Bought an 83 200e yesterday (tired of trying to fix the front axle on my 225dxs). The guy I bought it from started the bike with a couple of pulls. I noted where the choke was, but not which position he used.

It has 3 positions, I'm guessing up is full choke. The choke has three positions. It seems to want to start in the center position. Have ordered a manual, but in the meantime, I'd appreciate knowing which position is full on, and maybe which position people use most often to start the bike when it is "cold".

Also, since there is no battery on this model, can you trust that neutral on the gear shift is set just by the fact the bike has no gear engaged, meaning if you push it a few feet one can tell the gearing is disengaged?

Lastly, Since you can't pull start and engage the throttle at the same time, I assume the bike should start and idle without any throttle, as the seller did it. I was standing to that side and caught the throttle right away, something you can't do if you are also pulling the starter pulley.. Anyway, any experience on that would be of interest as well.

Thanks...

Also have to do some work to get the pulley recoil working correctly.

Wish me luck..

Richard Harper
Morgan Hill, Ca

 

if you lift the choke up it is in the fully closed position. and to start it i usually pull the rope with my right hand and open the throttle with my left . just len over the bike i little and pull it. but most of all you will havto expiriment on which works best, no throttle full choke, no choke no thorttle, etc...

 

Well I figured it out.

Choke is off in the full down position, and, in this hot weather, the first position up, started the bike. After vaseline treatment to the pull chord, it now returns properly.

Upped the idle slightly so it stays running easily with hand off the throttle, I put a few miles on it. Seems to handle ok, performance is fine. Not as good as the YTM 225dx I'm used to, but at least I can find parts when I need them, and it is a bit easy to work on... sort of the Honda way of doing things.

I've always been a Honda bigot, clear back to 1960's where I started with a Honda Trail Bike, and.. over the years.. endup with my Gold Wing. But in 1983, when I went to purchase my first ATC, Yamaha had shaft drive, electric start and a slightly better "look". Also a better suspension (none on the 200e). Seems they reserved the hot rear suspension in 83 for the 250r 2-cycle.

I have two of the 225dx's, but could not get the front axles off to replace the front tires. If you "ebay" for parts, you will notice a tremendous number of 225dx parts, but never the front axle. Not even the best Yamaha shop in the area could fix the problems, as they broke the axle trying to get it off. And they had no source for front axles either. When it happened on the first bike, I assumed it was due to real abuse by my nephew, who ran the wheels of the trike while I was hard at work... lol. But after the second one having the same problem, I decided to see how the Honda I never bought stands up.

And it is running... so I relearned a lesson I had learned many years ago... Honda may be not alway the first with most tech, but they tend to do it right the first time. At least this has been my experience.

Happy for now in the mountains to the West of Morgan Hill, Ca.

Richard

 

Thanks Madmudder... you must have posted above as I was writing my update.

And I did get the method you describe. Just not used to starting a bike while standing off it... lol.

Question for you.. Do you tend to give a bit of gas before you start it. I've been "goosing it" a bit, but laying off when I do the "pull".

Also, how do you like your bike. Has it been reliable.. etc.?

Do you find it starts easily when you "need" it? Cold start, vs warm?

Thanks,
Richard

 

im not sure about yours. but mine def. starts easier when its cold. it starts first pull when its cold. it may take a few minutes to start it when its warm. on mine i stand up on the pegs and pull with left hand. and give gas with right if i need to. so far i dont need to give it any gas. but mine usually pulls quite hard because of the 12:1 compression. if yours is stock ratio, it will pull a good bit easier. and yes. the honda atc's seem to be designed fairly well. my big red is sometimes a pain in the butt to work on because everything is jammed up in there. and another good reason as far as honda goes. they still make quite a few parts for their atc's. right now my dang starter cord is broke. so i gotta fix that. but after that. itll all be good again.....