Hello everyone, I love this forum, I check it daily. 1988 1000. When I bought the bike, the guy told me to engage the choke 5 times then bring to half choke and start. Always started right up. The last couple of days, its been taking three or four tries. It backfired one day, and today it backfired and started right up. The bike runs great, any ideas? I live in CT and weather has been a little colder, could that be it?

 

I don't understand the purpose of engaging the choke 5 times. I would suggest using full choke, start the bike, after a minute or so (idle RPM should raise considerably as engine warms up) move to half choke, after another minute or two, you should be able to disengage the choke completely.

I personally don't "give it" any gas at start up. If the bike is running properly, you shouldn't have too. If you are giving it gas, and there's too much fuel in the carbs, that could causethe backfire condition that you experienced.

 

Full choke, no fuel and taper down choke as it warms is my formula as well. 87' 1000.
When it is at running temps and shut down for a short stop, it usually takes a few seconds longer of crank time with a twist of fuel
to fire up. And somtimes more than one try.I always think that it too long of crank time for a tuned bike.
Any thoughts on this? anyone? regards-


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Engaging the choke 5 times does nothing.The chokeenriches the mixture when the bike is running only. It sounds to me from reading in the forum that the earlier bikes with fuel pumps start differently than the newer ones with the vacuum shut off. My '94, I start by twisting the throttle 4 to 5 times to full and then full choke and start button. It will always stall the first time and then restart and run no matter what I try (only when cold). I have nottriedto bypass the vacuum shut off

 

I've recently developed similar issues with my 96. Sometimes I crank and crank but no dice then the battery drains and I flood it if I keep going. I think the voltage is too low to get a spark. Gonna wire in a voltage meter so I can monitor it...

If I jump it it starts right up. From reading postings on this site I'm suspicious of the regulator/rectifier or possibly the alternator. Time to start testing...

I've been carrying jumper cables and they came in handy yesterday when leaving work.

 

3/4 choke does it for me. 1987 1000F. Try checking your air filter, and the see if you can sync your carbs. Rhino, check the voltage going to your batery, if ok, then consider chaging it as when the battery is low the starter draws the power and not enough juice gets to the plugs.

 

when i had my charge problem and the bat got down a bit, it wouldnt fire but would bumpstart easy peasy, i sugsest u try bump starting it, if it starts first thing then yr bat is probably getting weak, do a charging rate test, and yes full choak and u can actualy turn the throttle backwards a little to block off the butterflies to give it a little more gas, giving throttle is useless when cold thats why u need choke

 

I find 3/4 choke on a warm morning's and full on a cold
My battery is drying and I'v seen it not liking a weak battery, so 'JB' got a good point

 

My old 92 used to do exactly the same thing so I had the values done and that fixed that problem over a year ago and she still starts on 3/4 choke very easily.