Kickstart Routine Change Question

[Motorradfahrer]

I'm hoping one of you can shed light as to why I've had to change my kickstart routine on my bike when it's cold.

1978 FXE with DynaS electronic ignition

When warm (within an hour or two of running) is a one-kick bike*, no choke. When "sort of" warm (restarting after three or four hours) I give it half a squirt of fuel, open the choke and start it with one kick*.
*It sometimes takes two or three kicks but most of the time one kick is all that is needed.

When it's cold (eight plus hours of sitting) I used to be able to turn on the gas, give it two squirts, two primer kicks, open the choke, turn on the bike and it'd start with one or two kicks. But now it won't start that way. It will either try to start (start up for half a second and die) or do nothing. So what I do now is give the bike five squirts and use the above process and the bike starts on the first kick. Why the change?

Any information is appreciated.

[Blackbetty]

Honestly sometimes mine will start to get a bit sleepy.

I do a tune up to get it back in shape. This includes plugs and pulling the carb down to clean orifices.

Also a good chance to check intake seals etc.

[Motorradfahrer]

I'll look at the intake seals. I'm just curious why the kickstart changes have only occurred to the bike when it's cold.

[farmall]

The smallest orifices clog first. Starting then dying suggest maybe some spooge coating the low speed jet or in the idle fuel passage.

You could try opening your mixture screw a half-turn and see if it improves but modern fuel turns to smegma quickly.

Fast way is drop bowl, remove jets, inspect, clean, reinstall.

If you are keeping the motorcycle hunt a deal on a spare carb. Great for troubleshooting and quick swapouts. My life got more comfy when I began treating "fleet maintenance" as fleet maintenance.

[Motorradfahrer]

Two replies suggesting I clean my carburetor; I'll do that ASAP. Thank you for the replies. I'll be sure to post if that makes a difference in case anyone else ever has the same problem/question.

[Sky]

Pushrod adjustment...

Where are you buying your gas?

[IvanRoachCoach]

Before you tear down the carb, simply drop the float bowl & see what kind of crap's in there.
This will allow you to see if the fucking ethanol in today's gas has turned the rubber in your fuel line to the consistency of Twizzlers (ask me how I know this), if you have debris in your fuel tank, or if you're just buying shit gas at the local Pump N' Dump.

The best thing you can do is to go after the most most obvious culprit as Sky suggested --- check your pushrod adjustment to make sure they're not spinning like dervishes.
Bust out the ol' Factory Service Manual if you're a bit rusty with the procedure, bend some wire clothes hangers to use as pushrod tube holders & get to it.
Don't forget to swap out the three gaskets in each tube --- they should be changed out with every adjustment as they soak up oil --- no matter what they're made up of --- swell up & start tearing to shit.

[Motorradfahrer]

Thank you to everyone for your suggestions. I checked the pushrods and they were fine. The carb had a little bit of sediment in it so I cleaned out the bowl and made sure that the jets weren't obstructed. Then I lubricated the springs on the advance weights. Success! For the last two days my bike has gone back to being a one or two kick bike while cold.