Warming up your bike.

[GSF_Lou]

Just curious on this. May sound like a stupid question to some but whats the best method of warming up your bike?

I ask this because, after years of owning performance cars I've always found that there are two schools thought on this.
Some people say its better to idle up to temperature before you drive.
Others say hop in and drive it keeping the rev's low. Doing it this way helps the oil to reach all areas needed in the engine. This is the method I have always used and it has served me well so far.

Is this the same with bikes?

[JimO]

i start mine and let it warm up while im putting my helmet and gloves on

[ducatilover]

There is a heap of debate on this subject, it is the same for cars and bikes, or any piston engine with reasonably tight tolerances. I myself have not found any sound argument to support either on a general basis. I warmed my Honda VT250 SPADA up every morning and afternoon for three and a half years, I warmed it up before all rides and had no mechanical failures. But, all the rides did tend to be a decent hot run.
You'll get both opinions, as expected. I believe it is safe to ride it cold, just take it easy. My BMW cages all had recommendations in the owners manuals to get in and drive, don't warm them up, due to excess carbon build up on the exhaust valves.

[YellowDog]

Just start up and ride carefully until the temp is up to normal.

Low revs in a high gear is never a good thing to do - hot or cold :no:

Just rev gently through the gears. I usually stay under 5000rpm until warm.

[Gibbo89]

I rode my zeal once without warming her up (was in a rush) drove it maybe 1.5km. it sounded like shit and stalled at the stop sign a few hundred meters down the road.

Never again!

[Marmoot]

30 seconds to let the oil reach the top of the engine, and then low-mid steady rev increase till temp gauge gets 1/3 - 1/2. Then everything goes.

[piston broke]

30 seconds to let the oil reach the top of the engine, and then low-mid steady rev increase till temp gauge gets 1/3 - 1/2. Then everything goes.

agreed,
i think an engine should be under load asap,within reason.

[ellipsis]

....you warm a diesel...

[piston broke]

....you warm a diesel...

maybe ages ago.when diesels were in large trucks e.t.c.
i don't know that you need to do it in tiny car engines tho.
i mean before you had to turn on the ignition for a while to warm the glow plugs in a diesel,i don't think that is the case now.
different strokes eh,
25 yrs ago i got a 400four ss engine rebuilt,
the mechanic told me to take it out fo his shed and less than 1 minute later to wind it out as far as it would go,in second.
by fuckery,an old 70's engine wound up to 14k rpm and did forever after till it was stolen.

[LBD]

Right.....
Back in the day there were two boat owners in Havelock, both with work boats and both had 671 GM diesels. One would start the engine and idle for a good 1/2 hour, the other would start the engine , throw the ropes off and head for the channel. Both would argue the merits of their practice and for years people waited for the outcome....I don't know, I moved away before the answer...but the relitive arguments were like this...

A slow warm up gets the oil circulating through the bearings at the correct viscosity/Temp, before any load is exerted on the bearing surfaces, when the engine is warm then head off...

...however the counter argument went like this....an engine with its different components is designed to operate at specific temperatures, and clearances. (Which change as things warm up due to thermal expansion) The sooner the engine reaches those optimum temps the better it is for the engine, so...the harder I work the engine when cold the sooner it reaches optimum temp....the better for the engine....Yes?

My thoughts? The guy who started up and threw off the ropes immediately, probably had the right idea because he still had a time of low speed manouvering before he reached the open water, this gave the engine time to comfortably warm up without overworking the engine.

My practice is to start the engine, fit helmet and gloves and ride of comfortably until moderate operating temps are showing on the gauge before I begin to get a little more agressive with the throttle.

Oil Temp?, the correct oil for an application takes into account ambient temps when the engine is shut down. The oil should be fluid enough at cold temps to pump around the engine, if not you probably have the wrong oil or are overdue for an oil change.

[Maha]

I just give my bike a great big hug.....:hug:

[Owl]

i start mine and let it warm up while im putting my helmet and gloves on

Same.


I just give my bike a great big hug.....:hug:

That's nice:laugh:

[Str8 Jacket]

I keep a blanket on mine and in winter use a hair dryer to warm it up.

