Good day:
Trying to decide on what motorcycle to get.
Virtually all my riding would be short local trips of a few miles. I'm seriously considering the Suzuki TU250 or the Ninja 250 but I hold onto faint hope I might get away for a few days once or twice a year and I could then see the desirability of a somewhat larger bike and the GS seems to fill the bill.
One advantage of the TU is it is fuel injected. I suspect cool/cold weather starting would be easier with that than with the GS but to what extent I don't know.
I reside in Delaware so we don't get much bitterly cold weather but frequently get to the low 30's or upper 20's. Is a few (3=5??) minute warm up normally sufficient to allow for riding or is more time generally needed? I'm a little worried I'd spend 15 minutes waiting for the bike to warm up for a 10 minute ride.
Thank you.
Ned
Very cold blooded in the from-the-factory lean jetting. After a re-jet, just kinda cold blooded :D
I recently re-jetted my carbs and the cold mornings are a lot more bearable.
I keep hearing that these bikes are cold blooded but mine seems to rock the cold weather just fine. I fired up my GS on monday when the airtemp was slightly below freezing. Took full choke, 2 tries on the starter, was able to get a stable idle within 5 min or so. I guess I am used to my 68 mustang...she never wants to start
OOO I love the tu250! If they made a tu500 or 650. Id buy it immediately. For your riding, id get the tu 250. I love that bike.
Quote from: kylegod on December 03, 2009, 06:45:35 PM
OOO I love the tu250! If they made a tu500 or 650. Id buy it immediately. For your riding, id get the tu 250. I love that bike.
+1
If I had money to blow I'd replace my old CB250 with that TU250. Nice bike if you don't plan on doing a lot of highway riding. As far as the GS, I've found the bikes with the original old style carbs (89-00) start better in the cold. I have an '01 that drained the battery a few times trying to get it started on a cold day. I have yet to try it in the cold since Buddha fiddled with the carbs.
-Jessie
Quote from: Ed on December 03, 2009, 05:06:56 PM
Good day:
I'm a little worried I'd spend 15 minutes waiting for the bike to warm up for a 10 minute ride.
No reason to waste 15 minutes. Use full choke to start bike. Let it idle for a minute or so. Then just ride at partial choke until the bike warms up completely. A properly jetted GS500 works fine in the really cold stuff, and it'll do a good job keeping your legs warm too.
Yeah, I have gotten used to riding with the choke for the first 10 or 15 minutes so that the bike doesn't die when coming to stops (something I'm guessing you would be doing a lot).
If you like the style of the TU, go with that. You will enjoy the fuel injection a lot. If I had some extra money I would love to have that as my every-day bike and save the GS for long trips or maybe track days.
My winter routine is not much different to my summer one...
Full choke for at Least a minute - 3k+. This gives me time to put my bag onto my bike. After which time I lower the revs down to around 2k. While around 2k I will put on my jacket and do it up, get my helmet, give the visor a bit of a wipe with a tissue, put on balaclava, put on helmet, do it up. Make sure my laces are tucked in - work boots, if I'm riding to work. Add sunnies. Put on gloves. All done Slowly. By then the bike is pretty good and ready. I'll click it into gear, turn the choke all the way off, and ride off.
Generally, up to 5 minutes in very cold - near freezing, just above.
If you get the 250. You Might not like it much on your weekends away trips and you'll wish for something bigger. Something like the GS500. And you might find your now & then weekend rides will be more often once you actually have a bike. Making your lack of power more obvious, sooner.
But if you're only going a literal 2 miles, how about walking? Or bicycle instead?
Whether you get a EFI bike or the GS, either way your bike will have poor mileage if you only do short trips. And the EFI masks that the engine isn't properly warmed up.
Michael
QuoteI reside in Delaware so we don't get much bitterly cold weather but frequently get to the low 30's or upper 20's.
that IS bitter cold, to me anyway.
if you rejet, advance the timing, and put in hotter plugs you shouldnt have a problem with "cold blooded". my gs will start with very few cranks at half choke just fine at any temp. just let it warm up for 2-3 min before leaving and youll never know you started it cold.
P.S. when it gets warm, 50+ degrees, put in stock or colder plugs to prevent knock.
A belated thank you for the replies.
(I was away for a few days with no internet access - my 91 year old Mother-In-Law sees no need for one).
Ned
Wow, I must be an anomaly. I have a 1992 GS with a K&N lunchbox, Dynojet Stage 3 jet kit and full Vance and Hines. It literally won't start on mornings below 40*F. :( It just drains the battery.
Yay for my SVS with FI!
Quote from: mullethunter3 on December 08, 2009, 04:16:07 PM
Wow, I must be an anomaly. I have a 1992 GS with a K&N lunchbox, Dynojet Stage 3 jet kit and full Vance and Hines. It literally won't start on mornings below 40*F. :( It just drains the battery.
Yay for my SVS with FI!
My stock '01 GS had the same problem. Made me late for work twice (back in the good ol' days when I was employed ;) ). I haven't gotten a chance to see how it starts now that Buhdda worked some magic on the carbs.
-Jessie
+1 on jetting.
And I want a TU 250 too. IT was too small, though, for the money, so maybe when used. If it were a TU 400-500 then I might have been hooked.
The GS is a lot more bike than the EX250 and used GSF are cheaper than 3rd gen EX.
Quote from: johnny ro on December 08, 2009, 06:52:38 PM
+1 on jetting.
And I want a TU 250 too. IT was too small, though, for the money, so maybe when used. If it were a TU 400-500 then I might have been hooked.
The GS is a lot more bike than the EX250 and used GSF are cheaper than 3rd gen EX.
I stepped my pilots up to 20s and I get single tap start as low as 30 degrees with no choke.