Adjusting idle speed, V-star 650?
Adjusting idle speed, V-star 650?
Hi everyone. My bike seems to take a LONG time to warm up, and I'm concerned about having the choke out too far or too long. Can I adjust the idle speed to find a better middle ground? If so, how do I go about doing that? What are the recommendations for this type of adjustment?
- Sev
- Site Supporter - Gold
- Posts: 7352
- Joined: Sun Jun 06, 2004 7:52 pm
- Sex: Male
- Location: Sherwood Park, Alberta
Idle should be in th range of 1200rpm. You don't want to increase idle speed to make it warm up faster.
It's a carbed bike, so it will take a while to warm up, that's just part of the game. But I'm of the opinion you should have it on a the choke for the shortest time you can get away with. So I'll start riding even with the bike ready to stall out because it's still cold.
It's a carbed bike, so it will take a while to warm up, that's just part of the game. But I'm of the opinion you should have it on a the choke for the shortest time you can get away with. So I'll start riding even with the bike ready to stall out because it's still cold.
Of course I'm generalizing from a single example here, but everyone does that. At least I do.
[url=http://sirac-sev.blogspot.com/][img]http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a227/Sevulturus/sig.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://sirac-sev.blogspot.com/][img]http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a227/Sevulturus/sig.jpg[/img][/url]
- Social Distortion
- Legendary 300
- Posts: 394
- Joined: Mon Nov 14, 2005 5:34 pm
- Sex: Male
- My Motorcycle: 2004 triumph thruxton
- Location: Chicago
650 v stars take a little while to warm up, especially when its cold.
Take your time, open up the choke for the recommended time stated in your dealer manual and go.
USually, i open my chokes and let it go for 15-30 seconds wide open, then i push in the choke and put my gear on.
Helmet, jacket, tank bag, gloves and glasses-
off i go....
Take your time, open up the choke for the recommended time stated in your dealer manual and go.
USually, i open my chokes and let it go for 15-30 seconds wide open, then i push in the choke and put my gear on.
Helmet, jacket, tank bag, gloves and glasses-
off i go....
"Born to Lose and Destined to Fail"
I rode in to work today. It was around 50. I started with it wide open. Then pushed in half way while I put my stuff on. Next, I pushed it in to about 1/3 and took off. After about a couple miles I eased it in a little more. I'd say after 5 miles I pushed it all the way in. Still sounded like it was close to giving out, but it managed to stay running.
- jstark47
- Site Supporter - Silver
- Posts: 3538
- Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2006 2:58 pm
- Sex: Male
- Years Riding: 16
- My Motorcycle: '12 Tiger 800, '03 Trophy 1200
- Location: Lumberton, NJ
I tend to put the choke on my Bonneville back in as soon as possible, and tolerate a little cold engine stumbling at idle. But I put it in in steps, just like you said here.acritzer wrote:I started with it wide open. Then pushed in half way while I put my stuff on. Next, I pushed it in to about 1/3 and took off. After about a couple miles I eased it in a little more. I'd say after 5 miles I pushed it all the way in.
BTW, the idle adjustment is often a knob to turn in the general vicinity of the carbs. Check your manual. If you're going to do it at all, don't adjust idle until the bike is thoroughly warmed up - like 20 minutes of highway running. If you raise idle speed so it idles easier at start-up, then it will be too fast when the bike is warmed up.
2003 Triumph Trophy 1200
2009 BMW F650GS (wife's)
2012 Triumph Tiger 800
2018 Yamaha XT250 (wife's)
2013 Kawasaki KLX250S
2009 BMW F650GS (wife's)
2012 Triumph Tiger 800
2018 Yamaha XT250 (wife's)
2013 Kawasaki KLX250S
Thanks Stark. I've figured that out now, after some helpful posts. I guess the v-stars in general take a little while to warm up. I think I just got nervous after pushing the choke in too soon and stalling while at a stop light. My fault though, it wasn't warmed up all the way.jstark47 wrote:I tend to put the choke on my Bonneville back in as soon as possible, and tolerate a little cold engine stumbling at idle. But I put it in in steps, just like you said here.acritzer wrote:I started with it wide open. Then pushed in half way while I put my stuff on. Next, I pushed it in to about 1/3 and took off. After about a couple miles I eased it in a little more. I'd say after 5 miles I pushed it all the way in.
BTW, the idle adjustment is often a knob to turn in the general vicinity of the carbs. Check your manual. If you're going to do it at all, don't adjust idle until the bike is thoroughly warmed up - like 20 minutes of highway running. If you raise idle speed so it idles easier at start-up, then it will be too fast when the bike is warmed up.
- jonnythan
- Legendary 2000
- Posts: 2470
- Joined: Tue Jun 20, 2006 8:08 am
- Sex: Male
- My Motorcycle: Year/Make/Model
My Virago will sometimes stall when I pull out the choke lever, even when it's warm enough to run without the choke.
My solution is to just pull it out very quickly. If it does stall, I just start it right back up. When it's 50 degrees or so out, I only need to have the choke in for about 30 seconds before the engine can run without it.
My solution is to just pull it out very quickly. If it does stall, I just start it right back up. When it's 50 degrees or so out, I only need to have the choke in for about 30 seconds before the engine can run without it.
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonnythan/sets/]Flickr.[/url]