ET: Engine (Twin) Starting Procedure Twin…Using Chokes or Not?

[CarlHungness]

I know you are a journeyman on wheels and you've compiled enough
memories to write a pretty interesting story/book, so hope we hear
more from you.

 

[Gerry Clarke]

For what it's worth... When we had a twin it had original carbs. and magneto. Still does I think. Removed chokes and cables, no need in our climate and it frees up space for other cables. One fuel tap on, press both ticklers for one or two seconds. Two or three priming kicks making sure to hear rear cylinder sucking. Ease that one over compression and kick with at least a quarter throttle opening. Always fired right up.

Gerry

 

[CarlHungness]

For what it's worth... When we had a twin it had original carbs. and magneto. Still does I think. Removed chokes and cables, no need in our climate and it frees up space for other cables. One fuel tap on, press both ticklers for one or two seconds. Two or three priming kicks making sure to hear rear cylinder sucking. Ease that one over compression and kick with at least a quarter throttle opening. Always fired right up.

Gerry

I have one eardrum, left and right is about 50% good, and I've never tried to hear the rear cylinder sucking. I'll do so and see what happens. I start it in the morning with helmet off, but on the rest of the day. Might be a very good thing to hear. I can hear almost normally out of the right ear, and I can turn it up, just thought of that. Thanks for the reply, anxious to try to hear your familiar sound.

 

[Timothy Behrendt]

Even after 30 plus years of owning my twin I can't say my staring procedure(s) are as reliable as I'd like. Having read of
the long-stroke/short stroke and practicing same my method isn't as great as it ought to be. Since installing the B-TH many
years ago I think it has improved but I still don't feel like a journeyman at the process.
I tickle the carbs, 276's, kick the engine through a couple of strokes with the compression lever pulled, try to locate the short
stroke and go just over it, pull in the comp. lever, kick and release simultaneously.
I now ride the bike on weekends and when done with a ride I shut off the petcocks and run the carbs empty so they're not
full of hard-to-ignite fuel.
It usually takes me 5-8 kicks to fire the machine when it's cold, and I've never used the chokes.
After a lunch stop I can usually start the bike with 2-3-4 kicks. I think it ought to be one, max.
When cold, I kick the bike with just a bit of throttle, maybe a quarter. When it doesn't fire I open the throttle all the
way and when it fires, it explodes at full tilt for half a second and I let it back down.
I never have enough confidence that I kick the bike without using the compression release and it often feels as though
I get a phhhht! and not a full swing through. When I do catch it correctly and she swings through a complete revolution, that's
when it starts.
Today I couldn't start it virtually at all. I must have spent ten minutes trying to make it fire and it makes me feel ham-
fisted and not nearly as knowledgeable as I ought to be. I recall the times I've had the valve caps off, plugs in and even out,
and looking and trying to 'feel' piston position so I can position the plot whereby I'm getting a full revolution when kicking.
I think I've seen photos of one using an electric start, with virtually no throttle on at all. I asked John Healy what he does to
start the machine years back, and his procedure was about the same as mine. I recall reading Ron Kemp's method in '40 Years On' where
he just finds a compression, kicks and releases the comp lever at the same time.
I'm still strong enough to kick the engine over with enough RPM's to generate spark and my extended prop stand has a 'cloven
hoof' on the bottom so I can actually let the bike nearly rest on the prop stand to insure power through the motion. Nevertheless, if
I'm on an incline to the right or left, I'll often push the bike to level ground before kicking.
But I've never used the chokes. What's the group's recommendations for this old timer? Trevror Southwell once described
Dave Hills' method of starting his (battery operated ignition) bike as appearing as though he was merely shaking his leg enough
to straighten out the creases in his pant leg. I'm up high on the kick start lever, and even after grinding the first tooth on the ratchet
I find the gears will hit 'on-end' upon occasion, so I try to remember to come down a tooth or so before kicking. I even had an 'expert'
grind the ratchet gear one time and the condition persists, but I can live with that.
While in the UK I resorted to heating the plugs in early morning and that process sure seemed to work well, but I sure ought to
have a process that works without all the aggravation I went through this morning. It's depressing. Even if I had an electric start I'd
still want to kick the bike manually because it was designed to start that way and my forefathers used the method successfully.

My 54 Series C has NEVER started easily. I've adjusted and adjusted everything to no avail. I have resorted to putting into second gear, pull backward until it is backed up in a compression stroke, pulling in the clutch, giving it the best continuous push I can, jumping on side saddle, dropping the clutch when my butt hits the seat, then stand up and swing my leg over. Starts every time. However, it is getting difficult after 58 years of ownership and at 75 years of age.

 

[Timothy Behrendt]

My 54 Series C has NEVER started easily. I've adjusted and adjusted everything to no avail. I have resorted to putting into second gear, pull backward until it is backed up in a compression stroke, pulling in the clutch, giving it the best continuous push I can, jumping on side saddle, dropping the clutch when my butt hits the seat, then stand up and swing my leg over. Starts every time. However, it is getting difficult after 58 years of ownership and at 75 years of age.

 

[CarlHungness]

I think my starting problems recently are traced to oil on the spark
plug connections to my B-TH. I've always been able to start it with 'a few
kicks' but I've never been happy with what I'll call 'a complete spin of the
engine'. My method of dropping the compression lever as soon as I kick it
doesn't seem to give me a complete revolution, enough inertia to spin the
flywheels and therefore not completing enough 'stroke' to start easily. I'll fix
the oiled plug wire problem and change my habit with the compression lever.
Your bike WILL start if all systems are as they should be, so I'd guess you need some assistance in tuning. The B-TH mag puts out enough juice to start
the bike, although a battery ignition (may) be a little more effective. I'd never try to start my bike side saddle, too dangerous and a blow to my tuning ego. Your machine just needs tweaking and there are loads of knowledgeable people in the club who can sort it out for you. Then get a center stand with
and modify the feet so you're sure you can start it on the stand, and keep on riding. At 75, just don't let the old man in. I'm 79 and almost got my 10,000 steps in today which included 45 minutes of serious walking. You don't stop riding when you get old, you get old when you stop riding. I have miles to go before I sleep.