I weigh 156 pounds.....and I have no chance of push starting my bike.  I have tried in 2nd, and 3rd and all I do is slide the rear tire.  If I try in 4th or 5th I may get one or two pops.....but I can't get the clutch in fast enough to keep the engine running.

One time when I was out and my battery gave up from just being old, I was able to jump start the bike and get back home.  I turned on the key, then used a jumper cable to connect directly to the starter positive terminal. You have to be very careful doing this.....as it is easy to touch the jumper cable to something other than the small terminal.  I consider this a last ditch gotta get home process....not something I would do except in an emergency.

You should drill off the small phillips head screws and get your battery out to charge it.  You will have to do that eventually anyhow.

Okay, here's a trick that might (and I say "might", never actually had a need to try) help when it is time to jump start.  I've got a trickle charger for the winter.  Part of what comes with this particular set is a set of wires that you can connect (permanently) to the battery and hang out the side, then just plug in to the cable off the battery trickle charger.  There is also a connection for the same connector to tie in to an included set of jumper clamps.  So, what one could do, is instead of plugging the trickle charger connected to the battery, connect the jumper cables instead.  Voila, an easy jump start, and no worries (if you are careful) about shorting out to the wrong thing.  WARNING: since you would be using the jump cables backwards from their normal use (the way they are connected to the connector), the polarities would be reversed.  Be sure to think through what is connected to what.

FWIW the trickle charger I'm using (with all these various cables and connectors) is a Duracell.  Can't remember where I got it, probably an auto parts store.  Highly recommended!

Dave wrote on 08/02/13 at 14:19:05:
I have had my bike stall a few times on me when coming to a stop and have locked up the rear tire .  The most embarassing time was when i went to the dealer to pick up some parts and a bunch of Canadian Harley riders just stared at me when i tried to pop the clutch while rolling into the parking lot.  funny thing is I was there 10 minutes and they were all standing around my bike and i got a ton of questions about it and a couple of what year is that questions and then a lot of compliments and then they lightened up after i told them that its my first year riding.  anyhow, i ended up with a few new riding partners, Go figure

Using the wires permanently attached to the battery that would  normally be used for a trickle charger are, as noted, way too small to handle jumper cable sized current.

They can, however, help in a situation like this.  Just hook them up with the jumper cables to another 12v battery (car or bike) and let them recharge the dead battery for 10 or 20 minutes.  

If they are REALLY thin wires, they might overheat.  If they are 16 or 14 gauge, they can probably handle the current.  Just don't have the charged battery in a vehicle that is running, and don't try to start the bike with the wires hooked up to the charged battery.