A Step-By-Step Guide to Jump-Starting a Motorcycle
Jump-starting a motorcycle isn’t exactly a skill you can practice, as it’s really only necessary in emergency situations. However, you still want to know how to correctly set up a jump in case you’re ever in a sticky situation. To help you prepare, we’ve written up the article below with step-by-step instructions, as well as a bit of helpful advice.
Finding a Jump-Start
Finding someone to give you a jump-start isn’t always as easy as it sounds. If you don’t have anyone in the area to call, or you’re out of town, you may end up stranded. To avoid this predicament, we advise buying a jump-starter machine to take with you when you travel. These portable machines will have you back on the road in no time and don’t require any extra equipment besides jumper cables and the machine itself.
If you are able to flag down someone willing to give you a jump, you’ll need to act carefully. The type of vehicle you use to jump-start your motorcycle is very important. A car battery is much stronger than a motorcycle’s, and it’s easy for it to overcharge and even damage your battery if you’re not careful. To avoid this, never start the car while jump-starting your motorcycle. After connecting the two vehicles via jumper cables the motorcycle should start, and you’ll want to let it idle for a few minutes to help it recharge. If you’re instead using another motorcycle to jump-start your own, you’ll want to connect it normally, then start both vehicles to achieve a successful jump.
Connecting the Jumper Cables
Whether you’re using a car, motorcycle, or portable jump starter, you’ll always set up your jumper cables the same way. First, grab the red cable and attach it to both vehicles’ positive battery poles. There will be two poles on both batteries and the positive one should be marked with a plus sign and may have a red cap on it. Once connected, grab the black jumper cable and connect it to a grounded piece of metal on your bike. For the other vehicle, you’ll need to attach the black cable to the negative battery pole. Afterward, you can start the vehicle (if it isn’t a car) before trying to start your own motorcycle.
If you notice that your motorcycle is having trouble starting, or you’ve woken up one morning to find your battery completely dead, feel free to visit us here in Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania. We proudly serve the nearby city of Allentown, Pennsylvania, and offer both an on-site service and parts department to help you with any of your motorcycle maintenance issues.