Well, for you 371cc+ motor owners there are liek 3 differnt spark plugs you can use, depending on climate. Not sure about the smaller Cat owners.

JBK,

I also thought that the colder it got the richer your bike ran(air less dense makes YOU have trouble breathing right?). Well, I was told other wise on another forum. They say it is because the colder air allows more air into the combustion chamber that this is the reason. So, thats all I know.

All I know is that on the 2000 and older models is that we DON'T HAVE A TRUE Choke. It's realy just a jet richener that allows more fuel in the carb to make it run richer than normal.(dealer told me this).

The 2001 models have a true Butterfly choke that chokes off the air instead of just adding more fuel.

After saying that I think this proves that you acatually run leaner in colder weather-- thats why choking(which makes it run richer) makes it run better-- or sometimes run period.

 

I had the same ploblem last year and ended up taking it to the dealer. They checked the carb and found that some part came loose that affected the flow of gas, I'm not sure what it was but they changed it free of charge, it fixed the problem and away it went.

 

Hey I have a similar problem like yours with my bayou. Up here in Newfoundland it can get reallly cold. like last weekend it was -15 degrees celcius in the morning, i let it idel with the choke on for about 5 mins, then turned the choke off and it would barly idel. then when i put it in reverse and pressed on the gas, it would stall. after a few times doing that, i got moving and i would keep it right to the bar, flyin up the road, my gears would rev out realllly quick, where the bike was so cold. after about 15-20mins of flyin around, it would run fine, like it was new from the shop..... It was even so cold once that after i finished driving through the snow, i left the bike for 2 hours in a storm, and it froze up solid, i could put it right to the bar and it wouldnt budge. so i got a few people to push the bike while i barred it, and it moved. after that i never drove across the brook, anymore that night...... I was told by someone that the Kawasaki Prairies (spelling) have a carborator heater which would greatly help in warming up the bike.

 

Found out what my problem was...Took the carb apart and everything looked good until I pulled out the main jet, there was a brass thread going through the center hole. I don't know where this would have come from, 850 miles now problems?? now majically a thread shows up in the main jet... Where did that come from? Jetting has never been changed or messed with. Now it seems to run fine, even in the cold whether -10, just add some Isopropyl to the gas. Wheelers are still way to cold to ride in the winter, give me my new ZR800 and hold on!!!! Aczr2k