[Indiana_Jones]

My BMW cages all had recommendations in the owners manuals to get in and drive, don't warm them up, due to excess carbon build up on the exhaust valves.

The manual for my MG says the same thing

As someone else said, just hop on/in and don't cane it for the 1st few minutes

-Indy

[gale_wolf]

i start mine and let it warm up while im putting my helmet and gloves on
This... and zip up my jacket, shift my backpack around to make it sit more comfortably etc...


30 seconds to let the oil reach the top of the engine, and then low-mid steady rev increase till temp gauge gets 1/3 - 1/2. Then everything goes.
Yep, got all my gear done up by this time, so ready to go easy until it's nicely warmed up.


I just give my bike a great big hug.....:hug:
Nice, warm fuzzies.

[Katman]

I keep a blanket on mine and in winter use a hair dryer to warm it up.

What century are you living in? There's things called electric blankets these days.

[vifferman]

One thing not mentioned thus far in this debate is that in bikes you have a large mass of gears'n'cogs sitting there, whewreas many/most four-wheeled vehicles have separate gearboxes. If you ride away relatively soonly, all the oil gets to circulate around all the bits that need it.
One more thing to consider is that some bikes are apparently adversely affected by warming up while leaned over on their sidestand, as the oil is tneding to pool on the left side of things like the rocker covers, etc. I was told (but can't point to any conclusive evidence) that VTR1000's premature camchain failure woes may be exacerbated by poor oil circulation caused by excessive idling on the sidestand. The fornt CCT is almost always the first/only one to fail as the tensioner mechanism slopes up and gets little oil lubing it, whereas the rear one slopes down and gets plenty.

As for me, I always warm the bike only long enough to put my gloves and helmet on, then ride away, keeping the revs under about 5k until the thermostat opens. Pointless giving it more throttle before that, as the EFI isn't set up to cope with big throttle openings when the temperature is low.

[GSF_Lou]

I can see how running on a lean can be bad. Like going round a corner too fast in a car can shit the bearings.
Warming up for as long it as takes me to get my helmet and gloves on seems to be the go. As far as now giving it too much shit is there any max rev range I should adhere to? In my car that redlined at 7k I kept it below 3k but seeing as though my bike will go through to 15k I'm a little uncertain.

[Str8 Jacket]

What century are you living in? There's things called electric blankets these days.

Yes, but I am likely to blow that up.

[banditrider]

I was told (but can't point to any conclusive evidence) that VTR1000's premature camchain failure woes may be exacerbated by poor oil circulation caused by excessive idling on the sidestand. The fornt CCT is almost always the first/only one to fail as the tensioner mechanism slopes up and gets little oil lubing it, whereas the rear one slopes down and gets plenty.

Dang, now you've got me worried about my camchain again! I tend to warm the VTR up until the temp gauge starts to read (35 degrees) and then ride off slowly. With the Connie I just do up the jacket, helmet etc and pootle off - it's injected so no nasty coughing and spluttering.

[Spazman727]

I think I need to warm mine up fairly well. If I don't it will stall pretty easy unless i give it a decent amount of revs. What's the deal with riding with the choke open? I've heard it's pretty bad?

[AllanB]

Chokes - they went out with the death of carbs. Injected beasts have a fast idle knob.

Warm-up - how long does it take to put a jacket, helmet and gloves on? Then cruise until the needle says warm which is a good idea anyways as you'll want the tyres up to temp.

[trailblazer]

just warm my bike up for as long as it takes to do up my jacket and put my helmet and gloves on then ride. I have about 8ks of 50k riding before i get to open it up on the ohope hill so bike should be warm by then.

[Spazman727]

Chokes - they went out with the death of carbs. Injected beasts have a fast idle knob.

Warm-up - how long does it take to put a jacket, helmet and gloves on? Then cruise until the needle says warm which is a good idea anyways as you'll want the tyres up to temp.

Mine does have a carb, and no temp needle.

[ducatilover]

Dang, now you've got me worried about my camchain again! I tend to warm the VTR up until the temp gauge starts to read (35 degrees) and then ride off slowly.

