How does your Vision start?

[Rikugun]

I think part of my original battery problem was my trickle charger.  I was eating up batteries at a rate of 1 per year or worse.

David, that is interesting. Can you expand on that a bit? Were the batteries getting cooked and loosing electorlyte? I don't keep the battery on a charger during the riding season but have a trickle charger I've used during the winter. It supposedly "floats" when fully charged but will deplete water before the winter is over.  Now I put it in the basement and only charge it once or twice for a few days during the winter.

[Rikugun]

My 82 on the other hand no choke, why bother. just 2 cranks of the accel pump and off you go, per the prior owner. If you choke it you flood it. Quirky beasts aren't they?

Based on this comment I changed my routine on Sunday's ride. Rather than trying to find that magic spot with the choke to keep it running while putting on my helmet and gloves, I put on everything first.  It was in the upper 50's and hadn't run since Thursday. I climbed on and with one twist of the grip it fired easily. I may have cracked the throttle slightly. I kept it running with the throttle for half a minute and took off. Since the recent carb work it accepts gas very well even cold, just idles very (too) slow. With a casual ride down my long residential street and the first main road posted at 35, there was ample warmup time while under way.  I think this will be my new procedure.

Why bother with the choke he says....whoda thought!?  :D  Thanks dcsob!

[kwells]

Yes, it's ok.

http://batterytender.com/battery-tender-junior-12v-at-0-75a.html

[artbone]

Does the accelerator pump work when the engine is not turning over? I thought it only worked when you had manifold vacuum.

On the subject of batteries, I've got a Shurai battery in mine and I'm really pleased with it. The instrument lights really light up when I turn on the switch and it turns the engine over much faster now.

[Jimustanguitar]

I usually put my petcock on prime to start it (I recently found out that I have an unusual carb leak that drains the rear flat bowl) so this probably doesn't make a difference for anyone else's starting rutine. The accelerator pump works without vacuum because it's mechanical, but the fuel pump does not. I'm not sure if the vacuum pressure from cranking would work the pump or or not. Has anybody had starting trouble with a low tank (less than the 1.5 gal or so "no fuel pump" danger zone)?

It's my understanding that it's not good for an engine to drive it down the road with the starter lever on. Is this an old wives tale (my wife never told me this, for the record) or does the difference between a choke and an enricher have something to do with this rumor?

[Lucky]

4 visions: all cold on side stand:
Tourer- light switch off, prime, full choke, 4 twists, start, stall repeat once. High idle for about 8 secs then choke half 30 secs then off.

Vision formerly known as Cafe- full choke, 2 twists, start. Slow choke down over 30 secs.

Kitty's Vision- no choke, couple of twists, start, warm up, go.

Spectre's Vision- full choke, 3 twists go! No warm up. Engine is blown. New (3rd) engine: tbd...




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[Lucky]

Oh & the XS800? Half a kick lol


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[Rikugun]

Artbone, like Jim said, as long as the bowls have fuel the accell pump will work. Jim, I've started using prime as well if it's been a week or more. Seems like the corn squeezins' evaporate from sitting too long leaving the bowl less than full. :(  Now that's it cooler out it seems to want a few more throttle twists, full choke, and the throttle cracked open while cranking.

I've never heard the warning to not drive on the choke - just the opposite actually. Many procedures describe what it takes to pull away with partial choke til it warms up a bit. On my air cooled bikes I'll wait til there is some heat in the valve cover before leaving but it still may require partial (enrichener) choke for a few miles. It's not just engine heat but the carbs themselves need to have absorbed a certain amount of heat for proper fuel atomization.

Prior to FI, most cars used a butterfly choke that could be driven on but there may be some performance deficit until it fully opened. Not that you want to beat on an engine that's not completely at operating temp!  :)

[Rick G]

There  is no reason not to have the choke on (either type) while riding away. My first V had dirty carbs and since I wasn't ready to dip them , I added some Seafoam  and rode it. It would not run low sped so I kept the choke on part way, for the 2 miles to the free way. It was still screwed up upon my return home so I rode it 30 miles to my friend Elmer's house and had lunch. After lunch it ran fine and Idled properly.

Mine needed prime , half choke , two   twists  and  in summer turn choke off immediately , in winter leave on for about 1 mile.

My VX needs full choke summer or winter, almost no throttle , Starts on the front cylinder , then the rear.(Probably due to the goofy carb set up)

[calipanda]

Full chock and no throttle and my V starts right up like a boss. I start easing throttle little by little as RPM climbs.

[spectre]

Spectre's Vision- full choke, 3 twists go! No warm up. Engine is blown. New (3rd) engine: tbd...




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*Ahem* One of those engines wasn't my fault father...  ::) And you don't need to give it time to warm up unless you're going to ride it to 7 grand right after starting it, I was always easy when it was cold  :P
I miss it.

[fret not]

Hi Spec, good to see you here.  been a while.  How is your XZ running?

[ghostrider]

My 83 won't start without the Choke at 100%.  However, after the initial fire up, it will idle at 60% choke.  By the time I get my helmet and gloves on I can turn the choke off and be on my way without any issues.

[spectre]

Hi Spec, good to see you here.  been a while.  How is your XZ running?

Hey fret, it has been a while, I don't really have much to offer anymore, I sold my vision a few months ago to help pay for college :/ I miss it more than anything! it would be perfect around campus, especially since it's a torquey V-twin.
Who knows, maybe I'll get another some day.  :P

[The Prophet of Doom]

Spectre, there must still be two or three in your family - can't you "borrow" one of those?

[spectre]

Trust me, I'd love to, but they all need some work, and I don't have the time or money for it, being away at college. Besides, mom (kitty) deserves to get her bike rideable before I get another one haha.

[pinholenz]

Mine has been struggling after the winter layover here.

I bit the bullet the other day and stripped the starter down again, cleaned the commutator and had the local auto electrician replace the terminal post in the starter. While I was there I asked him to  make up a couple of new cables for me. One from the starter to the solenoid, the other from the negative battery post to the engine.
We used double insulated 25 sq mm low loss copper cable. Fitted nicely on to the bike except was a bit too big around the engine case to fit in to the groove of the smaller original cable. Terminals got a dose of dialectric grease for good measure.

New bike!! Spins really well hot and cold. Cold morning start, full choke no gas. Warm morning start, half choke no gas. Hot start, nothing 3 or 4 seconds max on the starter button. Engine is rock steady at idle and sounds "different". I think I am probably getting a much stronger spark and better ignition all round. Much more confident sounding engine. (Does that make sense?)

Anyhow, I am chuffed. Good value investment. The bike still looks crap and it still bogs when I screw it open too fast. Refurbished carbs are on the way, and a spanking new seat!! - ( PoD WILL be impressed)

[Re-Vision]

Chuff, I thought it was the sound made by a steam locomotive.

Urban Dictionary: chuffed
www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=chuffed‎
To be quite pleased with oneself in the manner of a child going potty unassisted. Surrounded by admirers and holding his award, Bono appeared rather chuffed.

BDC

[The Prophet of Doom]

There's something wrong with that definition.
Bono doesn't have any admirers

[pinholenz]

Ha! How about that. Having lived in Northern England for 30 years I thought that  everyone and his dog used "chuffed" in everyday conversation. Now Googlespoiler tells me that "dead chuffed" is actually a  negative! Next thing you know,  "You're drop dead gorgeous darlin' " will get you a kick in the goolies instead of an invitation to step inside. Funny old language.