How to get it going when it's cold.

[Mark_h]

My bike started fine all summer, but now it's got cold and damp it seems to have a bit of a probelm getting going. Can't say I blame it, but it is going to let me down good and propper sooner or later.

Bike lives under a car port with a cover on it and has an opti-mate so good battery power.

From stone cold, on a cold day, give it about half choke.
Coughs into life then dies after a couple of seconds.
Then just turns over like it's flooded. Not even a cough.
Leave it a few minutes, bit of choke hit the starter and turn throttle until it coughs then coax it into life while keeping the starter churning for 20-30 seconds.

Generally sounds like its on its last legs when it gets going, need to keep it at 4-5k which seems harsh on a stone cold engine. then after 20 seconds ticks over perfectly and gives no further trouble.

It was fine until it got propper cold. Have not done anything else to the bike apart from fit a CCC can, and it behaves exactly the same before and after can fitting.

Any ideas or is it just a case that they don't like cold damp weather?

What do other people do with their choke?

Oh and it's a 2001 curvey in a lovely shade of blue.

cheers,
Mark

dont wish to keep bring up the pointy model but with fuel injection you just hit the start button, all bikes ive own'ed with chokes change there starting habits come winter. dont know what the sv choke is like but my old bandit was a right pain in the ass, the choke was either all ON or all OFF.

[TSM]

if you start the engine then put the choke on, the possability of it dying is high as it chokes and dies. If you do it slowly and give it time to slowly build up the revs then you will be fine. The other thing is just start the bike first time with the choke on and a tad of throttle, then when started just let it idle on choke for a while.

Also its not best to leave it on choke for ages, just start on choke and go quickly then turn it down after a few seconds.

The winter at the start of 2005 i did not have a problem with the bike stalling.

[MrMessy]

Hi,
I always use full choke on my 99SV when I start her from cold and catch it on the throttle, then ease the choke back a bit. Sometimes only fires up on one cylinder if it has been stood awhile but soon chimes onto two. I think the manual states to only use the choke for 30 seconds?

Originally Posted by MrMessy

I think the manual states to only use the choke for 30 seconds?

just of memory but i was reading mine the other day and it said that you need to adust it so that idle is ~2500rpm and then after a short time (probably 30secs like you said) turn choke off

i dont have any problems with starting mine SV curvy in the cold and its kept outside with a cover on, even when i stayed at someones and its been uncovered all night with ice on it still starts, my main problem is waking everyone with the race can!!lol

I never use the choke when starting.

I give a couple of twists of the throttle with ignition on. No throttle and hit the starter. If it fires up I give the throttle the slightest of turns until both cylinders are firing properly and then turn the throttle ever so slightly more to raise the revs to about 3000.

Then I turn the throttle back down slightly and drive off.

Sometimes during the really bad cold, I may have to repeat this process more than once. But it will start by the third attempt.

Has not let me down so far.

[northwind]

I tend to strt mine with no choke, then give it some choke if it wants it... It'll start with choke but it's just more eager without it.

if it's giving you a hard time starting, go thru the basics, clean air filter, fresh plugs, etc..... a tune up, my SV lives by the recommended maintenance schedule, no more, no less, it always starts and runs the same now as it did in 99

Mine seems to take 3 attempts to get it going and it does seem to start on one cylinder, I just use a little choke till it fires the first time and then knock the choke off. I use to use it everyday but my new job stops me using it so often.

I've usually found starts with about a third choke, if really cold about half, as starts to rev up reduced choke until about 2000 revs, let it run for about a minute then just let it tickover for five mins while getting ready and off it goes no probs