Warming Bike Up

How long do you let your bike warm up before you ride, especially in cold weather?

My bike is in a basement garage so temps don't get very cold. I have EFI so usually I only warmup about a minute (neighbors bedroom window is next to my driveway apron with my pipes I dont want to piss em off) then I drive about a mile slow to get out of 'hood. After a couple miles all is good.

I rarely warm my bike up...Even in the Winter...The best way to warm a bike up is to take off and just ride at moderate RPM's...At the beginning of the season I will let it idle for about a minute and off I go...

I am curious if I really should let mine warm up (idle) longer to bring up oil temp since it is frigid here?

I was always taught by Dad and other automotive mechanics that idling is the worst thing for an engine. Along with that is running up RPM when oil and engine is cold . In short, I would JB. JMO

I have been taught the same thing. I don't switch the oil as Temps drop here an too cold of oil isn't the best thing either. Thanks.

I run 20-50 all year long...Not a problem...Actually it takes a fair amount of time for oil to reach its normal operating temp...My oil temp sending unit is in the pan and I also have a digital oil temp dip stick...Both are within 2 or 3 degrees of each other...I need almost 10 minutes for my oil to reach 200...

I am. not even getting that hot. In 55-60°climate I am at about 170-180° according to the gauge.

170-180 is normal for my bike which is a 96 inch 04 GeezerGlide...The newer bikes run hotter...I will only hit 200+ if I have been running 85+ on the highway or stuck in traffic, except in the Winter......I have seen posts of people hitting 230+ temps...If you run synthetic your fine...

I believe that if you were running a straight weight you would have to be very careful about oil temps and engine rpm.

Ok just not sure because I never tracked it. Don't agree on the synthetic oil though. Now I am curious as to what my bike will run for Temps in the summer.

The TC,I start it up,let the fast idle start to drop,pull out of the shelter/tent...let it run while I zipper jacket light a smoke and put on gloves,then just take it easy for a few miles= 10-15 minutes....
Evo is a different animal,you have to warm them up a bit before you take off or you'll end up with weeping base gaskets....I'll usually finish the smoke and have enrichener at least half way back in or all in before I take off and still take it easy for the 10-15 minutes....
I wouldn't run a straight weight unless I was in the Southern States,where their winter temps are warmer than our summer... lol

I usually do the same but not in this cold of weather. It is warming up quick so not a huge deal now I guess. Plus I just remembered, I have a heated garage now. Lol. Thanks buddy.

Take your 20w50 oil jug, leave it outside overnight, open it up and try and pour it out on a cold morning. Pours like molasses. Think that is going to make it through your oil passages quickly?
I let mine warm up about 5-10 mins on any day colder than 10C. And only gentle on the throttle for the first few miles. Of course, that is when it is together, not like now, all apart in my shed...

There was a chart somewhere showing synthetic vs dyno but I can't find it...But at high temps the dyno broke down at a much much lower temp than the synthetic oil did and at a pretty fast rate...

Depends where you live and what temps you ride in...I rarely ride below 30 and at 30 my 20-50 is fine...

Sportsters are little more temperamental I would suspect since they run way cooler anyways.

That's what I do year 'round and I run SAE 50 racing oil. No problem. But I never ride if it gets much below mid 50s anyway.

The EVO I start up and let it run until the top of the rocker box is warm, as Lucifer says you end up with weeping base gaskets if you don't, experience taught me that. The twinkie still gets some sort of warm up. I've just carried the practice over from the EVO days, not sure if it's necessary. As far as oil goes I use synthetic as it has a lower pour point than mineral and handles hot applications better. Not wanting to start the oil debate thing but here's some info

http://www.mne.psu.edu/chang/me462/syn_vs_min.pdf