump started. That's a good thing or I would have been late to work.

Paul st1300 · May 8, 2016

I had to bump start a Wing once down a very short hill in a parking lot. I had to push it to get it rolling. I was more concerned about dumping the bike. It was after a very wet ride. The next morning was also very cold. The wing started right up. You can not beat a Honda.

BendBill · May 9, 2016

Does anyone else remember calling it "jump start"? Or did we talk funny in the old days

RedNHST · May 9, 2016

I too have bump started my ST1300. Had to do it twice, both times on flat ground. A friend pushed me, dumped it in second gear, started right up.

JPKalishek · May 9, 2016

Had to Bump my ST1100 once. Battery died just gassing it up and the first attempt failed, and I was then at the bottom of a bowl. pushing it uphill really is not fun.
Worst bump start I have dealt with was a first year Shadow as they had a slipper clutch to prevent chatter. The fun is once you dump the clutch all you get is slip unless you are in 4th and then it turns so slow it really doesn't want to start.

ddemair · May 9, 2016

jonz said:
Howdy gang,
The only time I stopped all day during my first ride of the year in Yellowstone, I stopped to admire Lamar Valley for 1/2 hour or so. I got certified this year to teach the MTC class to beginning motorcyclists in California and I'm trying to practice what I "preach" (teach), and we teach students to turn the motorcycle off with the cutoff switch first and then turn the key off. Well, I turned it off with the switch but I got distracted by a car driving on the shoulder towards me and forgot to turn off the key. If you look closely in this picture, you don't see any headlights and unknown to me, the key is still on at this point.

As I geared up to go, all cars left the pull out. Then I discovered the dead battery. Not a flicker. The next thing I remembered was switching my jumper cables for the ST to my KTM for yesterday's ride, and NOT switching them back for this ride. Fortunately, I had the foresight to park at the top of a hill. Got it coasting faster than I could run, switched on the key, shifted to third, and dumped the clutch. The ST sputtered to life and i rode for close to an hour before stopping again. Whew!!!

In a few forums, I've read one knock against fuel injected bikes vs carb'ed bikes is that you can bump start the fuel injected ones. I'm glad to report that is BS

What's the reason for using the kill switch first? The only time I ever use it is when I want to leave it in gear when parked on a hill. Of course, I then forget to turn it back on and wonder what's wrong for a few moments when I try to re-start.

dduelin · May 9, 2016

ddemair said:
What's the reason for using the kill switch first? The only time I ever use it is when I want to leave it in gear when parked on a hill. Of course, I then forget to turn it back on and wonder what's wrong for a few moments when I try to re-start.

MSF believes that when turning off the bike it's more stable thus safer to keep both hands on the bars and use a thumb to turn it off rather than risk a drop because we have to take one hand off the grip to reach the key switch. Once in a while we think we got neutral and let out the clutch to turn off the key only to find the bike lurches forward because it is still in gear.

acedantinne · May 9, 2016

Yes to a running down hill start. Construction top of Lo Lo pass. Shut bike off. over a half hour went to start nothing. Been having trouble with battery on trip. Turn bike around coasted down hill. 3rd gear took a while to start. U do have to have some volts in the battery to get the bike to start. Had battery replaced in Missoula, battery plus. Battery still in 04.

Now on another switch point. On the Beemer if U are stopped for a X? Your to use the what U call kill switch, shuts down engine only. U can play with the GPS, listen to bikes XM, blue tooth, etc. Per manual don't idle for long periods of X. Engine is 40 water cooled 60 percent air cooled.

JimGregory · May 9, 2016

I wonder if the battery was STONE dead as in no fuel pump action till the alternator starts throwing juice. I wonder.

jonz · May 9, 2016

ddemair said:
What's the reason for using the kill switch first? The only time I ever use it is when I want to leave it in gear when parked on a hill. Of course, I then forget to turn it back on and wonder what's wrong for a few moments when I try to re-start.

You have more control with both hands on the handlebars with the motor running. Especially with beginning riders, there's a possibility (probability?) they are going to use the clutch hand to reach for a key to shut it off while the bike is in gear.

beeker · May 9, 2016

We always called it a push start. Had an Austin Mini that I used to park at the top of hills. Get her movin' ... jump in ...pop the clutch in second. It didn't always work. It helps if you remember to turn the key on ...and in the case of the ST ... the kill switch off! (been there ...)

Don B · May 9, 2016

I'm not aware of any modern motorcycle that doesn't have a battery/coil ignition system. That means a bike with a completely flat battery can not be bump-started, regardless of whether it's carbureted or fuel injected. No spark = no start.

Gerhard · May 9, 2016

Don B said:
a bike with a completely flat battery can not be bump-started, regardless of whether it's carbureted or fuel injected. No spark = no start.

I agree, I had a 1980 Yamaha 400 Special as my first bike. It had an electric start and a kickstart along with an electronic ignition, I had a dead battery so I thought no problem that is why it has a kickstart well I learned that it needs some battery power to start using the kickstarter. I imagine modern bikes with a fuel pump are even more reliant on the battery. The other thing is I have heard that the starter motor suffers when you are cranking with a weak battery so it is probably a good idea to change a failing battery earlier than later.

Gerhard

Gerhard

Throttlejockey · May 9, 2016

I know my KTM will not bump start or kick start without power to the battery to engage the fuel pump. What I did was make a capacitor to store the power from kicking the bike a few times. Starts right up in 2-3 kicks. You do need to disconnect the negative post on the battery first.

ST Gui · May 9, 2016

Motorcycles with generators or self-excited alternators will start with a flat (stone-dead) battery. I have no idea if any modern day motorcycle has either but I really doubt it.

MaxPete · May 9, 2016

I had a '66 Corvair Corsa convertible in high school and it had a bad ring gear which disabled the starter. I used to do a Fred Flintstone style start on it at least twice a day. I drove it like that for more than a year until I could afford to get a ring gear for it.

Frankly, the ring gear install was such a pain that I wished I had just continued with the Flintstone style starting.

Pete

SMSW · May 9, 2016

BendBill said:
Does anyone else remember calling it "jump start"? Or did we talk funny in the old days

I thought a jump start was when you used jumper cables on a dead battery, and a bump start was when you pushed or rolled the vehicle forward and dumped the clutch. Though, the jump start (yes, I've heard it, but I'm no spring chicken) might have come from the fact that you pushed and jumped on or in.

jonz said:
You have more control with both hands on the handlebars with the motor running. Especially with beginning riders, there's a possibility (probability?) they are going to use the clutch hand to reach for a key to shut it off while the bike is in gear.

I can easily see the same thing happening to me. I do use the kill switch now and then - like when I stop on gravel or wet grass - or could not find neutral quickly. Get her stopped, and then fuss w/ the kick stand or shifter.

Yes, you can bump start an ST1300 with a dead battery

jonz

TerryS

SupraSabre

48 Years of SoCal Lane Splitting/Commuting-Retired

ST Gui

240Robert

Paul st1300

BendBill

RedNHST

JPKalishek

Armadillo Kicker

ddemair

dduelin

Tune my heart to sing Thy grace

acedantinne

JimGregory

jonz

beeker

Don B

Gerhard

Throttlejockey

Padden is my hero

ST Gui

240Robert

MaxPete

SMSW