Warming up your bike or car...yes or no?

[Darkness!]

So this has come up quite often with most people weighing in with mostly anecdotal "evidence" as to why do, or don't, believe in warming up a bike or car.

An interesting explanation:

https://youtu.be/xKALgXDwou4

For those of you that have cracked open engines and/or restored/rebuilt them, what do you think?

 

[rsrider]

30 seconds for my car. I read that, that is enough time for the oil to circulate and the carbon deposits to be burned off. 3 of my bikes are EFI, so as soon as I get my kit situated I ride them. The Ninjette has carbs, so it's a wait a bit situation.

 

[louemc]

In the First place, "warming up" is a vague term. How Warm, How much time?

Then initial motion... What kind of motion is being done?

It will vary with different people and different places.

 

[kuksul08]

Carbs - warm up 1-2 minutes.

FI - wait 10 seconds and go.

 

[clutchslip]

Why does every modern car that I own have a fast idle when started with cold radiator/oil temp? I have four, btw. Isn't this the engineers telling you to warm up your stupid engine, stupid? Thanks.

 

[EastBayDave]

Common sense. Warm it up at least a few minutes unless your running synthetic oil =which protects hot or cold (I'd still warm it up a bit.) You still have to ride a few miles to get the tires up to temp anywayz if your smart...

Are you? :laughing

 

[Foxwolfe]

The engine? Not at all, start it up and take off.

 

[EastBayDave]

The engine? Not at all, start it up and take off.

Donno about that. If you don't plan on keeping your bike more than a year or two; by all means don't worry about it. Start up & off you go...

Me, I like to wait until at least 30-60 seconds for the oil to get up to the top end & tranny ....but that's me. :cool

 

[Aware]

If we were in Canada in the winter, I'd warm up. It's never cold enough here for me to care.

 

[Darkness!]

Anyone hear the part about a cold engine not atomizing the fuel very well? Thoughts about that? I understand that carbs do require a bit more time but this isn't Michigan. generally it's almost never much below freezing in most parts of the greater Bay Area...

Edit: Aware, ya beat me to it...:cool

 

[SixShock]

I wait for my bike to go from Lo to an actual temp reading.

 

[afm199]

So this has come up quite often with most people weighing in with mostly anecdotal "evidence" as to why do, or don't, believe in warming up a bike or car.

An interesting explanation:

https://youtu.be/xKALgXDwou4

For those of you that have cracked open engines and/or restored/rebuilt them, what do you think?

I didn't look.

Modern FI bikes and cars are designed and built to start and drive immediately, or within a few seconds. They pollute less and work better that way. Don't beat on them when the engine and oil are cold, oil needs to come up to temp.

I've rebuilt a fair amount of motors.

 

[afm199]

Donno about that. If you don't plan on keeping your bike more than a year or two; by all means don't worry about it. Start up & off you go...

Me, I like to wait until at least 30-60 seconds for the oil to get up to the top end & tranny ....but that's me. :cool

Dave, a modern motor has oil flowing out of the cam journals about three seconds after starting.

 

[anglerdon]

https://youtu.be/elrIcMX3yNI

Depends on the situation.

 

[R3DS!X]

not having to worry about any of that on my e-bike is pretty sweet.

 

[louemc]

https://youtu.be/elrIcMX3yNI

Depends on the situation.

:thumbup That's the bottom line And... Parts change dimensions from cold to hot, And that is different for Aluminum, Than it is for Cast Iron.

 

[DIY]

The Aprilia has EFI and runs like crap until it warms up. The Honda is carbed and is ready to go in about 10 seconds.

 

[bergmen]

Modern FI bikes and cars are designed and built to start and drive immediately, or within a few seconds. They pollute less and work better that way. Don't beat on them when the engine and oil are cold, oil needs to come up to temp.

I've rebuilt a fair amount of motors.

Exactly. My 2006 Toyota Tundra has 205,000 miles on it, no need to add oil between changes and runs like the day I bought it new.

Same with my 2014 Yamaha FJR.

I'm easy on it for the first couple of miles until I get on the freeway, after that, it is good to go. Spent many years bending wrenches on all types of cars/trucks/motorcycles. The advent of modern EFI systems have allowed engines to run well just a few seconds after startup. Oil gets circulated very quickly as well, especially with modern multi-grades that start at 0W, 5W and 10W.

Dan

 

[russ69]

All bikes are air cooled, even if they have a radiator. They are designed to have air flowing over them. Otherwise they will create hot spots and not distribute the heat properly. Suit up, start it up, and ease on down the road. All the wear on an engine happens on startup. Waiting for the engine to reach full operating temperature just wastes gas.


P.S. If you ever had a bike with an oil temperature gauge you know that to reach full stabilized operating temperature it takes more than a half hour. Are you really going to wait that long before you pull away?

 

[budman]

Let the car warm up a bit... then drive chill until it is up to temp. One I have the oil temp as my standard info setting. I won't load the engine until after the oil is 150 degrees.

On the bike new or old I still let them warm a bit. As long as it take to put on my earplugs, helmet and gloves.

The old two smoke likes a bit more.