Did somebody say Pop Tarts?

 

When Harleys had magnetos (a mechanical spark producer) you could indeed push start them. And with a generator to run the lights, blow the horn, and a kick starter to get you going you could run forever with no battery at all.

Nowadays the power to make your spark plugs fire, run your lights, and power all your electrical doodads comes directly from your battery. (The alternator (by way of the voltage regulator) is used only to replenish the battery.

So basically no battery, a weak battery, or a shorted out battery = no push start.

Now, if you have a healthy fully charged battery but a bad starter, you can certainly push start a modern Harley.

And by no means I'm waxing nostalgic for mags, points, and generators. Magnetos where fairly problem free (and still used in piston aircraft engines) but points and condensers were a PITA and generators finicky to the point they would go **** up just sitting on a shelf.

 

i tried to crash start mine once, no go! just locked rear wheel, tried all the gears

 

I would argue this... as I have push started several cars that have had modern fuel injection and distributorless ignition. Works fine as long as there is some charge there to spin the pump. Full voltage is not required in order to build enough line pressure to supply fuel, or to spark the ignition enough to turn the motor over.

 

you will need atleast enough power to run the ecm and fuel pump.i think something like 9 volts.but then sure..put it in 2nd or third to get it to turn over easier..a hil or a pusher would make it a lot easier..i had a old gold wing for a while,bought it with a bad starter,i push started it every time i rode it because i didnt have $300 for a starter..my friends would always gather to watch me and laugh

 

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my carbed evo,, I could push/jump start it,, the twinkie injector, nope didn't work. Has to have enough power to fire up the computer/alarm shutoff/injection system,and fire to the spark plugs.

 

Carb bike yes, Fuel Injected bike no...

 

I dunno... I ran my battery down a week or so ago by leaving the lights on. Bike wouldn't turn over so I coasted it down my driveway, got up a bit of speed, popped the clutch and it fired right up. 2009 Road King Classic w/ fuel injection. So I believe it can be done.

 

If the battery is completely dead, you won't be able to "pop start" it at all. There must be at least a little juice to run the fuel pump and the ignition and sensors. Bikes are now equipped with alternators instead of generators. Generators will generate power even if the battery is completely dead because they had coils and permanent magnets. But, an alternator need power in to get power out because the magnetic field is generated by electric power being fed to a set of coils to create the magnetic field that permanent magnets use to supply in generators.