Do you wait for your bike to warm up?
Discussion
Growing up I remember my dad and everyone else I knew running their bikes for a few minutes before riding off.
Then moving onto bikes myself I started doing the same because it's what everyone else did, I did this for years until recently when I started using my bike to commute and realised how antisocial it would be running a bike on tickover for a while really early in the morning.
I then stopped and got out of the habit, and when I look back i just think why did I ever do that.
I'm not sure if this was a thing we used to do on carbed bikes with chokes and it just carried on with the injected stuff or not.
So my question is do you run your bike for a few minutes before riding off or just get on and go?
My routine now is generally lid on, sit on the bike and fire it up, gloves on whilst the revs settle and go so it's running for no more than 5-10 seconds before I go.
Anyway intrested to hear your thoughts
Then moving onto bikes myself I started doing the same because it's what everyone else did, I did this for years until recently when I started using my bike to commute and realised how antisocial it would be running a bike on tickover for a while really early in the morning.
I then stopped and got out of the habit, and when I look back i just think why did I ever do that.
I'm not sure if this was a thing we used to do on carbed bikes with chokes and it just carried on with the injected stuff or not.
So my question is do you run your bike for a few minutes before riding off or just get on and go?
My routine now is generally lid on, sit on the bike and fire it up, gloves on whilst the revs settle and go so it's running for no more than 5-10 seconds before I go.
Anyway intrested to hear your thoughts
I do. I tend to sit on it keeping it upright for 3-4 mins before putting on the side stand to get helmet and gloves. Bike shows the revcounter changing colour to show how much revs are acceptable. I let it get to 8k as 'ok' before setting off. It's up over 12k by the time I get to the end of the road.
Probably totally not needed, but costs me nothing
My neighbours are not that close.
Probably totally not needed, but costs me nothing
My neighbours are not that close.
So it must've been a thing more when bikes had chokes, I do vaguely remember if you tried riding with the choke on the revs would creep so wonder if its something that's followed on from the carb era.
Glad I'm not alone, and yes as others said I treat it gently on a cold engine, but the tyres are cold also so you'd have a death wish to start ringing its neck.
Glad I'm not alone, and yes as others said I treat it gently on a cold engine, but the tyres are cold also so you'd have a death wish to start ringing its neck.
My modern road bike not really but I am very mechanically sympathetic so start, pull off from my drive way and ride gently and smooth until the temp garage is 70+ degrees C
My old RS250 2 stroke I start and let tick over until it's registering a temp (starts at circa 40 degrees) and I'll ride again gently until it's upto temp
My modern GSXR which I only use on track I start up in the garage get upto temp on water but also conscious of oil getting warm so once upto temp I'll turn off but then start up again when my session is called and bring upto temp again on dash. Two heat cycles I think gets the oil upto temp too as I go straight out and almost immediately have it at 10-14k revs
All my Mx bikes are 2 strokes and all get warmed up gently before I go on track and thrash
My old RS250 2 stroke I start and let tick over until it's registering a temp (starts at circa 40 degrees) and I'll ride again gently until it's upto temp
My modern GSXR which I only use on track I start up in the garage get upto temp on water but also conscious of oil getting warm so once upto temp I'll turn off but then start up again when my session is called and bring upto temp again on dash. Two heat cycles I think gets the oil upto temp too as I go straight out and almost immediately have it at 10-14k revs
All my Mx bikes are 2 strokes and all get warmed up gently before I go on track and thrash
Back in 1972, my Bonneville obstinately refused to be ridden either on full- or part-choke until it had run for about two minutes. Full choke resulted in eight-stroking and hiccupping, part-choke resulted in dying a sudden death as the throttle was opened even a tiny amount.
Neighbours hated me, I suspect!
Current steed - press button, start engine, move slowly down the drive past the car, onto main road - pin the throttle.
Neighbours hated me, I suspect!
Current steed - press button, start engine, move slowly down the drive past the car, onto main road - pin the throttle.
Fire up bike, give it a couple of gentle blips to encourage oil circulation, then off down the half mile, single track lane to the main road, mostly dawdling in 2nd gear due to crap road finish. I won't give it the beans until temp gauge is up to normal, usually after a couple of miles.
Seems to me that everything, including tyres, are designed to operate at an optimum temperature to allow for thermal expansion etc. Thrashing a cold engine just doesn't seem right....
Seems to me that everything, including tyres, are designed to operate at an optimum temperature to allow for thermal expansion etc. Thrashing a cold engine just doesn't seem right....
Yep.
But I have no neighbours so running the bike for a minute or so whilst I put helmet and gloves on isn't a problem. And then a mile at least to get my self settled and my head into gear.
But I've always done the same with cars and so far it's paid off with some clocking very high mileage.
I like to think it's cos I treat 'em nice.
But I have no neighbours so running the bike for a minute or so whilst I put helmet and gloves on isn't a problem. And then a mile at least to get my self settled and my head into gear.
But I've always done the same with cars and so far it's paid off with some clocking very high mileage.
I like to think it's cos I treat 'em nice.
The practice of warming up a motorcycle engine before riding stems from older, carburetted engines, which often required time to warm up, especially in colder weather. This would ensure optimal performance and reduce the risk of engine stalling. Modern fuel-injected motorcycles, however, are designed to be much more efficient and do not typically require an extended warm-up period.
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