I have thought about this before....But, Honda generally don't make screw ups like that. Plas, the oil system is force and splash in them. Either way, without seeing the inner workings of the motor I have no idea.
The VT250 had a problem with the sizes of the lube holes in the cam chain tensioners, the small holes caused a relative lack of flow and you ended up with lovely cam chain rattle. If one is keen enough, they can remove the tensioners and bore the hole out with a set of jetting drills or similar.
Bit of a mission though.

[davebullet]

Take a leak on the engine if really cold first.

[bogan]

be one with the engine young padawan, she'll let you know what the best technique is :yes:

but yeh, i go for the start up, gate+garage door then off slowly each morn, and start and ride off on the trip home, again slowly to start with. So pretty minimal warm up period, never stutters or anything, doesn't ever need choke either, but had other bikes/van that did need a good warm up otherwise they would miss a bit...

[The Everlasting]

i start mine and let it warm up while im putting my helmet and gloves on

Yeah I do the same.

[The Everlasting]

I can see how running on a lean can be bad. Like going round a corner too fast in a car can shit the bearings.
Warming up for as long it as takes me to get my helmet and gloves on seems to be the go. As far as now giving it too much shit is there any max rev range I should adhere to? In my car that redlined at 7k I kept it below 3k but seeing as though my bike will go through to 15k I'm a little uncertain.

When I ride my 250 bandit,I'll keep it under 6k rpm until it's warmed up.

[SS90]

There is a heap of debate on this subject, it is the same for cars and bikes, or any piston engine with reasonably tight tolerances. I myself have not found any sound argument to support either on a general basis. I warmed my Honda VT250 SPADA up every morning and afternoon for three and a half years, I warmed it up before all rides and had no mechanical failures. But, all the rides did tend to be a decent hot run.
You'll get both opinions, as expected. I believe it is safe to ride it cold, just take it easy. My BMW cages all had recommendations in the owners manuals to get in and drive, don't warm them up, due to excess carbon build up on the exhaust valves.

Your quite right Doug.

The. VT250s all needed warming up thoroughly before riding, as the cam chain tensioners where an odd hydraulic/mechanical set up (one thing that made them last much better was to drill the oil feed for the tensioners a little bigger), and suffered from soft cams as well.

If you warmed them up nicely before riding, they where damned near perfect for over 40,000 kms (only open road riding is a real benefit for them as well.

As far as the debate goes?

warm up till it does not need the choke to run,and then ride gently until it's at normal operating temperature.

Simple.

[SS90]

Dang, now you've got me worried about my camchain again! I tend to warm the VTR up until the temp gauge starts to read (35 degrees) and then ride off slowly. With the Connie I just do up the jacket, helmet etc and pootle off - it's injected so no nasty coughing and spluttering.

Oddly enough, the VTR 1000s suffered from poor cam chain tensioners as well (I know of one that needed them at 30,000)

YOu are doing the right thing by warming up before riding!

[johan]

How about these arguments against idling, to add fuel into the fire:

Idling - low oil pressure
cold engine, rich mixture, unburnt fuel washing cylinder walls from oil, fuel sipping past piston rings down the engine
rich mixture, unburnt fuel, carbon deposits, fouling plugs
idling engine takes long to warm up, 1 hp is needed to idle an engine, 20hp to slowly ride away in low revs, up to temperature more quickly

These are all tales I grew up with as a kid.

This is almost like an oil thread!

[ducatilover]

Your quite right Doug.

The. VT250s all needed warming up thoroughly before riding, as the cam chain tensioners where an odd hydraulic/mechanical set up (one thing that made them last much better was to drill the oil feed for the tensioners a little bigger), and suffered from soft cams as well.

If you warmed them up nicely before riding, they where damned near perfect for over 40,000 kms (only open road riding is a real benefit for them as well.

As far as the debate goes?

warm up till it does not need the choke to run,and then ride gently until it's at normal operating temperature.

Simple.

