Chokes

[MarkB]

The 501/350 is using PHBH 28s, and the chokes are linked by cable to a lever on the handlebar. It's a pain trying to hold this open, as well as the throttle, while jumping up and down on the kickstarter. I'm thinking of going to the lift-up choke levers on the top of the carbs, as on the 3 1/2s - an arrangement which I get on well with, using just the left-hand lever.

Any thoughts on the comparative merits of each layout? Thanks, Mark.

['It must be a .....']

Hi Mark, can't you adjust the friction on the handlebar choke lever so that it stays in position?
I agree that the carb mounted lift up levers tend to be easier and more reliable in use with no sticking cables etc.

Have fun, Ian

[pedro]

Hi Mark,
My 501/350 is a bit of a pain to start, with the result that I find it best to stand at the back of the bike holding the grab handle for extra leverage, this means that it is not possible to hold the throttle, my solution is to slide a short piece of wiring wire between the twistgrip rubber and the twistgrip body, it goes back in my pocket after starting. I am happier with this than winding the friction damper up, as I prefer a throttle that shuts when released. However, nothing wrong with the lift up levers in my opinion, and if your happy with it, then why not?

Echoing Ian's thoughts, have fun, that's what Morinis are all about. Pete

[72degrees]

The 375 with 28mm PHBH carbs rarely needs both chokes to start even when stone cold. I'm pretty sure having a tip-top stator winding and the NLM black box/coils setup helps though.

['It must be a .....']

Hi Mark & Pete, in my post I meant increasing the friction on the choke lever and not on the throttle twist grip.

I agree that they should start easily, has your 501 got Ducati Electronica or Kokusan electrics? as I recall reading something on the forum that 501 motors with Kokusan electrics are harder to start at kick start speeds as really designed for use with the electric starter?

[MarkB]

It's got the Kokusan ignition, and does need a hefty kick with full body weight. I've not had problems starting it before, and it might be that the low temperature in the garage this weekend required more choke than usual. I've just ordered a pair of carb-top choke levers from Eurocarb, so we'll see if they make things easier.

Thanks for all the comments.

[moriniboy23]

Many of the Morinis Ive had over the years would only start on one choke, then Id 'juggle' one or other to warm the bike up evenly, without it revving its (cold) nuts off. You might find you get better starting with flip-up chokes and the option of 'either/or'

[MarkB]

That's just it: the 3 1/2s both start happily with just the left choke flipped up, whereas with the cable-choked 501 it's not so easy to tell what both chokes are doing when you pull the lever on the handlebar.

[EVguru]

Hi Mark,
My 501/350 is a bit of a pain to start, with the result that I find it best to stand at the back of the bike holding the grab handle for extra leverage, this means that it is not possible to hold the throttle, my solution is to slide a short piece of wiring wire between the twistgrip rubber and the twistgrip body, it goes back in my pocket after starting. I am happier with this than winding the friction damper up, as I prefer a throttle that shuts when released. However, nothing wrong with the lift up levers in my opinion, and if your happy with it, then why not?

Echoing Ian's thoughts, have fun, that's what Morinis are all about. Pete

My technique for treluctant 500s is to turn the bars to the right and stand on the left had side facing the rear of the bike. I can then reach back with my left hand to give it a whiff of throttle, whilst being able to get my weight rich over the kickstarter.

[norbert]

I´m starting my 501 like this (with the original 350 filter-case but without filters inside):

Nearly all the year trough I use the two chokes (don´t know why, but this way I can be sure that the motor normaly start with one kick, maybe sometimes two o three). Only if it´s a real summer I don´t use them. I passed years with a right carb somehow strange. Without using the choke together with the front one the motor didn´t start that easyly. When I took the right one of with the motor running, there was no diference at all Obviosly any bore was atascado. It works for years, so why change a winning team?

I´m sure that all our girls have their own secrets. And if she wants it that way, to avoid debates ... that´s like in real life or how do you manage at home

I´m kicking standing over the bike, ready to sit down, with the left. Playing soccer I always have been a leftfoot So opening the gasoline, chokes in, two soft kicks without ignition (well, mine starts without any key at all ), looking for the compresion and then one good kick, the ankle just passing the notch (?) for mm (no one else wants to start Rocinante ) She wears Ducatti Elettronica with a black pickup and some BP7EVX spark plugs. I recomand these plugs, they help starting and are running well. The ones I´m using actually after 20oookm dont schow any sign of wear. For our bikes forget abaut Iridium, Platin is what we need
I´ve heard rumors that they stopped producing them But surely there are still some in stock, and surely you won´t regret storing some of them!!!

My biggest problem is that the kicker with the joint at the bottom tends to fold and give a good kick from down under to the brakepedal, the reason why I dont have a switch for the footbrakelight

saludos norbert

[Daddy Dom]

Hi Norbert,
is the only reason to love the platinum NGK BP7EVX because of long life or do they run better in some way? I use BP6ES.
DD

[Morizzi]

When I got my poor old tired 500 SeiV I decided to do a bit of a tidy up and to try and improve its running.

After I painted the frame and put the motor back in I fitted a set of platinum plugs and removed the electric starter as everything I'd read told me the kick starter was fine. I kicked and kicked and kicked until the bottom of my feet were bruised. The thing just would not fire. I put the original standard plugs back in and it fired 3rd kick!

I've had a lot of issues with NGK plugs in Asutralia. Ive used thenm in the UK and USA without issue but the ones here used to go open circuit on me at about 6,000km. The ones here come in a yellow box, the USA, silver and I have no idea in the UK as I never had to replace them. All on Guzzis by the way. I emailed NGK to ask about the issue but neve got an answer.

I can't fault Nippon Densos. I no longer use any form of fancy plugs as their main advantage is long life so on a Guzzi plug access is a non issue. Rememeber that fancy plugs have resistance. Platinums I have heare are about 1.2-1.3k ohm. Standard plugs should be about 0 and Resistor about 5k ohm but they are usually around the 4.8k mark. The NGK and Champions I have here are all over the place new. I measure their ohms before fitting and they can vary a lot! ND's are consitently around the 0 ohm mark. How long do they last? I have no idea as the ones in my LM III have been in there 25,000km and they still haven't started to fail. Problem with having more than one bike is it can take time to rack up big distances on any particular one if you spread the work.

I thought they were hard to source until I discovered that Toyota dealerships in Oz are their distributors. Not a standard Toyota plug for any of their models will suit our Italians but just ring the parts guy and they will get them in for you. About 60% of the cost of a NGK from an auto store too.

BP6ES is same as W20EP-U and BP7ES is W22EP-U.

Japanese numbers go up as the heat range goes down.

Rod

[norbert]

Hi Norbert,
is the only reason to love the platinum NGK BP7EVX because of long life or do they run better in some way? I use BP6ES.
DD

The main reason for me ist that they help starting the motor, I´m realy content with them. And by the way you can forget about the plugs for years There is no sign of wear, and the distance between the electrodes is the same after more than 20thousand km.

norbert

[MarkB]

I fitted the flip-up choke levers today and tried starting it with the left-hand choke open. The engine clearly wanted to do something (little pops, noises and kick-backs) so I opened the right-hand choke too: next kick it burst into raucous life at 3,000 rpm, so right-hand choke off again and it was idling happily at around 1,500 rpm. A job well done, but my right calf is now aching from when the kickstarter decided to kick me too.

I'm sure the handlebar-operated choke works fine, it's just that it's hit-and-miss as to how open both chokes are.

[EVguru]

KIckback in one of the perils of the Kokusan ignition, which was really only intended for electric start bikes.