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How to Hotwire a Motorcycle – 5 Steps

2023-01-29T09:48:54+01:00Update: 2023-01-29 2023-01-29T09:48:54+01:00 by Tom - 19 Comments

How to Hotwire a Motorcycle

There are various reasons why you would need to hotwire a motorcycle. It is a process every bike owner should know, as there are instances where people accidentally lose their keys. Of course, you should initially try to find the keys. If you can’t find your keys after searching, then you have no choice but to hotwire your motorcycle.

If you do lose your motorcycle keys, stay calm. Hotwiring a motorcycle is not a difficult task at all. It is much less complicated to hotwire a motorcycle than it is to hotwire a car, as cars have multiple wires, that make the hotwire process much more complex. However, for motorcycles, it is relatively easy.

Once you turn the ignition on, your motorcycle starts working. When you put your key in the keyhole, it ignites the engine, which leads to the motorcycle experiencing a push start. This guide will cover the hotwiring process for motorcycles.

Step-by-Step Guide for Hotwiring a Motorcycle

Initially, let’s discuss the apparatus required for completing this process. You can buy 3 to 4 inches of speaker wire, which is going to play the role of the key to turn on the ignition system. Also, you need a motorcycle whose key is lost, or else it is quite hard to hotwire an invisible motorcycle.

Tools you will need

  • A motorcycle (quite obvious)
  • A small speaker wire

Tools you might also need

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Read Also: How to Clean Your Motorcycle

Step 1 – Find the Ignition Wiring System

As previously mentioned, you will need to ignite your engine to give a push start to your motorcycle. Most of the motorcycles come with protective covers for ignition wiring. You need to find out where the ignition wiring system is located.

Finding the Ignition Wires

Some motorcycles do not provide any special protective covering for its ignition wiring system. It is quite easy to locate your ignition wiring in such cases. To clear all the confusion, you can use your handlebar to locate these wires. These ignition wires connect the ignition to the engine and other parts of the motorcycle.

After locating the ignition wiring, move to the next step.

Step 2 – Find the Socket and Separate Both Parts of the Socket

While tracking down wires using the handlebar, you will notice three visible wires. These three wires are bundled together in a sleeve. This wiring sleeve is bundled together to connect the ignition system with other parts of the motorcycle. You will notice that wires emerge from the other side of the cap.

Note: Choose only the cap that is connected to the ignition system, because there might be more than one cap.

Finding the Socket

There are two caps: One that is connected with wires to the handlebar and another cap that emerges from the first cap. Separate the two caps, as you don’t need the wires that are connected to the handlebar.

After separating them, move onto the next step where we will turn on the ignition.

Step 3 – Insert a Speaker Wire into the Socket

This is the most important step of the entire process. In this step, the MVP of this process, the speaker wire that you are using will be in action. The reason why we separated these two caps is to obtain sockets. You have to insert the speaker wire in this socket.

Inserting a Speaker Wire

Try to pull the cap that got separated from the handlebar wires out to make some room. Now, insert one end of the speaker wire inside the first socket and the other end of the speaker wire inside the second socket. You can use a long wire but using a speaker wire of less than 3 inches could result in it being too short for this process.

Step 4 – Wait for the Green Light to Turn On

After inserting both ends of the speaker wire into the socket, you will notice that the light will turn on. If the light does not turn on, try inserting each of the ends of the speaker wire into a different socket cap.

Checking the Green Light

Once the light turns on, move to the next and final step of this process.

Step 5 – Press the Ignition Button

Once the light turns on, press the ignition button. After pressing the button, you will hear the sound of the engine as the motorcycle starts. Now your motorcycle is alive again and ready to serve you!

Congrats, you completed the process successfully. Carry out the first four steps carefully. The fifth step is a piece of cake.

Video for How to Hotwire a Motorcycle

Examples of Motorcycles that Can Be Hotwired

Basically, any motorcycle can be hotwired using this method, but here are some examples:

Suzuki SV650, Suzuki GSF600 Bandit, Kawasaki Ninja 650, Honda CBR-600, Honda Hornet, Yamaha YZF-R6, KTM Duke, BMW GS, Ducati Monster, Triumph Tiger, Harley Davidson.

How to Hotwire a Moped or Scooter

Hotwiring a scooter is very similar to hotwiring a motorcycle. However, there can be some small differences in this process that are a little bit annoying. Wires on scooters are located in a different place than on motorcycles. You will probably have to remove some plastic parts from your vehicle before you will be able to access the mechanism. This can make it actually harder to hotwire a moped or scooter than to hotwire a motorcycle.

Unscrew and dismantle any plastic parts covering the wiring system. Locate the wires and follow the same hotwire instructions as for a motorcycle. If you are still unsure, please check out this video:

What We Learned

Hotwiring a motorcycle is an easy process that requires four steps. To summarize, you have to locate the ignition wiring system. Follow the wires running from the handlebars, which will ultimately lead to a plastic wiring cap. Separate the two caps. Insert both ends of the speaker wire into the socket caps. A light should turn on after insertion of the speaker wire in the socket caps. Now, press the ignition button and start the motorcycle.

