Difficult to Warm Up from a Cold Start
 

I've been having some issues warming up my superhawk. It runs fine and I recently did a full tune and service. I brought this issue up to my mechanic who also owns a superhawk and he adjusted the air/fuel ratio and increased the idle rpms. However, I still have the problem of warming it up.

This is how I start my bike: turn ignition, put in neutral, slip the engine switch on, pull the choke all the way out, and push to start it up.

It starts up fine until about 15-20 seconds then the rpms start to drop to less 1k. If I leave the choke on any longer the bike dies. In order to keep it alive I have turn off the choke and throttle it. once it idles a little under 1k ( takes about a minute, i slowly add the choke again to warm it up. all in all this whole process takes about 3-5 mins. If anyone has any input on this problem, i'd greatly appreciate it. If not, would it be ok to warm up my bike by just holding the throttle to keep the rpms between 1-2k until it is steady enough to idle on its own.

Thanks in advance :D.

-Vincent

It sounds like you should try to increase you idle speed. What does you bike normally idle at when warm? When I start mine from cold, I start on the choke for about 20 seconds and turn the choke off and let it idle while on throw on my helmet and go. If you have to hold it between 1k-2k rpm with the throttle to warm it up it won't hurt the bike. The bike doesn't need to run for 3 min before you ride it. The best way to warm up a bike is riding it, just take it easy for the first 5 min to get everything good and warm and giver shit!

my bike usually idles at 1500 rpm when fully warmed up and riding it around town for 10-15 mins

Welcome to superhawk world!

something ain't right. Idle around 1000-1100rpm after warm. I pull the choke all the way, start engine , and head on down the street within a min or two of idle. Within 1/2 mile I push the choke in and that's it. Set your idle down for sure, i wonder if your superhawk mechanic friend set the TPS to spec? Sync carbs. get a shop manual or download one from this site and set your choke. You probably need to start reading here and check a whole bunch of shit to find out what the previous owner did or didn't do.

+1
Also, the choke is not just off or on. When I start mine the choke gets pulled all the way out. After maybe 5 seconds I push it in slightly until i get maximum revs about maybe 1800rpm. Then I zip up my jacket, put my helmet and gloves on. This takes maybe 45 sec. Push in the choke a tad more so its running maybe 1400 rpm and then take off. After maybe a minute I'll reach down and push it in the final amount.

+2
Same here for starting except mine, when warm, happily idles at 900-1000rpm

Hmm I always learned that it was not good to ride with any choke. Whenever I try to gas it with any choke, my bike would momentarily rise in rpms but then start to stutter and shut down.

Thanks for the advice guys. I'll try to lower my idle and ask my mechanic about the TPS (whatever that is).

Well if I had any idea where "Little Saigon" was I would say being it by here and I could fix the carb problems. ;)

appreciate it 8541hawk, but I just rejetted and tuned both carbs. i guess it can still be a carb issue. i actually live in orange county, nearby costa mesa.

I thought this thread was about our wives; Being that we are so close to Valentine's Day.

So by reading your post, it ran fine, then you had the carbs messed with and now it doesn't run fine....... I wounder what the issue could be?? ;)

hmm as far as i can recall, ever since I bought the bike it would have trouble warming up. At first I thought it was the battery, so i got a new one. That helped a little. Then my mechanic told me my regulator rectifier was fried so he put in a new one. After all this the bike still struggled to stay running. my mechanic then found out that only one of the carbs were working. he ended up fixing both carbs. this actually helped alot, but it still has the same issue I have right now, just not as severe. The last thing my mechanic did was change the air/fuel ratio which i didn't really notice a difference when trying to warm my bike up.

hope this info helps

So then it never ran fine and now it's a little better but still has issues.... well that is a little more to work with.

First of all, here in Ca you should never really need full "choke". On even the coldest days I never need more than 1\2 way out.

The problem you are describing sounds like clogged pilot jets and possibly an issue with the emulsion tubes. Both of these have very small passages. I usually just replace the pilot jets as 1) I usually go up to #48s in this bike 2) the passages are so small and the jets so cheap that it is not worth my time to try and clean them.

Also, if you pull the emulsion tubes, keep them separated as they are different. There is a front and a rear, they same goes for the stock needles.

As for "changing the air\fuel ratio" what exactly does that mean? Adjusting the pilots? Changing the mains? Changing the needles? Need more info to comment.

Also what air filter are you running?

Thanks, i'll try starting it with less choke and i'll tell my mechanic about possibly changing those parts. haha honestly I'm not even sure what my mechanic did when he adjusted the air/fuel ratio. I have a k and n air filter in my bike

Get yourself a manual and start working on your own bike. Now I don't know your mechanical skill level, so if you really don't know anything about wrenching, get help from a friend and start learning. The people on this forum can greatly assist you. There is no better feeling than doing something yourself. Once you start, you will become more proficient on your own. Besides it saves a lot of money that can be used on bling.

+1
The manual is in the knowledge base:
https://www.superhawkforum.com/forum...ad.php?t=11365
Read up. Mike (8541) is giving you some detailed answers, but judging by your posts I'm not sure you have the background to understand them. As D said, working with someone else who has skills is always helpful.

Well nothing needs to be changed right now, just need to know what has been done so far.

Also, the K&N filter..... get rid of it. These bikes run better with the stock air filter and no air box mods.