Needs Choke for a Long Time

[WingMan71]

My beloved '87 Aspencade has taken second seat to a newer GL1800 Gold Wing for a few years now, so she doesn't get the regular exercise that she used to.

I usually get her out once a month, but sometimes I'll miss a month. I keep both Stabil and Chevron Techron Fuel System Cleaner in the tank all the time.

I'm noticing that she needs the choke on for quite a long time when starting out riding. I'd say for at least the first 10 minutes of riding, perhaps a bit longer. Same amount and duration of choke required even on summer days when it's nice and warm outside.

Eventually I can take the choke off and she runs just fine, no lean stumble or any such thing. Runs strong and idles smoothly when the choke finally comes off.

I remember all carbureted Wings being a bit cold-blooded, but this seems to be too much so.

So the question is:

Is this pretty much normal, or do I have the beginnings of some plugged up circuits in the carbs?

Thanks for any advice.

***

[bs175dths]

Yes, you have the beginnings of plugged up primary circuits in the carburetors.

As you suspect, the bike sitting unused will cause performance problems like this.
Even with gas treatment additives, the jets do get restricted AND the fuel loses it potency.

The GL1200's (and maybe the 1000's and 1100's too) have small primary jets and as little as a week of not having a play date, can cause performance issues.

Here is So. Cal. where the riding season is 400 days a year, a bike may sit for as long as over night, so I am not familiar with the rituals of winter storage. BUT, I would think, to save the gas tank from rusting, the gas tank should be kept full of 'treated' fuel with the understanding that the gas in the full tank is not intended to be consumed by the engine, but drained and replaced with fresh fuel when the bike is back in 'service'.
In addition, the fuel supply is turned off and either the engine runs the carburetors dry, or the carburetors are manually drained.

In either case, no fuel in the carbs means no chance of the itty-bitty jets getting any measure of restricted.

I would suggest running the engine with some Seafoam until the amount of cold-engine-choke-use is back to where you remember it for your engine, then turning off the fuel, draining the carburetor float bowls and filling the gas tank with 'treated' fuel, and then decide what role the GL1200 has in your stable.

My .02

-Ride On

[roscoepc]

Me personally I wouldn't use Sta-Bil.. I use Seafoam instead, but that's just me!! With the quality of gas nowaday's I'd suggest riding the bike more than once a month because just setting will cause problems such as you're describing! These bikes run best when they're ridden often in my experience!! Good luck with her!!!

[WingMan71]

Yes, you have the beginnings of plugged up primary circuits in the carburetors.

As you suspect, the bike sitting unused will cause performance problems like this.
Even with gas treatment additives, the jets do get restricted AND the fuel loses it potency.

The GL1200's (and maybe the 1000's and 1100's too) have small primary jets and as little as a week of not having a play date, can cause performance issues.

Here is So. Cal. where the riding season is 400 days a year, a bike may sit for as long as over night, so I am not familiar with the rituals of winter storage. BUT, I would think, to save the gas tank from rusting, the gas tank should be kept full of 'treated' fuel with the understanding that the gas in the full tank is not intended to be consumed by the engine, but drained and replaced with fresh fuel when the bike is back in 'service'.
In addition, the fuel supply is turned off and either the engine runs the carburetors dry, or the carburetors are manually drained.

In either case, no fuel in the carbs means no chance of the itty-bitty jets getting any measure of restricted.

I would suggest running the engine with some Seafoam until the amount of cold-engine-choke-use is back to where you remember it for your engine, then turning off the fuel, draining the carburetor float bowls and filling the gas tank with 'treated' fuel, and then decide what role the GL1200 has in your stable.

My .02

-Ride On

Well... I had the old girl out for a ride yesterday for about an hour. She did great. She only needed full choke to get started, then she needed about half choke for about ten minutes of riding, then I could turn the choke off. Not too bad.

So I'm thinking it can't be too plugged up. I'll try running some Seafoam through it again. I've put Seafoam in the tank a number of times before when there was no Stabil in my shop.

If worse comes to worse, I can make a winter project of pulling the carbs off the bike and going through them. (Just finished rebuilding the carbs on my CB750C, so no big deal for me to do that.)

Wish the front carb drain screws were easier to get at on my '87. That whole big lower fairing has to come off to access them and drain the carbs.

I do the gas tank just like you said during winter storage. Fill it to the brim with fresh gas with Stabil in it. Then come spring when I'm getting ready to get her out the first time, I siphon all that old gas out and put in a fresh tank. (I burn the old stuff in my car.)

Regarding my '87's fate. When I get to the point that my bad right hip says I can't ride that much anymore, it's the '87 that I'll keep out of all of them. The GL1200s have always been my favorite Gold Wings. Best looking ones too!

She's "decorated" now. I took her to Wing Ding 37 in Huntsville, Alabama this past September and she won 1st Place in the GL1100/GL1200 Custom Class. Here's a pic of her with her 1st in Class plaque.



Yup... she's a keeper!

[collector]

That is one fine looking ride. Poorboy