Hi, I've posted here before in the past. I've had my GS for about 3 years, but recently realized that I don't know what the $#@! I'm doing a lot of the time.

One thing I've been doing is, when I start the engine when it isn't warm, I begin by pulling out the choke and slowly pushing it in over the course of 45 seconds, varying the engine speed between 2K and 3K. Then I roll on and off the throttle a while, and then take off. I recently heard that I'm doing it wrong. Could someone please let me know what the best way to start the bike cold is?

Also, will adjusting the idle speed when the bike has not warmed up cause problems? I tried this earlier this morning and only now found out that you're supposed to ride a while and warm up the engine before adjusting idle speed.

Lastly, is it bad to roll off the throttle just before shifting? This has become my habit because it seems to make shifting a little smoother somehow.

Thanks for the help, anyone.

1. The best way to warm the engine is to use ONLY enough choke to get it started and keep it idling while you put on your gear and helmet. Then mount up, adjust your junk, and ride away. Reduce the amount of choke until the engine starts to bog, then add a little choke to smooth it out again; keep riding, reducing the choke fairly often until it is completely OFF. Using the choke for too long can foul the plugs; you ONLY need the choke when the engine won't run smoothly without it. Do NOT rev the engine for no reason; rolling the throttle on and off is not a good way to warm the engine. It is much better to ride away slowly, than to flood the engine with gasoline, which will wash all the oil off the cold cylinder walls by revving the engine needlessly.

2. You ONLY adjust the idle speed when the engine is FULLY warmed up; you wouldn't set the idle on a car with a cold engine, so don't do it to your motorcycle. If you do happen to set the idle while the engine is still cold, it won't idle properly when the engine gets hot. Set the idle only after you're sure that the engine is hot.

3. Rolling off the throttle before upshifting is a GOOD technique to use. It unloads the transmission, which makes shifting easier. Once you get good at it, you can use that technique to make clutchless upshifts; simply load the shifter with your toe, roll off the throttle, and shift up into the next higher gear, without using the clutch. I've been shifting that way for more than 25 years now, and I've never hurt any motorcycle I've done it to. I've got a friend who has been repairing and rebuilding transmissions for more than 30 years; he also upshifts without the clutch, and he has never had to repair one of his motorcycle transmissions in all that time. Done properly, clutchless UPSHIFTS are not going to hurt a transmission that doesn't already have a problem; however, do NOT make clutchless downshifts. ALWAYS use the clutch for downshifting; it will allow you to make smoother downshifts.

You're not doing too bad. Rolling off the throttle as you pull in the clutch is how you're supposed to do it.

Adjusting the idle cold just means your idle speed will be off a bit. Readjust it after your next ride.

Your warmup seems overly complicated, but wouldn't swear on my choke knowledge. I just turn it on until it starts reving then start backing off. When you're off, you're about good to go. No need to monkey with the throttle once the choke is off.  

Everyone has already answered your questions, but just some background information so you understand a little bit about why, for future reference. The screw on the carbs that adjusts the idle screws into the same exact piece that your throttle cable attaches to. Screwing the idle in is literally the same exact thing as if you were to twist the throttle ever so slightly. It just gives it enough gas to let you set where the bike will rev to on it's own.

If you adjust the idle when the bike is cold you'll start to notice that as you pull the clutch in to stop at stop signs and redlights your idle will hang around 3-4k rpm. If it's doing this pull over somewhere, get your engine to rev high like it has been, and while it's high screw your idle adjust screw out until the idle drops to a normal point. If it has settled down by the time you pull over just keep screwing the idle out, and revving your bike up to about 5-6k and see if it drops down to normal. If it does you're set.

For some reason my choke decided it didn't want to work anymore as of Sunday, so to get my bike started I need to twist the idle screw in a bit, start the bike, then slowly work it back out. It's annoying. I still need to look into why. Also, a lot of people say you should let your bike warm up with the choke on at about 4k rpm. That sounds great if you live in the country somewhere, but I live in the city and am not going to make all of my neighbors deal with my 4k rpm warm up procedures, so I try to keep it around 2k, then just ride gently until it's warmed up.

