Can't start bike at all in cold weather

[Nightsbane]

Need some tips for colder weather starts. Even with the choke on full or at various points it just chugs, trying to start until I run the battery dead. Trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong here.

[blaine]

It sounds like your choke is not working.Remove at the carb end with a 14mm wrench and see if the plunger is operating.
:) :cool:

[jonathan180iq]

It sounds like your choke is not working.Remove at the carb end with a 14mm wrench and see if the plunger is operating.
:) :cool:

I concur.

Unless you have some other mechanical problem, which I doubt since you weren't on here previously talking about hard starts in warm weather, this would be my first check. ;)

[Nightsbane]

It works fine, once it is running I can hear and feel a major difference in the engine with the throttle set to different points. I just can't get it starter anymore now.

[mrlmd1]

Charge up your battery fully or jump it from a non-running car and try it again. It could also be from a partially discharged battery.

[Nightsbane]

It was the battery. Charged it for about 5 hours, then it fired right up with choke. Aired the tires, threw in some berryman's and shot down the road B)

[blaine]

As a precaution,I would get the battery tested.If the battery starts to give trouble in the colder weather,it is usually a sign that the battery is getting weak.
:cool: :)

[mrlmd1]

Or neglected by not being ridden enough. That's what in the medical profession is called atrophy of disuse. Ride it or connect up a trickle charger/maintainer, especially in the cold weather. You need a good charged battery to, in addition to turning over the starter, to supply enough juice to fire off the plugs. A common problem in not being able to start, is a partially discharged battery. Glad you solved the problem. Your bike is trying to tell you it needs more exercise.

[NonallaNostrum]

whats the avg lifespan of those batteries? or is it a function of use/charge status? i know car batteries are normally crapped out 3-4 yrs, around here. unless big $$ was spent on them

[Water Warrior 2]

A bike battery should last for a few years providing you use the bike regularly enough to keep the battery charged. For cooler temps, storage during winter or riding in the cold a Battery Tender will keep your power needs up to snuff. At a $100+ for a new battery the Tender is a bargain. But you have to use it. Leave it in the box like I did and the penalty is another $100+.

[jonathan180iq]

I think 3 years is good for basic battery life.

I'd like to see a motorcycle version of the new Hyundai battery... that thing that lasts 275,000 miles.