If you’re reading this, then you are probably about to make your first motorcycle purchase, and are curious about a term experienced bikers and motorcycle salesmen alike have mentioned often in passing: idling. Just what exactly is idling, and why does everyone assume you already know what it means?

To put simply, idling is when your motorcycle engine is turned on and running, but the bike itself is not being driven nor are you touching the throttle. The time duration between starting your motorcycle and actually driving it is when your bike is idling. Stopping at a red light with your bike still running but not moving forward is also an example of idling.

Now that you know what idling is, the phenomenon doesn’t look unfamiliar at all, does it? Idling isn’t exclusive to motorcycles only; you have definitely seen many vehicles run at idle speeds before. In fact, we’re pretty sure you have been running your own vehicle (if you have one) at idle speeds as well.

Gear up now, for we’re about to delve deep into all there is to know about idling.

Why Do People Idle Their Motorcycles?

The biggest reason why people idle their bikes is to “warm up” the engine. They believe it helps in keeping the engine properly circulated with fuel, which in turn makes for smoother riding. This is especially common in the winters and in places where it is mostly cold throughout the year.

Another reason why people idle their motorcycles is because they think it’s not worth turning their engine on and off when they are stuck in traffic, or have to get off their bike to run a quick errand.

The idle time depends on how old the motorcycle is; old bikes idle for minutes while the newer ones idle only for a few seconds.

What Speed or RPM Should a Motorcycle Idle at?

Most motorcycles idle between 1000 and 1500 RPM; this speed might be a little bit higher during engine warm up. The correct idle speed is mentioned in the User Manual of your bike.

How to Tell if the Idle Speed is Fluctuating

A motorcycle engine in working condition at the correct temperature should not fluctuate from the standard idle speed. Fluctuations point towards some serious problems with your bike engine, but before we diagnose the problems and their causes, let’s see how you can identify fluctuations in the RPM speed:

• If your motorcycle has an RPM meter, then the easiest way to check is to match the RPM speed displayed on the meter with the standard idle speed specified by the User’s Manual
• If you don’t have an RPM meter, fret not. You can still tell if something’s wrong with the idle speed by your motorcycle’s performance:
  • Your bike jumps forward when you start driving it after idling
  • You need to apply excessive force in braking

Normally fluctuations can be slightly high or low, or significantly too high or low. The former isn’t much of an issue and does not cause major stress. Too high or low idle speeds, however, are a cause of worry.

Problems Caused by Too High or Too Low Idle Speeds

If the idle speed is too high, then the problems are as follows:

• High fuel consumption
• Lots of noise pollution
• Drop in mileage

Too low idle speed results in:

• Lots of stalling, especially in take-off
• Less oil pressure in the engine
• Dull acceleration, so it takes longer to reach high speeds when driving

Causes of Too High or Too Low Idle Speeds

Often the same issues are responsible for too high or too low idle speeds:

• The idle screw, which controls the fuel-air speed at idle speed, isn’t set up correctly
• The throttle valves, responsible for regulating the air supply, are not synced
• Throttle Position Sensors (TPS) used for monitoring the air intake of the engine aren’t adjusted

How to Adjust the Idle Speed on a Motorcycle

It’s quite simple, really: just use the idle speed adjusting screw if you have an older carbureted motorcycle or an early version of a fuel injected motorcycle (modern bikes’ idle speed is computer controlled and can’t be adjusted by the rider).

Slowly rotate the screw clockwise to increase RPM, and anti-clockwise to decrease RPM. This should be done once the engine is at its normal working temperature.

Is It Bad to Let a Motorcycle Idle?

While there definitely are situations where idling is unavoidable — being stuck in traffic, waiting at a railroad crossing or for pedestrians to cross the road — most experts agree that too much idling can be bad.

The biggest problem with idling is the release of harmful, toxic exhaust fumes. For every ten minutes of idling, one pound of carbon dioxide is released to the environment.

Carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides and other toxic gases contribute to climate change, as well as lead to a plethora of lung and respiratory diseases.

Idling is synonymous with wasting fuel. Considering how fuel prices have been skyrocketing lately, the last thing you need is fuel wastage because of something which can be avoided.

Furthermore, most motorcycles run on fossil fuels, a non-renewable source of energy, which are already being used up at a rapid pace.

Excessive idling causes some major damage to your engine components. Since idling doesn’t occur at the maximum working temperature, a lot of fuel is partially combusted, which leads to fuel residue build-up on the cylinder walls, spark plugs, and exhaust valves. This fuel residue deposition is responsible for at least 4-5% more fuel being used.

How to Reduce Idling On Your Motorcycle

To start off, let’s debunk the most common idling myth: idling is necessary to “warm up” your engine.

The most efficient way to warm up your engine is to simply drive your vehicle, which reduces the warm up time by half, and is more eco-friendly and fuel-economical than idling. If you must idle, then 30 seconds are enough.

Most people say how idling is better than turning off the engine in situations such as waiting at a restaurant drive-thru, or when you stop to chat briefly with a friend passing by.

As a general rule of thumb, if you’re going to be stationary for more than 10 seconds, then it’s best to switch off your engine instead of idling.

Another common myth is that idling does less damage than turning the engine on and off. On the contrary, the wear and tear on your engine by re-starting is less than the damage from excessive idling. Not only that, but merely idling for 10 seconds uses more fuel than re-starting your engine, so you’ll be saving some big bucks by switching your bike engine off instead.