Just ween it off the choke as soon as you can, fouling your plugs is the least of your worries, washing the cylinder walls of oil from too much choke is the real monster. Your method sounds fine to me, many here can't even get there 500's running in the cold.
EDIT: Take it easy on the throttle blipping too, that's a Harley thing

Quote from: tt_four on May 01, 2010, 07:12:53 AMI try to keep it around 2k, then just ride gently until it's warmed up.

This is how I start my GS... full choke.. start it.. adjust choke to keep idle around 1500-2000 rpms.. keep adjusting choke until bike is running with no choke... off I go.  If I am running late I adjust the choke as I ride.. but I don't like doing that because sometimes I forget and leave it partially open.

Quote from: Elijafir on May 01, 2010, 02:49:40 PM

Quote from: tt_four on May 01, 2010, 07:12:53 AMI try to keep it around 2k, then just ride gently until it's warmed up.

This is how I start my GS... full choke.. start it.. adjust choke to keep idle around 1500-2000 rpms.. keep adjusting choke until bike is running with no choke... off I go.  If I am running late I adjust the choke as I ride.. but I don't like doing that because sometimes I forget and leave it partially open.

+1, and while it's idling (after choke is completely off) is a good time to inspect the chain, tire pressure, and lights. or before you start. whatever. pre rides save lives.

Quote from: tt_four on May 01, 2010, 07:12:53 AM
If you adjust the idle when the bike is cold you'll start to notice that as you pull the clutch in to stop at stop signs and redlights your idle will hang around 3-4k rpm.

Hi everyone, this is my first post and I just wanted to say thank you because this was my exact problem today (after paying $350 to get it fixed so you can imagine I was a little annoyed).  So I went on here thinking I would post the problem but then found my answer!  I love this forum and have been reading a lot lately.  I will try to readjust the idle tomorrow when it's warm and see if that's the final fix.

Anyway to tell you, I have a '91 gs500e and I am a COMPLETE BEGINNER.  I took the MSF course end of March/early April and bought the bike shortly after.  Took it to the garage to fix the idle, which was all over the place, and other minor things.  Finally got it back and today was my first time really practicing with it.  I have to admit that I have dropped it already but there was a reason I bought a naked bike...  I probably won't be a very active user since I tend to just search for my answers rather than post but wanted to at least introduce myself.  Thanks for all the great info.

MY start routine is...

Full choke. Start. Leave it at full choke for around a minute.
Reduce choke so RPMs are around 2k - a tad higher.
While around 2k, leisurely put on jacket, helmet, gloves, check bag is secured to bike (make phone call to end destination to let them know I am on the way - depending where I am riding to).
Hope on. Put into 1st. Turn off choke all the way.
Sedately ride away. And take it easy for first couple of clicks.

I live in a climate similar to Florida. Though sometimes it gets Close to freezing in mid winter. Which just means, I take it slower putting on jacket etc. An extra minute warming up is nothing.

Broom broom brooming the throttle does nothing to help the engine warm up.

Michael

Quote from: mister on May 01, 2010, 03:22:29 PM
(after warm-up) Turn off choke all the way.
Sedately ride away. And take it easy for first couple of clicks.

Broom broom brooming the throttle does nothing to help the engine warm up.
Michael

The above statements. . .
Perfect!

And my own 2 cents worth. . .
Jetted my pilots up from 17.5 to 22.5
Now that will indeed take care of a finicky choke issue!
-Ej-

Thanks for the help everyone. I've started using the minimum choke necessary to start up, and I readjusted my idle speed after a short ride to about 1200 rpm.

