Older bikes and starting cold

rtcpenguin · October 13, 2005, 09:54:11 AM

For those of you with pre 2001 GS500's, how well do they start below 60? It took me 5-7 tries yesterday when it was around 60F at night. Full choke too.

pandy · October 13, 2005, 10:17:59 AM

Mine usually starts on the first try with about 1/2 to 2/3 choke... :dunno:

edit: I do keep him in a garage at night...

scratch · October 13, 2005, 11:26:34 AM

Same here.

awesom · October 13, 2005, 02:19:34 PM

Here in Denmark we are getting temperatures between 5 and 10 degrees at night, (41-50 Fahrenheit) and my '92 starts just by looking at the starter with full choke on...

And it is standing outside all night, so im not cheating as Pandy are.... :nana: :lol:

Yours

Awesom

NightRyder · October 13, 2005, 04:26:08 PM

from personal experence... Maybe the battery is low? Also try holding the throttle open .25 to .5 when you hit the button. (I'm sure that means something is clogged or something like that, but I haven't looked it up)

RVertigo · October 13, 2005, 05:14:01 PM

pandy · October 13, 2005, 07:58:20 PM

Quote from: awesomand my '92 starts just by looking at the starter with full choke on... And it is standing outside all night, so im not cheating as Pandy are.... :nana: :lol:

:lol: You're just jealous cuz my GS has his own house. :nana:

Awesom, I just about busted my gut when I read your signature lines. PERFECT!! :lol:

:mrgreen:

Jace009gs · October 13, 2005, 09:01:01 PM

ya either:

1. battery needs water and charged [yes they do require water up past the electrode plates]
2. u got some junky crud floating around in the gas line/carb
3. bad plugs
4. worn out coils/plug wires....

I've started/ ridden my bike at 34* [young and dumb but it wasa short ride

] and it started right up at 34*F with full choke. No garage just a car port [like a pavilion sort of structure just keeps the rain off but dosn't have any walls]

Roadstergal · October 13, 2005, 09:22:33 PM

That's not cold. Sumfin's up.

If it's a slow crank, that implicates the battery. Check the water, check for charging voltage when the bike is running.

Jace009gs · October 13, 2005, 09:26:16 PM

hold on hold on...how old is the gas that's in the tank?

need I say more :lol:

awesom · October 14, 2005, 03:02:03 PM

Quote from: pandy:lol: You're just jealous cuz my GS has his own house. :nana:

Yep... Im just jealous....

Mine is just standing outside all the time...

Quote from: pandyAwesom, I just about busted my gut when I read your signature lines. PERFECT!! :lol:

:mrgreen:

It is just to take away some of the prejudice there is about my country...

Say, didn't you have a danish name??? I think i remember you said it in my topic about my first ride on the GS...

Sorry for the off topic post guys...

But I think you have a problem too, either the battery needs replacement or the carb is running false... How about running iddle when she is warm???

Awesom

pandy · October 14, 2005, 03:12:49 PM

Quote from: awesomSay, didn't you have a danish name??? I think i remember you said it in my topic about my first ride on the GS...

My last name is Ostrup. I think that should convince you of the Danish in my background. :lol:

Quote from: awesomSorry for the off topic post guys... But I think you have a problem too, either the battery needs replacement or the carb is running false... How about running iddle when she is warm???

Yeah, how's it going now, rtcpenguin?? We haven't heard from you for a bit. :dunno:

If you're asking what the approximate idle should be when she's warmed up, awesom, my boy idles at about 1200-1300RPMs when he's warmed up.

awesom · October 14, 2005, 03:38:11 PM

Quote from: pandy
My last name is Ostrup. I think that should convince you of the Danish in my background. :lol:

Nice, Im convinced....

:kiss:

Quote from: pandy
If you're asking what the approximate idle should be when she's warmed up, awesom, my boy idles at about 1200-1300RPMs when he's warmed up.

Hehe.... The question was actualy for rtcpenguin, but since he's not answering I'll just take your answer, pandy...

My girl idles at about the same RPM as your boy does, thats when she's warm... hmm, is that a coincident??? :mrgreen:

Just had the thought that if the bike idles at high RPM when warm, the answeer to the problem is the carb. It may need a good old fashioned cleaning... :lol:

Awesom

jbeaber · October 14, 2005, 03:50:30 PM

A friend with an old Yamaha was having serious idle problems. Added some carb cleaner. Next day, revving at 4K, 5K the next day, 6K the next. He was so thrown for a loop he thought something was seriously wrong. Just tuned down the idle screw and now his bike is running beautifully. May be worth a shot...

treybrad · October 14, 2005, 06:17:51 PM

I kind of have a cold start issue. It runs fine once it's been running for ~10 seconds, but even w/ full choke I have to "help" it by toying w/ the throttle the first time I start it in the morning. Only for a little though... and once it's warm, no complaints. I tore apart my carbs just to give them a good cleaning just last week b/c I was bored, so I know that's not it. My plugs look fine, maybe a little lean, but barely. I'm already at 150/40/2 washers so, I hate to make it more rich.

So I guess my question is... you guys that get it to "start" on the 1st try, is that hands-off, just hitting the starter button and letting it run w/o help, or do you give it a little twist once it fires? Mine will always start on the 1st try w/ some help...

trey

pandy · October 14, 2005, 09:10:56 PM

No help for mine. Hit the starter and let him do his thang.

rtcpenguin · October 15, 2005, 07:28:20 AM

So...check the battery first, then if thats okay try some carb cleaner?

The previous owner told me he cleaned and re-jetted sometime last winter, so I think the carbs should be okay.

The bike starts fine when its like 75F outside, or if its already warmed up.

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Older bikes and starting cold