My tensioners were quiet untill about 45,000km. With the holes drilled out they were perfect. When it started making all the shoking tappy-tappy noises I set the valve clearances....that didn't work. So a word to a local super-guru and we had it sorted.
One of my sets of cams had a few grooves in the lobes, yet the second set I had from a raped 120,000km motor were fine...I should have had them re-ground :facepalm:

[bsasuper]

Most fuel injected bikes have a fast idle circuit for cold starts. 2000rpm is a common cold start up fast idle speed.The camshaft lobes suffer the most in a cold start, by having a 2000rpm cold fast idle, it gets the oil pressure up quick, and the cam lobes are under less stress at the fast idle speed on a cold engine.I warm an engine for 30 sec to 1min, then take it easy till the temp is over 70c.

[ducatilover]

Most fuel injected bikes have a fast idle circuit for cold starts. 2000rpm is a common cold start up fast idle speed.The camshaft lobes suffer the most in a cold start, by having a 2000rpm cold fast idle, it gets the oil pressure up quick, and the cam lobes are under less stress at the fast idle speed on a cold engine.I warm an engine for 30 sec to 1min, then take it easy till the temp is over 70c.

Also the 2000rpm is for two more reasons, to warm the engine up faster and/or you do not have a heated 02 sensor, which will not generate a signal until it reaches a specific temp, ergo, the engine is running a pre-determined map. Usually it's just because many bikes/cars run a single wire, non heated oxy sensor. Cutting costs :yes:

[vifferman]

Dang, now you've got me worried about my camchain again!
My VTR had new camchains, tensioners and two new valves when I bought it. I was worried too, as the engine was still rattly, so I fitted APE manual camchain tensioners.


Chokes - they went out with the death of carbs. Injected beasts have a fast idle knob.
Fast idle knobs are like, SOOO last century. Proper injected beasts sort out their own fast idle.


I have thought about this before....But, Honda generally don't make screw ups like that.
:facepalm:
LOLee, and all that.
Honda have a "head in the sand" attitude when it comes to deisgn/manufacturing faults. Every Honda I've owned since 1973 has had/developed a rattly camchain, with the exception of three: a two-smoke, and the two VFRs with gear-driven cams.
Maybe they've got their camchain issues sorted out now, but having read about Vtec VFRs developing rattly engines, I doubt it.
Unless faults are safety issues or prompt multiple lawsuits in the US (Home of the Brave Lawyer, Land of the Free Lawsuit), Honda ignores them, as most faults (CCTs, R/Rs, etc.) tend to show up only after the bike's out of warranty. That's why despite Shindengen having better R/Rs available for over 15 years forHonda to fit, they didn't start fitting them until around 2001/2002.


Oddly enough, the VTR 1000s suffered from poor cam chain tensioners as well (I know of one that needed them at 30,000)
Not odd at all - see above.


Also the 2000rpm is for two more reasons, to warm the engine up faster and/or you do not have a heated 02 sensor, which will not generate a signal until it reaches a specific temp, ergo, the engine is running a pre-determined map. Usually it's just because many bikes/cars run a single wire, non heated oxy sensor. Cutting costs :yes:
O2 sensor? Pffffft!
Those things are only there so you can bypass them with a 330ohm resistor and fit a Power Commander.

[ducatilover]

O2 sensor? Pffffft!
Those things are only there so you can bypass them with a 330ohm resistor and fit a Power Commander.

:rockon: That is very true. Though, I don't see why you can't run an 02 or preferably a wide band 02 sensor with a power commander. Such an advanced bit of electrickery.
On the other hand, I suppose once the bike is in a reasonable state of tune you will be happy, it just seems harder as you would need a proper 3d mar set up with out the help of an 02.....
What do I know though, am just a Honda rider :innocent:

[gale_wolf]

This thread made me think to check my bike's owner manual for the manufacturer's opinion on warming up the engine.

Suzuki says this:

Allow the engine oil to circulate before riding. Allow enough idling time after warm or cold engine start up before revving the engine or placing the transmission in gear. This allows time for the lubricating oil to reach all critical engine components.

And that seems to be all that the manufacturer has to say on the matter of warming up the engine.

[SPman]

The only bike I tend to let warm up until the temp gague needle starts to move is the RG250 - the others get a 1-2 min idle so they will run OK on small throttle openings on the metal driveway down to the gate.....