new battery, still won't idle

[KEITH KRAUSE]

You mentioned an uneven idle. Sometimes 1,100, sometimes 2,000.
If the idle rises significantly from cold to completely warmed up (?), you have an intake leak most likely. Check manifolds and any o-rings inside them. May be very lucky and just tighten the manifold clamps first.

[stecz]

I learned something else valuable... The bike sat all night and it's about 45 degrees today... so I tried to start it.

no choke - started and died...

Acted like it was flooded, so I gave it some throttle and tried to start it, acted just like yesterday...

then, I cranked it with no choke, no throttle and it tried to fire, but wouldn't run.

Gave it a little choke, no throttle and it started.

So, the moral of the story is... keep your hand off the throttle when starting from dead cold.

I don't know if that's how it SHOULD be, but that's how it IS for my bike..

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Yes, opening the throttle by-passes the choke circuit. Many don't realize that.