Starting procedure

Fast Eddie · Feb 3, 2025

Ok folks,

Is there a definitive starting procedure for Brum 961s ?

Specifically, do we give ‘em a twist of the throttle or not?

There have been various conversations about not touching the twist grip during startup cos it’ll confuse the TPS etc in the past. And wondered if this was actually settled by now ?

MAK · Feb 3, 2025

Fast Eddie said:
Ok folks,

Is there a definitive starting procedure for Brum 961s ?

Specifically, do we give ‘em a twist of the throttle or not?

There have been various conversations about not touching the twist grip during startup cos it’ll confuse the TPS etc in the past. And wondered if this was actually settled by now ?

Have you tickled the carbs and picked a safe landing area !!

Stu Bodycote · Feb 3, 2025

You can play around with the throttle until the sun goes down....won't have any effect on the ecu's tps settings. By rights you should be able to just pull the clutch lever in and press the start button....the ecu should do the rest via the iacv.

Fast Eddie · Feb 3, 2025

Stu Bodycote said:
You can play around with the throttle until the sun goes down....won't have any effect on the ecu's tps settings. By rights you should be able to just pull the clutch lever in and press the start button....the ecu should do the rest via the iacv.

Thanks Stu.

Clive · Feb 4, 2025

Oh and BTW Nigel - please; you own a Solihull 961.

Stu Bodycote · Feb 4, 2025

I see them more as a re-release 961

robs ss · Feb 4, 2025

Clive said:
Oh and BTW Nigel - please; you own a Solihull 961.

Yeah - WTF - it's not Bracebridge Street!!

I'm in a similar camp - born in a semi-detached at Sutton Coldfield.

Clive · Feb 4, 2025

Since my excellent rebuild at Motorvated I consider mine as a 'Stued' Donny 961

albional · Wednesday at 2:35 PM

My 2025 961, always on a trickle charge, has always taken four or five attempts to start, but just before Xmas when it was due to go back to the dealer to fix an oil breather weep, it wouldn't start at all. The chap who collected the bike said by not touching the throttle I was doing it all wrong. He gave it some gas and it hesitantly spluttered into life. It was nearly a month before I got the bike back but then it rained for weeks on end so it sat in my garage until last week. On the first dry day I looked forward to a run but then, despite my using the throttle, it just kept turning over but refused to start.
So I then put the bike on charge using a different charger (well I thought, ridiculously, you never know). Two days later I tried everything but to no avail, the bugger wouldn't even think about starting. So I rang the dealer who said I needed to just give it a whiff of throttle immediately after pushing the starter. So back on the charger again and then yesterday another dry day and no joy. So back to the dealer I suppose.
I also worry now that by my persisting to try to start the bike and then draining the battery each time that the loud clattering noise sometimes ensuing may mean I have damaged the sprag clutch.
Any ideas anyone? Just one question - are the needles supposed to sweep? They don't on mine.

TonyA · Wednesday at 9:18 PM

My needles do not sweep. I have a 2014 Sport. If you pull your spark plugs , put on the wire , hold against the head and verify you have spark while cranking over. Try changing the spark plugs with new in case they fouled.

cliffa · Thursday at 2:44 AM

albional said:
My 2025 961, always on a trickle charge, has always taken four or five attempts to start, but just before Xmas when it was due to go back to the dealer to fix an oil breather weep, it wouldn't start at all. The chap who collected the bike said by not touching the throttle I was doing it all wrong. He gave it some gas and it hesitantly spluttered into life. It was nearly a month before I got the bike back but then it rained for weeks on end so it sat in my garage until last week. On the first dry day I looked forward to a run but then, despite my using the throttle, it just kept turning over but refused to start.
So I then put the bike on charge using a different charger (well I thought, ridiculously, you never know). Two days later I tried everything but to no avail, the bugger wouldn't even think about starting. So I rang the dealer who said I needed to just give it a whiff of throttle immediately after pushing the starter. So back on the charger again and then yesterday another dry day and no joy. So back to the dealer I suppose.
I also worry now that by my persisting to try to start the bike and then draining the battery each time that the loud clattering noise sometimes ensuing may mean I have damaged the sprag clutch.
Any ideas anyone? Just one question - are the needles supposed to sweep? They don't on mine.

As an aside, you can actually jump start the 961 by (very carefully) attaching a positive starter cable to the M8 stud on the side of the starter, after peeling back the rubber boot, then attach the negative cable to any convenient part of the engine ( or just hold it firmly on whilst spinning the bike over).

albional · Thursday at 12:03 PM

TonyA said:
My needles do not sweep. I have a 2014 Sport. If you pull your spark plugs , put on the wire , hold against the head and verify you have spark while cranking over. Try changing the spark plugs with new in case they fouled.

That's curious, I wonder why some sweep and some don't. I've checked and there is a spark, plus fuel in the tank.

albional · Thursday at 12:09 PM

cliffa said:
As an aside, you can actually jump start the 961 by (very carefully) attaching a positive starter cable to the M8 stud on the side of the starter, after peeling back the rubber boot, then attach the negative cable to any convenient part of the engine ( or just hold it firmly on whilst spinning the bike over).

Thanks for that cliffa. The battery seems strong enough and there is a spark, so I suspect some electrical component has failed, emu or some sensor maybe? It's still under guarantee so back to the dealer it goes, although they can't pick it up until Monday.

albional · 2026-02-24T13:55:29-0700

cliffa said:
As an aside, you can actually jump start the 961 by (very carefully) attaching a positive starter cable to the M8 stud on the side of the starter, after peeling back the rubber boot, then attach the negative cable to any convenient part of the engine ( or just hold it firmly on whilst spinning the bike over).

It seems nothing in fact has failed. The dealer came yesterday to pick up the bike and it fired up! He emphasised that I needed to give the bike some throttle. I've had a go at starting the bike up today and, on the fifth try, it struggled into life. It looks like either my bike is temperamental or it requires a very precise starting technique, which I haven't yet mastered. I still worry about whether the sprag clutch has been damaged though.

cliffa · 2026-02-24T15:09:50-0700

albional said:
It seems nothing in fact has failed. The dealer came yesterday to pick up the bike and it fired up! He emphasised that I needed to give the bike some throttle. I've had a go at starting the bike up today and, on the fifth try, it struggled into life. It looks like either my bike is temperamental or it requires a very precise starting technique, which I haven't yet mastered. I still worry about whether the sprag clutch has been damaged though.

The sprag clutch is within the starter motor, and can be replaced if need be.

Starting procedure

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