This is an easy process that can be used to temporarily return the motorcycle to its original form and functioning properly, as quickly as possible. Don’t forget that you will still need to get your bike professionally repaired at your local service as hotwiring is just a tweak and not a permanent solution. The aim of this article is to help people who have lost the keys to a motorcycle. This article is absolutely not meant to cause motorcycle theft or to help thieves steal motorcycles.

Filed Under: Motorcycle Maintenance, Motorcycle Parts, Tips & Training

Comments

  1. G3650sv says

    October 27, 2021 at 6:01 pm

    not quite. i swapped out my handelbars and must have yanked something or some other chaos on my 02 suzuki sv650. now no starter. got all lights and functions with exception of the starter turning. having problem tracing it down soo thought id run it down to the shop and let a pro do it. used to be able to jump the starter on an old car to get it going and there has to be a way to do this to this old bike. if i just open a pair of pliars and put one end on starter and other on solinoid will I screw up everything and melt all wires? or will it run??

    Reply
    • Thundercat says

      September 11, 2022 at 7:51 pm

      No I’ve done it just make sure you don’t have fuel seeping from anywhere or you won’t have a bike anymore

      Reply
  2. Kyle says

    October 12, 2021 at 1:34 pm

    How do u start kawsakininja rx-6r 2002 when lost key

    Reply
  3. John says

    September 6, 2020 at 6:48 pm

    Hey can someone please help me I have lost all keys for me scooter Vespa 125 & it has immobiliser can I Hotwire it or is their another way like if I get a cdi immobilisers bypass unit would that work ? Thanks

    Reply
  4. Linden says

    September 5, 2020 at 4:29 pm

    How do i hotwire my 05 suzuki intruder

    Reply
    • Phil says

      April 11, 2021 at 3:30 pm

      I cannot understand how some thief has managed to hot wire my keeway RKS sport without replacing the ECU unit.. you’d think in this day and age modern motorcycles would be very difficult to just hotwire and ride away fffffs

      Reply
  5. Jason says

    February 10, 2020 at 5:26 am

    I have a 1979 Yamaha Enduro 125. I have lost my keys. I have a kick-start. Will this work the same way?

    Reply
    • TopMoto.com says

      February 10, 2020 at 10:51 am

      Hello Jason, kick-starter motorcycles can be hotwired using the same technique as motorcycles with electric starter.

      Reply
  6. Mark says

    September 7, 2019 at 4:42 am

    Hey there I’m mark and despritely need help my daugther lost last key to my Honda 900 Hornet 2005 model my bike is at my home I need to bypass HISS SYSTERM

    Reply
  7. Chris says

    May 26, 2019 at 1:03 am

    I lost my key to my 2004 Harley vrod it has alarm system can this be hotwired?

    Reply
  8. Joe says

    May 16, 2019 at 10:59 am

    I have a 2015 Ducati 1299 pinigale I lost my key and code is it hotwireable I can’t afford the 1500 to replace ignition

    Reply
    • Rowdy says

      May 10, 2020 at 2:03 am

      I have an v star 1100 and after I found the sockets to get lights on and it did turn over but not getting fire to plugs

      Reply
  9. David says

    April 14, 2019 at 1:22 am

    Hey there does this also work for 2007 Mv Agusta f4 1000r too!!!???

    Reply
  10. aar says

    October 10, 2018 at 2:28 pm

    cheers

    Reply
    • TopMoto.com says

      November 21, 2018 at 9:06 pm

      Cheers to safe riding!

      Reply
  11. Hayden says

    March 18, 2018 at 7:33 am

    Hay I was just wondering if u can help me Hotwire my Zx12r as I have lost the key and it has a immobiliser please

    Reply
    • Wayne Wilbanks says

      April 6, 2020 at 9:45 am

      M hVing the same trouble with my 2000 gsf bandit 600 it’s for an antitheft resistor in the ignition so I think hotwireing this bike is practically impossible.if any one has any ideas please let us know how you bypassed it my bike hasn’t ran I over a month now because of it

      Reply
      • TopMoto.com says

        April 6, 2020 at 4:02 pm

        Hotwiring a bike with an immobiliser can be done, but it’s rather difficult to do. I would advice you to take your bike to your local service center.

        Reply
      • Joe smooo says

        August 18, 2022 at 4:53 am

        Just get a longer piece of wire I’d say 5-6in cutie it in half and wire a 100om resister in the middle of the speaker wire don’t have on or cant get one open your ignition housing and carefully remove that one use it (return once key problem is resolved key won’t work without)tape up the resister and wire for support now use it like stated above good luck be careful

        Reply

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Table of Contents

  • Step-by-Step Guide for Hotwiring a Motorcycle
    • Step 1 – Find the Ignition Wiring System
    • Step 2 – Find the Socket and Separate Both Parts of the Socket
    • Step 3 – Insert a Speaker Wire into the Socket
    • Step 4 – Wait for the Green Light to Turn On
    • Step 5 – Press the Ignition Button
  • Video for How to Hotwire a Motorcycle
  • Examples of Motorcycles that Can Be Hotwired
  • How to Hotwire a Moped or Scooter
  • What We Learned

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