The Verslagen method...

There are several ways to do a push start.  I do a starter aided push start.  This procedure is for a stock bike with all of the safeties working.  The starter will cut out anytime the clutch is released.  We are going to use that to our advantage to get the decomp activated, and the engine rotating before we let out the clutch and letting the bikes motion take over the turning of the engine to start it.

1. Prep the bike as usual to start.
2. Put it in 1st gear, remember this is starter aided.
3. Run it up to as fast as you can go, I'm old and gimpy so don't give me any sh!t about it's too hard.
4. Hop on, push the starter button as it starts to turn the engine over release the clutch.  It will chug a couple of times as the battery recovers from the starter drain then it will fire up.

In 1st gear at about 5mph give or take a few, the starter will turn the engine at about the same speed.

Bubba wrote on 07/06/11 at 07:40:14:

Dead flat?  hmmmm.... no.  Gotta have enough juice to get the decomp to click.
One of these days I'm gonna have to do a couple of mod's, lights on a separate circuit and manual decomp.  It'd be nice to be able to trouble shoot shorts and special occasions like this to turn off all lights even if you had to pull a fuse.  And I found that if you pry up the decomp lever and block it... if it's the right length, the block will fall out when the cam activates the valve.  So I got a little experimenting to do.

I push started for two weeks in one of the colder months here due to a weak battery (till i upgraded to the amazing Big Crank).

Walked her three blocks (flat), pushed her up a 30 foot hill (what a way to start your day). Got on, clicked into second, coasted down the hill, released the clutch, hit the starter, and hoped.

Some days it would take two or three tries up that hill, but it worked. Yet another reason why I always park on the second floor of parking garages. always have a bit of room to coast down....

Yes it can be push started, I've done it quite few times by myself or having someone to help pushing, in fact i had to do it last night when leaving work since I left the ignition on for more than half day, the easiest way, specially if you are by yourself, is put the bike in neutral, push as hard and fast you can them jump on it and inmidiate shift to 2nd gear and let the clutch go

I have no shame! I did not want to fork over money for a new batt, so I would battery tend it at night, fire it up in the morning and have some by-stander help me push it around 4pm. Drive home and repeat!

Did that for 2 weeks.