Start the Motorcycle Move a Motorcycle By Starting It and Putting It In Gear -
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Move a Motorcycle By Starting It and Putting It In Gear

By Walter F. Kern

Step 8: Start the Motorcycle

Make sure you kick the side stand up to its rest position. Most bikes won't start if the side stand is down. You'll need to balance the bike so it will not fall.

If the motorcycle is inside a garage or in a place where it can't be driven out forward, consider backing the bike out by paddling your feet on the ground. Keep your head up and the handlebars straight. Turn the bike as necessary and use the front brake to stop but not when the wheel is turned -- the bike may tip over. Then continue with this procedure.

With the transmission in neutral and the clutch fully depressed, put your right thumb on the Start button located on or near the right handlebar grip and start the engine. See picture, below. The engine should fire up immediately.

Sometimes it will fire and then quickly die. Just try again.

Let the engine warm up a bit. The engine will be racing initially because the choke is out.

You can release your grip on the clutch and let it out since the transmission is in neutral.

After a couple of minutes you can begin to release the choke and will hear the engine speed decreasing until it finally gets to a low idle with the engine running smoothly.

Put your right hand on the right hand grip (the throttle) and slowly rotate it toward you. The engine speed increases. Relax your grip and the speed decreases. To get the bike to move, you'll need to get it in first gear and then use the throttle and clutch together to slowly move the bike. See the final two steps.

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Right Hand Grip Controls
Motorcycle Right Hand Grip Controls
© Walter Kern

  1. Turn On the Fuel Supply
  2. Pull Out the Choke
  3. Turn ON the Ignition
  4. Set the KILL Switch to RUN
  5. Depress the Clutch Lever
  6. Shift Into Neutral
  7. Check the Neutral Indicator Light
  8. Start the Motorcycle
  9. Shift Into First Gear
  10. Move the Motorcycle

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