Bike starting problem
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Senior Member
1st Gear Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 107
From: Long Island, NY
Bike starting problem
Recently my 500 started to have some issues starting. 3 or 4 times this week and last the starter just spun but the engine never even sputter. Everything was as it always is. Finally it did catch and ran fine.
Any guesses?
Any guesses?
Senior Member
1st Gear Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 807
From: La Costa, CA
1st Gear Member
The most likely culprit is fouled plugs due to overuse of the choke, or if the jetting of the carburetors has been modified due to an over-rich condition.
You want to minimize your use of the choke. Some folks seem to think they need to let their bike "warm up" by letting the bike idle at 2500 rpm with the choke on. This is NOT good for your engine, and in fact is very harmful because the rich condition will foul the oil film on your cylinder walls and cause premature wear of bores & piston rings.
The best way, IMO, is to:
~Sit on the bike before turning it on. (This distributes the oil in the cylinder head and crankcase evenly, instead of allowing it to be pooled to the left as it naturally does when the bike is on the sidestand.)
~Start the bike with only as much choke as you need to get it to fire. On a cold morning, it might mean pulling the lever all the way back, on a warmer day, perhaps only halfway back.
~Once the engine is running, feather the choke lever until the idle settles in at about 1500 rpm.
~Only let the bike idle like this for a minute (or however long it takes you to put on your helmet and gloves.)
~Ride immediately <i>but gently</i> away and turn off the choke completely once you are underway.
~Ride slowly for the first mile (though two miles would be better if it's feasible.) Keep your rpms around 3,000 and make your throttle inputs as gentle as possible.
You didn't mention if your bike is completely stock or if someone might have screwed up the jetting. If someone has f%$ked with the jetting, it's probably best to not use the choke at all (and to either return the stock jetting setting or start looking for your next bike, since this one won't last very long.)
Good luck and ride safely,
-CCinC
You want to minimize your use of the choke. Some folks seem to think they need to let their bike "warm up" by letting the bike idle at 2500 rpm with the choke on. This is NOT good for your engine, and in fact is very harmful because the rich condition will foul the oil film on your cylinder walls and cause premature wear of bores & piston rings.
The best way, IMO, is to:
~Sit on the bike before turning it on. (This distributes the oil in the cylinder head and crankcase evenly, instead of allowing it to be pooled to the left as it naturally does when the bike is on the sidestand.)
~Start the bike with only as much choke as you need to get it to fire. On a cold morning, it might mean pulling the lever all the way back, on a warmer day, perhaps only halfway back.
~Once the engine is running, feather the choke lever until the idle settles in at about 1500 rpm.
~Only let the bike idle like this for a minute (or however long it takes you to put on your helmet and gloves.)
~Ride immediately <i>but gently</i> away and turn off the choke completely once you are underway.
~Ride slowly for the first mile (though two miles would be better if it's feasible.) Keep your rpms around 3,000 and make your throttle inputs as gentle as possible.
You didn't mention if your bike is completely stock or if someone might have screwed up the jetting. If someone has f%$ked with the jetting, it's probably best to not use the choke at all (and to either return the stock jetting setting or start looking for your next bike, since this one won't last very long.)
Good luck and ride safely,
-CCinC
Thread Starter
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Senior Member
1st Gear Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 107
From: Long Island, NY
Nope, no fussing with the jetting or anything. Bike is stock. The oil should be fine, not many miles on it. I do always use that basic method of starting as mentioned above.
I did find the culprit to my woes...
Me!
My hand was ever so slightly resting on the throttle. I didn't notice it at first, but then when I did it seems to have solved the problem.
Thanks for the help.
I did find the culprit to my woes...
Me!
My hand was ever so slightly resting on the throttle. I didn't notice it at first, but then when I did it seems to have solved the problem.
Thanks for the help.
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