Starting Question- TE511

A quick question for all the great Husky minds out there.

My 2013 TE511 only has electric start (no kick start). You need to pull in the clutch in order to electric start it (no key). If I happen to lose the ability to electric start on the trail, how do I get it started? I have tried the downhill 2nd gear method in preparation for that day as a test. The problem is that it does not seem to want to push start. Maybe something to do with the clutch needing to be pulled in. I have tried getting the engine turning downhill and then pulling the clutch in but then the engine doesn't turn.

Hopefully I am making sense with the description of my concern. So far I have not been able to get it "push" started no matter what I try. Any answers may help others with this bike as well

Any thoughts on how to get this big beauty started if I lose the ability to use the electric start? I am trying to be prepared for that day.

As always, thanks guys.

Chuck

Clutch lever has two wires. Short circuit, and press start button, engine starts.

Yeah, this is one things that bugs me about the shift to all-electric starting (and why I like the kicker, in addition to the button, on my 310). On my son's 511, you can't bump start it until the ECU is on. So I bump start it by briefly hitting the starter button (while rolling and before I'm about to dump the clutch) which turns the ECU on. Works like a charm.... but I've never had to do it with a "dead" battery.

The basic answer to your question is to flash the starter button while you're rolling with the clutch lever pulled in. Once the computer & dashboard are on, they'll stay on while the front wheel turns. (so will the headlight, btw- keep this in mind if you have a low battery). Select your gear and dump the clutch any time you're ready to start it.

Hopefully, you'll have enough juice to get the electronics to work; I don't know what the minimum voltage is- maybe 9 volts (6 volts minimum would be better). The big electrical draw (after the starter and headlight) would be the fuel pump I'm guessing, but I doubt you need much current to have the minimum electronics necessary to start the bike (totally made up minimum numbers: 9volts, 3amps. I could be way off). If you had a no-charging situation and got the bike started, I'd unplug the lights and maybe anything else (turn sigs? fan? starter relay? etc) just to get home.

My TE 310 is keyless also (but our computers act differently). I don't like the keyless feature I've decided. Takes 5 seconds after starting for the dashboard computer and headlights to come on... and then I have no control over them. I've rigged up a switch on my bike where I can have the lights/dash computer behave normally; or I can turn 'em off (which includes the brake lights/turn sigs); or have them on with or without the engine running (like when I wanna read the trip meter w/o starting the bike up... or even shine the headlight or use the horn when I'm stopped and the engine is off). It was simple on the 310 (the white wire on the DC relay is a controlled-ground at the regulator, so I just added a switch). With the lights off & the bike running, the battery still charges at 14.5Vdc; in fact the only thing that may be a negative is that the fan is also off. ehh, NBFD, as far as I'm concerned. BTW, the 310 will bump start (or kick!) all day long.

If you have a fair battery and a charging system that's putting out some power, the keyless system should work- in that you could never drain the battery by leaving the lights on. Of course if the charging systems fails, or a battery is faulty, or a wire shorts, and you fail to notice (that is, until the bike starts stumbling because of ignition or fuel delivery problems) you could have a situation. Consider installing one of those LED warning lights available that come on when the system voltage drops below, say 13.5V and so is acting like the much-maligned "idiot light" of old.

I'm kinda thinking about installing a hidden SPDT switch on my clutch safety interlock circuit, which would allow me to engage the starter with the clutch lever out, or act normally (ie, clutch lever in), or be a disabling anti-theft thingy.

good luck (drop me a pm with your email addy if you have any questions... I'm still on double-secret probation and the lag time can be days before anyone can see something I write ). And definitely LMK if I got something wrong- it's been about a year since I rode my kid's bike.

I’m going to always have one of those miniature jump starters with me. I always had trouble with my beta and ktm batteries. My 511 has too much compression to roll start. So did the 449 Mx bike I borrowed once. I just got my 511 this week.