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Bodger Fix What they don't show you in the repair manual - tales of duct tape, bailing wire and WD 40. Bodge, Bush Mechanics, farmers fix, patch, temporary repair, or whatever your definition, tell us YOUR best story of a bodge that got you home!
Photo by Alessio Corradini, on the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia, of two locals

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Alessio Corradini,
on the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia,
of two locals



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  #16  
Old 10 Nov 2011
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Not all EFI's are the same. Don't the modern Huskies now have batteryless EFI? The kickstart seem to be back. Would be nice to be able to retrofit on the F series BM.
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  #17  
Old 11 Nov 2011
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Quote:
Originally Posted by garmei View Post
Slightly off topic, but I saw a great tip over on advrider for bump starting a big heavy bike.

You need two bikes (one fine and obviously one with a flat battery!), parked back to back on centrestands so that that each rear wheels is off the ground and touching each other. Start the running bike and run to a good speed, which will spin the non running bike's wheel in a forward direction, change up a few gears and hold in the clutch. When enough speed is reached, drop the clutch and hey presto.

Sounds like a faff, but is actually really straightforward. There's a video on youtube showing two KTM adventures doing it, but I'm at work and can't access that site to provide a link.
Love that here’s the link

How to bump start a KTM adventure! - YouTube

Bob
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  #18  
Old 13 Jan 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Scott View Post
Just remembered this old jump starting vid from the desert. Not an efi bike, just heavy.
Funny, I was just thinking of that attempted P/Starting video of your from years ago in the desert somewhere!!
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  #19  
Old 13 Jan 2012
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Check the kill switch
Once spent an hour pushing an XBR outfit through snow trying to bump it. It worked a lot better once the driver set the kill switch to run!

Andy
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  #20  
Old 13 Jan 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Threewheelbonnie View Post
Once spent an hour pushing an XBR outfit through snow trying to bump it. It worked a lot better once the driver set the kill switch to run!

Andy
Love it!
Been there. done that (I guess we all have), but not for an hour!!

Slightly
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  #21  
Old 14 Jan 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Threewheelbonnie View Post
Once spent an hour pushing an XBR outfit through snow trying to bump it. It worked a lot better once the driver set the kill switch to run!

Andy
Could I guess who that might have been?
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  #22  
Old 18 Aug 2012
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I know it's kind of late but here's the technique needed to push start a big single.

Check everythings in the on or run position, yes I've done it

Always pull it back on compression first, this is the most important bit, it gives you nearly 2 revolutions before hitting compression again and is the main reason most people fail at push starting singles.

Select quite a high gear, this gives you a gearing advantage from the back wheel to the engine, I usually select 2nd or 3rd

Don't run for ages before dumping the clutch, once your moving at a reasonable speed it'll work.
Also you'll get better grip if you drop your arse onto the seat at the same time.

On a carb bike that normally starts straight away on the starter you should get the same immediate start so be ready to grab the clutch again.
Most EFI bikes seem to have to turn over once before firing so I guess you'll have to push it for a few yards before it'll fire.

I can push start my KTM 640 no problem and I used to race grasstrack on 500cc Jawa's and Weslake's that run 13:1 compression ratios and they had to be push started in muddy fields.

Remember that the most important bit is to pull the motor back on compression.

Steve
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  #23  
Old 18 Aug 2012
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Actually Steve you are not late. Good information is always timely to share with others.

Thank you for the tip on making sure you bring the bike to proper position prior to taking off to make it easier.

Cheers
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  #24  
Old 21 Aug 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by *Touring Ted* View Post
Obviously getting a tow on a bike is risky but there are 'safer ways' to do it.

NEVER tie the rope to the bike. Wrap it around the headstock a few times and hold it with your hand on the bars. That way if things get 'Ropey' (excuse the pun), you can take your hand off the rope and it will unwrap and go free.

Much, much safer to tow footpeg to footpeg rather than from the headstock, but as you say, on the towed bike just wrap the rope around the peg and put your foot on it.
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  #25  
Old 21 Aug 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bowber View Post

Always pull it back on compression first, this is the most important bit, it gives you nearly 2 revolutions before hitting compression again and is the main reason most people fail at push starting singles.

...

Remember that the most important bit is to pull the motor back on compression.
For someone who is new to this stuff can you explain further what you mean by this? Thanks
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  #26  
Old 21 Aug 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sennen View Post
For someone who is new to this stuff can you explain further what you mean by this? Thanks
I think this is what he means......

On a four stroke engine you have "four strokes" One of those is the compression stroke which is when all the valves are closed and the piston is compressing the fuel/air.

This is hardest point in the cycle to turn an engine over.

So, I think he means to get past this stroke so you can get a little momentum in the engine before it hits the compression (ignition) stroke of the engine again.



Or I could be completely wrong...
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  #27  
Old 21 Aug 2012
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Ted is sort of right but the way it achieve this is to put the bike in 2nd or 3rd and pull it backwards until you can't pull it anymore. The piston has backed up against the compression (rather than gone forward just past it - only possible to do that with an old style decompression lever, AFAIK).

You see me doing it in this video:
Desert Riders ~ Push starting a Honda XR650L in the Sahara - YouTube
@ 1.34 to 41

You then pull in the clutch, switch on and take your run up. When after a few paces you dump the clutch while also jumping on the seat, the motor will have spun up a bit of momentum before it hits compression again (jumping on the seat ensures added traction so the motor turns and hopefully starts, rather than the wheel locks).

Doing the same without pulling back on compression will probably see the wheel lock rather than engine turn, especially on a big single. On a little 125 it's probably not important.

Ch
Last edited by Chris Scott; 22 Aug 2012 at 14:23.
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  #28  
Old 22 Aug 2012
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Thanks guys, thought it might be something like that. And thanks Chris for the practical demo. To go all the way to the Sahara just to shoot a demo vid...I'm touched
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  #29  
Old 22 Aug 2012
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Talking
.....you have to love that youtube vid!

.
.
.
.If you listen carefully.....
.
.
..
.
Way out in the distance....
.
.
.
.
You can hear the electric starter cranking the engine.....
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  #30  
Old 23 Aug 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bertrand View Post
.
.
.
You can hear the electric starter cranking the engine.....
Yes, thats why CS says to the other guy, "I owe you a tank of petrol".
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