Quick Scoop

To start a motorcycle safely, make sure it’s in neutral, turn the fuel on if needed, switch the ignition and kill switch to on , pull in the clutch if required, and press the starter button. On a cold carbureted bike, you may also need to use the choke; on a kick-start bike, use the kick lever instead of the starter button.

Basic steps

  1. Check that the bike is in neutral.
  1. Turn the fuel tap on, if your bike has one.
  1. Turn the ignition key to on and set the engine cut-out switch to on.
  1. If the bike is cold and carbureted, set the choke on.
  1. Pull in the clutch if your bike requires it, then press the starter button.
  1. Once it starts, let it warm up and ease the choke off as the engine stabilizes.

Important notes

  • Fuel-injected bikes usually need fewer manual steps than carbureted bikes.
  • If the bike won’t start, common things to check are the kill switch, neutral, kickstand position, battery, and fuel supply.
  • A kickstand interlock or neutral safety feature may prevent starting in some gear positions.

Quick example

A typical fuel-injected bike often starts like this: neutral, ignition on, kill switch on, clutch in, starter button pressed. That’s the most common modern sequence.

TL;DR

Start with neutral, ignition on, kill switch on, then use the starter. Carbureted bikes may need choke and fuel-tap checks, while kick-start bikes use the kick lever.