Won't start cold on side stand..

[Anonymous]

Hey all-

My bike has a strange problem. When it's on the side stand, I doesn't want to start cold, even with full 'choke'. Center it, and its fine. Warm, starts fine side or center.

Checked the float levels, they were all factory spec on the dot.. Petcock always on 'On'

[saaz]

Is the bike modified at all? It should at least start on the sidestand.

I would just start it on the centrestand.

[Anonymous]

Stock, but for the H-D pipes shown in the thread "Replacing JUST the mufflers on a 1000GL?" .. and a 1/2mm needle shim to richen it up a bit for the exhaust.

It's not a big thing, but I do wonder 'Why?' :?

[snowbeard]

I have trouble with mine on a regular basis, so it's not going from "it starts well this way, but not that", more like an "its more likely to start this way than that" thing. but yes, I have found the trend that my bike likes to be on the centerstand if I want it to start without spray... also prefers to be facing up the driveway than down!! go figger!! :roll:

sorry just commiseration, no actual suggestions to help....

[SqDancerLynn1]

Have you tried to prime the carbs with the fuel valve before trying to start it

[Anonymous]

I'm wondering what the possible causes could be. It seems like it has to be some part of the fuel system because that's the system that would most likely be affected by gravity--and gravity does seem to be playing a role here. Perhaps something that moves normally when the bike is vertical but doesn't move as it should when the bike is tilted. This wouldn't apply to cornering because of the centrifugal force. What happens when you lean the bike to one side (or the other) when it's already running but not moving forward? Does it die or run rough?

[Anonymous]

Does it do it when tilted to the right or just the left?

Perhaps your floats are OK but the valves they're attached to are getting cantankerous..? Cleaned the carbs recently?

Michael

[Anonymous]

Don't know about when its tilted to the right - it would be a little hard to test that.

Carbs have been cleaned recently, and needle valves are perfect.

In reply to karl_isben's question, after its started, I can set it right back on the side stand and its fine..