Since it has been getting colder for some reason on a cold start setting the enricher to the half position causes the bike to smoke out the exhaust (blue-white) smoke.  Push the enricher in smoking stops.  I only use it to get it warmed up and idling faster until its warm.  No other new issues nor anything been done to it.  Just wondering if it was normal.

Serowbot wrote on 10/15/13 at 07:49:30:

It was blue white smoke and smells like a little oil burning that was my concern but I couldnt figure out why just becuase raising the idle would do that

Does the blue smoke come back if you pull out the enricher on an already warmed-up engine?

Do you get blue smoke if you can get the engine started without the enrichener?

If you get smoke on startup no matter what the choke setting and smoke does not return when using the choke on a warm engine, you might have some loose tolerances on the piston rings, valve guides or valve guide seals that tighten up when the engine warms up.  Unless the smoke is excessive or the engine is drinking lots of oil, I wouldn't worry about it.

Of course, I am a "spend time riding, not wrenching" kind of guy.  In my younger (poorer) days, I was known to drive cars requiring 1 quart of oil every 300 miles.

I haven't done it, but replacing valve guide seals is probably a relatively easy procedure that does not require head removal.

bobert_FSO wrote on 10/15/13 at 08:40:08:


No smoke starting warm engine at all.  And I havent pulled the enricher out on a warm engine but I will try that see if it occurs again.

Well I went out and started it just now, it was still warm because I rode it about a hour ago.  Started no smoke..pulled the enricher (1/2 setting which is what I always do) no smoke.  So that narrows it down to a first cold start.

Oh and it has done this pretty much since I got it in July just never thought much about it until now..I've put about 1500 miles on it since that time.

bobert_FSO wrote on 10/15/13 at 09:28:41:


It doent smoke bad at all just enough that you can see little puffs of blue and it does have a bit of order like oil burning.  No I dont romp on the throttle while cold I just let it sit there and idle with the enricher on while I get on gear etc.  I push it in smoke quits and I putt on down the road. It idling on the side stand all the oil to left side of the crank case have anything to do with it?