Start Me Up! But HOW?

[Sven]

The owners manual for my '03 B12 says to start the bike by:
1)  Open choke all the way
2)  Push starter button
3)  Once the engine starts, adjust the choke to keep it in the 2500-3000 RPM range.
4)  Turn choke off after 30 seconds, maybe longer in cold weather.
5)  When engine is warm, do not use choke, just open throttle a bit and hit the starter.

To the best of my knowledge, my bike has never worked like this!

Even with the choke open, if I don't open the throttle a bit, the engine does not start.  I see poeple do that whole "walk up and push the starter" thing on other bikes, but it does not work for me.

So, are my experiences typical for others here?

[Red01]

My routine for a cold start in temps of ~40-80*F is:

1) Open choke all the way.
2) Push starter button.
3) Once the engine starts, adjust the choke to keep it in the 1500-2000 RPM range.
(I use this time to put in my ear plugs, don my helmet & gloves, periodically turning the choke down to maintain stated rpm, then mount & ride off)
4) Turn the choke off after ~1/4 mile.
(At home, this is just after the first stop sign... the next traffic control device is ~15 miles away.)

Temps below 40 usually require a little throttle. Temps above 80 usually require ~1/2 choke.

It worked this way before & after I installed my Holeshot Stage II jet kit.

[txbanditrydr]

Even with the choke open, if I don't open the throttle a bit, the engine does not start.  

Same here.... gotta twist the wrist a bit but I never use full choke.

[B6mick]

2 full twist of the throttle, full choke, and crank over for 10 seconds, if no start, 2 full twists, full choke and crank over for 10 seconds, and repeat and repeat, after attempt number 10, turn off and walk away for half an hour or so.
And start all over again. Bloody good thing I got an oversized battery in it. Yes its a bitch to fire but once she's running she goes like the clappers. Pulled the carbs down so many times now, and played with this and that, so I can have easy start and so so preformance, or hard start and yeha lets have fun preformance. Yes life is full of compromises, so is the B6.

[Red01]

2 full twist of the throttle

I take it that's 2 full twists while you're cranking it since the B6 doesn't have accelerator pumps, right?

[B6mick]

2 full twist of the throttle

I take it that's 2 full twists while you're cranking it since the B6 doesn't have accelerator pumps, right?

Arh ha. With pumps my start up problems would go away.

[rkfire]

My stock 03 B12 starts instantly cold, full choke-no gas. Hot restarts same thing only no choke-slight crack of throttle.

B6mick, a properly jetted engine should start easy. Pilot jetting has little to do with performance or state of tune. Is your choke working properly?

[B6mick]

My stock 03 B12 starts instantly cold, full choke-no gas. Hot restarts same thing only no choke-slight crack of throttle.

B6mick, a properly jetted engine should start easy. Pilot jetting has little to do with performance or state of tune. Is your choke working properly?

With all the little mods, ie airbox, midpipe and can, advance, k&n filter, it seams to have added up to a cantankerous starter. You could well be right with the pilots, but at this stage, I will not be doing anything about it, its rare that it takes me more than 2 to 3 minutes, to get her to fire, even after not being fired for a couple of months. And it just runs so bloody well. And yes the choke works well, and achives full movement at the carbs.

But we all know engines can be like hmmmmm engines, I once built 2 identical engines, same everything, ignition parts, cams, carbs the whole kit and kaboodal, yet they both had different characters, including start up. ok so engines are like women, they can look the same, come from the same manufactures, yet be soooooo different.

Like the truimph down here which truimph wanted but couldn't buy back, if memory serves me it was an 90's triple 900, it was one of those freak engines, put out way more hp than it should, got outragous mpg, and no-one could work out why.

[aussiebandit]

Bandit 1200 (02 model)Cold engine
Turn ignition on (obviously)
Full Choke
Slight twist of the throttle
press starter
let it warm up for a minute then turn choke off
Ride

Really Really COLD engine
as above but let engine warm up for a minute then half choke, ride for about a Km then choke off.

warm engine
No choke (obviously)

Monster 750 (00 model)
Cold Engine
Turn Ignition on
press starter
as engine fires slooowwwly turn choke on full
let it warm up for a minute
choke off
ride

Warm engine
turn ingnition on
press starter
let engine idle for a few seconds
ride.