Dealing with the hard start issue

Your information is very helpful. I replaced the fuel solenoid and cleaned the electrical connections to the coil. The bike is now starting when cold and hot. However, not without a few turns of the motor. I'm suspecting that I have a vacuum issue. The bike is now able to be ridden.

That's outstanding news ! Thanks for letting us know !
Mine's been sitting for a couple of days and could be sitting for a few more due to some stormy weather so the "Vacuum Theory" continues !

Hi, I have a spare set of carbs. I will modify them as per your idea. Let is see of it works.

Me too. The spare carb will have all the improvements scotch suggests. Once the bike is running, I will have time to play around

To Lare and Stan - Thanks for stepping up to the plate and giving this a try ! I'm anxious for your input and feedback. I know you two will have the carbs set-up correctly so there won't be any negative influences to conflict with your testing of my theory ! I also know I'll get an objective opinion from you both and am prepared to "take one on the chin" if you report you were unsuccessful.
Very much appreciate your initiative and effort with this !!!!
Hoping (?) the weather stays crappy as predicted for the next couple of days as mine sits waiting for another "test". The longer it sits - the better !
cheers scotch

I am not sure if this is directly related to this post in a sense that it has nothing to do directly with vacuum modifications, but I'll go ahead anyway.
Just wondering how many people who have cold or whatever start problem fill up with ethanol containing gasoline? Not a KZ, but my 1983 GL1100 from the same era when carburetors and bikes in general were designed using materials meant for no ethanol free gas, had hard start problems and I got it solved with never filling it up with ethanol containing gasoline again. It was sporadic at first, but became worse and worse with time. Running on three, or even two cylinders (it's a 4 cylinder boxer), became not uncommon, and only after a short ride I'd have it fire on all four.

So, using a bit of a wider concept of what modifications are, any effect the ethanol has on those seals, rubbers (swollen), passages (restricted) etc., could be considered a naturally occurring modification, and the compound effect I'd assume goes much beyond just having some gunk there to clean up.

With many pinhole sized holes in the fuel and air delivery in a carburetor, just like having dirt inside a precise watch, any change introduced by the effects of water loving ethanol would change parameters of how the carburetor functions. If there is any build up of 'unwanted' causing smooth function, it often corrects itself after some good throttle openings - high vacuum and high fuel flow plus heat will blow some unwanted stuff through and out and clear the system. When a bike misbehaves, the obvious solution pretty much everyone offers is - carbs overhaul. And the carburetor on my bike was getting so bad I was ready for that. But I started religiously using ethanol free gasoline, and generously adding Seafoam from time to time, every two or three fill ups - usually a third but up to half a bottle. Some suggest Marvel Mystery oil as well, but I haven't seen it here. The Seafoam treatment definitely helped cleaning the carbs, and no ethanol helped preserving the results.

The start issues continued randomly, but I have noticed the improvement almost right away. Not just when starting, but also when riding. It took a couple months, but I think that's what was needed for the carburetor correct itself, for no better word for it. Get cleaned and stabilized. Now, I can leave the bike for a couple weeks, even a month, and I never have hard start problems anymore! It seems like the bike corrected itself, and except an occasional preventative addition of Seafoam, all I do now is fill it up with ethanol free gasoline, press the start button - and go! (after a few minutes warm up that is of course

In conclusion, I'd suggest doing a similar experiment once the carburetors are done and in order. I know what I will be doing - always filling up with ethanol free gas!