Starting in gear

[jaceddie]

If you need some ammo for any potential argument your buddy may give you, here's some. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation teaches in their Basic Rider Course that you always start the bike with tranny in neutral and clutch lever pulled in (clutch disengaged.) My technique has evolved where I add either the foot or hand brake as well. This, of course, assumes a relaxed and controlled environment. Stalled at a green light with an 18 wheeler approaching from behind pretty much dictates that you squeeze the clutch and punch the starter! Bike should start just fine but I wouldn't make it a habit to do this.

I agree with the Dr. When you have too, that's a different story.

 

[Jonas]

i know our bikes wont start if the side stand is down but will if the clutch is pulled, never started 1 in gear unless the clutch is in and i have stalled as i always start in neutral

My bike will start with the kick stand down. Mine will start in gear. Even if the clutch is not pulled. At least jerks the bike forward. Mine is 04 RK Poilce. So it maybe a something for the cops

 

[Jdsmitty10]

JD; Just to make sure, I just went out to my '07 FLHT and checked. In gear with the clutch out, nothing happens when the button is pressed. In gear with the clutch pulled in, it jerked a little then started. The bike has been sitting for a few days, so I think the jerk was "stiction" of the cold oil between the clutch plates. I know when it's warmed up, it doesn't jerk at all when started in gear. It starts in neutral with the clutch in or out.

Hey thanks for checkin! I was new to riding last year when it happened and I felt all cool hoppin on the harley leaving school(work) and boom, the bike jumps forward and I am like WHAT"?! Then i popped it in neutral and went..felt like an idiot tho hahaha.. And i have stalled in traffic(thunder in the valley, Johnstown PA felt like an idiot then too ) and started in gear and had no issue, so you must be right with it being cold causing that.

 

[aces82]

My bike will start with the kick stand down as well. The kickstand has mechanical function only.

 

[SixPak]

My Bike will start with sidestand down, in neutral not touching clutch lever. Will not even crank if in gear unless I pull clutch. It also jerks forward a bit when trans is cold. I always put in neutral, sqeeze clutch and hold brake when starting. Have stalled once in traffic. Just sqeezed clutch and fired her up.

 

[NEWHD74FAN]

My '04 Sporty will attempt to start in gear with the clutch out...and since I have done such a fine job cleaning the posts, upgrading to the latest starter clutch, it will quite literally want to pull away whether there is a parking block in the way or not...don't ask me how I know!

Dr D and Breeze have it right, just because you can start it in gear with only the clutch pulled, it still is more of a load on that starting system. But when you are in an intersection and accidently drop the clutch and kill the engine (chrome levers are slippery arn't they...:newsmile100 you can and should start ASAP, don't want to be flip flopping trying to find neutral on a dead bike with cars honking behind you :bigsmiley15:

It is not the "cool" HD look, IMO, but not quite as bad a watching a metric biker get his shoelaces fouled up in the pegs and watching in slo motion as he tips the bike over...:newsmile040:

 

[cdn-bigfoot]

...... I'd already told him when shutting down the bike to use the kill switch whitch he wasn't doing , he'd turn the key on to look at the speedo then shute it off so he was pressurising the efi without starting the engine then turning off the key . I don't want to sound like a know-it-all but i want to make sure he does things right .

Kill switch is best reserved as an emergency engine kill only. While it's good to test it periodically, regular use to turn off engine will cause carbon build up and premature wear of the switch. Use the ignition to turn on and off the bike. Models with neck ignition switches are problematic and may require the operator to use the kill switch for safety.

Why does your buddy turn on his ignition to look at his dash? That's not only a bad practice but unnecessary. If he needs to see his mileage counter just press in the odometer reset with the bike turned off and the mileage counter will display.

 

[watch guy]

Kill switch is best reserved as an emergency engine kill only. While it's good to test it periodically, regular use to turn off engine will cause carbon build up and premature wear of the switch. Use the ignition to turn on and off the bike. Models with neck ignition switches are problematic and may require the operator to use the kill switch for safety.

Why does your buddy turn on his ignition to look at his dash? That's not only a bad practice but unnecessary. If he needs to see his mileage counter just press in the odometer reset with the bike turned off and the mileage counter will display.

Why shouldn't we use the kill switch to shut the bike down and then turn off the ignition? I thought that's what the manual suggests.

 

[Jdsmitty10]

i use the dash key to turn mine off.. i am guessing i shouldnt be doing that? i just always did that to assure myself the key was off so i didnt have a dead battery next time i went to ride it

 

[Breeze3at]

i use the dash key to turn mine off.. i am guessing i shouldnt be doing that? i just always did that to assure myself the key was off so i didnt have a dead battery next time i went to ride it

We had a good thread on ignition switch/kill switch a few months back. There was good logic for both ways. I think the overall majority was kill switch. I'm stubborn and use the ign. only because I don't want to forget and leave the lights on. Try a search for the thread, it's a good read.