Warming Up Bike before Ride

[ga_max]

I just added cobra slash cuts to my max (I know they rob power but I like the look and sound plus the price was right(thanks Dave)). I had to remove the center stand for the installation. Normally before I ride I let the bike warm up a bit on the center stand thinking the upright position would be best for oil flow while idling. Now that I don't have the center stand I was wondering if it's OK to let Thor warm up on the side stand. What are your thoughts ?

Thor's new look...

 

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The oil pump pickup will still be submerged so, the pump will still push pressurized oil through the engine.

No need to worry

 

[marsmax85]

Hope so I have been doing it for years with it on kickstand .

 

[carrizog60]

i never warm my bikes or cars...
i let them start on choke and as soon as i put the helmet and gloves i shut choke off and ride away,but keeping revs low and avoiding big accelerations.

i started doing that after reading on my cars manual to do it that way,because at idle with no load the engine will take longer to warm,so warm up period will be increased.

but i live in portugal,near sea so temps are usually in the 4/5 degrees celsius for the coldest.

dont know if its the best but that´s what i do.:confused2:

 

[Specs95t]

The po of my VMax let it sit and warm up in the driveway on the kickstand. One day, the bike ended up tipping over while he was not there.

I bought it with a scrape on a scoop, a dinged up OEM handgrip and a scratched OEM mirror as a result.

The good news for me is that I am replacing the handgrip and mirror (Thank's Mr. Morely for the superbike bar and grips...) and a little polish should take care of the scoop....


Moral of the story: if you're gonna let it idle and not be there - make double sure that it is on a good surface and there is no chance for a dumb accident....

 

[Fire-medic]

I also vote to get underway as-soon as you are ready to ride in gear. Leaving the enrichener partially-on and taking it easy, usually about a minute is all I need before it will pull normally with the enrichener off.

So, enrichener full-on to crank/start, then half-closed if the revs stay high, (revs should drop from the full-on setting) for about a minute, and usually during that time, I'm pulling onto the road. Then thumb off the enrichener entirely.

I usually don't even need the choke in south FL as the temps are rarely below 65 *F. Sorry, you guys in the western NY tier, Canada, and the Midwest.

 

[Dorney]

When you ride your bike you lean over harder in turns then on the side stand so have at it. I will always let everything I have get heat in it before I move it & you don't need the choke on to do it either.

Dave

 

[DMAN999]

I warm my Vmax up on the side stand occasionally.
I removed the center stand years ago and only put it back on it for maintenance.
But like FM, most of the time I just start it and drive slowly with the choke/enrichener on around 1/2 until it warm.
It usually only takes a mile or 2 for it to warm up and then I shut the choke off and ride like I want (usually like a mad man).

 

[liptoss]

On all of my bikes, I rarely allow the bike to warm from cold on the sidestand.
My OCD, ADD whatever doesn't allow me for fear of kicking over the bike. BUT, not only that. I had spoke to a couple of motorcycle mechanics over the years and they tended NOT to on cold start.
I recall one citing that the oil being colder, thicker doesn't move as well through passages and orafices. He mentioned that the oil in the galleys while it rested overnight till cool had drained down to the bottom end. Yes, residual remained up in the shim and bucket areas for certain so unless it sat for quite sometime, it never was fully "dry".
His thought was, that when initially starting, and the with the oil moving like molasses, it was important to get it to, and pressurize, the numerous points (bearing surfaces etc) internally for lubrication to occur. The engine was designed to operate in the upright position for the most part, and so his thought was that oil flow through passages best in that position.
His thought about too much choke for too long was no good as well. He thought that excess "rich" fuel could wash the cylinder walls excessively and ring wear etc was occurring.
Yes, use the choke, off with it after initial start, then eventually hold the throttle steady and not allow it to stall. He citied that he could see evidence in an engine using too much choke with dirtier oil changes and tops of piston crown and gummy rings.
I dunno if any of this holds merit. I'm not a mechanic by trade.

 

[Miles Long]

I'm sure that if engine damage was a possibility if the bike is started/warmed up while on the sidestand, this would have been mentioned in the manual that was included with the bike.
The Yamaha engineers designed a great, practically bullet-proof engine - can anyone disput that:ummm::biglaugh:
However, nobody's perfect. One obvious flaw was the infamous oil gallery problem, a.k.a. the "orange O ring displacement" issue. To the best of my knowledge, this flaw was never officially admitted to by Yamaha, but physical changes to the piping involved, and part number changes, would indicate that the issue was addressed for the 2002-2007 model year bikes.
Many mechanics/owners feel that even the older oil gallery design is fine, except under one circumstance - high engine revolutions while the engine is cold, which is when the oil pressure is at it's highest. The high pressures are enough to force the O-ring from it's intended position, and it does not return.
According to Sean Morley and others, even late model Maxes are subject to o-ring displacement, but this is not as common as earlier models.
For this reason, when initially starting the bike from cold, it's best to let the oil warm up, thin out, and drop to running pressure BEFORE subjecting the motor to "operating" revolutions.
In my case, my bike usually takes only half-choke to start (usually this is instantly, sometimes even sooner:biglaugh, then after a minute or so, the revs will start to go up - 3k or so - this is when the choke comes off completely, and the bike idles (without having to tweek the throttle), at about 1k revolutions. I consider this enough warm-up time to ride away -usually after forgetting to close the garage door.
Just my opinion, but this procedure has worked for me for 13 years.
Cheers!

