Start Dirt Bike Without Kickstart – Like a Pro!

I’m a mechanic for twenty-five years, and bump starting engines is all part of the day job. If your dirt bike isn’t fitted with kickstart or even if it is, this post is for you. Very shortly you’ll learn a life skill and you’ll be tearing it up.

The top two ways to start a Dirt bike without using a kickstart include:

1. Hill bump-start
2. Push bump-start

In this post, you’ll learn the top two techniques for starting your dirt bike without using a kickstart. These techniques will work for all dirt bikes, however, fuel-injected bikes will require a functioning battery. we cover it all below, and we also some lesser-known dirt bike starting techniques.

1 The Hill Bump-start

The hill bump-start is the number one way to start a dirt bike without using a kickstart. It’s not only the easiest but it’s the safest technique also.

You’ll need a hill to perform the hill bump-start successfully. We’ll use gravity to propel the bike and rider downhill, then we’ll convert that motion into the energy we need to crank over the motor and start the engine. Sounds simple, right? Well, it is!

Tools you’ll need: Rider and a Hill

The Hill bump-start process:

Step One – Move the bike to the top of a hill – the steeper the better and somewhere the rear wheel will gain traction (a sealed surface is ideal, not a muddy trail)

Step Two – Turn the gas and ignition system “On”

Step Three – Straddle the bike, pull and hold the clutch lever, and place the bike in 2nd gear

Step Four – Push off and stand up (stand up on the pegs)

Step Six – Tear it up

For most riders, this simple hill bump starting hack works a treat. However, when it doesn’t, it is usually because of one of the following common reasons:

• The ignition system is not turned on
• Fuel not on
• The rider fails to gather enough momentum
• The rider fails to slam the seat at the correct time
• Bike flooded with gas
• Fouled spark plug
• Faulty battery (covered below)

2 Push Bump-start

The Push bump-start technique employs an identical starting technique to the Hill bump-start we’ve just covered above. But the push bump-start has a few extra steps that will require a higher skill level and some physical exertion.

This technique is used when the terrain doesn’t offer the rider the opportunity of taking advantage of a hill.

Tools you’ll need: Fit rider

The Push bump-start process:

Step One – Move the bike to a suitable space – a sealed surface would be ideal, somewhere the wheel can gain traction

Step Two – Turn the gas and ignition system “On”

Step Three – Stand on the left side of the bike, pull and hold the clutch lever, and place the bike in 2nd gear (note: some bikes may be challenging to push when in gear with the clutch pulled and held if so skip placing it in gear until you have built up sufficient momentum. This adds an extra degree of difficulty but not rocket science)

Step Four – Start pushing

Step Five – When you’ve gathered sufficient speed, through your leg across the bike and drop your weight (ass) onto the seat while simultaneously releasing the clutch lever (dropping your weight on the seat is important as it helps generate additional traction at the rear wheel precisely when it’s needed)

Step Six – Tear it up

Next, we’ll cover some of the common reasons this technique hasn’t worked. And you won’t be surprised to see that many of the reasons are related to the execution of the technique.

• Not gathering enough speed
• Taking too long to mount the bike and drop clutch
• Failing to coordinate weight on the rear wheel and dropping the clutch
• Faulty battery (covered below)

Other Techniques for Starting a Dirt Bike without Kickstart

Here you’ll find some other techniques for starting a dirt bike without using a kickstart. That said not all these techniques will suit all dirt bikes. To decide which options will work best, we’ll need to know:

A – If your bike is fitted with a battery and starter motor (electric start or not)

B – What type of fuel system your bike uses

Electric start

If your bike is normally electric start, you’ll have the greatest number of options available to you when it comes to starting your bike without a kickstart. The two most common types at the beginning of this post should have you covered, but in addition, you’ll have options such as Jump pack use, Jumpstarting, and crossing the solenoid. (all covered below)

That said, successful execution of these techniques will depend upon what components have caused your bike to fail to start on the button in the first place.

You can check out the electric start bike options here.

What Fuel System?

Most dirt bikes and all older bikes are fitted with a carburetor and more modern bikes especially higher-end modern dirt bikes will likely employ a fuel-injected fuel system. Either type may or may not have an electric start fitted.

The range of starting options, therefore, varies according to your bike’s spec.

Carburetor – carburetor bikes represent the majority of older dirt bikes and if your bike doesn’t have a battery fitted, it is a carburetor bike. That said, conversely having a battery fitted doesn’t make it a fuel-injected bike.

