advice on springtime start up

[dbyer58]

Hello

This is my second year with this Valkyrie and I remember that last spring I had a hard time getting it started after being put away for the winter. Being 70 degrees today in NY, I figured Id give it a try. Full charge in the battery,went to start it....no luck.  Turned over strong but no pops. Kept trying till the battery started to lose its pep.  It ran great last year and when putting it away I did add stabilizer to the fuel and then ran the carbs dry. Is this common and any helpful hints on first time yearly startups.  I plan on trying again tomorrow ......also, the kickstand was up and kill switch was on run.....Thanks all
PS....should I give it some throttle every once in a while?

[Jess from VA]

Charge the battery all night (slow), and try again in the AM (mine always needs full choke, year round).

If it's cold in the AM, stick a ceramic heater under the engine and warm it up a while; makes starting much easier with warm oil (even with 10w40).

One symptom to watch out for is.... if she turns over strong but won't fire, release the start button and sometimes she then fires up right away (a sign of a failing or undercharged battery).  Releasing the start button takes the headlight relay out of the equation and that can push you over the minimum ignition juice needed to fire the bike up.

Do not hold the start button for more than 4-5 seconds at a time.  Stop, wait a few, and try again.  Do not just keep cranking.  

[klb]

In 2001 I bought a new standard and I had problems getting
it started when it was cold or had been sitting for a while.
I didn't realize that when putting the choke on it seemed like
it was fully on but it wasn't. The last 1/2 inch or so is where 
it does the deed and to me it feels like I am fixing to
break it but never does. I have a 99 and 01 standard now
and they are exactly the same. With full choke or enrichment
valve as it is called all of them cranked pretty quick and
after a few seconds with no throttle will idle around 1800
to 2000 until I take the choke off. Probably not your problem
but in 01 it surprised me. I made a video of my 99 just after
startup working the choke lever showing that it does nothing
until that last bit.

https://youtu.be/nlKCfEVNwXQ

[Oss]

where in ny are you?

Welcome to the vrcc !

I am the ny rep for the club.  Pm me anytime or email me
evan@evanrogerslaw.com

and push the choke ALL The way down  You wont break it (I think)   

[1NorthRyder]

It could still be the battery, I went to start mine on the weekend, battery was reading 14.5amps and sounded strong when I hit the starter but no joy. Put the volt meter back on the battery and still reading 14.5amps and then hit the starter and it dropped to 5amps. put booster cables on from a spare battery and as soon as I hit the starter the bike fired right up. Installed new battery and everything is good. What cheeses me off is the dead battery was a two year old Yausa which here in Canada run about $150.

[Jims99]

I would also check your vacuum lines. Petcock is vacuum operated and if it’s not getting enough, won’t open and no fuel. I have had mine split and not open all the way.

[MarkT]

In addition to the above posts you may need to find what your bike likes.  Valks have a personality.  I have 4 and they like different settings.  It's not a "choke", BTW.  It's an "enricher".  A bit different.  Some need "choke", some differing amounts, some only if cold, etc.  Most seem to like almost no throttle.  On my Jade, it's full choke and throttle cracked or closed if it's cold until it fires then just a little throttle until it warms some. Sometimes you can crank it over for a few seconds, then stop and wait 10 seconds or so, then crank again and it fires right up.  Seems to like that amount of gas vapor in the intakes.  BTW my Honda garden tractor is the same on that - so is the Magna.  If your battery is weak, a first indication is it won't fire until you release the button.  That's because the starter is using so much power there's not enough left for spark.  In such cases I shut off the headlights and other drains like the stereo and heated gear as the battery is almost failed - mine all have switches.  Workaround until I replace the battery which will be soon.  It's a good idea to install a voltmeter so you can monitor the alternator output - they are known weak points on the Valk, often around 50k miles their voltage goes down - usually the brushes failing.  I take a spare and brushes on road trips to save myself or others, having had that fail.  All of this assumes there isn't some problem.  Like weak coils, or a holed-diaphram petcock, or very spoiled fuel.  I've not heard of fouled plugs being a problem with these engines.  It's a good idea to put a half can of Berryman's B12 in a full tank every couple months or so for fuel system cleaning.

[dbyer58]

THANKS EVERYONE.....Put the heater on it, juced up the battery and made sure the choke was all the way down and she started up on about the 3rd attempt.    GREAT WEBSITE!!