Kawasaki Z1000SX - Owner's Manual > Jump Starting

If your motorcycle battery is "run down", it should be removed and charged. If this is not practical, a 12 volt booster battery and jumper cables may be used to start the engine.

DANGER Battery acid generates hydrogen gas which is flammable and explosive under certain conditions.

It is present within a battery at all times, even in a discharged condition.

Keep all flames and sparks away from the battery.

Wear eye protection when working with a battery. In the event of battery acid contact with skin, eyes, or clothing, wash the affected areas immediately with water for at least 5 minutes. Seek medical attention.

Connecting Jumper Cables

• Remove the rider's seat (see Seats section in the GENERAL INFORMATION chapter).
• Make sure the ignition key is turned to "OFF".

 

• Connect a jumper cable from the positive (+) terminal of the booster battery to the positive (+) terminal of the motorcycle battery.

1. Motorcycle Battery Positive (+) Terminal
2. From Booster Battery Positive (+) Terminal
3. Swingarm Pivot Shaft Nut
4. From Booster Battery Negative (-) Terminal

• Connect another jumper cable from the negative (-) terminal of the booster battery to your motorcycle footpeg or other unpainted metal surface.

  Do not use the negative (-) terminal of the battery.

DANGER Batteries contain sulfuric acid that can cause burns and produce hydrogen gas which is highly explosive. Do not make this last connection at the fuel system or battery. Take care not to touch the positive and negative cables together, and do not lean over the battery when making this last connection. Do not connect to a frozen battery. It could explode. Do not reverse polarity by connecting positive (+) to negative (-), or a battery explosion and serious damage to the electrical system may occur.

• Follow the standard engine starting procedure.

NOTICE Do not operate the starter continuously for more than 5 seconds or the starter will overheat and the battery power will drop temporarily.

Wait 15 seconds between each operation of the starter to let it cool and the battery power recover.

• After the engine has started, disconnect the jumper cables. Disconnect the negative (-) cable from the motorcycle first.
• Reinstall the removed parts.

Moving Off

• Check that the side stand is up.
• Pull in the clutch lever.
• Shift into 1st gear.
• Open the throttle a little, and start to let out the clutch lever very slowly.
• As the clutch starts to engage, open the throttle a little more, giving the engine just enough fuel to keep it from stalling.

1. Shift Pedal

NOTE

• The motorcycle is equipped with a side stand switch. This switch is designed so that the engine does not start if the transmission is in gear and the side stand is down.
• When the headlight is on high beam, two headlight beams go on, and on low beam, the one side of the headlight goes on.

Shifting Gears

• Close the throttle while pulling in the clutch lever.
• Shift into the next higher or lower gear.

WARNING Downshifting to a lower gear at high speed causes engine rpm to increase excessively, potentially damaging the engine and it may also cause the rear wheel to skid and cause an accident. Downshifting should be done below 5 000 rpm for each gear.

• Open the throttle halfway, while releasing the clutch lever.

NOTE

• The transmission is equipped with a positive neutral finder. When the motorcycle is standing still, the transmission cannot be shifted past neutral from 1st gear. To use the positive neutral finder, shift down to 1st gear, then lift up on the shift pedal while standing still. The transmission will shift only into neutral.

Braking

• Close the throttle completely, leaving the clutch engaged (except when shifting gears) so that the engine will help slow down the motorcycle.
• Shift down one gear at a time so that you are in 1st gear when you come to a complete stop.
• When stopping, always apply both brakes at the same time. Normally the front brake should be applied a little more than the rear. Shift down or fully disengage the clutch as necessary to keep the engine from stalling.
• Never lock the brakes, or it will cause the tires to skid. When turning a corner, it is better not to brake at all. Reduce your speed before you get into the corner.
• Even in motorcycles equipped with ABS, braking during cornering may cause wheel slip. When turning a corner, it is better to limit braking to the light application of both brakes or not to brake at all. Reduce your speed before you get into the corner.
• For emergency braking, disregard downshifting, and concentrate on applying the brakes as hard as possible without skidding.

1. Front Brake Lever

1. Rear Brake Pedal

See also: