Start from cold

[Becky B]

My firestorm has a manual choke, when i start it from cold it wont run on its own and you have to hold the throttle to keep it running. Can any one tell me why it does this?

[Perilous]

My firestorm has a manual choke, when i start it from cold it wont run on its own and you have to hold the throttle to keep it running. Can any one tell me why it does this?

Have you tryed pushing the joke in a bit once its fired up. All the road Kwakers I've had have been like that. They'd usually sit an run with half joke then after a little while would start revving their nuts off.

[Becky B]

Yeah tried that doesn't matter what i do it just keeps cuttin out

[Lateshift]

Does the choke actually work or does the choke lever feel too stiff? it may actually be that the choke cable isnt pulling the choke assembly ;)

[Becky B]

Im sure it works because the engine sounds different when u pull it out or push it in, plus it wont start from cold without it

[Lateshift]

Okay so there are two ways you could tackle this, you could try using just a very small amount of choke to see if its the choke that actually needs adjusting (it may be that the choke cable has stretched over time and isnt actually putting enough choke on).

V Twins tend to run at around 3000rpm at most on full choke but they shouldnt need anymore than 2000rpm to get them warmed up quickly :)

Another thing you could try if that doesnt work is use the engine speed (idle) adjuster which is likely to be down the side of the engine, your bike should probably tick over at around 1300rpm at idle adjusting this up to warm the bike up wont hurt as its no different than keeping your hand on the throttle to do the same, once the bike is warmed up adjust it back down to its normal idle speed :)

[Perilous]

When the bike has warmed up is it ticking over at the right RPM or is the tickover too slow?

oops ignore this Lateshift is already on it.:)

[Becky B]

It runs fine when warmed up its just getting it warmed up, ill have to get the cable checked

[Lateshift]

to me it just sounds like the choke or choke cable needs adjusting :)

[DoodleBug]

Mine never warmed up on its own either!

The one claim to fame for the VTR is having the largest throttle bodies ever put on a production bike, one result seems to be ****e cold running unfortunately. It was always a real balancing act to get it to warm up properly, holding the throttle so that it runs at 3K seems to work after a couple of minutes! As others have already hinted at, turning the idle up to about 11/1200 would hurt either.

[Becky B]

Its a night mare when i finish wk at 4am trying to put my leathers on sort my bike out and not set all the car alarms of lol

[bayonet]

I start my bike and just ride straight off, riding gently till it warms up. If I need choke I only use it to start and turn it off immediately. I have to gently blip the throttle if I have to stop before it's warmed up enough to tickover. I've never let it stand running with the choke on.

[DoodleBug]

Is there a good reason for that?

[Becky B]

I tried that, it cuts out when u slow down and i cant start it unless its in neutral

[bayonet]

Is there a good reason for that?I think it's better for the engine.

[bayonet]

I tried that, it cuts out when u slow down and i cant start it unless its in neutralWill it not start with the clutch in, maybe the clutch switch is broken. They are cheap and easy to replace.

[Lateshift]

Its a mixed debate to be honest, modern engines dont need a large amount of heat for them to run, its essential on performance engines though that you get heat into the engine before you start tearing up tarmac :)

You certainly couldnt ride an Aprilia from the off, and i know most V Twins dont like it either :)

[Jetski]

And my kwak wouldn't run too healthy without a bit of a warm up - stalls alot... but that's probably just me :grin2

[Becky B]

I always try and run it for a good 5min b4 riding it

[DoodleBug]

Hmm to be honest if I'm using a loud bike I cant really warm it up without causing a war so I also start up, sling a leg over and try to keep the revs constant and low until I have a decent temperature reading. However it was recently pointed out to me that the temp gauge only shows water temp, which warms up much more quickly than the metal in the engine. So now I try to wait until there is some warmth in the engine covers before setting off, not always possible early in the morning though I admit.

[Lateshift]

And my kwak wouldn't run too healthy without a bit of a warm up - stalls alot... but that's probably just me :grin2

Unless you're late home and havent got a chance to run it on choke in which case its turn on, ride clutch, and filter away :D


hit dual carriageway and maintain 12000rpm :D

[Jetski]

Unless you're late home and havent got a chance to run it on choke in which case its turn on, ride clutch, and filter away :D


hit dual carriageway and maintain 12000rpm :D

Oooh, you're in SO much trouble now! :mad:

How long does that journey take in a car again?

[DoodleBug]

.....I lurve the smell of burning piston rings in the morning....

cue helicopters.

[Jetski]

*sneaks credit card out of lateshift's wallet ready for the FULL service that's coming up* ;) :grin2

[Lateshift]

Oooh, you're in SO much trouble now! :mad:

How long does that journey take in a car again?


Double the time it takes on the bike so if you are planning on catching me in your car you better wait by the QE2 bridge :D ;)


I laugh in the face of adversity!





























And cry like a baby in the face of pain! :D

[Becky B]

Cant use my car haven't got tax cause im selling it to get a second bike for track day

[gixer400]

Cant use my car haven't got tax cause im selling it to get a second bike for track day

Good girl :clap :clap :clap

you DO know your priorities!!

[Becky B]

Every day is a bike day for me, thats the best thing about wkin at night. Bike comes first

[Becky B]

Have you tryed pushing the joke in a bit once its fired up. All the road Kwakers I've had have been like that. They'd usually sit an run with half joke then after a little while would start revving their nuts off.

I tried this and it worked:jumping2 :jumping2 pulled the choke out started it then pushed it in half way and i sat there gurgling away happy as a pig in s**t, problem solved it was me not the bike.:clap :clap :clap :clap :laugh2