Today I got home from work and was all exited to go ride around, I went up stairs and got changed, went downstairs, pulled the bike out of the garage and cranked her up. I was all excited and ready to go when she quit on me while just warming up while I was putting my helmet on Of course this was my own fault as I didn not turn the fuel to the on position, it was still in off[:@]. Anyways I went to turn on the bike this time with the **** turned to on, and my bike wouldn't crank. It would just sit and turn over. I was wondering what was wrong so I had to refer to the manual, (yes no longer then 5 second cranks and let cool off for 20 seconds) then I decided the battery was low and had to jump it off. Well, that was that, I jumped it and it fired right up. What happens when we're in the middle of nowhere and you possibly mess up one time while cranking it up? That sort of makes me worried. What would you guys do to prepare in case something likes this happens, of course mine could have been avoided. Would you roll it down a hill and jump it into 1st? Is that bad for the bike?
Also how long do you let your bike warm up for ( I let mine warm up for about 3 minutes, but sometimes when I turn the choke off, it just throttles off)?? My neighbor came over and he started playing around with my bike (hes been riding forever) and started twisting that Idle adjuster, I was like, "Don't touch that[:@]" Now my bike idles at 3,000 rpms, what do you guys set your idle too. Also how long do you have to have your bike on before you let the choke out? How can you "push" the choke in at different positions like they say in the manual, mine either pops out or if you push it it pops right back in? I welcome any tips. Thanks

 

my idle is set at 1500 rpm's. when i first start my bike choked i wait till the motor idles for 30 seconds at 3000 rpm's, push the choke in and listen to it purrrr!!

 

Wow 30 seconds, I got to go mess with my idle ****, but only 30 seconds, if I did that then my engine would shut off, I know that for a fact. Thanks for the respsonse. How long does it take everyone else to usually get their bikes to warm up, 30 seconds also?

 

First... get a trickle charger. They cost about $40 or less. You permenantly attach a wiring harness to you battery posts and then run hte plug to a location where you can easily access it. Then just plug the battery in when you park it in the garage after every ride. I've never had a dead battery, I leave it on the bike lugged in all winter and I've never changed a battery less than 4 years old... and even then it was still working fine, but I was being cautious since I go on long rides far from home regularly.

I've also have trouble with the fact that the idle when warm is much higher that the idle adjuster setting needede when it's still cold. IF I set it to 1500 when cold, it will idle at 2000 when warm. Conversely, if I set it ot 1500 when warm, it will stall when cold. For now, I set it ot 1500 when cold and pretend I don;t have an idle circuit (like a 2 stroke road race bike) and just manually keep the revs up the revs up after I turn off the choke.

As for the battery... yes if it died in the middle of nowhere, you have 4 options... 1) hope your cell phone works and you can call seomone 2) Hopefully you have jumper cables and anothe car or bike can jump you. 3) start walking 4) puch start it. Push starting won't hurt hte bike... even most FI bikes are OK, but it's harder. FI cars it's bad for the catalytic converters. 4 stroke MotoGP race bikes don't have electric starters or kick starters. Neither do 125 or 250 2 stroke road race bikes. They put them on a stand and use a lawnmower tire attached to the flywheel on a small lawnmower engine to spin the rear wheel while in gear. The 2 stroke machines they push.

IF you want to practice.... while going at any speed over 10mph, pull in the clutch, now hit the kill switch, turn the switch back on, then release the clutch quickly. Be ready for the rear wheelto lock up a little. TO understnd it better, hit hte kill switch while in gear traveling at any speed with the throttle shut. Now turn it back on and give it a little throttle. SHe starts right up. Anytime you lock up the rear wheel without the clutch pulled in... the engine will stall, then restart again. The oil pump and waterpump are directly driven off the motor, so if the motor is spinning, it's being cooled and lubricated same as if it's running.

 

That sounds about right - maybe a little longer if its cool out. I've noticed that mine usually starts up on the second engine turn-over with the choke pulled out. I leave the choke out until I notice the engine idling a little high - maybe around 3000 RPM. Push the choke in and it idles around 1200 or so. It's been pretty cool here in NC recently - 30s and 40s. It's supposed to be mid-70s toward the middle of the week. I'm due for my 600 mile checkup but am reluctant to schedule a sevice 'cause I don't want to miss the nice weather. Then again, my speedometer runs about 11% fast, so I figure I have a little bit of a buffer since when my odometer reads 600, it's really at 540 [sm=burnout.gif]

 

I pull the choke out start the bike and let it run with the choke on for about 2 minutes and then push it in. If you feel like you need to you can actually ride with the choke on for a block or two, and then reach down and push it in.

 

I start mine from cold on the choke, let it idle maybe 30 secs, turn the choke off and ride away gently till it warms up. I live in a warm climate tho. I have never touched my idle.
Regarding push starting use 2nd gear, 1st even on tar will just make the back wheel lock up, you wont hurt the bike push / roll starting.

 

The speedo may be 11% off, but I have found my ODO matches my GPS.