Abstract: An improved starter pull cord for an internal combustion engine having significantly increased stiffness, resistance to wear, and strength, the starter pull cord being comprised of rope having high modulus fibers selected from the group consisting of liquid crystal polymer (LCP), aramid, and high-modulus polyethylene (HMPE). The higher stiffness of the high modulus starter pull cords of the present invention translates to greater impetus during the act of pull starting the engine, which is apt to start more quickly than with starter pull cords of the prior art. The increased strength of the high modulus starter pull cords translates to fewer breakages over the lifetime of an engine and therefore increased reliability.