Difficult to start in cooler weather

Oh internal combustion gurus, I need your help. Carburetion is my Achilles heels so any advice is sincerely appreciated.

My bike simply does not like to start if it’s cold outside. Once it drops to about 40 degrees F/ 5 degrees C, by bike just does not want to start. If I get jumper cables and starting fluid I can get her running after about 30 minutes of screwing around. If it’s below about 30 F/0 C, forget it. Ain’t happening.

The choke seems to work, but doesn’t do much. I installed a primer and that helps, but if it’s cold outside it gets very difficult.

The bike is an 82 650 with Mikuni CV carbs, no airbox 4 pods. Going back to the stock airbox is not an option but if that is the issue I cab fab one up, or swap carbs out. Yes, yes I know, I am a flippin idiot for cutting the frame up so the stock airboxes won’t fit but this is where I am at. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Nice work heading off the "ditch the pods and put the stock airbox back on"!!! LOL

I've been running pods on my 77 kz650 since I've had it and she's always been an easy start. Not sure what all you've done, but the steps I followed to get her where she is are:
1. Check compression. Bike's going to run like shit if you don't have good compression on all cylinders. It's just that simple.
2. Check valve clearances. Bike will run like shit if they're out of whack. No way around that.
3. Ensure timing is dead on and you have good spark reaching the cylinders.
4. Adjust carb jetting/adjustments/sync LAST. If you don't have the other three areas guaranteed in spec and properly functioning you'll NEVER get your carbs right.

If you go through all these steps, or have recently enough that you know everything is right, getting the bike to run good with pods cold/hot/everywhere in between is just a little patience and tuning away. My 77 is a two kick start after sitting for 3 weeks of sub zero overnights this winter, so don't let anyone try to convince you that pods are the devil and you'll never get the bike running right with pods on it...

i dont start well below 40 degrees either! :laugh: