New to biking.

[jdjake]

So I've been on the roads for about 4 months now and have realised I'm completely useless when it comes to bikes. I was riding a chinese model 50cc moped for the first few months and have recently "upgraded" to a 2005 Yamaha YBR 125cc, this is my first geared bike. I've learned to grasp the gears pretty quickly but I'm quite lost as to how to operate the choke.

Does anyone have any tips in regards to using the choke? I've heard from other bikers that it's a good idea to ride with the choke on, so the engine warms up but this is tricky for me seen as the choke is located under the tank. How long should I leave the choke on, etc?


Thanks, sorry for the stupid question, just clueless!

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

I ride a couple of 125s every now and again, but because they're garaged they warm up quickly. They'll start on the button and, after a bit of gentle throttle blipping, I can ride off and the engine's smooth. But if I had to stop at a junction within the first mile they might yet stall. However, if they were just parked up on the road all night, in winter, choke would probably be needed. And on the odd occasion when this kind of situation has arisen, even then they haven't needed much running on the choke. Maybe a mile tops. They don't stall then, and will idle relatively contentedly. Might require a little bit of clutch nursing and a few more revs at a junction, but nothing worth mentioning. In other words, choke shouldn't be an issue - it's just something to use to get it to fire, and then - maybe - run it for a mile or so before pushing it back in. As for finding it to do that, while you're riding along, yeah it can be a bit of a faff - but again, nothing major. You soon suss out where it is, and can reach down and push it in.
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"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[jdjake]

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

Yeah, as long as it's not too long. Riding it would be best, but it's not going to implode if you just leave it warming up, stationary on choke for a minute or two. This suzuki of mine as a choke that has a kind of detent action that allows it to be half way out, whilst the honda is capable of much finer adjustment. But the point is that neither has be all the way out, and if they were to stand warming with the chokes all the way on, the engine would be racing - and I personally don't like that. I'm more of a nurser, getting the engine to the point where it's revving a bit, without stalling. Pretty much.
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"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[jdjake]

[Andy_Pagin]

I always let the bike reach running temperature before riding. By this I mean a temperature where I can fully close the choke. In practice this only takes a minute or two providing you keep the choke out with the engine racing at about 2,500rpm. I'm yet to see any scientific evidence that this does any harm. Riding with the choke out creates yet another variable for you to deal with which you can well do without especially early on in your riding career.

As for that hill, motorcycles, especially 125s make most of their power high up in the rev range, they're designed to rev high, so don't worry about taking the hill in a low gear at 8,000rpm or more.
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They're coming to take me away, ho-ho, hee-hee, ha-haaa, hey-hey,
the men in white coats are coming to take me away.
Yamaha Vity -> YBR125 -> FZS600 Fazer -> FZ1-S Fazer

[jdjake]

Thanks very much for the replies, guys. Taking everything into consideration and hopefully it will help tomorrow!

[Rogerborg]

Takes all sorts. I start and ride off, and I mean that literally. All the gear on, on the bike, press or kick, pull away.

I then get off the choke as quickly as possible. You can flip an under-tank choke off on the move with a bit of practice, or at the first junction.

That said, a Chinese 125 (like your Jianshe) will warm and come off the choke pretty quickly anyway if you want to do it before riding off, like 30 seconds to a minute tops even on a very cold day. No need to wait around all morning for it.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[Val]

[MC]

My XR was a bitch on a cold day. You had to start with the choke fully on, and immediately switch to half choke, then rev the bike a little until it was warm (normally a few minutes). Then choke off and ride away, if you tried that before the revs would just die and the bike stall.

Also it was weather dependent (obviously), coolish days you only needed partial choke, hot days none. It depends entirely on the bike, some will start first time without the choke.

Got to say I don't miss having a manual choke
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Yamaha MT-03 '08 (crashed)
Honda XR-125L '04