Do you let your bike warm up before riding?

[Blue_SV650S]

As title really - FROM A COLD START do you let your bike warm up before riding?



If so how long for and why that amount of time?

FYI, my vote is zero!
____________________
The purpose of life is to fight maturity.

[Darth]

Less than 1 min in most cases - will not give it any beans until the temp gets a good way up though.
____________________
Harold_Shand wrote: I suppose it's like anything, you get your fingers burned when you start out, you learn from it and eventually become a complete arsehole about the whole thing.

[hellkat]

Depends how long its been sitting, innit.

I usually unlock it, choke on, start it up, take it off the centrestand, and then put on my gloves and lid before actually getting on.

Seeing as how I have to take my glasses off, put my lid on, put glasses back on, do lid up, put gloves on, get on bike (in tight jeans, extra struggle due to fatness), adjust choke, try to get kickstand off, jeans too tight, try again, legs too fat ... manage to get kickstand off and put into gear : I'm old so that all takes me longer than all you lot, it takes about 2-3 minutes by the time I've dicked around, so long enough to warm the bugger up.
____________________
Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[Blue_SV650S]

[MarkJ]

I'll wheel it out the garage and start it up with full choke. Then close the garage door, put gloves on and ride off, probably 1-2 mins

[Quickly]

I really have no patience and my choke won't sit on itself, I have to hold it to keep it applied, so I'll just start the bike up on the choke, let the choke off, keep the revs up and ride steadily the first few minutes.
____________________
...

[MarJay]

It takes me an age to close the garage, put on my necktube, my lid, my glasses and my gloves and then ride off.

Its worth warming the bike up, but I suspect what is more relevant is what you do when you first pull away. If you're gentle with the bike and ride relatively sedately for the first few minutes the bike will thank you. If you thrash it as soon as you get on it, even if you've given it 5 minutes of idle, it won't thank you.
____________________
British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[Stelmer]

Usually I wheel it out of the garden, start it, put lid and stuff on and set off. Usually it's warm enough by then.

I cannot just start it and ride as the old heap will cut out on me for the first few mins if the throttle is touched.

[Ol]

As she's a stroker, i give the NSR atleast 3 - 4 mins running to "wake up" before i ride her... unlike the missus... she get's a nudge!
____________________
Previous: Cub50, NRG50, TS50, YB100, CB125, NSR125, ZZR600, CBF1000, SV650s, ZX6R B1H, XT250, Mito Powered Crosser, WRF450, , FZ600, VN800, GSXR600 - Currently CB1000R

[Gawain]

As soon as the idle is stable at half choke - a few seconds really - then I take it easy for the 1st Km or two.

But then again Im blessed with year round great weather so our definitions of cold are very different!

[swiftb]

Mine is unridable without warming up first in cold weather. (J1 suffers carb icing!)
So its full choke let in run for 30 secs or so down to half choke for a minute or 2 then another minute on idle generally.

[CRF_Rider]

let mine warm up for a good few (4-5) minutes before i go out. She gets very tempremental if i don't.
____________________
Why is it everything i race, seems to be going backwards?
Current: Honda CRF 450 R Supermotard
Previous: Yam TY250 x2, Gas Gas TXT 200, Sherco 290, Suzuki TS 50,Honda CG 125, Yam SR250, Suzuki DR-Z400E, Yamaha YZF R6 112rwbhp

[Blue_SV650S]

[ms51ves3]

[swiftb]

[WishayKillie]

Wheel it out the garage and start it up, go back in put on helmet, gloves, pat the dog, put phone in pocket and wallet too. Kiss the wife, forget that my helmet is on and accidentally headbutt her.
By the time I get back out, I'm just glad the thing hasn't been stolen. Temp gauge is usually about 50degC. Take it easy for the first mile or so to let the temp come up and get some heat in the tires.
____________________
Current; 10' Aprilia Dorsoduro 750.
Previous; 05 Triumph Daytona 600, 08' Ducati 1098s.
"Needs a check-up, fae the neck up!"

[Wave2k]

Usually let the bike warm up while i put gloves and a lid on, usually about 1-2 minutes, i say thats enough.

I let the RX8 warm up for 2 minutes too, the main thing i notice about cars and bike when you ride/drive cold, is the gearbox is a heck load more stiff, specially in cars.
____________________
Ducati 1299 Panigale
2009 Corvette C6 z51
RS125->CBR400->RXS100->GSXR750K2->Ducati749S->CBR600RR5->TL1000R->DRz400->RSVR1000->Honda VTR SP1->CBR400->GSXR1000K6->Honda H100->CBR600RR3->Ducati1299

[ben_wheely]

[Polarbear]

I always warm up the busa before riding off,maybe 5 mins or so. I'm not so fussy with the wifes bike and the poor old fazer hack/track bike gets royally abused from cold

To be honest, the fazer seems happiest!!
____________________
Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[MarJay]

[ms51ves3]

[Polarbear]

from the fazer manual -

For maximum engine life, always warm up the engine before starting off. Never accelerate hard when the engine is cold.

Doesn't say how long to warm up for though
____________________
Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[The Artist]

On teh 125, I start with choke for 10 seconds, let go of choke. let it idle for another 10 seconds or so whilst I put my gloves on and I set off, slowly up the road, at the top of the road, I rev a little, get the oil circulating etc and head out onto the main road which I tend to stay below 45 unless I have traffic behind me.

[CRF_Rider]

yes its a stock silencer, no there isn't any wadding in it haha. yes it sounds like thunder. yes the neighbours hate it.
____________________
Why is it everything i race, seems to be going backwards?
Current: Honda CRF 450 R Supermotard
Previous: Yam TY250 x2, Gas Gas TXT 200, Sherco 290, Suzuki TS 50,Honda CG 125, Yam SR250, Suzuki DR-Z400E, Yamaha YZF R6 112rwbhp

[silky666]

Have not read all the replies ... so may have been mentioned before.

I often ride the bike within seconds of starting.
But what I dont do is 'rag it' .... nice and steady 'early changes' until the readout says its up to temperature.
____________________
There's nothing that shouts "Poor Workmanship" more than wrinkles in the Gaffa tape.

Gaffa tape is like "the force" - it has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together.