Does it cause any issues with clutch wear, etc if you start the engine with the bike in 1st gear? I had never thought about it much until I recently adjusted my clutch. Although the clutch works better now, it tends to lurch forward a little if I start the motor with it in gear, with the clutch pulled of course. Would this indicate an incorrect clutch pack adjustment? I set it to 3/4 turns out from bottom. Thanks

 

Normal if the bike has been sitting for a week...if it does it after initial start up, something is not quite right.

 

It seems to do it when it is cold. Thick primary fluid? Level too high?

 

Cold will = thick fluid, your probably ok or it sounds.

I don't start the bike in gear period.
Went through a stint of 3 starter clutches awhile back, did all the adjustments and cks 3 -4 times.

No problems in recent years after I went to starting in neutral. This a different bike just never gave up the habit.

WP

 

Thanks. Thats probably good advise. I need to get out of the habit myself.

 

Good practice would be in neutral and clutch pulled in just to save on stress of the starter and battery.

 

I never start the bike without the clutch disengaged, You never know if the idiot light is working properly and you'll always get a little lurch on startup if in gear because the gear lube takes a second to be cleared from the disks. Totally normal...

 

I never start from cold in gear, for several reasons. One is simply that our older Evos have what I will call a marginal clutch, in that even when everything is as perfect as it can be and up to running temperature there is likely to be some clutch drag. On top of that, as already commented on, there is the 'sticky' clutch when cold - hence clunk when first engaging gear after starting. So it isn't kind to the primary or the starter to start in gear, especially from cold.

 

It's old tech. You want to leave it ticking over for a while until it warms up before you drive off, so why would you do that on the clutch?

If it stalls in traffic after you've been on the road, and you want to catch the lights etc, then I'd say that's a different matter. Not optimum, but expedient.

I learnt the hard way trying to jump start an FLH with a flat battery just how much the clutch actually drags! Impossible even down a hill.

I suppose related question would be, how long should I warm the engine up for, should I drive off on the choke/enrichener?

 

Luke, don't start another 'to warm or not warm' debate, there's a good chap, we've already got one going on at a pace as I write!