 

[blaxmax]

+1 Miles, I don't use the choke to start it but I do let the oil reach running temp first.
Well described on the motor but probably the weakest wired bike I've ever owned not to mention their reputations with trannys.:ummm:

 

[Miles Long]

+1 Miles, I don't use the choke to start it but I do let the oil reach running temp first.
Well described on the motor but probably the weakest wired bike I've ever owned not to mention their reputations with trannys.:ummm:

Agree about the wiring, which is why I don't feel guilty about the hacking I have done on all the circuits.....I couldn't possibly do a worse job than the OEM.
Agree as well re the trans, although I'm only going by what "normal" Max riders have experienced. Given that I ride like a typical cruiser (a.k.a. old lady), I don't EVER expect to have 2nd. gear issues!
Interesting that you don't have to use the choke. Since day one, I've had to apply at least half when dead cold, and even after cooling off for an hour or two on the hottest day of the summer, the bike requires at least 1/4 choke to start. The enrichment circuits have never been altered, other than installing a dash-mounted cable system to operate the choke lever.
Would this indicate that the carbs are a tad on the lean side?
Cheers!

 

[blaxmax]

Agree about the wiring, which is why I don't feel guilty about the hacking I have done on all the circuits.....I couldn't possibly do a worse job than the OEM.
Agree as well re the trans, although I'm only going by what "normal" Max riders have experienced. Given that I ride like a typical cruiser (a.k.a. old lady), I don't EVER expect to have 2nd. gear issues!
Interesting that you don't have to use the choke. Since day one, I've had to apply at least half when dead cold, and even after cooling off for an hour or two on the hottest day of the summer, the bike requires at least 1/4 choke to start. The enrichment circuits have never been altered, other than installing a dash-mounted cable system to operate the choke lever.
Would this indicate that the carbs are a tad on the lean side?
Cheers!

Spark plugs would tell you that. Are you running cops? 125 degree summers and 75 degree winters.
I won't dare call it a CHOKE again even though that's what it says on the lever.

 

[Miles Long]

Spark plugs would tell you that. Are you running cops? 125 degree summers and 75 degree winters.
I won't dare call it a CHOKE again even though that's what it says on the lever.

Haven't done a plug chop in ages, but last time, the insulators were almost white, the base rings were a very dark grey. All four plugs were very similar. No COPS, but I'm interested in them. Folks that have them think they're groovy. They seem to be a more efficient way to get things done, and eliminating the OEM coils would free up space for other goodies.
O.K., I'll take a tip from Prince -
From now on it will be called....... The Carburation Circuit Formally Known As Choke.:biglaugh:
Cheers!

 

[blaxmax]

Haven't done a plug chop in ages, but last time, the insulators were almost white, the base rings were a very dark grey. All four plugs were very similar. No COPS, but I'm interested in them. Folks that have them think they're groovy. They seem to be a more efficient way to get things done, and eliminating the OEM coils would free up space for other goodies.
O.K., I'll take a tip from Prince -
From now on it will be called....... The Carburation Circuit Formally Known As Choke.:biglaugh:
Cheers!

I like it. I build cops so if you need a set I'll make you some-shipped $66

 

[wayne z]

When you ride your bike you lean over harder in turns then on the side stand so have at it. I will always let everything I have get heat in it before I move it & you don't need the choke on to do it either.

Dave

FWIW, When you lean into a turn, centrifugal force keeps the oil level parallel to the crankshaft, unlike when leaning on the sidestand.

 

[Dorney]

FWIW, When you lean into a turn, centrifugal force keeps the oil level parallel to the crankshaft, unlike when leaning on the sidestand.

It will be to the opposite side to the way you are turning but if you don't think it's settling more to the bottom.

Dave

 

[blaxmax]

There is a term "oil starved" where an engines pickup in the oil pan will not pickup oil when turned hard and out of its range.

 

[davesax36]

I think you'd have to ride pretty hard to compress the oil down into the pan where the impeller couldn't get to it if you have enough oil in the bike. I don't want to knock this thread off track though.

 

[blaxmax]

I think you'd have to ride pretty hard to compress the oil down into the pan where the impeller couldn't get to it if you have enough oil in the bike. I don't want to knock this thread off track though.

dave, I don't think your off thread and I am referring to all engines. If you take an engine at a hard lean angle it is possible and if you are pulling some hard "g's through a 1/4 mile it will get oil starved.