Honda Hornet CB600 - Starting troubles

[Guest]

Bit of background

Bike is 2000 Hornet CB600S.

Full Honda service history, with nearly 17,000 miles on the clock.

Micron exhaust

Datatool cat 1 alarm fitted

Stored in a garage over night.

I've had to charge my battery again, 2nd time in 4 weeks, which I think is due to the short 2.5m journey to work every day, and very little use at the weekend.

Problem

Starting from cold is a bit of a juggling act. If I use half choke, and twist the throttle a little as the bike fires to keep the revs around 3k, after 10-20 seconds of choke plus throttle the bike will idle on just choke, then after about 1 minute will idle on it's own (no choke).

If I use full choke - it never fires.

If I don't use a bit of throttle - it fires, runs for about 2 seconds, then stalls.

If I increase choke above half once started, it stalls.

Once idling it seems to be at the lower rev range (almost like there is not enough fuel getting through) for the first couple of minutes.

What this means is that if I don't catch it with the throttle when I start up, then I have to try again, which in turn is killing the battery (I think). I have ordered an Optimate 4 to use nightly, and over the weekend, and depending on the results of that will change the battery if needed.

Something however seems to be wrong with air or fuel - any ideas?

Thanks

Horness

[Bill_on_a_bike]

First of all, check your air filter is clean. I very nearly went ripping my carb to pieces onces and luckily cleaned my air filter first, which solved the problem.

[Stu]

have you got power in the garage?

if so get yourself a optimate charger and connect it everytime you park your bike up otherwise you will be buying yourself a new battery sooner rather then later

as for the starting issue

you have a cold arse bike

[Guest]

What Stu said. Sounds like it's just cold. Sounds very similar to the problems I had with my first bike. Took me ages to figure out the choke and throttle combination on that bike...

I would be surprised if it is the short journey that is killing your battery. Possible but I'd be surprised. I'd wanna double check it is charging correctly .....

Optimate will cure it otherwise.

[Stu]

I would be surprised if it is the short journey that is killing your battery. Possible but I'd be surprised. I'd wanna double check it is charging correctly .....

 

it can take around 15 mins at 4000 rpm to get a battery back to its original state it was before you hit the starter

and when in the cold you need more juice to crank over an engine so i wouldnt be surprised as by the time 15 mins comes he could already be at work

my dad land rover does it in the cold he only goes around 5 miles a day and every 3 or 4 weeks he has to top the charge up its great after a long run though

[Guest]

I would be surprised if it is the short journey that is killing your battery. Possible but I'd be surprised. I'd wanna double check it is charging correctly .....

 

it can take around 15 mins at 4000 rpm to get a battery back to its original state it was before you hit the starter

 

I'm surprised. I have not heard that before. Makes sense though.

[Stu]

dont forget the charging system is also running all the bike electrical circuit aswell as trying to charge the battery once the battery is fully charged the bike just runs off the charging system and any excess is disparsed as heat from the reg/rec

[Guest]

Thanks for the replies and the advice - it's really appreciated.

I've ordered an Optimate 4 (as the bike is parked next to a power socket) and will give that a go.

Stu - my Land Rover does the same, doing the same journey to-and-from work in the winter. Once a month I have to charge the main battery, although luckily it has a split charge with a 2nd battery, so I can jump start it without assistance.

One thing that came to mind (from a colleague at work) is the angle the bike is parked when I start up in the morning. It's on the side stand, but also facing up hill (on the drive). Would this make a difference? When I left work tonight I sat on the bike and leveled it up before starting. It started OK, and actually ticked over (slow to start with) with just half choke.

I'll check the air filter as well, just to be sure.

[Stu]

hmmm not really heard of many probs with it been on a side or on a slope

is yours fuel injected or carbs ?

[rennie]

You should always start bike level! especially when cold.

the rest is just learning your own bike, once you've got it cracked it gets better and better because you're good at starting it it takes less out of battery

try going home the long way once or twice a week to give bike a bit of a run