Cold Start Problem-2012 Roadster

I was on an extended trip recently and began encountering problems starting after sitting overnight in cool/cold weather. Bike turns over OK (a bit slow, but OK), fires, but stalls. It acts like a very low idle speed. I have to hold the throttle part way open to keep her running. Almost acts like it's missing on a cylinder as well for a little while. After a minute or so things warm up a bit and everything is fine. I'm wondering if some drastic elevation changes "confused" the ECU. I live at about 2500 ft, was down to 1000 ft and as high as about 12,500 (RMNP). I have tried a 10 minute tune (had to fire it and warm it a bit to get it to idle, then shut it off and restarted w/o touching the throttle. Didn't notice any improvement. On my Tiger it will occasionally throw a fit and stall when the stepper motor linkage gets dirty/dry and needs lubrication. Is this same issue a problem with the Rocket? I did give the linkage a squirt of lube tonight.

It has been cool, around 25-35 degrees some mornings. But I've ridden that cold all last fall and this spring with no issue. It is at about 23k miles, I plan to do a valve adjustment and replace plugs shortly. Not sure if that would have anything to do with this.

two things come to mind
1 your TPS may be out of correct adjustment or be faulty
2 the Battery cables to the starter pos and the Earth on the back of motor next to the starter need to be replace with thicker cables.
But I would be checking the TPS first and when you can replace the cables aswell

Also low tension cables on the coils could be loose.
Also 4 year old battery will struggle after being cold.

Of course I always verify low tension leads to the coils. Your 12 minute tune has to be done from could with no tbrottle movement unless the stepper motor does it. I would run a ISCV TEST and adjust if necessary as it sounds like your stepper motor, tps and ecu are not in sync. If that ends up being in tolerance finish the test and reset the adaptives and cycle the key switch off for 5 second and back on the fire herup and see if she idles. If so then i would suspect the massive altitude changes loaded up the closed throttle positon compensation parameters. Hopefully you have tune ecu or can find someon near you with. There are plenty of captains around the states that might be able to plug in the ecu if you on the road. I also agree with the battery especially if its the original one as triumph does not go with the best battery most likely the lowest bid.
It might just need to have the connection points cleaned. Both at the batter terminals and the egine grou d and starter post. Check the little connector on thrnegative cable while your at it.
Oh and yes clean the stepper motor shafteven under the rubber boot along with all the linkages and return spring inbetween the throttle bodies. With copiuos amounts of WD40 they do get gunked up and sticky.

Thanks for the suggestions. I was just informed that I'll be going on a business trip, will be in the shop over the weekend trying these ideas out. I do have Tune ECU-just need to figure out where I left the cable. Also a nearly new battery, replaced it this spring.

All of the above plus always start your bike in neutral, I replace my battery every three years but no more than four why go looking for trouble batteries are funny little bugers all smiles one second then the next second you are stranded.

Well, I learned a few more things about the Rocket today. I have had a couple "quirks" I always thought were just the nature of the beast. For one thing, the transition from off throttle to on has always been a little "abrupt". I pride myself on being a smooth rider, but smooth shifts, especially 1-2, were always a little tricky. I just blamed it on 2300ccs and 164ft lbs. I've also thought I felt very light bit of "surging" at light throttle, steady state. Very mild, and I was never sure it wasn't just a little wind. Also have felt that the bike didn't like to operate at low RPMs. Much under 2000 rpm in top gear and it felt a little "luggy", like it was time to shift down. Not bad, just not what I'd expect with a motor with the bore and stroke of a Cummins diesel.

Friday I took a few minutes before work to hook up TuneECU and do a "reset adaptations". Didn't have time to let it completely cycle-had to get to work. It ran like CRAP. Surging was bad and really bad decel popping/backfiring.

Decided to get into it today. Lifted the tank and checked connections on coils and made sure all vacuum lines were connected (had to replace a cam cover gasket a few weeks ago, wanted to make sure all that was good). One other item I had noticed on this bike was that there was no slack on the throttle. Every other bike had a little play in the twist grip and I couldn't adjust any in at the grip cable adjusters. Decided to tear into it and adjust down at the cable connections by the throttle body. Adjusted per the manual, and ran the ISCV check, in spec in both positions. I then warmed up the bike, did a "reset adaptations" and let her run 12+ minutes-TPS green light came on. Let it sit a few hours and was able to start it without holding the throttle open-did another 12 minute tune.

Went for a ride and what a difference. All signs of surging and decel popping gone. Much smoother operation off-on throttle. And much nicer operation at low RPM. 1500 RPM in top gear (level ground and low load of course) were nice and smooth-none of the "luggy" feeling I had been getting. It is by far the best (smoothest) the bike has ever run. I think a lot of my problems were due to improper adjustment of the throttle cable. Just speculating-but it seems like the ECU would get "confused" when the cables prevent the throttle shaft from operating completely, especially if it wasn't returning to zero properly. Never had an issue with fast idle though.

I'll know in the morning if this fixed the cold start issue. All the specs I checked via TuneECU looked good.

It is really getting that cold up there by Sand Point already ? Please let us know how she starts tomorrow.

Idaho Red Rocket 3 said:

It is really getting that cold up there by Sand Point already ? Please let us know how she starts tomorrow.

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It's been in the 30s a couple mornings here. On my trip it was COLD in the dark one morning in Colorado at 6000 ft! Had to stop and wait for daylight. Isn't it the same down in Nampa?

Had a great ride through highway 12 (Lolo to Lewiston) on the way back. One of the best sections of the trip. 3800 miles in 9 days, including a down day waiting on a tire due to a flat.

Nuts. While the bike is running very well when warm, it still is hard starting when cold. I have to hold the throttle open part way and keep it at a "fast idle" that way for maybe 30 seconds. Then it idles on it's own, though perhaps a bit slow idle. After about a minute it runs normally.