Cold Starting Problems

[Anonymous]

Does the GS550 (79 models) have a history of hard starting in the morning or when the bike has sat for a while?.
Is the use of choke something that is necessary to start these bikes, even in warm weather? Look forward to your response.

[Anonymous]

My 77gs550 starts right up every time.....no problems, hot or cold, morning or night. I always start it on full choke and back it off as necesary. When its warm out, mine needs little or no choke at all. Morning time is usually cooler, use the choke and back it off as needed. If it has trouble starting regardless, then the problem is deeper.

Does it eventually start up and if so how does it run? Is it hard to restart if its warmed up? Don't give it any gas when you start the bike on full choke.

[SqDancerLynn1]

If the battery is weak it could cause cold start problems otherwise Full choke and NO throtle It also helps if the bike has sat for a day or longer to put the petcock on prime for a few seconds to make sure the carbs are full

[Anonymous]

In "79" most all motorcycles were tuned very lean. You know, the E.P.A. stuff. The choke was manditory for cold starts, even in warm weather. Around the shop that I dealt with, most everybody would install 1 or 2 size larger pilot jets. This made the bikes start easier in cold weather, still with full choke, and with less choke in not so cold weather.