Do you/should you let your bike warm up befor riding?
#13
04-11-2008 | 02:00 PM
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 3,817
Likes: 2
From: Novi MI
RE: Do you/should you let your bike warm up befor riding?
I let it warm up about 30 seconds and then ride conservatively until the engine's completely warm. This is what the DVD that came with my Road King stated is the correct procedure. Before I had the stage one done on the Sportster and the RK, both bikes would hiccup if not sufficiently warmed up when the engine was cold. After the stage one it never happens no matter how cold it is. I think the main reason they tell you to warm the engine sufficiently is because of the emission controls, it just doesn't run well. If you've had the computer reflashed, it isn't a problem.
#14
04-11-2008 | 02:02 PM
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,993
Likes: 57
From: St. Louis, MO
RE: Do you/should you let your bike warm up befor riding?
- Start with full choke and let it warm up for 1 minute or so
- Ride with full choke for 1-2 miles
- Ride with half choke for 1-2 miles
- Turn choke full off and enjoy
That's more or less the process listed in my manual and I follow it.
- Ride with full choke for 1-2 miles
- Ride with half choke for 1-2 miles
- Turn choke full off and enjoy
That's more or less the process listed in my manual and I follow it.
#17
04-11-2008 | 02:12 PM
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 727
Likes: 0
From: A Boston Yankee in Surrey, England
RE: Do you/should you let your bike warm up befor riding?
You know, it's funny. I do what you do with the bike to let it warm up. But in the car? Start it and go. For some reason I don't read the logic across from one to the other. go figure.
#18
04-11-2008 | 02:36 PM
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 7,476
Likes: 3
From: Republic of Texas
RE: Do you/should you let your bike warm up befor riding?
Its called foreplay. You got to warm up everything before you ride it. Never load up a cold engine. Thick oils and different expansion rates for different metals. Feel the heat coming off of the jugs. I have seen a couple of fools load up a cold engine, miss a gear and hit the rev limiter and float a valve. They might have still floated the valve hitting the rev limiter like that but the bikes were cold and they were showing off. Always a good idea to warm it up.
ORIGINAL: bobbyd3
One question I've had for a while is if its good or bad to let your bike sit and idle for a few minutes before taking it out. I have a heritage classic (fuel injected) by the way.
I Seem to always have it running for 4-5 miinutes or so pre-ride, .
I back it out of the garage start it, check it over make sure lights etc.. work and gear up.
I see guys at work with bikes jump on start it and take off, while others start it and shoot the **** for 15 minutes before leaving which I would thinks is bad for the bike.
Someone told me something about the need for metal in the engine to get hot and expand. But I can't remember.
What do you guys usually do?
One question I've had for a while is if its good or bad to let your bike sit and idle for a few minutes before taking it out. I have a heritage classic (fuel injected) by the way.
I Seem to always have it running for 4-5 miinutes or so pre-ride, .
I back it out of the garage start it, check it over make sure lights etc.. work and gear up.
I see guys at work with bikes jump on start it and take off, while others start it and shoot the **** for 15 minutes before leaving which I would thinks is bad for the bike.
Someone told me something about the need for metal in the engine to get hot and expand. But I can't remember.
What do you guys usually do?
#19
04-11-2008 | 02:43 PM
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 11,317
Likes: 11
From: Tucson, Az
RE: Do you/should you let your bike warm up befor riding?
ORIGINAL: Pitts2112
You know, it's funny. I do what you do with the bike to let it warm up. But in the car? Start it and go. For some reason I don't read the logic across from one to the other. go figure.
You know, it's funny. I do what you do with the bike to let it warm up. But in the car? Start it and go. For some reason I don't read the logic across from one to the other. go figure.
#20
04-11-2008 | 02:44 PM
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,801
Likes: 13
RE: Do you/should you let your bike warm up befor riding?
My carb'd bike took a couple of minutes to warm up enough to ride off w/o incident. My new(er) bike is EFI.....I start it, and by the time I get my gloves and helmet on, the idle has settled down, and I ride off. I do take it easy the first few minutes tho, to let all of the mechanical bits warm up a bit tho.