Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site water.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!watnot!water!watbun!kgdykes
From: kgdykes@watbun.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.cycle
Subject: re- cold weather starting
Message-ID: <920@water.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 18-Oct-85 06:21:23 EDT
Article-I.D.: water.920
Posted: Fri Oct 18 06:21:23 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 19-Oct-85 05:30:46 EDT
Sender: daemon@water.UUCP
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 43


> From: rakon@aluxe.UUCP (kohler)
> ...but on cold mornings I have trouble getting my '79 honda CX500
> started.  Anyone have any tricks or suggestions to keep me from saying
> heck with it and driving every day.  Oh, one problem is no garage.
> 
I ride ALL winter up here in Ontario,Canada (near Toronto).
Well, actually, there's about 6 weeks from mid-January to end-Feb that are
a total write-off, but I never "put the bike away".
I've done this for about 4 years now.
The following is some of the things I do for winter riding:
 
 - Change oil !!!!!
   If you use an extra-heavy weight oil (say: 20w50) back-off to a
   lighter-weight (10w30?). On cold days that oil is thick as semi-dry mud
   and doesn't flow-around for a couple miles (oh yes, never race or drive-hard
   for the first couple miles after starting)
 
 - get/do a lube job -- cables, bearings, etc.
 
 - On my two-stroker (rz350 and old rd350) I change spark plugs to one heat-
   range hotter (eg (rz350): instead of summer b8es I use b7es NGK plugs)
   At least CHANGE the plugs to new ones anyway.
 
 - If you are rich, or haven't done one in ages, get a Tune-Up
 
 - increase idle speed (a little THUMB screw) and if you
   have multi-barrel carbs (more than one THUMB screw) make sure they
   are EVENly increased (count the turns)
   On really cold days you will have to crank this right up.
   Change whenever the temperature changes a lot.
 
 - increase your idle RICHness (a little slot-screw?) but only just a WEE bit
   (eg: quarter-turn only)
 
 - be aware of your tire pressures, air expands and shrinks with the weather
   (some say that higher pressure helps Cut-through snow
    and lower pressure provides better traction on ice....
     ...but WE would never ride in those sort of conditions  :-) :-)

      - Ken Dykes
        Software Development Group, U. of Waterloo
        {ihnp4,decvax,allegra,utzoo}!watmath!watbun!kgdykes