Hard starting

[diggydog]

Fuck me wonding if i've done the right thing buying a suzuki,1st one and maybe my last, normally ride honda.
When i brought this bike new i had trouble starting, so when my 1st warranty check, so told them about it being hard to start and they did some adjustments.
So a few weeks down the line its even harder to start they had told me to use little choke for 30 seconds once started.
With it being hard wired for the lights it dos'nt take long to run the battery down.
Maybe because it's been cooler lately or maybe not pulling the choke out far enough.
I've also noted that when petrol is low and not relise that it's down to reserve there abouts could be contributing to start up.
I also are aware that i should turn the petrol off as it can vaperate, but i'm inclined to leave it on, as i thought this was part of my problem in starting.

[Flyingpony]

Is yours a carb bike? If it is, then leaving the fuel off for a few days/weeks will make it harder to start as the carb bowl has less fuel in it - my suspect, has the same starting difficulty as if it ran out of fuel. Mine only gets switched off if its left standing for a few weeks. You don't happen to park in front of an air conditioning unit do you? There's something about the continuous cold air flow which also causes starting difficulties.

You may notice that your choke only works in the last half of it's range. When using the choke I always switch to full first and after it's started roll back to keep the rpm no more than 2x idle. Mines never flooded with full choke. Try that.

It does suck that the lights switch on the moment the engine gets kicked over and not when the thing actually fires up. You maybe are finding that the combination of lights & starter motor means that your ignition isn't getting power and therefore not providing a spark, even though engine is getting kicked over slightly slower but still nicely. On bikes with digital dash this can be seen by noticing it display the startup sequence. I then turn the ignition on/off and try again. If still no luck, it's back to primary starting method - kick start. That’s why I love the kick start - no competition for battery power when its -6 in the garage - starts first pop. Doubt yours has a kick start so can only suggest trying a battery tender to keep it fully juiced up.

[diggydog]

yes the bike is carb,the bike dos'nt sit near air conditioning plant.
I think you may have hit it on the head, with pulling the choke out fully maybe the key.what a bastard i've got no kick start, in some ways i do'nt mind having a kick start. I THINK I'LL GO OUT TO GARAGE AND SEE IF WILL START WITH FULL CHOKE.

[sunhuntin]

i always full choke start mine....unless it hasnt been sitting for very long. if its been sitting a decent amount, ill start her without the choke and then give a few rolls on the throttle...if theres no revs, then i choke her.

[diggydog]

i always full choke start mine....unless it hasnt been sitting for very long. if its been sitting a decent amount, ill start her without the choke and then give a few rolls on the throttle...if theres no revs, then i choke her.

I think you are definitly on the right track, because i dont use her every day, all though i'd love too.
I did go out to the garage to see if she would start on full choke, she fired up but start die, so restarted managed to keep her going with just a little throttle, then it took a little time before running smooth.
I still have some doubt , this maybe caused only using her in the weekends at the moment.

[skidMark]

maybe till you get it sorted just fire it up every couple of days warm it up then shut her down?

[diggydog]

maybe till you get it sorted just fire it up every couple of days warm it up then shut her down?

Funny you should say that, as that's what i'm doing when i get home, last night it did start a bit better.
I think i'll try to start her now, roll on summer or should i say day light savings,
cheers mark hope to see u around.

[Lias]

My marauder generally likes full choke to start.

Mines older than yours, but I'm fairly sure the manual said something along the lines of "Start with full choke, and as soon as the engine starts push it into 1/2 choke."

[sunhuntin]

I think you are definitly on the right track, because i dont use her every day, all though i'd love too.
I did go out to the garage to see if she would start on full choke, she fired up but start die, so restarted managed to keep her going with just a little throttle, then it took a little time before running smooth.
I still have some doubt , this maybe caused only using her in the weekends at the moment.

yeh...in winter i have to full choke start more often than in summer....even if shes only been sitting an hour or so, the revs with no choke are very low, and dont go very high when i roll the throttle. i guess cos its colder air and she cools faster than in summer.
just dont forget to push the choke back in, otherwise when you slow down she may cut out and be reluctant to start again [could be dangerous at the lights]
when im first moving for the day, ill leave the choke out for a few mins, and if i have to slow down with the choke out, i keep the revs up to avoid the cutting out i mentioned.
i ride every day, so that may have something to do with it... longest shes ever sat was a week, and she did take some encouragement to start.

[Macktheknife]

It's a Suzuki, kinda like a woman they are built to be ridden every day! It just has the pip with you for not giving enough attention, ride every day and she will start every time.

[diggydog]

My marauder generally likes full choke to start.

Mines older than yours, but I'm fairly sure the manual said something along the lines of "Start with full choke, and as soon as the engine starts push it into 1/2 choke."

Thats a different storey when i had it adjusted on it's first warranty check, they did the work and then told me pull the choke out little bit, like one third and leave out no more than 30 seconds.
Three nights that i've come home i'd tried starting her, the last two started first pop, on full choke "brilliant" happy now THANKS ALL.

[diggydog]

It's a Suzuki, kinda like a woman they are built to be ridden every day! It just has the pip with you for not giving enough attention, ride every day and she will start every time.

Yeah youre right there,hay if i had the chance to ride her every day i would but maybe slowing down, it might be my age or etc.... or too old, but not for a cruise.!!!