i have a rancher es 4x4 and when its cold out side(25-15) it never whats to start prime or choke never will start till i get a heater and sit next to it then i get it warmed up and shut the choke off the idel doesent come down it stays at a high rpm then i turn the idel **** all the way down and ride for 10 mins and shut it off and reset the idel i never took it back to get the valves ajusted could this be the problim and it never did this till i put a k&n air filer on it could this laso be the problim.

 

I ran into the same problem your having. My bike has less than a 100 hrs on it, and I did have the bike serviced as recommended in the owners manual. Part of that servicing included adjusting the valves. I tried starting my bike this evening. I find that sometimes pull starting it works when it is cold (it takes quite a few tries). I also find that if I turn my bike off for more than 15 minutes in the cold, I again have problems starting it. I would love to know if anyone has consulted a dealer regarding this problem and recieved a logical answer to why they are hard to start in the cold. Good luck, I'm looking for the same answer.

 

Don't know about a honda but I do know that if the valves tighten up on a yamaha it is extremly hard to start.......mechanic said so

 

well,i also own a 2001 rancher 4x4 ES,mine is garadge kept but i let it sit out just for the heck of it i went out about 3 days later wiped the snow off of it got on,i did have to choke it but it flinted up after about the 3rd try i let it run on choke for about 5 min. then i never had a doubt,the bike ran like it was summer i have only changed my brake in oil,and that was it?if u can get it going let the choke run for a while then it should be fine