A couple of questions

[DanceLikeAMon...]

While out practising this morning, I noticed that I still have an occasional bit of a wobble when pulling away from lights even though I am giving it plenty or revs, looking forward etc etc. Now, I 'm a big fella - 5ft 11 and about 17 stone - riding a little SR125 (hopefully for not too much longer), when I finally get a proper bike will the longer wheel base sort this out by giving me better balance, or am I just rubbish? For the record, is an ER5 a lot longer than an SR, or is it just a few mm?

My second question is, why don't bikes have automatic chokes? Surely there can't be a lot of technical stuff involved and it would save a lot of faffing about in the mornings.

Any thoughts?

[Zoffo]

Balance will come. With a heavier bike it will be more stable. with you being a big chap a good percentage of the weight is high up (i.e. you) with a heavier machine the centre of balance will be lower making ballance easier.

Manual chokes are simply to save money. You gets what you pay for.

[loply]

Bikes do have automatic chokes.

Just not SR125s
____________________
Yamaha SZR660 Caution to the wind, the throttle pinned!

[Liono]

Moving from my 125 to a 650 I found that the bike was much easier to handle at lower speeds, and I weigh about 15/16 stone. I think that having a lower center of gravity makes more difference than the length of the wheelbase, I was often a bit wobbly in traffic on the 125 but now my bike feels much more stable. I presume some of this is due to getting better at handling the bike, but there was a definate difference between the two.

[DanceLikeAMon...]

Cheers peeps.

[dodsi]

I can safely say that an ER-5 is 1,000,000 times better to ride than an SR125.

[DanceLikeAMon...]

Only 10 days to go now amd hopefully I can start looking for something a bit better.

[loply]

I think its the wider tires that make the bike more stable?
____________________
Yamaha SZR660 Caution to the wind, the throttle pinned!

[DanceLikeAMon...]

I hope so, it's a real pain in the ass when you are in a queue of traffic and I have to go forward a few feet, then stop, forward a few feet... etc, and trying not to wobble.

[mchaggis]

Manual chokes are cheap as chips. All they are is a cable pulling a lever, rotating the plate in the carburettor. I don't know why you'd really want an automatic choke anyway, I can't see the appeal myself.
____________________
I must not be a troll...
Mmmm, Guinness
Discovering the delights of Hammerite and a 3/4" brush.

[DanceLikeAMon...]

Because then you could start your bike, jump on and ride off straight away without having to goof around with the choke as you are riding or having to wait for the engine to warm up.

[mchaggis]

You'll have to wait just the same with an auto choke, or you'll treat it the same as normal and just ride slowly for a mile or two, upshifting early and not thrashing it. For most bikes with the choke lever on the left hand bar, fiddling with it whilst travelling shouldn't really be a problem, at least with it on the base of the left hand switchgear below the indicators it isn't for me. I can see that a choke such as that on a CG125 would be a pain in the arse, the lever being simply that on the carburettor, with no cable at all.



Bikes with fuel injection normally have automatic 'choke' anyway.
____________________
I must not be a troll...
Mmmm, Guinness
Discovering the delights of Hammerite and a 3/4" brush.

[simon1221]

The tzr choke is on the carb too, pain in the arse it is.

However the autochoke on my diddly dna seemed to get stuck most occasions, so it took a good thrashing (and a lot of smoke ) to go anywhere, this was after about 5 minutes!

At least with a manual choke you can make your mind up.

I never leave it on for more than about 20 seconds, other wise it floods the engine and is a pain in the arse setting off. (more smoke )
____________________
DNA50 (sorry) ->> TZR125l >> GPZ500S

[dodsi]

Chris, Like I said, once you pass your test you are welcome to crash my bike...I mean ride my bike.

[instigator]

Come summer time, you're welcome to buy my er5 for a grand and a bit or so with the original exhaust system on



I'm wanting to upgrade as soon as possible to be perfectly honest. Should be ready to do so in june/july

P.S My kymco zing 125 had an automatic choke Never had any problems starting it whatsoever, in the warm or freezing.

[california_rookie]

It's my uneducated opinion that the wobble is less the fault of the short wheelbase of your 125 and more down to the skinny tired on which it rides. As for you issue with having to fiddle with a choke, I'd actually rather have one. Have you any idea how long it takes a bike idling at 600rpm to warm up?!

Luckily, I've learnt myself how to adjust my idle to an all-round better 1300rpm. Anyway...
____________________
https://www.bikepics.com/members/californiarookie/04gsxr600/
https://www.myspace.com/spapadillion
https://steamcommunity.com/id/spapadillion

[DanceLikeAMon...]

[dodsi]

Not forgetting burnouts.