[Superstuddc27]

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sad really.. I bought that bike like 3 days ago now? I started it up for the first bike today. Well i started it up a couple times but this time it was for reals.. from a regular start and i actually rode on the street for the first time.

But anyway, how does CHOKE work? Maybe I did it wrong or the bike's jacked but here's what happened.

First at the MSF course, when we first started the bikes, we put the choke all the way up, then cranked it. Cause other wise, it'll start and die, OR it wont start. So that's what i thought choke was for.


Okay for my bike. Everytime i start it, it just starts. It doesn't need choke to crank up and start. So can I just start it and go then?

It started up and idled at about 1k i think which is what the seller said was normal. I thought it was 1.4k or whatever not much difference. Anyway it idled.. so i decided, maybe i should put on the choke since I havne't started the bike since 3 days ago. So i put on the choke to FULL and the bike dies right there. So i start it again.. with the choke off, and then i put the choke ON and it dies again. So i heard something about turning it on SLOWLY. But anyway, so I said "screw it. It starts and idles. Whatever I'm riding it" So I take it to the parking lot about 30 seconds away. Then i turn the bike off and decided to give it a shot again. So this time, i put the choke lever on FULL and THEN i turn it on. The bike started revving up and idled at 4k. It came down slowly to about 3k and shot up to 4k. After that, it started to drop slowly to 3k, 2.5k, 2k etc. and finally it just went down to zero and stalled. And it was on full choke. So.. did i do something wrong? I mean, was it a safety measure cause the bike was already warmed up? I never heard of a choke idling at 4k. Thought it was arond 2.5k.

Someone tell me how to use my damn choke. I also talked to the seller cause we keep in touch and he even let me borrow his 2nd helmet. But anyway, he said that never happened but he never used choke. He just gave it some gas and then rode after about 2 minutes when it's warmed up. Here in cali, we dont have "cold starts". Maybe starting during the winter at 60 degrees is a "cold start". haha Any help is appreciated. thanks



EDIT: oh yeah, incase you guys haven't noticed, im a thread whore. i dont mean to be but usually if you're a newb, the forum beckons.

 

[Josh D]

I don't know what kind of bike you have or anything else, but basically, less choke is better. If you don't need the choke to start it or keep it running, then great, don't use it.

 

[Almighty Jason]

O man opcorn

If the bike starts with no choke, then you don't need it. Once the bike is running DO NOT put the choke on. When you put the choke on when it's running all you do is flood it or in your case run it to 4k. Choke is just needed to start it (warm days you might not even need it-or at least not as much), once it's running you turn it down progressively till it runs on it's own. The key is let it warm up after you start it.

and yes a bike will idle @ 4k if you leave the choke on.

What model/year is this bike anyway?

 

[PJFZ1]

Your choke "richens" the mixture of air to fuel to provide for startup when it's cold out or the enging is too cold to run on a normal mixture. The choke cuts off some of the airflow to the carbs and therefor you get the "richer" mixture.
If you run the choke too much, the richer mixture will cause carbon deposits on your sparkplugs and they won't perform properly - only use as much choke as it takes to get the bike running, and turn it off as soon as possible... You may find that on cold mornings your bike only needs 1/2 choke, and on warm days it won't need any at all..

I hope this helps.

 

[mj31]

Choke artist nfloorisson

 

[AZZKIKER]

You are supposed to start cranking the engine at the same time you are pulling the choke to the ON position. Once the bike starts leave the choke at that positon for about 30 sec and then switch the choke off and give it a couple revs.

 

[oober]

Dreamy - I vaguely remembering you having some experance with choking? Want to add anything...

 

[mj31]

Dreamy - I vaguely remembering you having some experance with choking? Want to add anything...

Good memory, I almost forgot that.:leghump

 

[Almighty Jason]

You are supposed to start cranking the engine at the same time you are pulling the choke to the ON position. Once the bike starts leave the choke at that positon for about 30 sec and then switch the choke off and give it a couple revs.

I have never heard of this technique before. I always set it, fire her up, push the choke shut. I guess both ways work just fine.

 

[AZZKIKER]

You rarely need the choke On all the way, that makes the mixture way too rich. When you follow the technique I mentioned, the bike will fire right up when the required mixture is reached as you pull on the choke lever.

 

[Superstuddc27]

Thanks everyone. Being in Ca, i doubt i'll use it. The prevoius owner said he never did and just gave it a couple revs for 2 minutes before taking off.

I have a 1995 YZF600r btw. I really should update my profile.

 

[PuffyG]

buy a fuel injected bike, then you dont need to think. Using your brain hurts

 

[RayOSV]

Even in "cold" Northern CA, I never use more than about 1/3 to 1/2 choke to start the bike when the engine is cold. The idle jumps up to about 3K and I turn the choke toward off until it idles about 2K. Check lights, put golves on, and take off (no need for a 2 minute warm up). After riding about a 1/4 mile, turn choke off. If the engine is at all warm when you start it, no choke is needed.

Set your idle to about 1300 (I believe) once the engine is warmed up.

 

[HalfLiterBeater]

Maybe it's just a crappy choke....? The choke on my 04 kwakker EX500 was a bitch....bike wouldn't start without 3/4 or full choke, and then had to be IMMEDIATELY adjusted because if it was left in the same position the idle would abruptly drop and die. Then you'd have to put the choke to somewhere around half, crank it over and blip the throttle til it fired, then hold the throttle cracked a little bit, readjust the choke, and let it idle again. Needless to say, I was the only person who could ever get my bike started!

I dunno about Yamaha chokes, but Kawasaki chokes suck.

 

[Camride]

:lol

If the bike starts without the choke, then you don't need to use it. I rarely have to use the choke on my bike, I live in FL. Usually older bikes need to be choked more, not sure why? My 1980 Cb750F needed full choke to start even when it was warm. The 6R hasn't needed the choke in about 3 months.

 

[749er]

WOW, you almost choked as bad as the Yankees did last year in the ALCS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[peldor]

Given that the bike starts without choke could your fule mix be a little rich? Have any strong gas smell when its running even after its warmed up? Smoke?

 

[chilton_gm]

Operating your own choke.

Surprised no one said this yet, so I will.

The reason you cant operate your own choke is..It will make you go blind.

:rolleyes

 

[H2Omax1]

I have an old Honda CW1100 that sometimes had problems starting. The CW1100 was the predecessor to the Blackbird with the build of a goldwing, and with it's gold/tan paint scheme, it was usually referred to as the chicken by most Honda Enthusiasts. Well, I always found that when I needed to cold start my bike the best way was to richen up the air-fuel ratio by choking the chicken.



Wow. . . . I’m just in one of those moods today. Bored at the office. . .

 

[Laughing Man]

buy a fuel injected bike, then you dont need to think. Using your brain hurts

Even some fuel injected bikes have a fuel enrichment lever (a.k.a. choke lever) for cold start ups. Like my Z1000. The manual says to always use the choke when starting up and gradually close the choke as needed to keep the revs under 2k until the engine has warmed for a couple minutes.

The technique I use for my carbed 1998 YZF600R is to pull the choke to about 1/2 to 3/4 of full choke and then thumb the starter. Usually it starts up after a couple tries. Then as the egine warms and the revs start to pick up I gradually close the choke until it idles at about 1300 rpm with no choke.
If I try to start the bike at full choke it usually won't start unless it's really cold outside.