[Fz7-24]

Hey guys, I am new so take it easy on me if this is common knowledge but:

Does your FZ07 start on the first, second or third try on a cold start?

Mine always starts on the second try. Dealer said its normal when I picked it up, but the word 'trust' and the word 'dealer' don't usually end up in the same sentence. Well except this one.

About 25 miles on the bike so far. About 50 deg F where I am at.

 

[High Plains Drifter]

Yes my bike starts on the first try, and I think every bike I've ever had has started on the first try.

Wait until the fuel pressure is built up before you press the starter, I always wait until the speedo is finished with it's start up routine before I hit the starter.

 

[Fz7-24]

Yes my bike starts on the first try, and I think every bike I've ever had has started on the first try.

Wait until the fuel pressure is built up before you press the starter, I always wait until the speedo is finished with it's start up routine before I hit the starter.

Thanks for the response Drifter.

I typically wait until the bike is settled before I start it. Most of the time it's a while as I turn the key on, then back the bike out of my driveway then crank it.

So I just went out to try it again to make sure I wasn't making this up an noticed a behavior that explains it.

If you turn the key to the on position with the kill switch in the kill position then move the kill switch to the 'run' position, the fuel pump does not come on and the bike doesn't start on the first crank.

If you move the kill switch to run first, then turn the key to on, the fuel pump spins up and it fires up on the first crank.

So
RUN->ON->START fires up on first crank
ON->RUN->START fire up on second crank

So you were right, it was fuel pressure related.

Thanks again.

 

[Fz7-24]

Alright so what we found above is true (at least on my bike) in term of startup order affecting whether or not the fuel pump spins up,

BUT...the large majority of the time I still don't get a start on the first crank. Always the second.

Anyone else have issues starting on the first crank?

 

[versysrider]

Kill switches are for dirtbikes. Your FZ has a key, the kill switch is only meant to be used in the case of an accident.

 

[Fz7-24]

Kill switches are for dirtbikes. Your FZ has a key, the kill switch is only meant to be used in the case of an accident.

Makes sense. Whether it's right or wrong I read somewhere to use the kill switch to turn off the bike so you get into the habit, so in an emergency that's what you reach for.

 

[Fz7-24]

Alright so what we found above is true (at least on my bike) in term of startup order affecting whether or not the fuel pump spins up,

BUT...the large majority of the time I still don't get a start on the first crank. Always the second.

Anyone else have issues starting on the first crank?

Alright so as time goes on the bike is starting more and more on the first crank. I'm at about 300 miles and it's pretty much every time. Maybe she just needed a little breaking in. Mechanically I am not sure what would have caused this, but hey it's not an issue anymore, so I'm good.

 

[snoopy]

Good to hear, my bike did this also at the beginning for the first 200 miles or so, now I have 1800 miles and it always starts immediately.

 

[Fz7-24]

Makes sense. Whether it's right or wrong I read somewhere to use the kill switch to turn off the bike so you get into the habit, so in an emergency that's what you reach for.

So just got back from my safety training class and the guy had a good point on the side of using the key and not the kill switch: key turns off electricity too, if fuel has spilled just hitting the kill switch doesn't get you out of the woods due to fire risk.

On a side note, if you are in the gulf coast area I definitely recommend these guys: http://www.ridemotorschool.com. And if you on the fence about taking a class... just do it. It's worth it.

 

[AJ Nin]

Mine had to be cranked 3 times to get it started after my last fuel up yesterday. It did that the first day or two of ownership. When it's cold it starts immediately. I have had other bikes that didn't restart very well when hot too. The GSX-r1000 and the Triumph Street Triple r were 2 that had to crank a bit to restart when hot.

Speaking of fuel, I have a story. I also own a CB300f. I have 2100 miles on it and almost from day one I was getting this weird sound from the engine...like flapping. It would happen often when I would accelerate, then release (close) the throttle. It sounded like when you were a kid and put cards in the spokes of your bicycle, at least to my ears. It sounded nothing like pinging or knocking. Anyway I took a 200-mile ride 2 days ago and when I started out, the flapping sound was bad, in all gears at all rpms...flap, flap, flap. It was embarrassing to pull up next to someone with the bike making that sound. I was down to my last bar of fuel so I decided to just put premium gas in the tank since it's cheap now and just to see if it would improve the engine noise. I had been using unleaded regular from Murphys which is the gas station associated with Walmart. Anyway I put 3 gal or so of Shell V-Power or whatever their premium gas is called and IMMEDIATELY after that the flapping disappeared. It was gone just riding out of the service station and it's stayed gone for the next 200 miles. Whether it was detonation or something else, I can't say, but clearly the premium gas cured the problem. I couldn't elicit a single flap from that engine. Needless to say I refilled with more premium. No more regular unleaded for me...and that bike has a low compression engine, lower than the FZ-07 and 87 octane is supposed to work fine.

Anyway, soon as I got home, even though I had half a tank of that same cheap Murphy gas in the FZ-07, I went to an Exxon station and filled up with premium just to be sure. I haven't had any issues I can identify with gas in the FZ-07. There was that stalling on occasion. I don't think that's octane or fuel related but who knows? In any case, no more cheap gas for me. Heck, I'm even afraid to use the midgrade or premium gas from Murphys now. I don't know if it was the gas or the bike, and I suppose when fuel goes back up, I may see if midgrade works, but for now, I'm sticking with premium with no plans to go back to Murphys.