[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-frown.gif[/img]Anyone have any tips on cold starting? My garage isn't insulated and when it's really cold, those little batteries just don't have the reserve to spin it over enough times. Would a magnetic block heater work?

 

I live in Texas now, but used to live in Mich. a mag block heater should work fine, although it should be a small one.

 

Keep your battery charged with a trickle charger or a float charger if it is sitting in your garage for a few days or more without being started....then when you want to start, prime it 5 or 6 times, and turn the key on for a couple of minutes (heated carb)...press the button and she'll start (you may have to thumb the throttle a bit for a few moments to get it idling good....i do this and i don't even have to choke the machine to start it.

 

Same here. I find my battery will turn over engine fine, if it doen't catch when I try to start it I press the manual primer 2-3 times and it always works. (I find I need to do this whenever it's really cold out, when its warm I just choke and start as normal).

 

You could also throw a heavy blanket over the bike and put a small baseboard heater under it. If your careful and don't burn your bike to the ground, it should heat it up to summer time temperatures in just a couple of hours under the blanket. That is what I have done in the past, worked great!

 

My choke cable broke due to mud and water and was having trouble getting it started until I remembered that there is a little primer on the carb, I push it 3-4 times and hit the start button and she fires right up. The longers I have let my bike sit is about a week and the battery always has had more than enough juice to start it up, even on a cold day.

 

Here in Minnesota it can get pretty cold and my garage is not heated. My first trick, after priming and turning the key on for a few minutes, pull the pull start a couple times just to loosen up the engine a little so the starter and battery don't have to work as hard. Sometimes, it'll even surprise you and start on the first pull.

 

Nick,
I broke lots of choke cable's in the winter. What I do now is keep the choke on when you turn the bike off, that way the choke is already on and your not pulling on a cold cable.

 

how cold are we talkin here guys? My ruby fires up at 15F no problems

 

I'm talkin' cold, like -5 to -10 farenheit, or -20ish celsius, for us Canucks, eh! I don't do that much riding at those temps, but I'd like to make startup as easy as possible on the engine when I do. I thought of the blanket/heater idea, but didn't know if it would work.