I have a hard time starting my bike, and it seems that the choke has little or no effect when trying to start my bike. After it warms up it runs and starts fine everytime.

 

I assume your cable(s) are good and they are connected to the carbs correctly. You can try going for a long ride with the choke on full open. This may loosen up whatever might be in there. If that fails then you're looking at pulling the carbs and cleaning out those passages that might be blocked. You might get by with just removing the cables/valves from the carbs and spraying some strong carb cleaner cleaner in there without removing the carbs completely.

Oh yeah, be careful as the fittings where they screw into the carb are plastic and easily broken.

 

I have a a similar problem with my '03. It doesn't want to fast idle when first started cold. I have to hold the throttle open a bit on a cold start to get a fast idle. After about 30 seconds or so, I can push the choke lever in a bit, and the idle speed picks up. The bike will then idle around 1600 rpm or so, and the choke lever will affect the idle speed at that point. I bought my Hawk a few months ago with gummed up carbs, caused by previous owner letting the bike sit too long. Cleaned carbs by running a few tanks of gas with a good fuel system cleaner. Bike runs good otherwise. Does the same advise apply in my case?

 

My '02 is almost new 1800 miles on it, and when I bought it the guy told me that to make the choke really work well you needed to pull it past the lock point a little bit and hold it. I usually hold it for about 45 seconds, until the temp gauage starts to register. Then I realease.

 

There is a lock nut under the black cover there on the frame. It may be adjusted too tight to let you completely pull out the choke cable.

 

Jbaxx, mine does the same thing and I think that's normal for the S'Hawk. It's not like an IL4. It doesn't rev too high on the choke. Too much choke and it'll actually rev lower.

 

Thanks fellas. I put carb cleaner in the gas tank, and my bike runs the best it ever has in three years. Guess I gotta give it some attention during the winter.