How long do you leave your choke on?

or fuel enrichment circuit, or whatever it's called. Today it was ~50 deg F, and it took around 5 min for me to get the bike to idle somewhat normally. Is this right?

 

20 seconds to a minute, but it's Florida ! The motor stays warmed up.

 

It was 52 here today and the bike warmed up in a few minutes with no choke. I use a throttle lock at high idle for a few minutes ...then I leave a goose tail of dirt flying down the driveway!!

 

At our temps - 32F to 40F - five minutes is about right, done in steps.

 

Just long enough to start the engine....

 

I leave mine on until the engine revs start picking up on their own, then I close the choke and give the throttle a couple of quick twists. If it responds properly, it's all good.

 

The truth of the matter is:

There's NO ... ON or OFF.

There's degrees of Enrichment. You are supposes to Enrich the Mixture to start a dead cold bike ... then, start backing-off onn the Enrichment until the Bike will Idle on it's own.

When it warm enough ... you don't even need it.
But, when it's cold enough ... put some On and use the lever like a rheostat.
More or less ... as needed!

 

Bike: '85 XJ900

Enrichment Lever near left handgrip with 2 indent stops - half and full.

From late Spring to mid Autumn I only need half enrichment and let the bike idle withthat setting for a minute or tw until the revs start dropping from the overly rich mixture. Turn off enrichment and use throttle to steady the revs at idle point and then gently ride off.

Cooler weather - full enrichment, get the bike going for 15 seconds or so and then place it on to the half setting to let it idle whil I put on the helmet/gloves.

Each bike has it's own starting personality and this is mine.

 

For a 52 degree morning:
Full "choke" for about 1 minute and then about a half choke for another minute while I put on helmet and gloves and then a quarter choke when I leave. I turn the choke fully off once I hit the freeway.

 

@40 F for about 20 seconds full.
then completely off and regulating with throttle.

My choke lever is rotten stuck, so I unmounted the choke cable and operate the choke with the lever on the right side of the bike.

My starterrelay sticks in the "start" position, so I don't have to push the starterbutton to start. when the motor is running the startermotor stops turning...

 

I agree with what he said. As the bike warms, it builds rpm's. I back off until the lever is all the way off, or I take off down the road and turn the lever off after half a block or so.

 

I agree :lol:
5-20 seconds

 

I guess I always warmed up an engine before I take off in any case. I guess I was taught that way by my Dad. With synthetic oil however, the warm up time is cut alot shorter now.

 

when it is cold i start mine on full choke and let the engine run until the revs go up by itself, then i put it back to half while i am suiting up, then i jump on turn the choke off then haul @$$ down the road.

 

cool. thanks for all the answers. Maybe things aren't as screwed up as I thought....

 

Yesterday, at 0C (32F), 4/4 to get her started, then down to 3/4 for 5 or 10 seconds until the revs rise sharply, then down to 2/3 or so for another 5 or so until the revs rise again, and then something inbetween that and nothing for a high (1800rpm) or so idle until I get moving.

Degrees of use, as Rick points out, that's the ticket.