Is there a way to get the choke to hold in a mid position. My choke is either full on or full off.
When warming up the bike, I would like to keep the RPMs below 2K RPM.
Craig

 

I agree, but I have no idea... I look forward to a wizard with his smoke and mirrors showing up to solve this problem.

On a second note, I don't even understand why the RPM's jump... must be something with the carb I don't understand, as I'm familiar with small egnines.

 

from what i understand the choke goes on which creates a vacuum sucking fuel into the carb... I could be completley wrong though lol

 

What we refer to as the "choke" is in fact an enricher jet that gets opened to allow more fuel for starting. It's totally different from what we are used to from automobiles. No idea why it climbs so high in the RPM nor what to do about it. I've tried holdin gmine part way back to off but it's real touchy and really awkward.

 

I believe there is also an air bypass that is unobstructed when pulling the choke, so as to keep the idle adequate right from starting. The engine needs more fuel to start, but needs more fuel *and* more air to keep idling due to cold oil. As the oil warms up, the idle keep going higher and higher.

 

I like the choke on my wife's Yamaha XT 225 it has the choke **** up in the handlebar area and its got notches to set it at different positions. I would really love to relocate the one on the KLX with a cable mount up top.

 

As said, the KLX and many other Kawasakis, uses an enrichener circuit. Most off roaders use the same set up. It is a plunger with a rubber base that covers a passageway to the float bowl and a passage way from the mouth of the carburetor around the slide and into the throat of the carburetor behind the throttle butterfly. When that plunger is pulled up, the engine draws a lot of air through that passage way and the vacuum pulls gas out of the float. bowl through that passage way Thus the rich mixture that causes the notorious Kawasaki high idle. With some finagling one can work the idle down by working the "choke" down a bit, which will block air flow through the one passage, cutting the fuel/air draw, but it is kind of hit/miss. It isn't an exact set up. If you back the "choke" off a bit to drop the rpm it may work for a second or two, then lean out and shut off the engine.

The best trick with the enrichener style warm up is to be ready to roll away within a few seconds after start up. Once the engine is oiled in the first few seconds (literally) the bike can be ridden away if it won't stumble on throttle. Both my KLX650 and my Zephyr 550 can be ridden away within seconds after start up. The KLX has over 45,000 miles on the bottom end and 30,000 miles on the top end (rebuilt due to tensioner, not oil failure) and I've ridden away on it 95% of the time within less than 30 seconds after starting it up.

Honda streetbikes and some dirt bikes use a true choke. A choke is a flap in the throat of the carburetor at the mouth, it can be adjusted to restrict air flow making the jetting richer than normal. This set up is far more adjustable than the enrichener circuit of the Kawasaki. It works great for those who think bikes need long warm ups - won't help the blued chrome on the pipes of those bikes, but it is workable for the riders who insist on full warm before rolling. I guess they like to waste the gas, blue the pipes, and ignore what the manufacturers say. It's their call though.

The other problem with a regular choke is if you leave it on you will eventually run too rich a mixture and risk fouling the plugs. With the enrichener the difference with the throttle opened like riding down the road is small. The bike can be ridden at more open throttle settings with little effect. The enrichener being on is obvious at idle and up to maybe about half throttle. I find sometimes I have the "choke" still on after several miles of open road running. I shut it off and everything is peachy, no fouled plugs. Of course if you putt around with the enrichener on for too long you will foul plugs. It's only at larger throttle openings that the enrichener becomes null.

 

^^^ Great explanation.

 

My KLR650 has the choke control lever located on the handle bar next to the left grip. Everytime I start my KLX, I'm wishing (like you) that it was up on the handle bar.

 

Dave, the KLR setup would actually plug right in to the KLX carb body. If you could get the handlebar control lever onto the KLX, you'd have the same setup...which is pretty darned good IMO. Those of us who have lived with a KLR for any time can attest to the effectiveness of the KLR infinite positioning choke lever on the handlebar. All DS bikes should have such an option. I always loved that lever. After starting and as you put your helmet and gloves on, you could incrementally notch that lever down, as it held its position and the engine rpm as you wanted. Great device. I've thought this out. I could buy a mountainbike handlebar lever that controls the rear shock or front fork suspension lockout. I could connect it to a KLR enrichener cable and carb body setup. I could mount that MTB lever to my KLX bar, and it would work. But I'm lazy.

Edit: Hey Dave...I'll be down in the Big Bend region again in about 10 days for nearly 2 weeks of riding. Are you going down there again?