Difficult to start

My engine has been difficult to start pretty much since I bought it. It might have started a week or two after but now it's getting really annoying.

The first problem is that sometimes I will ride down my huge driveway to start it and when I let out the clutch at the bottom it just bogs without starting. Or it will act like it wants to start but when I pull in the clutch, it will shut off instead of idling.

The second problem is that once the motor has been started it won't function properly for the first 30 seconds or so. Every time I twist the throttle the engine just bogs, even when idling. Why is this?

I have a LuckyEarlyBird eBay kit running at 100:1 with Opti-2 oil. I replaced the stock plug with an NGK iridium plug. I also moved the carb clip up a notch from the middle position. My needle has 5 notches though so there is still room to move the needle up another notch if necessary, even though my plug now looks to be about chocolate colored.

Any help or suggestions are appreciated.

No I just checked with a propane. No air leak. The exhaust was loose but I tightened it and it's still doing it.

How many pushes are we talking on the primer? Every time I get on my MB I varythe number if pushes.

I moved it up because the sark plug was really oily. Was this wrong? I've noticed a lot less oil and a chocolate colored plug.

ZRTMWA said:

How many pushes are we talking on the primer? Every time I get on my MB I varythe number if pushes.

I moved it up because the sark plug was really oily. Was this wrong? I've noticed a lot less oil and a chocolate colored plug.

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Bump by request. Also should I be pushing the primer or holding it in?

Bikeguy Joe said:

Hold it down. Give it the count of 3.

If your plug is brown, that's about right. I have noticed on ALL my bikes (8 so far that I have built) that they just don't run perfect right off. You have to fire them off, then work the throttle, and vary the choke amount, for the first 30 seconds, or even the first minute.
I usually hold the throttle wide open once it fires, then after a few seconds start closing the choke. At that point I just keep a little throttle on and pedal assist the engine for a few more seconds until it will run well.

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Alright that sounds good. Yeah I figured it shouldn't really start super easily. 30 seconds is about what it takes for mine. I just figured that wasn't right for some reason.