XBR starting problem - strange glitch

[guest7]

Bike is an XBR500SJ (spoked wheel model with auto-decompressor).

Starts lovely on the kickstart from hot or cold. Starts lovely on the button when hot.

The problem is it is very reluctant to start on the button from cold.

The owner has tried all sorts of variations between choke and throttle positions to no avail.

To my simple mind this sounds like one of those issues when the electrical fairies are sulking and/or being awkward, but what do you people who actually understand these things think?

GC

[KirriePete]

Wee Arfur does that!  I put it down to a less than 100% charged battery and/or less than gold standard connections.  I figure it's a case of the battery needing massive cojones to turn over a cold mill and give a big fat blue spark - anything less than 100% and it's a lottery.  So I kick the bugger when cold .... in fact, I hardly ever use the button 'cause it's so flippin' noisy it's embarrassing!

HTH

[guest7]

I don't think I've ever had trouble starting an XBR from cold unless it's one that has been stood for a week or more.

Mine (more than one of 'em) do that weird thing where they lose compression if left for a couple of weeks. I always use the kickstart to get the compression back (20-30 kicks). Once the engine gets compression again it starts fine.

GC

[niblue]

Mine kick starts pretty easily but will only start on the button when warm, even with a fully charged battery. I suspect it's the starter motor that needs looked at.

[pigafetta]

Yup, mines the same. If it's been standing more than a couple of days the leccy start is next to useless but it'll fire up on 2nd or 3rd kick. If I'm using it every day the leccy start is acceptable but not brilliant. It's always been like that, new batteries make little difference. I get the impression it's just an XBR thing. I usually kick it unless I'm feeling lazy.

[tommy]

mines the same     ....yoshi

[guest18]

Mine was the same, electric start too noisy to use in company  kickstart reliable and easy  (even after being parked for a few days at the elefant!!
Mine also used to do the compression thing you mentioned GC, although bizarrely now that it's in the electrical huff it seems to have bags of compression?!? (turning it over to oil the top end in case you wondered..)

Personally I treated the electric start as ballast. Not needed, which is fortunate as it's pretty borderline at best!

[guest7]

I have to say I'm surprised by this, all my XBRs have been fine on the button. The rest of the bike was generally wankered though 

GC

[Andy M]

I don't think I've ever had trouble starting an XBR from cold unless it's one that has been stood for a week or more.


GC

You weren't pushing! 

This to me sounds like a wiring issue. You have a battery that's going to be anything from 5% to 70% down on power (OK  that'd be at minus 30 so it's probably not that bad) due to the cold trying to not only stir cold oil but give a single great spark in an over rich (wet) mixture. It's a big ask.

If you want to prove it, wire in a car battery. If the big battery result in easy starting, that's your proof.

I'd rewire or clean up the main earth and the connection from the battery to the starter solenoid to the starter motor. I'd also fit a new plug and clean up the HT lead. Try giving it a kick with the ignition off to free up the oil, then leave the lights on while you finish getting dressed. The headlight current will warm the battery and give you a better chance of getting a spark.

Andy