Hi

Had the bultaco out at the weekend and managed to stall it on some rocks.

When i started her back up and put her in first, she went backwards and had me bent over the bloody handlebars. Tried all gears and every one was in reverse.

Has any body ever heard of this.

Got her back home on a trailer and started her up last night and all is well again.

How can a bike run in reverse.

Cheers

A very puzzled owner

Hi

Had the bultaco out at the weekend and managed to stall it on some rocks.

When i started her back up and put her in first, she went backwards and had me bent over the bloody handlebars. Tried all gears and every one was in reverse.

Has any body ever heard of this.

Got her back home on a trailer and started her up last night and all is well again.

How can a bike run in reverse.

Cheers

A very puzzled owner

Yes, I used to have a KTM that did it on the odd occasion

I retarded/advanced (can’t remember) the ignition very slightly, problem solved

Check your timing

Edited December 15, 201114 yr by Monty_Jon

uncommon but not unheard of for a two stroke to run backwards.

the ignition timing will be off, but with a healthy plug, it won't make that much difference,

Never heard of it doing any damage either.

as to the puzzlement, assuming it's a two stroke bike (never heard of a 4st doing it) the only thing reversed is the rotation of the engine.

if you think through what the engine is doing, it makes very little difference to crankshaft which way it rotates and no difference to the piston (as it doesn't actuallt rotate at all)

the ignition timing will be off but everything else, reeds, carb, "Reek spoot" will all be functioning normally.

Quite common on Bultaco's, timing as said above.

Even more fun when your half way through a section and it does it, well fun for anybody watching.

Yes is it common on bullys, it is a result of the timing being too far advanced and if you don't give it a decent kick when starting, as the piston is just about to reach TDC the plug ignites too soon sending it back the way it came, generally you can pick a different exhaust note as well

Cheers Greg

I does not only sound weird it runs poor also.

Remembering when I was a teen we tried to get

the Bul running backwards on purpose, because

we thaught it was "so cool".

In fact it was difficult to do so, rolling back-

wards from a hill for get it started had sometimes success.

(After we discoverd that it not only sounded weird,

ran very bad and steering + balacing was quite

difficult our curiousness was pleased.)

My brother had a modified yam banshee that did it on a regular basis , it ran perfect that way . You NEVER started it up and dumped the clutch , well only once

It's a bummer when a kid (or anybody!...but I think it happens more to kids) stalls on a hill, the bike rolls backward and fires up.

Very frightening!

Thanks for the replys.