Do bikes need to idle for 10 minutes before and after use?

[thecremeegg]

Or are our neightbours just s?
I don't own a bike, have no intention of owning one and so know nothing about them. Do bikes need to be idled for ages or are they just "showing off"?

Thanks!

[rat840771]

Showing off and annoying the neighbours.

[CAPP0]

No they don't, with the exception of older high-performance 2 strokes.

I have a neighbour a few doors away whose son, every time he starts his CBR6, feels the need to rev...rev...rev...rev...rev...rev...rev...rev...rev...rev...rev...rev...for several minutes before riding away.

And when there is something wrong with it, apparently the correct method of diagnosis is to bounce it off the limiter for about half a minute - then apparently something on the dashboard tells you which bulb has blown, or how slack the chain is

[thecremeegg]

Thanks people, thought as much. They aren't revving it thank god but it idles SO LOUD that we can hear it at the other end of the estate through double glazing....argh!

[AJB88]

I usually start mine then put my helmet and gloves on so its been running about 2 mins by time I set off, when returning though shut it down as soon as arrive.

[Krikkit]

AJB88 said:

I usually start mine then put my helmet and gloves on so its been running about 2 mins by time I set off, when returning though shut it down as soon as arrive.

Me too, as the throttle response is atrocious when it's stone cold. That said, I don't use it early/late in the day. If I was commuting on one I wouldn't start it until I was ready to go.

[boyse7en]

If its a modern-isa bike with fuel injection there's no need at all. Start it and ride off (gently while the oil warms up) and it will be fine.

Since we had kids i start mine and ride off within about 10 seconds so as to not wake them up.

[NITO]

Krikkit said:

Me too, as the throttle response is atrocious when it's stone cold. That said, I don't use it early/late in the day. If I was commuting on one I wouldn't start it until I was ready to go.

I have a couple of bikes where it's exactly that, it needs to warm up for revs to stabilise before you set off otherwise there's a high chance of stalling it and it not restarting or it's a pig to ride!

[andySC]

Many bikes also have a tendency to stall at traffic lights hence the reason to “blip” the throttle whilst stationary. Must be poor fuelling caused by the stubby end can & paddock jacket.

[dibblecorse]

The Ducati 748 / 9** range need warming for a few minutes as the oilways are different lengths and you need to let the oil circulate a little to try and protect against rocker destruction .....

[jjones]

10 seconds max on departure and instantly upon return

[anonymous-user]

Still running carbs and a choke on mine, so yeah if I attempt to start up and ride straight off it inevitably dies. Doesn't take long to sort itself out though, maybe a couple of minutes at idle if it's been stood.

[NS400R]

2 strokes absolutely. They don't run until they're warm. I'd guess the same for any carburetted 4 stroke. Remember how truculent cars used to be when cold on the choke. Add in the inherent instability of a bike and you have a recipe for tears.

[rat840771]

Back in the day I used to hit the kill switch and coast the bike in!

[zzrman]

jjones said:

10 seconds max on departure and instantly upon return

Exactly. Best way to warm the engine is to ride it.

[Krikkit]

rat840771 said:

Back in the day I used to hit the kill switch and coast the bike in!

I do that, half the fun to find out how early I can kill it and coast

[BobSaunders]

The time it takes to get my helmet and gloves on. So easily a minute at the most.

[talksthetorque]

Park mine in the garage forwards, so start it up, reverse it out. Put the ear plugs in, lid and gloves on. Tricky downhill turn off the drive so having dodgy throttle response would not be a good idea.
Don't want to upset the neighbour's hedge

ETA: Plus it gives the missus time to come out and tell me to fetch or do something while I'm out.

[Max5476]

My old carbed GSX750 needed to be idled for a few minutes before you set off, otherwise it would die as you rode of the drive.

Modern fuel injection bikes there is no need, as others I start it and then helmet and gloves and ride off, probably within 30 seconds.

Is your neighbour definitely going for a ride? They might just be running it occasionally while it is in storage (not that I would recommend that)

[Simes205]

60 seconds of choke on my nc30 and then off!