Topic: What's your start up process?

[Rocker]

All of us classic bike owners know that it takes more then a quick tap on the starter button to get our babies going. Honda CBs are known for being cold natured and I am just curious what system everyone else has to get their bikes warmed up for a ride.

My bike: 1975 CB750/4 w/ roughly 20k miles

My steps; key, petcock, full choke, 3-4 twists on the throttle, starter button. As soon as she fires I turn the choke off and hold the throttle giving just a little gas to keep her running. After a few minutes, I hear her idle down and can walk away until she it warmed up.

Over the winter when I do not ride her for long periods of time, I do the same as above but also add in some kicks on the ol' kick start to get the oil moving around. In these cases, I turn the kill switch to off and kick her about 4-5 times. I then follow the steps above and she is ready to go.

As you own a bike for a number of years, especially an older one, you learn her in's and out's, funny little quarks, and noises. I know I have on my bike.

[jdigga]

Currently my steps are: petcock, full choke, toggle switch (ghetto ignition), kill switch, starter button.  Then I'll let the choke down slightly and turn up the idle screw a bit to keep the revs up.  I've found in the warm weather it doesn't like to run on the choke for long.

I've come quite a ways since I first got the bike last season.  When I brought it home for the first time I couldn't get it started again.  In the midst of all the maintenance I had to do that the previous owners didn't, my startup steps included holding the throttle wide open while starting and repeatedly twisting the throttle while starting trying to find the sweet spot where the engine would fire.

I'd love to know how I can eliminate fiddling with the idle screw.  It seems like I have to step it down incrementally during the first 10-15 minutes of the ride to normalize it.

[ProTeal55]

1. Key
2. Petcock
3. Slight turn of the idle screw (gain)
4. Choke
5. Starter button (usually cranks 2 or 3 times before it starts)
6. close choke and keep hand on throttle till bike catches a idle
7. as bike warms up lower idle untill bike sounds happy (no tach)
8. ride the tires off it  

[Slapguts]

Key on, gas on, hit the button. Vroom.

Or, if anyone is watching, key on, gas on, kick. Vroom.


Bike starts easy as all get out. Won't start with the choke on, though. Not sure why not. It's my only means of transportation, though, so it gets ridden every day. Might be why it starts so easy.

[tsflstb]

My procedure is about the same.

Just add a 7a. to Proteal's post.  Kickstand up.  I forgot that one this weekend and had a "what the fuuu?" moment at the first left turn.

[MRieck]

All of us classic bike owners know that it takes more then a quick tap on the starter button to get our babies going. Honda CBs are known for being cold natured and I am just curious what system everyone else has to get their bikes warmed up for a ride.

My bike: 1975 CB750/4 w/ roughly 20k miles

My steps; key, petcock, full choke, 3-4 twists on the throttle, starter button. As soon as she fires I turn the choke off and hold the throttle giving just a little gas to keep her running. After a few minutes, I hear her idle down and can walk away until she it warmed up.

Over the winter when I do not ride her for long periods of time, I do the same as above but also add in some kicks on the ol' kick start to get the oil moving around. In these cases, I turn the kill switch to off and kick her about 4-5 times. I then follow the steps above and she is ready to go.

As you own a bike for a number of years, especially an older one, you learn her in's and out's, funny little quarks, and noises. I know I have on my bike.

You don't need to twist the throttle as there is no accelerator pump.

[CrisPDuk]

Pretty much the same as Teal's


With tsflstb's addition

[ProTeal55]

Just add a 7a. to Proteal's post.  Kickstand up.  I forgot that one this weekend and had a "what the fuuu?" moment at the first left turn.

Ya - I forgot about that on the CB450 and almost bit it 

[Brent C.]

Petcock, ignition, full choke, two full twists of the "fun" grip, start button, hold full choke (won't stay on by its self) hold rpm's around 3 four about 30-45 seconds...won't idle on its own till 5 mins or so riding. enjoy! (the bike is being rebuilt this winter, ridden this summer.)

[Rocker]

Or, if anyone is watching, key on, gas on, kick. Vroom.

Nice! I've done that a few times too. The kick starts always get a look. 

[mlinder]

Removed starter button. Will remove starter soon.

How I start it:
Turn on petcock.
Kick twice to get some fuel in the carbs.
Turn on choke
turn on power and kill switch.
Kick.
Turn off choke.
Go.

[Rocker]

I didn't say every step in my startup was useful....just part of the overall process. 

All of us classic bike owners know that it takes more then a quick tap on the starter button to get our babies going. Honda CBs are known for being cold natured and I am just curious what system everyone else has to get their bikes warmed up for a ride.

My bike: 1975 CB750/4 w/ roughly 20k miles

My steps; key, petcock, full choke, 3-4 twists on the throttle, starter button. As soon as she fires I turn the choke off and hold the throttle giving just a little gas to keep her running. After a few minutes, I hear her idle down and can walk away until she it warmed up.

