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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxn!ihnp4!ihlpa!animal
From: animal@ihlpa.UUCP (D. Starr)
Newsgroups: net.cycle
Subject: Re: cold weather starting
Message-ID: <841@ihlpa.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 18-Oct-85 16:36:32 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihlpa.841
Posted: Fri Oct 18 16:36:32 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 24-Oct-85 00:39:23 EDT
References: <822@aluxe.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 71

> I'd like to stretch my riding season to the first snowfall.  I know how to
> stay warm, 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.
> 
> thanks in advance, (as they say on the net)   aluxz!rakon

After riding year-round in Chicago for about eight years, I've found that
the following things are generally effective for me:

**GENERAL IDEALISTIC SOLUTION**

Ride the bike daily if possible, and take it out long enough to get it
good and hot and fully charge the battery.  This helps keep everything
well-lubricated, the battery all the way up, and the gasoline nice and 
fresh.  It's also often next to impossible.

**PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS**

Obviously, you should keep the battery fully charged.  A battery
will suffer significant loss though self-discharge in as little as a
week, so if you only ride occasionally, invest in a trickle charger.  I
prefer the kind with the little harness that you can leave on the battery
and plug in for charging.  Some people say that charging the battery while
it is connected to the bike will damage the solid-state components (ignition,
computer monitor, trip computer, etc.), but this has never happened to
me (aside--does a '79 CX have electronic ignition or points?  If you have
points, be sure to keep them adjusted perfectly; this helps cold starts a
lot).  You might also consider a higher-capacity battery if one will fit.
The maintenance-free batteries like the Yuasa YuMicron CX (no relation)
additionally tend to have lower self-discharge rates than conventional
batteries.  

It also helps to be able to turn off all electrical stuff beyond the
starter and ignition system.  The big notable draw is the headlight
(3-10A, depending on bulb), which is frequently hooked perpetually on
by government fiat.  It is very easy to add a switch to turn the headlight
off while starting, and it is a very good idea.  I also once saw an
accessory that would delay headlight-on for ten seconds after power 
came on (you spliced it into the headlight power supply lead).  

Finally, the battery will put out more power if it's warm.  If it comes
out easily you might try keeping it indoors until you're ready to ride.
I also saw a neat little stick-on battery heater at the local Kmart; I
assume it ran off an extension cord.

Another problem is that the oil thickens up in cold weather.  Most people
I know run a 20w50 oil like Castrol GTX; this stuff tends to be a bit
stiff below 40 degrees.  Try switching to a lighter multigrade like
10w40.  As long as it's a multigrade and the top number is 40 or so
it shouldn't thin out enough to cause a problem (though you might burn
a little more--keep your eye on the level).  Another possible solution
is an electric dipstick heater, if you can find a place to plug it in.

Gasoline acts quirky in cold weather, especially if you don't ride much.
I make a point of avoiding alcohol fuels once the weather turns, because
they tend to separate.  Then you wind up with an alcohol-and-water glupt
in the bottom of the carburetor, and that stuff won't burn for anybody.
Also, gas just tends to get raunchy when it sits there, and tends to do
so faster in the carbs than in the tank.  Best bets:  stick with a good,
major brand gas without alcohol (known good: Shell, Amoco, Marathon; 
there may be others), add some gas stabilizer ("Stabil", you can usually
find it at Kmart or your bike shop), and when you park, turn the gas off
and let the bike run until it stops before shutting off the ignition.  This
makes sure that there is no gas in the carbs to separate or get raunchy
before the next start.  Remember to turn the gas back on and let it run
for a couple seconds before trying to restart the bike.

Stay warm!

		Dan Starr