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[KStadden]

................

[EldIr]

ScottG wrote:
I had an 83 or 84 V65 and if it sat for two weeks I would have to grind on it to get it to start. Rather embarrassing in front of my Suzuki friend.
My CB900C, CB750C and CB750F were all the same.

Again, no offense intended, but the common denominator here isn't that they were all Hondas, it's you. Properly adjusted carbs and chokes and they will fire off within 5 seconds even after sitting a month. I realize that not all owners of cycles, or generators, are mechanically inclined, but these things aren't just gas and go. They require proper care - either done by the owner or the shop. Many people who don't know how to maintain them are either too cheap to bring them to the dealer or just aren't aware of the necessary care needed. Then they're surprised when they have problems.

I can't tell you how many great deals I got on used cars back in the days of carbs because the owners had hard starting problems. Most times I disconnected the worthless automatic choke, added a manual cable and they started just fine.

[Supercharged]

ScottG wrote:
I had an 83 or 84 V65 and if it sat for two weeks I would have to grind on it to get it to start. Rather embarrassing in front of my Suzuki friend.
My CB900C, CB750C and CB750F were all the same.

Than it would start on one cab. until it warmed up. 1983 reporting in as ordered.

[jalichty]

I now have two Honda 2000s even though my first one was like a lot of others on this thread, if it sits too long it's tough to start. In fact, the owner's manual on the first one said that a person should start and run it for five minutes or more, at least once a month. If I remember to do that, they start fine, if not, lots of pulls to get them started. Maybe I'll try to "slow pull" method and see how that works.

[profdant139]

Another tip, painfully learned -- when you go to start a Honda, first tug gently on the cord till it engages. Then (and only then) is it time to pull hard.

If you pull hard right away, without engaging the starter gears (or whatever is engaging), you run the risk of flooding. Not sure if that is right, and not sure why. But my Honda dealer finally took pity on me and told me that I was pulling the string the wrong way.

[jake2250]

If my Honda sits for a while,( I drain the fuel bowl), I switch it to "Run", wait a few seconds,then set choke and pull the starter cord three times slowly to pull fuel into the system,, after that it will usually start on the second hard pull...But,, thats my gen,, yours may differ......

[dieseltruckdriv]

I just acquired a second Honda EU2000i. I needed to clean the carb which is very simple following the tips from this site. My DW started it today at 25 degrees with three pulls. The first pull wasn't a very good pull. Both of mine start very easily.

[renoman69]

Red is my favorite color

[mlts22]

Ford or Chevy. Can't go wrong with either. I'm quite happy with my Yamaha 3000 watt inverter generator.

I do say that the Honda edges the Yamaha out in two places. The first is the suction/diaphragm fuel pump on the Hondas as opposed to gravity flow. This allows the Hondas to use extended run tanks. Living in Texas where A/C is a must from May-Oct, having the ability to run the distance is important.

The second is that Honda accessories, parts, and service places are virtually everywhere. Yamaha has a strong dealer network, but if you go to a RV dealer, they will have some Honda expertise.

[Artum_Snowbird]

I've left my Honda for up to six months and it always starts after 7 to 10 pulls. Not really an issue. If I run it regularly, once a month or so, it will start in one or two. It's about 7 years old now.

[profdant139]

I messed up my Honda 2000 by not running it every month, by leaving gas in it, by not putting in any Seafoam, by not running it under load (to clean the carb), and by living in Calif (bad gas here).

I still use the bad Calif gas -- no choice -- but after several expensive service calls, I have learned my lessons. Bottom line -- on our last trip, at 9000 feet in the Sierra, one pull, no problem. Same thing in the rain in the redwoods -- a great cold start.

I wonder if the Yamaha is less finicky. But I can testify that with proper babying, the Honda works well. And it does power the microwave -- DW wanted microwave popcorn one afternoon, and it worked just fine.

(I seem to recall someone earlier in the thread mentioned popcorn, so I felt compelled to share that story.) 😉

[ScottG]

I had an 83 or 84 V65 and if it sat for two weeks I would have to grind on it to get it to start. Rather embarrassing in front of my Suzuki friend.
My CB900C, CB750C and CB750F were all the same.

[EldIr]

My dad had on old non-inverter Honda 1000. It always started no problem. I have an old 2200 quiet series (enclosed) that stopped generating power years ago. After 6 or 7 years of un-prepped storage, I threw some gas in it last year and it fired right up. I bought an 84 V65 Magna last winter that hadn't been run in a couple years. Changed the oil, threw in some gas and it started right up. This was my 2nd 84 V65 and third Honda mc. Have never had a problem starting any of them after weeks of sitting in season or months of storage off season. Not sure where all these starting issues with Hondas are coming from, but I'd be more inclined to think operator error. No offense.

[OH48Lt]

I have a Honda 2000. Works great, comes off the EcoThrottle quick when there is a power demand. My only complaint is same as ScottG's -hard to start after it sits a while. I almost always have to take off the side cover and air box cover, and use starter fluid on it. After the first pop, it starts OK. Tried all kinds of fresh gas, 87-91-93 octane.

One-pull Honda's my butt. Only if its already warmed up.

[old_guy]

i have only owned a honda gen but I will have to agree with the above, they are a pig to start sometimes.

[JiminDenver]

Supercharged wrote:

KStadden wrote:
We were on a family hunting vacation recently. My brother has a 2011 Jayco travel trailer, identical to our 2012 Jayco. He doesn't own a generator yet so occasionally he borrowed either my Yamaha EF2000IS or my parents' Honda EU2000I.

I've always noticed that the eco-throttle (or whatever Yamaha calls it) on my generator doesn't work very well when trying to run our Microwave. The generator won't spool up fast enough when you start the microwave. It speeds up some, but never reaches WOT. Because of this I will always just leave it running wide open if I know we'll be using the micro.

We saw the same result on my brother's trailer with my Yamaha. Not so with the Honda. It would right away start revving like crazy and running the micro just fine.

Even if we left the Yamaha at full speed and started the microwave, it bogged down substantially more than the Honda under load.

Anybody else have a similar experience?

I will set and have a hot coco while this takes place.

Im looking for the popcorn icon. 😉