TWTK - Correct technique for starting a cold bike

[Tenchi]

Hi all,

My bike is very new, fully serviced, all fluids up to level, everything's mechanically sound, but every now and then I have trouble starting the bike. I sometimes have trouble starting it when the engine doesn't fire on the first time I try to start it, and end up having to roll start it (which requires coordination not found at 7am without a coffee). I get the feeling I'm just doing something wrong because it shouldn't be this hard to start, and that I am possibly flooding the engine.

FYI I am riding a 2006 ZZR250 - Carburetted. The bike is past the wear in period.

The technique I use for starting the bike is:
1. Pull throttle back about 1/4 to a little past 1/4 turn.
2. Open choke all the way.
3. Slowly ease throttle back to idle position. By slowly I mean take about 3-5 seconds to bring it back to position.
4. Press the starter button, give it a 1/8th-1/16th turn on the throttle (tiniest bit of throttle) at the same time as it is trying to fire. Most times when it fails to start I've pulled the throttle back a fair bit, but not more than a 1/4 twist.
5. Ease off the throttle as soon as it's started, slowly close the choke as the revs climb up - I generally try to keep the revs below 3000 rpm, as close to 1500 rpm as possible (idle set to around 1100 rpm).

When I start the bike and I know it's warm, most times i don't bother with the choke... a little bit of throttle does the trick.

Most times this works. By most I mean 1 in 20 to 1 in 30 will fail and I have to do the roll start thing, which requires a lot of coordination and a strip of road about 30-50m long. I don't like doing the roll start thing and I think that I can avoid this by just starting the bike first time every time.

Am I doing something wrong? Is this something that just happens in carburetted bikes? Is this a flaw in the ZZR design?

[Desmo]

Is this a flaw in the ZZR design?

One of many...

[taint]

don't touch the throttle if it is cold and you have the choke on, I have found across multiple bikes that doing this usually makes them very hard to start. Especially a certain yz250f that I flooded by twisting the throttle when getting off the ute and spent 10 minutes trying to kick start thinking it was my "technique"

when warm give it a little bit of throttle when starting and then let it idle normally

[thro]

Hmm... i used to have a ZZR - here's how I used to start it:

- no throttle
- crank engine, gradually increase choke (from nothing) until it starts - you should only really need choke the first time you start it for the day, or if it's been left for 4-ish hours or more.
- *once it starts*, use throttle to get it to about 4000rpm
- gradually put choke back in and hold revs at 4000-ish with no choke - blipping a bit (to say 6k) until it will rev freely with no choke
- hold about 3-4000rpm, front brake on, clutch in, engage first gear (this is so it doesn't stall, if the clutch is cold and grabby)
- ride off as normal

If you're using throttle to start it - this will be working against the choke. The choke makes the bike run richer - giving it throttle will open up the butterflies so that more air can get in, making it leaner...

I don't think i really ever needed full choke on the zzr (mine was an 06 as well).


edit:
CBR = turn key, press button. <3 efi

[Tenchi]

Yeah, I love the EFI too. The last time I operated a carburetted vehicle was our 1982 Honda Civic back in 1993, when I used to start it and drive it down to the bottom of our driveway for my mum. I couldn't remember how to start it but I'll give your way a shot thro.

[shmoo]

Efi Ftw!


With my old Who-Flung-Dung, all it took on cold mornings was choke out full and hit starter and she fired up straight away, so afraid i cant be of more help.

[likefry]

no choke
press start
give it a bit of throttle
hold revs between 2 and 3 for about 5 secs
let idle as normal

This is how i start my 89 gsx600f

[Jamathi]

correct method,
Before starting bike, get electric heater underneath the bike and warm up the sump with the oil in it,
wghen this is hot, pump oil around the engine till oil preasure is achieved, only after that has been done start the engine!
Well that is how the MotoGP teams do it, they have something differet for the electric portable heater.
Never mind all this , just Jab the starter/Kick the Kickstarter and roar her into life any way yer can!

[Ice]

no choke
press start
give it a bit of throttle

That's how I started my carbied 250. I only ever needed the choke twice in the 11 months/30 odd thousand kms.
It did have one advantage to your ZZR, though...
It was a Honda.

[thro]

Might find modern (well, newly purchased ) bikes are perhaps set up to be a little leaner (hence harder to start with no choke) for emissions reasons/power gains...

[Tenchi]

That's how I started my carbied 250. I only ever needed the choke twice in the 11 months/30 odd thousand kms.
It did have one advantage to your ZZR, though...
It was a Honda.

Somebody better get me an ice pack and some bandages coz I'm feeling the BURN there...

correct method,
Before starting bike, get electric heater underneath the bike and warm up the sump with the oil in it

+1 points for creativity.
-1 points for practicality.

[Mockery]

VFR400 starting procedure:
full choke, do not touch throttle.

on mine, when it's half warm the revs drop a bit and it can die if I don't carefully blip it. if this happens it usually can't be restarted 'cos the plugs foul at the drop of a hat.
Think I might tweak the carby a bit...

[esquire]

Open the choke all the way and start it at the same time. Leave the choke open for about 3-5 seconds and then slowly take it down.
If it dies just do it again but slightly slower and leave it open longer. Then once it's idling just rev it a little.
That's what I do and it works everytime.