[Cut-Right]

I just bought my daughter a new CRF 150...It is almost impossiable to start (KICK) when it is cold. It starts with one kick after it warms up. I have the choke on full. I have to push start this bike to get it to start when it is cold or I spend all day kicking this little bike. Any ideas? Thanks for your Ideas.

[lilgirl]

This topic gets brought up quite often so you can probably do a search on it too.

My CRF150 starts first kick just about every time EXCEPT when I lay it down (mostly on the right side) and then it's a little devil to start I now just open the throttle and 1/2 kick lightly, knowing it won't start right away so not to get in a snit.

When I first got it it was really tough to start but it was my first bike as well. Also, they ship really lean and I finally ignored my hubby and opened the throttle abit when kicking and that, along with practicing the kick every night and wearing it in, definitely helped.

Seriously it's now easy to start this bike. It's all in the tuning I believe.

[dan256]

my 150 was rejeted and now it starts easy, but when it is warm and wont start try holding the throttle wide open and it will start right up.

[IvanCRF]

hearing all this makes me treasure the 230's electric start

['04crf150f]

the only thing i have to say is it has to be broke in, like a horse difficult to get to go for a while to you and the horse are use to each other, i've had mine since the '04 christmas and now i can start it with at the most two or maybe three kicks, if you do get it to start and when you do at full choke, switch it into half quickly, and let it sit without revving it, revving only puts gas in the carb when it's still cold so it takes longer to ignite and it chokes down and floods, if you do flood it sitting on the ground or after a crash hold the bike by the bar lay it down until the peg touches the ground then stand it back up and try again, this lets the excess gas in the carb drain

[crfsonly]

another tip...while it seems reasonable to assume more kicking force the better the opposite is true on these smaller bore motors. a nice firm but slower kick is more effective than a fast hard kick. in the summer if it's already pretty warm out you may not need the choke. in these cases if you take up the "slack" in throttle cable, making sure not to rotate your wrist during the kick, this can make starting easier as well. lastly, the advice about proper jetting and opening up the intake track is critical to better starting.

good luck and welcome to the group.

ken

btw, you didn't mention what dad is riding?

[Cut-Right]

Thank you all for the advice. I have taken what you all have told me and gotten it to work. I enriched the idle mixture a little ( about 1/2 turn) and now leave the choke in the 1/2 way position and this bike now starts with one or two kicks...

Mahalo to all that helped with my problem.

I will get it rejetted soon, but for now my daughter can ride with out being winded from the start.

ken: Dad rides a XR400R.

Thanks again.......


Aloha,
Forest

[crfsonly]

glad to hear that helped. xr400 is a great bike...we still have one in our stable.

ken