How long do you warm up the bike?

[silverdeer0454]

One of my co-workers has a Suzuki 900 and we ride home together each night because both of us live on Camano Island and work 3pm - 11pm. We believe in "safety in numbers", all 2 of us. Temps are now in the mid 40's for a couple of hours before we get off work. Anyways here's the question:

 

How long do you warm up your bike before you take off?

 

He says it needs to warm up for at least 5 minutes to allow the oil to circulate. I say that's too much. I figure it should only take a couple of minutes at the most.

 

silverdeer

[BuddyRich]

About 30 seconds at most.

[friesman]

Even at temps around freezing mine only gets about 30 secs to a minute, as i think these engines distribute oil better at faster-than-idle speeds, and if its idling faster i might as well be riding it rather than standing around in the cold.

 

Brian

[saddlebum]

Even at temps around freezing mine only gets about 30 secs to a minute, as i think these engines distribute oil better at faster-than-idle speeds, and if its idling faster i might as well be riding it rather than standing around in the cold.

 

Brian

goes for me too

[hillrider]

20-30 seconds at most. But then, it's a downhill run for 2 miles to the main road.

[footsie]

I pull the choke and take off, push it back in 1/2 mile down the road.

The reason that choke is designed to increases idle, is to bring the oil pressure up rapidly, fuel injected do this automatically. I have noticed that my brothers gold wing and bobby's harley both jump up to about 1500 rpms then idle down after a 30 secs or so, when its cold.

Back when I managed the fleet shop for the county, when we rebuilt the cat engine engines, it was recommended that a new rebuilt engine was to be started at half throttle, an ran there until operating temp was reached on the first start up.

 

Gregg

[gibvel]

About a minute while I finish putting on my gear.

[eazyduzzit]

I let mine warm up while I'm going down the road. It's a waste of gas to sit there idling.

[Venturous Randy]

The only thing I have heard, and I do believe, is for the first few minutes that you should not exceed 3,000 rpm's. This is due to the orange o-ring that can be pushed out in the oil galley plumbing with the oil being thicker. This happened to me and has others. There was some good info on this on the V-Max site.

When my bike is cold, I will start it and ease down the driveway and into the street. I usually use a little choke and push it off within a mile or so.

These bikes have the most oil pressure when cold, so waiting for it to warm up does very little to help it, in my opinion. After they get warm, they have very little oil pressure.

RandyA

[camos]

Setting the choke is not necessary for oil pressure, it is to get enough gas so the engine will run without bogging out. After 30 seconds or so there is enough heat generated to help vapourize the fuel and the choke can be reduced or turned off. The choke is most noticeably needed on my air cooled Virago which needs at least a couple of minutes warming up in cold weather or the RPMs will drop to about 300 if it doesn't stall completely.

[Marcarl]

This is a safety issue more so that an oil issue. Once you have run your bike, there will always be oil on the moving parts, although as it warms it lubs better.

The issue then is from a safety stand point. Different scoots have different needs, but your scoot should respond well to the throttle before you take off. If you leave the choke out while riding you just might discover at your first stop that things are not slowing and responding as expected and cause you a little head ache or worse, body ache. If your throttle response is not good you might find that your scoot will hiccup just when you go to turn out of your parking place, that would be enough to 'knock' it over and pin something under it.

So in my opinion, it needs to be warm enough so not to stall when the choke is pulled off and it responds smoothly to the throttle.

[timgray]

If your bike is in good shape, you have full oil recirculation within 30 seconds of start.

 

What get's me is my Harley riding neighbor. His idea of "warming it up" is to sit there for 5 minutes racing the engine over and over.. He does this with his cars as well. Nothing is worse for an engine than to start it and then instantly run it up to 3500-5000 rpm. Running little to no oil on a cam will wipe it out fast.

[Squidley]

About a minute while I finish putting on my gear.

 

 

Same here, full choke out to start and then push it in to idle it down to about 1500 rpm while I suit up. Once I get rolling down the road I push the choke off completely.

[widowmaker2011]

If your bike is in good shape, you have full oil recirculation within 30 seconds of start.

 

What get's me is my Harley riding neighbor. His idea of "warming it up" is to sit there for 5 minutes racing the engine over and over.. He does this with his cars as well. Nothing is worse for an engine than to start it and then instantly run it up to 3500-5000 rpm. Running little to no oil on a cam will wipe it out fast.

 

Ummm, one correction , as a former Harley owner , he isn't warming it up , he is keeping it running....

[Condor]

Same here, full choke out to start and then push it in to idle it down to about 1500 rpm while I suit up. Once I get rolling down the road I push the choke off completely.

 

[Evan]

-----So in my opinion, it needs to be warm enough so not to stall when the choke is pulled off and it responds smoothly to the throttle.

 

I relate to what Carl has said and what I would add that in my case (88VR), it only takes a minute or so for a smooth throttle response.

[wes0778]

If your throttle response is not good you might find that your scoot will hiccup just when you go to turn out of your parking place, that would be enough to 'knock' it over and pin something under it.

So in my opinion, it needs to be warm enough so not to stall when the choke is pulled off and it responds smoothly to the throttle.

 

 

Been there done that!

I never have to use the choke, in fact my scoot will not run with the choke even partially out. I crank it and let it run while I put on my "gear". If the temp is less than 40F I may wait an extra minute or so...

[Renne]

Gas "on", choke out, fire-up, standard gear on, choke off,, "GO",,,,,,unless it's later in the season then,,,,Gas "on" choke out, fire-up, snowmobile suit on, plow driveway, choke off, "GO"

 

Renne

[Owen]

Mine warms up just long enough for me to get my helmet and gloves on. Since a proper carb sync and tune up, I never need the choke.

[mkrieg]

My bike is a 87. I dont need to use the choke to get it started. I just start it up, smoke a cigarette and put my gear on. Its ready by then with smooth throttle response.

[massey130]

Like many here, I pull the choke, start the motor, gear up, choke in and drive on. with colder weather coming, I will probably let it run a bit longer, but the engine sound has always clued me to it being ready. gearing up in cold weather takes a bit longer so it may be same, gear up, choke in & drive off.

 

dale in La

[LilBeaver]

No choke for me...

 

Open garage, gear up, mount, start bike, back out of garage, check for smooth throttle response, take off.

[SilvrT]

So in my opinion, it needs to be warm enough so not to stall when the choke is pulled off and it responds smoothly to the throttle.

 

My thoughts exactly. See my other post on choke use thread...

 

[ame=http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=41155]Using the choke - VentureRider.Org[/ame]

[Yammer Dan]

Push Button and GO!!!

[Brake Pad]

I have a cold Biootch. she takes a few minutes to start getting warm.

lets say 2 minutes, and yes i always have to choke her.....