Bump/push starting?

Right, I had a little bit of trouble last night. Went to go home on the bike after making a fuss about everyone moving their cars as I was on a flyer. Not hit the starter and it just rattled. Dead battery. Im guessing that ive left the heated grips on but im not that sure. I had a similar thing on the hardy bikers run when it would only just turn over in the morning. Nowthen two things here. Firstly the heated grips are supposed to turn off if you leave them on so you can still start the bike. Im guessing this isn’t working? Or is it that the vtwin needs more cranking power? And the other thing is how the hell do you bump start it (on the flat) every time I tried I just locked the rear wheel.

[Dave20046]

It's hard to bump on a flat mate (well with the heavy sv), with the ignition on: pull the clutch in, bang in second gear run with it jump on when it's up to speed release the clutch bang on the revs (and then maybe pull the clutch back in once it's started). That's how I do it anyway.
Leaving the bike with the killswitch off overnight might help with battery drain.
You might want to ask some of the clever forummers what you need to do with a multimeter to check the battery health...

[dizzyblonde]

have you got a new battery since getting your bike Andy?
I doubt our friend in Queensbury will have given it a new one, before handing it to you

[jambo]

First off, don't rely on the grips to turn themselves off when the battery gets low. As Northwind would say "They're just smart enough to be dumb" and have a habit of guessing wrong.

Wire them through a relay using the ignition or lighting circuits so they can only be on when the bike is, or just be dead careful about turning them off. When the bike's ignition is off, the kill switch becomes a mute point as it's not live unless the ignition is.

Easiest thing in the world: Take the front seat off and charge the battery back up, then use the starter and you're off.

If that's not a go-er bump starting an SV is completely possible, but harder work than say a 600cc in line 4, because of the larger pistons and greater gaps between the compression strokes.

1) Select a gear from either 2nd or 3rd. 3rd is easier to get the rear wheel to turn, but once the engine's started you need to get the clutch in quicker before it stalls as you're now doing 4mph in 3rd...

2) Full choke

3) If at all possible have a mate help push you, otherwise either do it Dave's stylish way and don't drop it, or get on, accept you'll look like a tit and waddle for all you're worth.

4) Stand on the pegs use a little throttle and dump the clutch as fast as possible

5) As soon as it coughs into life clutch it back in.

6) Do not stall or stop the bike for a good 10 miles or so or you'll be repeating from step 1.

I'd advise you don't do steps 3-5 in full bike gear, it's far too hot.

Jambo

[punyXpress]

Like starting a Vincent, one of the pistons coming up should be better than the other, but which one & how to identify it is beyond me.

yea i discovered yet again that pushing a bike in full leathers is a warming experience

yup battery is in good nick dizz

[STRAMASHER]

When you think you have gained enough speed or your lungs are on fire or your body is leaking sweat like a sieve........... dump the clutch at the same time as your bum hits the seat. It will give a bit extra to get the wheel to turn, hence "bump start". I usually walk it to some sort of slope or get a tow.

If you keep having probs and you always buy ****e bikes or don't talk to them nice and keep them sweet mechanically ,you can develop a very cool bumping the bike ,side saddle style.