Hard Starting/choke issue

My bike won't start with the choke on, but will with the choke off after giving it throttle and trying to start it a few times holding in the start button for a few seconds. It was starting up just fine a few days ago. I'm not sure what changed besides the weather getting hotter here. While trying to start it, it seems to "put" just barely. Is the air fuel mixture too lean? Any advice on what to check is greatly appreciated.

On cold weather conditions you need a rich fuel/air mix to start the engine.
On hot weather conditions you need a leaner fuel/air mix to start the engine.
Try to start with the choke only 1/4 in and not full open .
Some choke starter mechanism could be very tricky to adjust the right fuel/air mix to start a bike.
A good carb clean and adjustment should made better cold/hot starting conditions.
What kind of bike/carb do you have????

Dwolley wrote

It was starting up just fine a few days ago. I'm not sure what changed

Scirocco wrote

What kind of bike/carb do you have????

Yes. What bike and carbs ? Some carbs have a proper choke which restricts air and some have an enricher circuit.
Having said that, your post caught my attention because I had exactly the same same happen with my 750/4 with Keihin CV34 carbs earlier this week. Bike usually starts first jab of the button but this time no go.

Usually operating the choke lever on my carbs moves the choke butterflies from horizontal to vertical in the intake restricting air from the air box and filter.. I found that I was not hearing the characteristic click sound of the butterflies snapping into place. Rolling back one of the airbox boots confirmed the choke lever was moving but not the butterflies.

To make a short story shorter I found that the fuel line between carbs 2 and 3 had shifted - maybe when i rode over that railway level crossing at speed - and was stopping the choke linkage from operating as it should. Fuel line re routed and all was well again.

Not saying that's your problem and your carbs may be totally different and probably a long shot anyway but if your choke is not working then the questions may be along the lines of how should it work and what's preventing it working now.

Good luck

I have a 1992 suzuki gs500e. I just got it about 3 weeks ago after i sold my kz440. I assumed the same thing as you. I though the carbs might be having issues. I tore them apart and nothing seemed too terribly wrong except for the gasket being fairly hard. I've ordered a rebuild kit hoping this fixes the issued and reset the fuel air mixture. I don't know the exact amount of recommended turns so I'm trying 2.5 turns.

JR wrote: Dwolley wrote

It was starting up just fine a few days ago. I'm not sure what changed

Scirocco wrote

What kind of bike/carb do you have????

Yes. What bike and carbs ? Some carbs have a proper choke which restricts air and some have an enricher circuit.
Having said that, your post caught my attention because I had exactly the same same happen with my 750/4 with Keihin CV34 carbs earlier this week. Bike usually starts first jab of the button but this time no go.

Usually operating the choke lever on my carbs moves the choke butterflies from horizontal to vertical in the intake restricting air from the air box and filter.. I found that I was not hearing the characteristic click sound of the butterflies snapping into place. Rolling back one of the airbox boots confirmed the choke lever was moving but not the butterflies.

To make a short story shorter I found that the fuel line between carbs 2 and 3 had shifted - maybe when i rode over that railway level crossing at speed - and was stopping the choke linkage from operating as it should. Fuel line re routed and all was well again.

Not saying that's your problem and your carbs may be totally different and probably a long shot anyway but if your choke is not working then the questions may be along the lines of how should it work and what's preventing it working now.

Good luck

JR, The CV34s are actually great carburetors except for the choke. The problem with the choke is that they used a fairly stout spring to close 1&2 carburetors but left closing 3&4 to that little puny spring that hooks onto the 3&4 carb choke shaft. If I used those carbs, I would tie the two shafts together with a piece of fine wire so when 1&2 choke is actuated you could be sure 3&4 are also and not rely solely on that puny 2nd spring that hooks onto the 3&4 shaft end fitting.