Riding before engine is fully warmed up.. how bad?

[Johnny5]

I have an older bike, a 1984 Honda Magna v45 750 v4. I bought it in Sept and so far it's been running perfectly.

I have noticed one thing though, since the cooler weather came the temperature gauge takes quite a while until it registers anything at all after i start it up. A mininum of 5 mins and usually ten of idling before it jumps out of the left and into the little zone where the manual says it should be.

Ok here is my question.. Am i doing the engine harm if i start riding before that? The thing is my driveway faces my neighbours bedroom window and he works night shifts, and gets home and goes to bed just a half hour before i leave for work every morning, so i hate to be a prick and sit there in my driveway revving my engine trying to warm it up just as he is falling asleep. I have noticed in the last few days when i start up and go too soon the bike is really sluggish, it hits the rev limit for each gear way too soon. I'm taking it this is a bad thing and i should wait until it's fully warmed up first?

 

[jeffjones]

Be prepared to get mixed answers lol.

I let mine warm up till it registers a temperature on the gauge then I will go.

 

[caboose56]

Once it's warm enough to idle without any choke, hop on and go.

 

[Mutt]

You might try a hotter thermostat....they get old over time, maybe this one is staying open or opening too soon....keep in mind Ive naver had a bike with a radiator....but Ive seen it in old cars often enough...

 

[Brian P]

You can even ride away if it's still on choke, just be ready for the higher idle speed. Normally I've found on carbureted bikes that as soon as you start moving, it puts enough load on the engine to warm it up so that the choke can be taken off as soon as you shift to second gear.

30 seconds to 1 minute basic minimum warm-up, then ride off, and take the choke off as you first ride down the street away from home. Just take it easy on the engine until it reaches normal operating temperature - avoid very high revs and full throttle acceleration, but don't lug it, either. In other words, just "ride nice" until the temp gauge shows normal.

 

[Stewart]

the bike may seem to be cold blooded because it liquid coolled, but dont let it idle more than a minute, with the coke on, you should be able to ride it ,and with in a few blocks, remember to ease the choke lever slowly off.