Cold weather starting

[Tchap]

I need to be sure that the donkey will start,
and I know, from your posts, that you guys are real smart.
Unheated garage, with an electrical plug,
sixteen hours per day she will sit with no love.
The temps may get down, 10 or 20 below,
please come, fellow riders, and share what you know.
It’s not my garage, I can’t heat the whole space. And I can’t burn it down, I’ll be red in the face.
Can you think of, perhaps, something small I can do, to be sure the red donkey fires up like she’s new?
This isn’t the stuff that I learned of in college, so please, friends, bring it on, spread the word, drop some knowledge!

 

[G19Tony]

You could preheat the bike with a space heater for a little while. Point it at the engine, preferably from the front, so the heat flows around the whole engine.

 

[oldskool]

Something like this help?

https://www.amazon.com/Replacement-Magnetic-Silicone-Heating-Protector/dp/B0BC1DCB6P/ref=sr_1_8?gclid=CjwKCAiAhqCdBhB0EiwAH8M_Gq6eaOlv_taZV4USqBxdY9qtgqkfbmeiQqsGAG89SvLZtndAXTc7wxoCCcMQAvD_BwE&hvadid=474289364535&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9011643&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=18161428563262896631&hvtargid=kwd-668850135072&hydadcr=7442_9611317&keywords=motorcycle%2Bengine%2Bblock%2Bheater&qid=1671990449&sr=8-8&th=1

 

[RubyRed]

This isn’t helpful but it’s currently 78 and sunny here in San Diego on Christmas morning. I have no idea what cold starting means lol. Merry Christmas everyone

 

[Cpd419]

This isn’t helpful but it’s currently 78 and sunny here in San Diego on Christmas morning. I have no idea what cold starting means lol. Merry Christmas everyone

Oh shot up lol.

 

[Cpd419]

Shut stupid auto correct

 

[bryanchurch06]

Not my bike but I started my tundra a couple days ago, the temp was -35 and my starter continued to turn after the truck started. I had to turn the truck off and restart it. 1st time that has happened, any tips for preventing that?

 

[bryanchurch06]

Shut stupid auto correct

I have a constant fight with auto correct

 

[sieg]

Mine started the same as always at 0 after setting in the cold for 3 days.

 

[SneakyDingo]

Y'all, after sitting in 19F outside in the cold... I almost had to use the kickstarter TWICE to get it to start. Then separately I heard the engine turn 2 revs more than normal before it started.

The Trail 125 clearly suffers terribly when it's cold.

 

[Tchap]

What do you think of these: lighter weight oil, battery tender, muscle type heating pad, magnetic zero start brand heating thing, silicone heating pad linked above. What would be most effective/safe?

 

[bryanchurch06]

I would not change oil weight, just my opinion though. The other things can't hurt.

 

[dmonkey]

Great poem.
A battery tender is a good idea. Fully charged batteries freeze at a lower temp than ones that are partially charged. Something as simple as a portable space heater running around the bike for a while before you start it could help reduce wear from a cold start.
I've started mine many times after being parked outside in sub-freezing temps and it takes a few cranks when it's a "cold start". At least there's no choke to fiddle with! If you had a battery issue from the cold you could still kick start it. All batteries suck in the cold, but as counterintuitive as it sounds I run Lithium batteries in most of my bikes and my experience has been that they crank better. One thing I always do is let the bike warm up before riding it, not just because that's a good practice for reducing wear, but because in reality if you have cold oil it can be hard to shift and the drag of oil on the centrifugal clutch could make it easier to stall when you're stopped with brakes applied. Those are extra safety risks that I feel are worth taking the time to mitigate when you're already taking on other cold weather risks.

 

[Tchap]

Yeah, I know. Cheesy as hell. But it made me smile to write that. I’m leaning toward the space heater, with a timer on a gfci outlet. Thanks for all your input folks. You guys rock.

 

[kballowe]

Place a shop light underneath the engine. It'll need to be an incandescent bulb.

Are you riding at "10 or 20 below" ???

 

[jimzpsd]

In extremely cold temps, don't use the electric starter. KICK start only (another reason it is there). With the electric start method it will not spin the engine over fast enough to register the proper rpm's needed to trigger the ignition coil, you will however destroy the battery with repeated attempts. Use the proper weight oil for the specific temps. A small shot of starting fluid can assist too. But if the temps are that cold, don't ride the bike, the tires will be hard and slick feeling. Under extreme cold conditions, remove the spark plug (to avoid compression), key off, and begin using the kick starter repeatedly to move the oil around and loosen up the engine. Once started, be easy on the throttle and let it warm up so the transmission will be happy too.

 

[oldskool]

I didn't think starting fluid would help on a FI engine that wasn't worn out? Won't the injectors vaporize the fuel even in cold conditions?

 

[Cpd419]

Not my bike but I started my tundra a couple days ago, the temp was -35 and my starter continued to turn after the truck started. I had to turn the truck off and restart it. 1st time that has happened, any tips for preventing that?

Don’t start it at 35 below lol.

 

[AZ7000']

Wow, at 10f after sitting outside for a week I turn the key and start it, let it turn a few times then stop, hit the button again ands it starts. Put the kid on the back and drop him off at the bus stop before it’s light at 6:50. I run the new one when I don’t want to kick the 90 and the roads are ice free. The highs last week were about 32. They both start great at that temp in the sun!

 

[Tchap]

Place a shop light underneath the engine. It'll need to be an incandescent bulb.

Are you riding at "10 or 20 below" ???

Only if it’ll start. Seriously, though, yes I intend to ride when it gets that cold. I’ve ridden snowmobiles in those temperatures, up on Jay Peak (Vermont), when I had a job snowmaking. One of the best jobs I’ve ever had. It’s pretty amazing to be on a snow covered mountaintop at midnight! Sometimes we carried ice axes. For riding the donkey, I’m wearing a Klim onsie over lots and lots of down, heated liners over Outdoor Research mitts, two balaclavas at once, and obviously no exposed skin anywhere.