If in addition, your carburetor bike has an electric start, you can add the electric start techniques to the list.

Fuel-injected bikes – Fuel-injected bikes are sophisticated fuel systems that employ various electrical sensors – ATS (Air Temperature Sensor), Baro (Altitude sensor), TPS (Throttle Position Sensor), an electrically controlled fuel injector, an electric fuel pump, and an ECU (Engine Control Module (computer)).

While some dirt bikes are battery-less fuel-injected meaning they don’t need or have a battery fitted. A fuel-injected bike that’s designed to have a battery, won’t like to run without one.

A working battery is critical to many fuel-injected systems for obvious reasons. And while it may be possible to start some fuel-injected bikes with a faulty battery, it won’t run right until either battery voltage is restored or the battery is replaced. Certainly, fuel-injected bikes won’t like to run with the battery disconnected.

If in addition your fuel-injected bike also has an electric start, you can add the electric start techniques to the list.

Let’s go ahead and cover the various starting techniques open to each bike.

Electric Start Bike – Starting Options

No matter if your bike is carburetor or fuel-injected if it has an electric start you can use these starting options without using a Kickstarter.

• Jump starting – Jumpstarting is a process where we scavenge power from another bike or car (any 12-volt system) to start our bike. This works great if your bike has a battery that’s simply low on power, but won’t work if your starter or starter solenoid is at fault.

You’ll find a more detailed guide on jumpstarting here – How to jumpstart an ATV? (it’s an ATV but the process is identical)

• Jump pack – This is a process where we use a portable jump pack to start your engine. This works great if your bike has a battery that’s simply low on power, but won’t work if your starter or starter solenoid is at fault.
• Cross solenoid – This is a process where we cross the starter solenoid poles effectively bypassing the start button and solenoid. This works great if your bike has a fully charged battery and either the solenoid or start button is at fault.

Be sure transmission is in neutral before crossing the solenoid otherwise the bike will lurch forward.

If the engine cranks over, it’s likely your solenoid has failed. I covered starter solenoid testing and fitting previously in this post – Dirt bike won’t start just clicks.

• Tow start – This is where a buddy pull starts your bike using theirs, you’ll need a tow rope and you’ll need to employ the bump start 2nd gear technique we covered at the beginning of this post.

• The belt-on-wheel technique – This isn’t recommended but in the interest of explaining all options, here it is. You’ll need a helper, a stand, and a ratchet strap belt. This is a process where you wrap a belt around the rear tire and place the bike on blocks and in 2nd gear (as per our bump-start technique at the beginning of this post) pull the belt to start the engine. The helper must be ready to clutch the bike as it’s in gear.
• Turning wheel technique – This one is highly dangerous, but we’re all adults here. You’ll need a helper and a stand. Placing the bike on stand and in 2nd gear (as per our bump-start technique at the beginning of this post) pull the rear type over using brute force. The helper must be ready to clutch the bike as it’s in gear and the puller must use extreme caution, getting a limb caught is a very real risk and not something I would recommend attempting.
• Wheel to wheel technique – Need a second bike, an experienced rider, and two stands for this one. Place the bikes on stands rear wheel to rear wheel.

• Wheelie technique – This is dangerous and I can’t recommend this one either. This will require a helper. The process is as follows. Apply the rear brake and tilt the bike upright onto the rear wheel. Place bike in 2nd gear and (as per our bump-start technique at the beginning of this post). While upright, push the bike forward, jump on and dump the clutch James Bond style!

Carburetor Bike – Starting Options

Here’s the list of starting options available to carburetor bikes, and as said, some carburetor bikes will also have an electric start. If that’s your bike, you can add the list of electric start options found above to this list.

• Tow start
• The belt on wheel technique
• Turning wheel technique
• Wheel to wheel technique
• Wheelie technique

Fuel-injected Bike – Starting Options

Since all fuel-injected bikes are equipped with a battery, you know you’ll need a functioning battery before she’ll run right. And as we said earlier, your bike may be an electric start also, and if that’s the case and it is for many fuel-injected bikes, you can add the electric start list of starting options found above to this list.

Fuel-injected starting options:

• Tow start
• The belt on wheel technique
• Turning wheel technique
• Wheel to wheel technique
• Wheelie technique

You may find the following posts helpful:

Will dirt bike start with low compression?

Dirt bike not getting fuel

Do all dirt bikes have stators?