Choke time

[bonstrosity]

This has probably been addressed before but how long does everyone usually have their choke in? I seem to have to warm it up between 2 and 5 minutes from a cold start, otherwise it will bog/stall and shut off. is this normal? I mean it still is a little cold here.
Joel

[Anonymous]

That is WAY too long to have the choke on (IMHO). Aren't your plugs fouled by now. I usually leave it on for 30-45 seconds and then use the throttle....I understand though, that's it freakin cold out there so who knows?

[BeekMan]

Actually, that seems normal compared to mine. If I don't leave it partially on once moving for the first couple of minutes, I won't have much power. I have to tweak it before getting to the first traffic light though...if it's partially on at that point it will stall when I'm idling so I normally take it off all together, and then maybe on for a bit more once I'm moving for the power. All of this within the first two kilometers...after that it's all throttle.

[The CyberPoet]

The owner's manual specifies to not use it more than 60 seconds (because when it's in use, the plugs are loading up with fouling); if I still need to richen the mix after that, I use the throttle instead. During colder times of the year, you may also want to increase your idle setting to the maximum of the acceptible range to help with those cold starts & warm-up... you can always rotate it back down when the bike has warmed all the way.

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[floxera]

I've been starting my Kat regularly at temps below 20 degrees F. I dont use the for more than 30 seconds. I start the bike with full choke and no throttle as soon as the rpms come up I close the choke half way, Then I wait a couple seconds and close the choke. After that she usally idles if not I crack open the throttle slightly for a couple more seconds. At that point I have to wait for the bike to warm up about 5 minute otherwise she'll stall or bog down when I open the throttle.

I also have the idle set at 1400 which I think is the max for my engine, as The CyberPoet suggested.

[KatanaO215]

as CP said, l;eaving the choke on for that long isnt a good situation for the plugs.

[bonstrosity]

I guess it's not as long as I first thought. It's more like what Beekman said. Have it full choke till the rps rev up (10-30 sec depending on temp), then take it down to half choke for another 15 to 30 sec. then off... I guess what I'm asking is it normal once it's off to have to let the engine warm up once the choke is off so that it doesn't stall?

[floxera]

Depending on how cold it is thats normal for my Kat.

[Black_peter]

Mine will run ok off choke and still need to "clear itself up" Usually a few high rpm runs will do it.
But a few blips of the throttle are needed for a while after starting. I never ride on the choke.
And I try to follow Cyberpoets advice to just use the choke for a half a minute or so then use the throttle..
BTW, is it a real choke? or an enricher?
I never saw choke plates when I worked on my carbs so I think it is really an enricher..

[md86]

Yeah , I guess it'd be an ebrichener . The choke rail pulls open little needles to let more fuel flow through . I usually choke mine to start it . It'll almost immediately jump up to about 3-3.5k rpms , so I'll modulate the choke to keep it at about 2k . After about a minute the choke can come off and the bike will usually idle ok by itself , no throttle blipping needed .

[bonstrosity]

What are all of your average temperatures this time of year. I'm talking about running mine at 30 degrees or even colder at times

[Black_peter]

I ran mine this December at 30 degrees..
I had no choke cable at the time so I had to hold it..
I didn't hold it that long..

[takirb]

i have the manual slider/pull knob on mine, and i let it sit with the choke fully out for about 30 secs to a minute when it's around 40 degrees or so. then again, i've never known how long was normal...