Mine needs some gas to start also. Keep in mind that this is not fuel injected and it has an electric fuel pump pushing the fuel in. It probably needs the throttle to get the air into that fuel rushing in.

 

Leave the spring alone on the shock or it will ride like a tank and still bottom out. Take the compression adjuster on the rear shock res and turn it in about 3 or 4 turns. Then try it out. keep turning it in til it is good. I did this to both of mine and it handles better too. Keeps the front end down and slides and handles woops better.