Another problem though; my bike is tracking to the left! Whenever I ride, I have to compensate so I don't end up veering into the passing lane or into oncoming traffic. This is negligible at 30 mph, but at 60+ it's very noticeable and I can't relax for even a second because if I do I'll unwittingly change lanes. What could be wrong here?

is this an ok way to let it warm up?
i turn it on with full choke and it usuallly gets to about 4k rpm in 30 seconds to a minute.once it gets that high i'll turn the choke off and the bike may idle a bit low, soft sputters sometimes, but generally just sits low until it's warmer and the idle smooths out. then i'll ride off smooth and slow for another few minutes.

I already have my jacket on when I go to the bike, set choke, back it down off the porch.  turn off choke, and ride away immediately.  doesn't bog, and idles perfectly

Quote from: ralph13 on May 02, 2010, 09:22:52 AM
Another problem though; my bike is tracking to the left! Whenever I ride, I have to compensate so I don't end up veering into the passing lane or into oncoming traffic. This is negligible at 30 mph, but at 60+ it's very noticeable and I can't relax for even a second because if I do I'll unwittingly change lanes. What could be wrong here?

Sounds like your back tire may be out of alignment.. If you look at the "axle nuts" there should be an alignment plate on either side.. it has a little v cut in it and some lines on the swingarm.. check to see if they are off.. it may have been adjusted wrong last time your chain tension was adjusted?

QuoteThis is how I start my GS... full choke.. start it.. adjust choke to keep idle around 1500-2000 rpms.. keep adjusting choke until bike is running with no choke... off I go.  If I am running late I adjust the choke as I ride.. but I don't like doing that because sometimes I forget and leave it partially open.

That sounds like it would be the easiest to me; if I do this without letting the choke make the engine run to fast and then get it between 1500 and 2000 as I slowly push in the lever over the course of 30 to 60 seconds, that would be easy to transition to and not overly complicated. Leaving the choke on while I'm riding seems risky to me because I too think I am totally going to forget to push it back in.

My routine...

start on full choke (or whatever choke it needs) leave it for a minute or so while I get my gear on, choke off, away I go...

Quote from: ralph13 on May 02, 2010, 09:22:52 AM

Another problem though; my bike is tracking to the left!

Have you dropped your bike? Another possible reason is that the fork tubes could be twisted in the triple clamps, which is turning your front wheel when you think it should be straight. Put the bike up on the center stand, wedge something under the front of the frame or have someone sit on the passenger seat to lift the front wheel off the ground, loosen the bolt for each fork leg on the top and lower triple clamps, jiggle the front wheel with your hand, and then tighten it back up. Sometimes when people drop their bike it'll twist the front end a little bit, and if you don't notice and never fix it the bike will handle a little weird, it's an easy fix though.

+1 on the rejetting.  Doing a proper rejet (which is easy), almost eliminated my need for the choke altogether.  When it was chilly out (below 40 degrees F), I would use the choke to fire it then I could immediately turn it off.

As for the tracking issues, previous posts already gave the best answers.  Check rear wheel alignment by looking down the chain, or take measurements if a more precise individual.  Also, check the front wheel to make sure the fork tubes aren't twisted in the triple trees.  That can happen by simply hitting a pot hole or bumping a curb.

Quote from: oramac on May 06, 2010, 05:49:40 AM
When it was chilly out (below 40 degrees F), I would use the choke to fire it then I could immediately turn it off.

If you only need the choke for an instant in -40° weather, you are probably on the rich side....IMHO

Quote from: Suzuki Stevo on May 06, 2010, 03:55:42 PM

Quote from: oramac on May 06, 2010, 05:49:40 AM
When it was chilly out (below 40 degrees F), I would use the choke to fire it then I could immediately turn it off.

If you only need the choke for an instant in -40° weather, you are probably on the rich side....IMHO

He did say "BELOW 40" not "40 Below."  My bike is the same way here in southern az.. anymore than 1/4 choke and it's at 4k with-in a couple seconds. even when it's 50 degrees out I barely have to choke it.  And honestly mine is running a little lean.