Prime Backfire?

[LOUiE]

Hi all,

I'm new to the forum, from Calgary Alberta, riding a 90 gs500E and I've already got a question 

Anyways, I just got my bike from a dealer the other day with a month warranty so I want to make sure if any problems are there I find them... BEFORE the month is up.  So this morning we got some snow (not a big surprise) and I wanted to start her up to see if she starts in the cold weather (something that will be important when riding on the frozen tundra).  I tried to start it a few times, with the petcock on  reg but after 3 tries and no success I decided to prime it.  Set the petcock to prime and tried to start it.  Instead a LOUD bang happened out the back of the bike (similar to a firecracker... about 2 inches from your ear!!).  After I regained my hearing, I put it back to reg and it started no prob and ran for 5 mins before I shut it off.

So I've got 2 questions...

1) are you supposed to start the bike with it in the prime position?

2) what the heck was that noise?  scared the begeezus out of me.

[Jay_wolf]

Did u try using the choke? . and that noise was a backfire , unburnt fuel in the system , its not uncommon 

[LOUiE]

yeah, tried the choke... had it wide open but it didn't start right away thats why I went for the primer.

What is the 'proper' method to prime the bike?

[lamoun]

About the prime thingy..


Probably there was no fuel in the carburetor bowls. When you turned to prime, the bowl filled with fuel.

When the fuel valve is ON or RES, then fuel runs to the carburetors only when the engine works, or you use the starter.
When on PRI, fuel runs freely.

[LOUiE]

gotcha!  thanks for the info

[yamahonkawazuki]

or fuel tank was close to being empty