What is needed to push start a yamaha seca?

I recently purchased a 1981 yamaha seca and the starter doesnt work. I want to push start the bike. it has gas and a brand new battery. Is there anything else needed to push start the bike?
In addition, what is the right way to push start it?

 

The best way is to "Paddle" down a slight slope in neutral, make sure the ignition is on.
When you reach a sensible speed lift the gear selector up into second and drop the clutch (Let the lever go quickly).
Depending on the time of year and condition of the carbs you will have to experiment with the choke setting.

I would suggest this is really a get-you-home fix and you should check out why the starter does not work.

There is always the chance you might drop the bike!

If you've just bought the bike - there's lots of help avaiable here.

 

when you pick a slope to push it down make sure it's one you won't mind pushing it back up

 

A strong friend or a big hill...

The way I do it, not saying it's the proper way but, throw it in second, pull in the clutch, get a good strong push or roll it down a hill, get some forward speed and let the clutch out. Works best on pavement, and depending on the weight of the bike it might work better to be sitting on the bike otherwise the back wheel might just lock up. Best of luck!

 

i Just tried it outside. not on a big hill, but a hard push. exactly how fast do you have to be moving?

 

I would say at least 4-5 mph....

Where are you riding it to? The shop or to your house I hope.... Stopping anywhere else would be a bad idea.

 

Not like this...

 

:lol: :lol: :lol: HAh, this is the exact video I thought of when I started reading this thread.

I do it like this video, but down a drive way. If you have just bought the bike, and have yet to get it running, or hear it run keep in mind the carbs may not be clean. So if it would start rough with a starter push starting it may be a bit difficult, and aggrevating.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXl3RnBWbE0

 

When you say "the starter doesn't work" can you be more specific? The right thing to do is fix the starter, then work your way through the other issues. You could be going up and down that hill for a very long time. You can jumper the starter motor to test it, then work back through the relays and other parts of the circuit.

 

I have better luck using higher gears. I put the bike in fifth, turn on the ignition, pull in the clutch and push up to whatever speed I can manage in twenty feet or so, then let out the clutch. Pull the clutch back in as soon as the engine begins to fire.

Using first or second gear, I find the rear tire tends to skid when I release the clutch and the bike comes to a quick halt. In fifth, with a some initial momentum, I can keep the engine turning over at a walking pace with little effort until it fires. It will not spin as fast as in first or second , but it does not need to.

This lesson learned at 12 pushing my Dad's VW Beetle. I started thinking there HAD to be a better way when I smashed my face into the rear "hood" a couple times when he popped the clutch in first.

 

I agree that I seem to always drag the rear tire in first or second unless a buddy is pushing and putting more weight on the passenger grab handle. 3rd always does it. been a couple years since I had occasion to bump start mine.
recommended interval for starter brushes is something like 10k miles (more with few starts/long trips, less with lots of trips to the corner store and back)
I learned all about 'em at 15k.

I also agree with Iandmac. You could have a whole host of things that need sorting out and what you really need is to be able to crank the motor while sitting on stool in the garage. Bump starts ARE only for getting home when something goes amiss out in the world.

 

You can really mess-up "Push-starting" a Bike that even moderately difficult to leg-over.

You can become frustrated and fatigued and drop the Bike.

Push-starting is something you want to know how to do; but NOT need to do.

Go after that Starter.
Pull the Starter.
Spin Test it.

All you need is Jumper Cables or a Battery Charger.
RED to the Electric Post
BLACK to the Case or Long Screw.
See if it Spins.

Yes.
The problem isn't the Starter.
No.
Investigate.

Most Starter related problems are due to either:
a) Brushes too Short
b) Carbon Dust shorting the Commutator.

You can get New Brushes and have them installed.
You can douche-out the Electrical-end of Carbon Dust.

The New Brushes require being Soldered onto the Brush Plate.
You can loosen the two long Cap Screw-bolts and shoot a spray of Electrical Parts Cleaner onto the Commutator and Brush Plate (and housing).

A can of Contact Cleaner is 8 or 10-Bucks.
Isopropyl Alcohol will do the trick. You need a "Pull-trigger Spray Bottle"

Load-up the Sprayer.
Pull the Electric-end away from the Case without moving the Brushes too far.
Spray the Electric-end until what drips out is as clean as what you are spraying in.

 

I just fixed my starter today.
Took it apart only to find the plastic holding the stud has cracked and broke. The wire also came apart from the stud. I soldird the wire back to the stub, and made a new plastic bushing to replace it with.
Before reinstalling I did a simple test to make sure it was good to go.
Jumper cables hooked to an extra battery and then I gave the starter a couple short burst of power. And I was off. Rode for a good part of the day.

The starter isn't very difficult to take apart. I it took me about two hours to replace the starter button, then to fix my starter.

I am not sure how true it is but I was told when testing the starter that you do not want to let it run very long. Just enough to know it is working. I was told it may over heat. Not sure how true that is but figured I would share.

 

It's a good rule of thumb, to NEVER let a starter motor turn for more than 5 seconds without letting it sit for 30 seconds between attempts.

Car, motorcycle, boat, lawn mower, doesn't matter, it's good advice, you CAN burn the motor out.

 

BTW, make sure that not only is the ignition switch on, but also the START/STOP switch is turned to START!! More than one has tried to start a bike unsuccessfully because both switches were not on. I did that on my Gold Wing once trying to bump start it and was running out of "downhill".

82 550cc Maxim 41k all mine!
83 1100 Gold Wing Aspencade 31k about 15k mine!

 

LOL! I did that this summer with my Venture. Fortunately the hill was long enough I got a fourth try.

BTW, an XJ will not push start with a completely dead battery. The alternator uses an exciter coil so if the battery is dead the alternator doesn't work. No juice = no spark = no go no matter how much you push it.

 

Note to all noobs - - the XJ's will not draw any fuel if you twist the thottle. If you have a cold motor, you need fuel. It is only supplied on vacuum thru the "pilot/idle" circuit, or thru the "choke" circuit.

Whether you use the starter or "bump" start it - - leave the throttle closed.

 

right on Time to Ride, keep that throttle closed!

82 XJ550J Maxim, 41k, all mine!
83 1100A Gold Wing Aspencade, 31k, about 15k mine!