Conclusion

And that’s all there is to know about idling on a motorcycle. To reiterate: idling on a motorcycle is when your bike engine is left running but the bike isn’t in motion.

Considering how combating climate change is the need of the hour, we would advise you to focus specially on trying to idle your motorcycle as little as possible. Try and spread awareness amongst your family and friends as well.

Research on anti-idling laws in your state. See what you can do to popularize them.

Last, but not least, be on the lookout for signs that indicate damage from excessive idling. A loss of power, reduced fuel economy, and rough, jerky performance are some signs that tell that your motorcycle needs to have a thorough clean.

Unlike four-wheel vehicles that require standard parking space, motorcycles only take up very little room to park. Moreover, even if you don’t have a garage or any space at your apartment to park, you can always leave your bike outside. But here’s an important question, is it bad to leave your motorcycle in the rain?

There’s nothing wrong with leaving motorcycles in the rain; at least all manufacturers designed them to be ridden in all weather conditions. The only problem, however, is that some parts of the bike may become corroded and rusted over time – especially if you continuously park it outside in the rain without a cover.

Motorcycles feature a host of components, such as the engine, chassis, wheels, brake rod, brake, hand clutch, and many more. Furthermore, these items come with different materials. But here’s another burning question, are motorcycles designed with waterproof materials?

In the rest of this post, I’ll be providing the answer to the question. That’s not all; we’ll also be looking at everything that you need to know about the risks attached to parking your motorbike inside the rain. Without further ado, let’s dive right in.

Are Motorcycles Waterproof?

Before going ahead to answer this question, let me start by defining what waterproof means.

Many people often use these two words, waterproof and water-resistant, interchangeably. However, in the real sense, they have different meanings. While water-resistant means a material can resist water penetration to some extent, waterproof means the item is impermeable to water. That being said, are motorcycles truly waterproof?

The answer is that motorbikes are not impervious to water. However, some of its components are indeed waterproof. In case you don’t know, there are waterproof motorbike sound systems, waterproof leather seats, and a few others.

Furthermore, if you’d like to protect your motorcycle from the effects of rain, one way to do that is by considering using waterproof covers.

Some of these waterproof covers come with high quality, durable and thick materials, making it pretty hard for rain to penetrate. One of the benefits of using a waterproof motorcycle cover is that it’ll provide your bike with excellent protection against rain and snow.

Can Motorcycles Be Left Outside? Depends On The Weather

As earlier mentioned, you can always leave your motorcycle outside. While that is true, ensure you don’t do it continuously, as it may affect your bike depending on these 3 different weather conditions:

Sunny Conditions

By continuously leaving your bike outside, it’s worth knowing that many things can happen to some of its components.

For instance, if you park your motorcycle “under the sun” for a very long period, the ultraviolet rays can start damaging the paint. That’s not all; UV rays can also impact your fuel and other plastic and rubber components.

Let me talk about the rubber components, such as your bike tires. One of the effects of leaving them under the sun for a long time is that they’ll end up having reduced durability – this means that the tires will break down quickly.

As for the bike’s fuel effects, you need to understand that leaving your motorcycle under the sun for long can cause the gas to evaporate quickly. Furthermore, with prolonged exposure to the sun, the UV rays may also cause color degradation on your motorbike.

Rainy conditions

Furthermore, if you park your motorcycle “under the rain” for a very long period, some of the bike’s components will become corroded and rusted over time. Unfortunately, these issues are not easily reversible.

Snow conditions

During the winter season, it can also be unsafe to keep your motorcycle outside for a long time. One of the effects of snow on your bike is that the fluid will start changing, which could cause the fuel system, including the carburetor, to clog up.

That’s not all; continuous leaving of your bike outside during the winter season can also cause damages to some other parts of the two-wheel vehicle. Some of the components that could easily be affected include gaskets, seals, and tires.

So, what happens if you’re left with no other option but to keep your bike outside?

The best way to keep your motorcycle out for a long time is to use a waterproof cover to protect the components. Motorbike covers are effective in reducing the wear and tear of the bike’s part – it does this by preventing dirt from accumulating on the vehicle.

During the winter period, it’s best to add some stabilizer to your gas to stabilize the fuel and keep it safe from snow effects. You can also prevent the tires from deflating by parking the motorcycle on a soft material, such as carpet.

Can You Ride a Motorcycle in the Rain? 3 Safety Tips We Advise You Follow

Let’s face it; riding your motorcycle in the rain is very unsafe. However, you need to understand; that doesn’t rule out the fact that manufacturers designed motorbikes, putting rain factors in mind. That said, you can always ride your bike in the rain if that’s your only option.

However, before heading on the road, ensure you check your tires and see that they can handle wet roads – safety first.

Another way to keep safe while riding your bike in the rain is to avoid speeding. Lastly, ensure you wear waterproof apparel and footwear before you head out.

What to Do if the Motorcycle Left in the Rain Won’t Start?

Your motorcycle, when left in the rain for long, won’t start because of a few reasons. One of them is that the water has probably found its way inside the carburetor.

In case you don’t know, the water inside your carburetor will hinder the air-fuel mixture. The water will mix with the fuel, causing the starter to fail.

Furthermore, corrosion resulting from water reaching the coil can also cause the vehicle to fail during startup.

Another effect of rain is that it can cause the ignition switch to fail.

That said, in case your motorcycle fails to start after prolonged exposure to rain, you need to check the carburetor, ignition switch, or winding coil to know what is wrong with it.