Proper way to JUMP START a GS?

[shortlid]

OK, my '80 GS850G was siting for two and a half weeks while I was on Nova Scotia . The GS was not started or ridden in that time (she does NOT like that!). It was 54 degrees in NH this morning and it has 20W-50 oil in it. When I went to start it, it cranked good for the first three cranks but needed a few cranks to catch as I got to the fourth try of 3 sec. cranks the starter was geting slowwer. It was TOO slow to catch by the fifth try and i just took my car to work. I did not try the starter till it was dead, what should I do to get it started when I get home?

PS> I does a one year old, good condition, Yusa with teh prpper electrolite levels in it.

[Anonymous]

Put the bike in second gear, apply full clutch. Have someone push you as fast as they can. Disengage the clutch as fast as possible (give it a little throttle) and the bike should start right up. I had a Honda VFR400 that I always parked on a hill because I was too poor to buy a new battery, that way I didn't need anyone to give me a push when I bump started it.


PS. If your battery is only a year old then your charging system is probably not working. You need to put a voltmeter on your battery when the bike is running and see what the voltage is.

[tfb]

First, recharge that battery, then see how you go.

If you want to bump-start a GS (or practically any motorcycle),
1. Get yourself and the machine at the top of a nice long hill.
2. Set the choke to where you would normally put it, and turn the ignition on.
3. Pop it into 2nd gear, pull in the clutch, and start rolling down the hill, drop the clutch and feather the throttle when it fires.
4. Or maybe I should have said, "if" it fire... because you wouldn't be the first person to run out of hill and have to push it back up to the top, gasping for breath...

But if you want to 'jump' start the machine, ie. with jumper leads from a car or such-like... well, I'm sure someone here will be able to tell you about the pros and cons of that one. I can't see it being a problem but you never know what darstardly things can happen to our temperamental GS electrics...

Mike.

[DMPLATT]

I just jumped mine on Monday. What I've learned on the GSR is NOT to have the Car running. Some argued about that, but I'm not taking any chances. It jumps just fine without the car running, so why chance it.

So, jumping from a car is fine if the car is NOT running.

P.S. If a bike is to sit for that length of time, you should invest into a Battery Tender. Or Trickle Charger.

[BriTXbike]

I have to add to this b/c I spent a month changing out parts only to relize the battery that charges fine may not be pushing out the right amount of Volts. Focus helped me figure that out.

Charge the battery for 24 hrs and if it is around 13v then let it sit and check every couple of hours. It shouldn't ever drop below 12.7-12.8V. If it didn't then hook the battery back up. This is were I should have started when I was t/s'ing, turn the key on and check the volts at the battery again. My battery showed fine and stayed charged but when I turned the key on the thing dropped to 9V. Everything has been running well so far including the Starter since I put new brushes in it!

[shortlid]

I would BUT!

I would LOVE to put a tender on it but I live in a apartment and it is parked in a parking lot! No plugs for 100's of feet!

What do you guys think is better jumping from a NOT running compact car with a small battery or bump starting it? I think maybe jumping casue we all know if we can give our charging systems a head start that IS better!

[BriTXbike]

One other thing to add is I've had no problems using my truck battery to jump the thing as long as you don't turn the truck on.

I jumped mine and it would idle fine but without a good battery it causes all sorts of things to go wrong. Thus the thought that changing other parts would resolve it. Don't test electrics unless you KNOW you have a good battery, otherwise your readings are going to be ALL SORTS OF SCREWED UP

[focus frenzy]

One other thing to add is I've had no problems using my truck battery to jump the thing as long as you don't turn the truck on.

I jumped mine and it would idle fine but without a good battery it causes all sorts of things to go wrong. Thus the thought that changing other parts would resolve it. Don't test electrics unless you KNOW you have a good battery, otherwise your readings are going to be ALL SORTS OF SCREWED UP

LOL, you can stop kicking yourself, you are not the first, and won't be the last to have made that mistake. it happens all the time.

PS: hows the bike running?

[shortlid]

Cool

OK I will use my girls Honda civic battery with the car OFF to jump my GS850G.

Should a good Yusa battery beable to turn a GS850G over more than five times at 54 degress with 20W-50 in it after siting for two weeks plus? Or are these things always grouchy when left allone for any length of time? :roll:

[bjrehill]

I have 1 1980 GS 850 GS with a yusa battery that is 1 year old. I can let it sit for weeks and it still starts right up. Sounds liek either a charging problem or a ground problem. These bikes don't draw anything when they sit. Unless you have a short.

[SqDancerLynn1]

If the weather in under 100deg you should be using 10/40 oil like recomended in the book. 20/50 will cause the clutch to drag esp when
cold. Depending on which petcock your bike has IT helps to put the bike on prime if it has been setting for a few days to make sure carbs are full

[snowbeard]

mines grouchy just from not being run enough. if it's been more than a week or so, I usually have to use a shot of ether (starting fluid) in the airbox (not on the filter) for the first try. usually that get's it to fire easily and it'll go fine after that?

[Anonymous]

Your battery should be able to crank the bike more than five times in that weather. 10 times that probably. They do lose some voltage in really cold weather like 40 degrees and below. 54 should be fine. I guarantee your charging system is naff. Put a voltmeter on it.

[BriTXbike]

One other thing to add is I've had no problems using my truck battery to jump the thing as long as you don't turn the truck on.

I jumped mine and it would idle fine but without a good battery it causes all sorts of things to go wrong. Thus the thought that changing other parts would resolve it. Don't test electrics unless you KNOW you have a good battery, otherwise your readings are going to be ALL SORTS OF SCREWED UP

LOL, you can stop kicking yourself, you are not the first, and won't be the last to have made that mistake. it happens all the time.

PS: hows the bike running?

She is running great now Remember you pointed out that she was overfilled with oil. LOL yeah I drained her to change the filter and oil and I had almost twice the recommended amount. She idles better now that I have the appropriate level. Oh yeah and I hardly use my kickstand anymore

[Anonymous]

Re: I would BUT!

I would LOVE to put a tender on it but I live in a apartment and it is parked in a parking lot! No plugs for 100's of feet!

What do you guys think is better jumping from a NOT running compact car with a small battery or bump starting it? I think maybe jumping casue we all know if we can give our charging systems a head start that IS better!

Would it be out of the question to remove the battery and take in inside with you? I've done this in the past, especailly if it's colder outside.
I've not had any problems jumping my bike from a running auto. It seems to really like the rush of electrons. 8O
As far as push starting the bike, you may want to try 3rd gear if the hill isn't steep enough for 2nd gear.
What I do is put bike in 3rd gear with ignition on and choke out,
pull in clutch,
roll bike,
hit start button and let out clutch,
ride starter till bike starts,
feather gas,
stop bike before you hit object at bottom of hill.
enjoy.