Cold start question R1200rt

[Yammer]

Hi All,

 

Need to ask. When my bike is cold and I do start it up. If I barely crack the throttle right after start it almost dies. I have actually stopped the engine by cracking the throttle a bit just after start. Today I started it up at noon and just barely opened the throttle and found a spot where the engine idle wandered up and down to almost dieing for a bit till it smartened up and all was fine. Once the engine is running for a bit under 30 secs it is normal.

 

Normal or Not????

 

Thanks for any input

 

Yammer

[motorman587]

I would say not normal. We had cop bike that idled funny and died. Took it to the dealer, replace the battery, which the battery was bad and old. We thought that, that may have been the problem. However it still ran rough. The dealer said it was bad gas. We use city gas so I am sure that it is not the best for the RTPs.

[Mister Tee]

I have experienced the same thing. It seems to be worse on a cold day than a warm day.

[Huzband]

Why do you feel the need to crack the throttle upon startup?

 

It's FI, so don't touch the throttle & let it do its thing. That's my procedure.

[Lmar]

I don't touch the throttle when mine is warming up. No problems.

[RoadJunkie]

I don't know if it's "normal" but the behavior is consistent with my '06 RT.

 

 

[JayW]

I don't touch the throttle when mine is warming up. No problems.

 

My RT definitely starts faster in cold weather if I crack the throttle a bit while cranking the engine. In warm weather it does fine with no throttle. Regardless of weather, it never stalls as the OPs RT seems to do, so I vote, "not normal."

 

Jay

[EddyQ]

I don't touch the throttle when mine is warming up. No problems.

 

My RT definitely starts faster in cold weather if I crack the throttle a bit while cranking the engine. In warm weather it does fine with no throttle. Regardless of weather, it never stalls as the OPs RT seems to do, so I vote, "not normal."

 

I think starting in the cold (like 32degrees F) is easier with a slight throttle crack. But if it is a little cold (50 degrees F), just started, a throttle crack is not something the engine likes. Donno why. SO, I just let it idle and warm 30 seconds.

[hopz]

We had a thread on this a few months back. Twisties1 contended that a throttle crack helped in (very) cold starts.

 

I can tell you that here in Utah, in my bike garage, in the cold... it absolutely works to do crack!

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

When my bike is cold and I do start it up. If I barely crack the throttle right after start it almost dies. I have actually stopped the engine by cracking the throttle a bit just after start. Today I started it up at noon and just barely opened the throttle and found a spot where the engine idle wandered up and down to almost dieing for a bit till it smartened up and all was fine. Once the engine is running for a bit under 30 secs it is normal.

 

My bike ('09 RT, ~5K miles) does something similar. the first bit of off-idle throttle, the engine doesn't respond very well; a launch from my driveway or from the first couple of stop signs requires me to be very careful about adding slightly more throttle/RPM's than usual to obtain stable operation. If I screw up on this, the engine dies as I'm letting the clutch out. Once the engine starts warming up (say, 1/2 mile down the road), the off-idle throttle response is fine, I can get nice gentle low-RPM launches without killing the engine.

[motoguy128]

I just push the button and it starts. I don't give it any extra throttle. But I imagine it might help.

 

The coldest I've started it was at 29F for a short spin on a sunny "warmer" afternoon in Jan. when the roads weren't clean and dry. By the time I back down the driveway, I rode off without any issues.

 

The only hichups I've ever had in cold starts were with carbeurated motorcycles that had been jetted. All of my stock bikes, and both bikes I've had with EFI didn't require any speical starting procedures and ran without hiccups or any long warm-up periods.

[Teddy]

On the really cold mornings here in Canberra (was below -5C (23F) last winter) its best just to hit the starter & let the fuel injection do everything. The times when I give it a little throttle (after starting) the engine just dies in the guts. I usually let it idle for 30seconds or so whilst I put my helmet/gloves on & by then the throttle is OK to use.

After a couple of kilometres the engine has moved up to one bar on the temp gauge so figure I can give it a few more revs at this stage. I have a nice steep hill when I leave home so the engine is under plenty of load & warms fairly quickly from then on.

 

As for the starting no throttle seems best although some have said a little throttle works for them.

 

Teddy

[Paul In Australia]

Hi

Don't want to highjack this thread, but a related point is the warm up. I know there are varyig views on warming up a Boxer. What does every one else do?

I warm up in the garage until i see a movement on the temp bar graph. The bike runs better this way. Might take a few minutes, usually while i don the gear, clean the visor, put the gloves on etc.

Is this a good idea?

best regards

[JayW]

Hi

Don't want to highjack this thread, but a related point is the warm up. I know there are varyig views on warming up a Boxer. What does every one else do?

 

I just start riding as soon as the engine is running smoothly. In really cold weather I may let it idle for 30 seconds or so before heading out. I always take it easy until the engine the temp gauge reads normal.

 

Jay

[betty]

 

My bike ('09 RT, ~5K miles) does something similar. the first bit of off-idle throttle, the engine doesn't respond very well; a launch from my driveway or from the first couple of stop signs requires me to be very careful about adding slightly more throttle/RPM's than usual to obtain stable operation. If I screw up on this, the engine dies as I'm letting the clutch out. Once the engine starts warming up (say, 1/2 mile down the road), the off-idle throttle response is fine, I can get nice gentle low-RPM launches without killing the engine.

 

My '07 RT w/36k acts the same as Frickin's RT

[johnv]

Not sure if it is normal, but my 07 RT does the same thing. I've experimented and found 2 procedures that seem to work. Either one seems to work. 1) When the engine is cold, start the engine and shut it down immediately after it starts. Start it up again and it is usually OK. Or,2) Turn the key on and before starting the engine,open the throttle to max a couple of times. Start the engine and it runs OK. HTH

 

johnv

07 R1200RT

[Teddy]

Hi

 

I warm up in the garage until i see a movement on the temp bar graph. The bike runs better this way. Might take a few minutes, usually while i don the gear, clean the visor, put the gloves on etc.

Is this a good idea?

best regards

 

Personally I think that is just wasting fuel, by the time I put helmet, gloves on, kick the sidestand, check tyres, lights etc no more than a minute has elapsed before I ride away. & don't forget I do the same in the depths of winter. (down to -5C last winter)

 

There was a guy across the road who used to idle his VN Commodore for at least 10 minutes everyday before he drove away. When he bought a V8 Fairmont he continued to do the same. Huge waste of petrol I thought.

 

I read somewhere modern vehicles are designed to be ridden/driven soon after starting, just don't go riding hard until there is some movement in the temperature gauge.

 

Teddy

[vizhip]

I warm up in the garage until i see a movement on the temp bar graph. The bike runs better this way. Might take a few minutes, usually while i don the gear, clean the visor, put the gloves on etc.

Is this a good idea?

best regards

 

I am in full gear before I get on the bike... and once I start it... I sort of slow roll out of the garage... then expect to dump the clutch while I position for the hill that is my driveway... hitting the garage door closer... and then head out...

 

and I STILL keep forgetting to use the non-choke... )))

 

Regards -

-Bob