Thursday, June 02, 2011

Too Loud; Too Early

I know I have a couple motorcycle owners who read me, so I need you to tell me if and why someone needs to idle their motorcycle for 6 minutes before riding it.

I want to know this information, because my neighbor decided he needed to start up his bike this morning at 4:50am.  And he left it rumbling in his driveway for 6 minutes before he left.
Middle of the day?  No problem.
4:50am?  I'm gonna have a problem... especially if he doesn't need to be doing it.

Not that I'm gonna do anything about it.
But, tomorrow at 4:50am, I might not be so pissed off if I know he's gotta do it, and he's not being an inconsiderate ass.

I now refer you to last Thursday's post.
Thank you.

7 comments:

Dani said...

I know nothing of motorcycles. But you have my sympathy. One of our neighbors has a muscle car that he turns on a revs at all hours of the day and night for hours at a time. It wakes Fiona up and then she thinks there's a monster growling in her room. I don't like that neighbor.

Andy said...

I'll ask #3 son later today, and get back with you. He's a bike nut, and will know whether it's ever necessary, or if the guy is just an inconsiderate jerk.

But, I know that when he was living at home, he NEVER idled his bike any longer than it took to back it out of the garage.

Thumper said...

Well, if it's a carbed bike, it does need to warm up a little if it's cold out. But it shouldn't take that long. A couple of minutes, and then take off slowly, giving the engine time to warm up and the oil to distribute. He's probably firing the bike up and letting it run while he gears up.

If he's got a newer bike with fuel injection and he's idling...he's just being a dick. You can fire those up and ride.

There are a lot of riders with older bikes, though, that are afraid they'll damage the engine and the clutch if they don't let it warm all the way up before taking off.

So the answer is really...maybe. If it's got carbs and isn't fuel injected, he needs to warm it up, but it shouldn't take 6 minutes. 2-3, then ride slowly with the choke out a little...

Andy said...

Somehow I knew Thumper would come through on this one.

Phil never had an older/carburetor bike, so maybe that's why. Learn sumpin' new every day.

Christie Critters said...

We USED to have a vroom vroom motorcycle next door. He warmed it up also - as good as any alarm clock, except an hour too early. Well, he moved and just when we thought it was safe, the across the street neighbor got chickens...and they DON'T wait for sunrise to start their chatter...
I was really irritated until the dozen fresh eggs a week began to arrive.

DogsDontPurr said...

One of my neighbors had some kind of vintage car that he never drove, but every morning he would go out and rev the engine over and over. He said that was to keep it lubed.

I asked my Dad about it (my Dad used to have a towing company/garage), and he told me that the guy was actually doing more harm than good. Oy.

Thank God,that guy finally sold the car, and I can sleep again!

So. I feel your pain. Argh.

Roses said...

I have a neighbor with a "vintage" hot rod, too. He also takes it out of the garage and revs it up gooda coule times before driving it aroundtown. He also says he has to do it to keep the car running well.

Thumper, I couldn't tell the difference between a carbed motorcycle and one with low carbs.
Does it mean anything that when he fired it up, I thought someone was mowing their lawn? That's why I checked the clock in the first place.

To the guy's credit, he did not rev it once while it idled in the driveway.
So, there's that.