Over the winter when I do not ride her for long periods of time, I do the same as above but also add in some kicks on the ol' kick start to get the oil moving around. In these cases, I turn the kill switch to off and kick her about 4-5 times. I then follow the steps above and she is ready to go.

As you own a bike for a number of years, especially an older one, you learn her in's and out's, funny little quarks, and noises. I know I have on my bike.

You don't need to twist the throttle as there is no accelerator pump.

[MRieck]

 I hear you....some habits die hard.

[Kamal]

On my 76 K6, I have put the later accel pumps carbs from the 77-78 F model....but never hooked the choke up...

So, depending on how long the bike has sat, I will turn on the gas, twist my throttle 4-100 times (lol!), key on, and an easy kick on the lever.

Once it is sputtering, I give consistent mini-strokes on the throttle to actuate the accel pump without opening up the carbs much...and after a moment, I roll away and ride real easy for a few minutes.  70K miles and counting.

Kamal

[WJL75]

Turn on the gas
Choke opened full
Key
Ignition
Hit the start button
Smile
Imediately take choke down to about 1/3 open (just so RPMs sit around 1500)
Ride away.
Smile
After a few blocks, choke gets shutoff.
Gun it
Smile

[kslrr]

Sit on bike
Side stand: Up
gas: On
Key: In
Ignition: On
Choke: 100%
Starter: Activate
Once started, Choke: 25% - 30%
While engine warms up, put helmet and gloves on
Choke: 0%
Play symphony with 4 cylinders and 5 gears

[BobbyR]

Turn on the gas
Choke opened full
Key
Ignition
Hit the start button
Smile
Imediately take choke down to about 1/3 open (just so RPMs sit around 1500)
Ride away.
Smile
After a few blocks, choke gets shutoff.
Gun it
Smile

I do the same thing excpet my 78 has a pump so I give it one twist. I tend to leave the choke in until I turn into the main road at the end of my street so it does not stall and leave me in the middle of a blind curve. Once I am going staright, I kick out the choke and ride her till she warms up. Once warm, I merely turn the key and just tap the start button, and I swear you really never hear the starter. I have pushed the kickstart down with my hand to show off.

[Cvillechopper]

Walk out to the bike
Walk back in the house to get keys
turn ignition on
pat very softly on side of tank while whispering sweet nothing about how great a girl she is
try starter first time
cuss
choke on
try starter 2nd time
cuss
very carefully ask her to feel like going today
try starter 3rd time
cuss
try kickstart 1st time
cuss, cuss,  cuss
go to get tools
come back to get keys so i can get tools
cuss, cuss, cuss, cuss, cuss
turn kill switch to "on"
try starter 4th time
forget all the cussing and pull off slowly
stop after 10 ft
come back to put helmet and gloves on
Enjoy the ride

It doesn't work for everyone, but it gets me there

[TwoTired]

For the CB550Kor F in stock configuration with early style carbs.
Roll bike out of garage.
Put on leathers, Helmet, gloves.
Close garage door from outside.
Sit on bike
Turn on fuel petcock.
Raise side stand
Apply full choke
Crack throttle to about 1/4.
Push button- varoom
Choke to 2/3 position
Drive off.
Over next 1/2 mile knock a bit off the choke periodically until all off.
Avoid other homicidal drivers.

This assumes I rode the bike within the last week.  If it sat longer, I'll wait til it runs smoothly with a predictable throttle before driving off.

Cheers,

[736cc]

Choke, fuel on, turn key, press starter, turn-off choke, blip it a couple times, ride away.

[OldSchool_IsCool]

I'll third the kickstart option!  Work has graciously installed a cement pad for the dozen or so cycles that park there on any given day.  I can't resist "kick'n it Old School" while amongst all the crotch rocket hugg'n whipper snappers and Hardly ride'n near-retirees!

[johnny-from-bel]

Fuel open
Choke full
ignition on
kickstart (starter does not work on the K6)
swear
kickstart
swear some more
kickstart
choke 1/2 and drive of. After 200 m choke off.

[hymodyne]

cb500K1

sit on bike
open petcock
turn key
full choke
check for neutral
hit starter button
rev a few times
increase idle
open choke gradually
helmet and gloves

[ieism]

Turn headlight to OFF. (it seems to start better this way, but it could be a mental disorder)
Ignition ON
Idle screw 2/5 of a turn clockwise.
Start button.
Let it run for 30 seconds and take off.
Turn the idle screw back after 5 minutes.

Touching the choke makes it impossible to start. When it's really freezing it takes damn near forever before it starts, people who pass by when I'm doing the starting ritual in winter always give me a worried look, but I know it will run eventually. It has never failed to start yet.

[hymodyne]

not to highjack this thread, but I've looked again and again, and in this rebuild, my headlight doesn't turn off, even  in the off position.

does suggest a bad switch? I've traced wires using the diagram, and find no issues there.

hym