Choke the heck out of it put it in gear like you mean it and ride. Its tough, you will not hurt it.

 

Maybe its just me and maybe you are right but I would never treat my bike that way. My bike, 98 1200 custom, started fouling plugs really quickly a couple of winters back. I could hear the rear cylinder starting to misfire and it wasn't long till both plugs were fouled and it wouldn't start. I described what it was doing to a friend who owns an Indy shop and he told me not to use the choke any more than I had to. He said if it was jetted an tuned right in our part of the country I should have to use very little choke. He told me when I use to much choke it will run to rich during that time and would always foul the rear plug first. I very seldom use the choke now and only change the plugs each spring when I change the oil and filter.

 

Mine and my son's bikes have never fouled a plug, about 20,000 on each, and if we pansy footed the shift to first they would never go in gear. I guess every situation is different, have fun.

PS clutches adjusted regularly.

 

Are you trying to shift into gear the second you pull in the clutch? Or are you waiting a couple of seconds after pulling in the clutch before trying to shift out of neutral? While you have the choke out the engine is in higher revs and may still have the gears spinning when you are trying to shift. If after waiting a second or two after pulling in the clutch and it is still grinding then YES it sounds like the clutch is not fully disengaging and needs adjustment.

 

Do you have a carb or fuel injection? Have you opened up the exhaust and air cleaner and rejetted? I have a carb and have an open exhaust and a free flowing air filter. My jetting may be off slightly but it's tuned well enough that I don't need to choke except in the coldest of weather. Hope I can rejet precisely enough that I can use the choke more in cold weather but an electric blanket over the bike works pretty good.

I don't think Aaron was talking about the clunk that all sportsters have when shifting into first. He was talking about a grinding which would either be caused by shifting when the rpm's are to high or the clutch is out of adjustment.

 

You are right. So many variables, it's difficult to know without being there.