Hi everyone can i get some advice please? My bike struggles to start unless i give it some throttle while kicking it. It's a 2007 TXT Raga 300. I just got rid of a 2002 TXT pro 280 that started with no throttle every time,(i had that bike for 9 years and i learned not to slap the kickstart) This is really p****** me off as i keep forgetting to twist the throttle while kicking it over.It goes against 30 years of habit.Giving a bike throttle to start it just seems wrong.

I've had a few bikes over the years(mostly road bikes and Mx'ers) and none of them ever needed throttle to start unless they were broken then a trip to the bike shop sorted them out.

Is my Jetting wrong or something? Could it be something else? or do i just have to put up with it and re-learn how to start a bike?

My mechanical knowledge is slim so if it's anything more complicated than cleaning the carb then i'll have to get a bike shop to do it.

Thanks.

Is it like this when Cold (choke on) or Hot Or both. Its not uncommon when hot.

Hot and cold. Without giving it some throttle it just won't start.

The 300 can be tricky to start. I find they do like a bit of throttle when hot. When cold, most new riders to the 300 will take several kicks regardless. Does the bike run well once started? The keihins can be alittle finicky with float height. Is the plug wet when you check it after it doesnt start?

silly i know but better in neutral

Thanks laser1 , The bike starts first or second kick (as long as i remember to give it a wee bit throttle)and it runs fine. I'll just have to get used to throttling and kicking at the same time. :-) even though that just seems wrong to me.

Silly nigel? No, that's snidy.

try it its true!

Hi my 2012 280 was the same and I also had it stalling sometimes on downhills.

I checked the float height (see the 2008 2t With Keihin Carb post in the Beta forum for a pdf describing how to check) and it was ok but adjusted to allow slightly more fuel through and now it starts much better without any throttle and I haven't had it stall yet.

Does your 2007 Raga have a Keihin flatslide or the same Del Orto as your old bike? I find my new Raga with the Keihin needs plenty of throttle to start. But it runs great and starts 1st kick hot or cold (as long as I don't forget the throttle). Like you, I've had years of old habit learned on my old 2001 TXT321.

Chris.

_{I was wondering the same thing about my new 2012 Econo 250. It needs throttle to start, especially when the motor is warm. This seems very odd to me too. I also had to relearn kick starting (no more slapping at the kicker). My last bike was a '02 GG 280 Edition. The new bike is much easier to ride well in the sections. GG must have added a lot of lightness when they made it.}

Thanks for that wilfie,thats one of the few how-to posts that didn't go over my head.lol. I'm going to check the float height soon.( I would have turned them fully upside down to check the height too).

Hi aussiechris ,yes the Raga has a keihin and the 280pro had a delorto,personally,i prefer the delorto but thats just because the keihin choke button seems a fiddly wee thing compared to the delorto's lever. I'm remembering more and more to give it a bit of throttle and it starts no problem. If this is my only worries with the bike then i'll be smiling.

Hi,

Thought I would add, that when my Kehin on my 08 and now 10 raga 300 gets a little crap in the pilot jet (I think that is what it is called, it is in the bottom of bowl area when bowl is on)

I have to use throttle to start the bike. But! when jet is clean as a whistle, no throttle to start. so sounds like 2 possibilites for our OP if he has Kehin carb... dirty or sized wrong (both are lean)?

Mine gets a jelly like substance once in a while, I know now, that it happens when the "local premium" at the pump has the Methanol/alcohol blend, which seems to react to the premix oils, they seperate? I stay away from all stations but one around me, I have ONE, that does his best to buy alcohol free fuels. But he is at the mercy of his suppliers/truck drivers honesty and prudence (hoses from trucks drained before changing tanks etc). (so for the last year or so??) I haven't had as much of a problem, this month once again I have. The less I ride in a given "month" so to speak, the worse it seems to be affected by this. so I still think it is alcohol trying to seperate the oil, into clumps. I had read that about blended gas doing this to premix, several years ago, never read if premix companies figured out how to keep this from happening?

Part of the problem is, USA states that they don't have to tell you if they use blended fuels at the pump, I have not talked about if the guy selling in bulk, to gas stations have any such rules as well?

Edited August 31, 201213 yr by sting32