Choke - How To

[engrin]

I just bought a number 2 (second hand) Mio motorbike. It's an automatic.

Unlike my manual JRD bike, the Mio has a choke control.

The bike wont start in the morning if the choke is closed. If I close it right after starting, it will stall.

So, from what I can tell, I need to drive with the choke open for a while and then close it.

The guy at the shop said it should be closed when driving because if its open it's bad for the bike.

This was tranlated by my TW. I don't understand why.

Today, I took the bike around 30 km at about +- 80km / hour for a trip to the mall.

I forgot to close the choke after starting the bike. The highway is close to my house and I guess I just got caught up in the riding.

The bike seems fine after all the driving with the choke open.

How do you remember to close your choke?!

[Mid]

hip pocket nerve .....................

[Crossy]

Running with the choke on won't hurt the engine apart from maybe oiling up the plug. Generally, you should choke until it will run without misfiring, if it won't idle when cold just keep it revving a little.

You should notice slightly rough running if you forget to open (off) the choke, you will certainly notice it in your wallet (it will drink fuel).

[goldfish]

Start the bike on a slightly open throttle, it should fire first time. Then just learn a bit of throttle control, keep the throttle slightly open for first couple of minutes. I only need to start a mio using the choke if it has been left sitting for a few days, and then I turn the choke off and use the throttle.

Riding the bike with the choke open will not harm the engine. The guy in the shop is not capable of independant thought

[Gary A]

I agree that it won't hurt the engine. It may show some black smoke and after the engine warms up you will notice a lack of power. Turn the choke off and just wind it up a little to clear out the carbon.

My wife had a Honda Wave that was VERY cold blooded. It was a real pain to play with the choke until it warmed up. She now has a Suzuki and if it is run every day it doesn't need the choke at all. Starts the first kick and doesn't stall or hesitate.

[engrin]

Thanks for the tips.

Open throttle, I guess this means you pull on the throttle just before starting. Will try that tomorrow morning.

The last few mornings I haven't been able to start my bike with the choke open or closed unless I kick start it a few times. Seems like a couple of kicks clears out some air or something.

I must have mucked something up while driving with the choke open..

In the morning though <since I've had this bike>, the bike wants to hickup/stall unless the choke is open.

I can't remember the name of the term for breaking without the breaks. I like to ease off the throttle to slow down and not use the breaks until the last second when approaching speed bumps or red lights. In the morning or just after starting in the evenings, if I break this way, the bike will stall. Pretty annoying stalling half way over a speed bump!!

I have to say that the ride is smooth once it gets going. Much better than the second hand JRD manual bike I bought.

The automatic KYMCO "scooter" I used to drive in Taiwan never had a choke control. Started every time for years with the button and some gas. Never a kick start. Not as fast as the bikes here and the wheels are a lot smaller.

[PeaceBlondie]

I think Thailand has some old wives' tales or old mechanic's tales against ever using the choke. Granted, this is a tropical place, but a cold engine on a cold morning needs some choking action. When my CBR150 carburetor jet started fouling, the choke was their second wild guess as to what went wrong. You only need to choke a cold engine on a cold day, for a minute or two, but then you need to, usually. On those mornings, try to start the bike and let it run in idle 30 to 60 seonds; then turn off the choke.