Bike warm-up?

[gunrunner]

Iwas just wondering how long you guys warm up your bikes before take off

[Anarkist]

Haven't had mine too long, but so far I start it before I go inside and get my gear on. Probably takes about 5 mins including the time it takes to remove the disc lock, back it out and close the garage behind me. Seems to do the trick.

I don't like riding or driving anything cold!

[hayd3n]

normally about 3 minutes then a cruise for a couple of minutes before i open her up

[chrispy121]

just warming up the engine is part of it. tyres are what keep you on the road

I warm up my bike for about three to 5 minutes then drive slowly weaving to warm up the tyres and the brakes also

[Meanie]

Always warm mine up until its at normal running temperature, the tryres should be warm enough by then too. I have always done this and never had trouble with my bikes or cars for that matter breaking down.
I am told that you do the most damage to a motor on start up before the oil gets a chance to be pumped around.

[NZsarge]

I have to ride a small stretch of metal road before hitting tarmac so I usually start the bike let it idle for about a minute, get on and basically idle in first gear to the tarmac then cruise to the main road which is a further 3 or so kilometers then ride pretty much as normal once i've been on the main drag for a km or so.

[Owl]

I used to let mine warm right up, but not any more! Now I just ride and keep it under 3000rpm until it reaches operating temp, which doesn't take long.

[Pascal]

Iwas just wondering how long you guys warm up your bikes before take off

I get to the garage, put the keys in and back her out. Then start her, get off and start donning helmet and gloves and so forth. Walk down the drive to open the gate, walk back and by that time she's warm enough to ride.

[Jdogg]

I have always been told that you should not leave an engine to warm up on idle (leaves deposits etc) but you should use an oil that heats up quickly and just drive the bike gently until its up to operating temp....

[discotex]

just warming up the engine is part of it. tyres are what keep you on the road

I warm up my bike for about three to 5 minutes then drive slowly weaving to warm up the tyres and the brakes also

Weaving doesn't warm up your tyres much at all. Tyres generate most of their heat through carcass flex rather than friction on the road.

Best way to warm up your tyres is hard acceleration (rear) and braking (front).

[discotex]

Iwas just wondering how long you guys warm up your bikes before take off

Just long enough to put my gloves and helmet on. My manual is very clear that you shouldn't warm up the bike when it's stationary. Apparently it's bad for the cats or something.

I personally believe warming up at idle is overrated. Best thing is to give it 15-30sec to get a little oil flowing then drive gently. You'll warm everything up that way gearbox/clutch/brakes/bearings/chain/etc. Once you're up to temp then you can let it rip.

[nico]

i gunually just push bike down drive start her up on choke let it idle wile i go close shead gate put gloves on by that time idle has raised choke off normal idle ride slow for a couple k then im on the highway let it rip

[madbikeboy]

Yeah, I'm not sure that I agree with your manual, here's why...

My GSXR has a motor finely stuffed with all sorts of nice exotic metallurgy - getting the motor up to temperature is partly about warming the oil, and getting stuff flowing - it's also about equalising all the tolerances of the individual components so that they fit and mesh correctly. I won't ride until Scoot is up to temperature correctly.

Then it's the turn of tires and brakes - riding in a straight line at 100kph will put heat in the tire from the carcass flex as stated above, you're trying to get heat into the tire, not just heating the surface, so starting with some heat is good, and then being timid and progressively pushing the tire rather than finding out the grip limit by accident...

[racerhead]

I do normally leave my bike at a high idle for the time it takes to put on my helmet and gloves and close up the garage after me. Then for the first couple of k's ride at low rpm until up to temperature and then work on getting tyres up to temp after this.

As was said before about tolerances of parts within the engine changing as an engine gets up to temp. This is where the most engine wear occurs as if an engine is put under load before being warmed up there will be alot more friction within the engine which leads to more wear. For example of this one of my race engines which is built to very tight clearances will barely idle when cold due to the friction but as it warms up and everything expands to its correct level it will idle about 2000rpm higher than when cold

[R1madness]

Hmm mine too but i just hit the button, snick it into gear and ride off (gently until at least 70deg showing). Warming up happens faster with the engine under load. Idling will not let the combustion temp reach the reqiured 450deg c to allow the combustion deposits to burn off. These will then form carbon deposits causing hot spots and detonation at low engine speeds.
I have never had an engine suffer from premature engine wear associated with