Valkyrie hard to start, cold weather makes it even worse, bike sat up for 4 to 5 yrs with gas still lined up to carbs. after up to operating temp runs like a champ

Hi Jerold:
I'm guessing it's a 4 cycle gas motor.
That means there will be oil in the bottom end and in cold weather that usually means increased resistance.
Also, gas does not vaporize as easily so it all adds up to hard starting.
My suggestions:
- Check your owners manual and go with the lightest oil for the temp. Probably 10 - 30
- Make sure your spark plug is in very good condition.
- Have the battery fully charged
- If possible, Keep it in a heated garage or pre-heat it before starting.
- A squirt of starter spray into the carb will help however I try to avoid relying on that.
Hope this helps.

HiClutch not disengaging
Make sure cable has only a couple of mm play. If unable to adjust at handlebars then adjust at clutch endA quick & dramatic way to unseize clutches is to put front wheel up against a wall or similar, bike at 90 degrees to it, front brake on, with full riders weight on seat, in neutral hold clutch in & handlebars straight, rev her up to 3 - 4000rpm, brace your arms & dump her into 1st gearThe shock will generally free-up even a completely seized clutchThe other option is to strip & clean the clutch plates
Ride Safe
Bike-Doc

I agree - I think I would get a second opinion.

Its a 4 stroke trail bike. They never like to start when its cold. Just make sure the plug is good and make sure the choke is actually working. Other than that, kick it until you get mad, then kick it some more and it will eventually start.

time to clean the carb(s)

Yeah that would be the problem , you can purchase carb kits for that that are easy to rebuild , also your gas is stale so replace that as well.

Empty out the gas and replace with proper gasoline mixed with oil in the proper proportion. Always use a good quality 2-cycle oil that contains a fuel stabilizer.
To start the generic chainsaw, follow these steps:
1. Pull the choke all the way out
2. Press the fuel bulb serveral times to prime the carb - you can feel when the fuel flows into it.
3. Set the lock on the trigger to full speed.
4. Now, pull the starter rope until the saw sounds like it tried to start.
5. Press the choke in to the 1/2 way position.
6. Pull the rope until it starts.
7. Release the trigger lock and push the choke all the way in.

If starting it when it is warn, skip steps 1 and 4.
It is unlikely that the spark plug is the problem. If you replace it without properly setting the gap, you may make it worse. If you start trying to adjust the carb without knowing exactly what you are doing, you will make it much worse, You can try spraying some carb cleaner into the carb and pulling the rope to such the cleaner into the jets.
In the future, always add fuel stabilizer or oil with a stabilizer to you gas/oil mix. This prevents the varnishing caused by aging gasoline.

Cold weather starts are assurred when you leave a trickle charger on the battery the whole time it sits in the garage. I would also have the battey tested to be sure it is up to snuff, and change th spark plug to a somewhat hotter one in the winter. Some folks even use high test gas in winter to assist in quick starts. If all of these suggestions fail you, get a can of starter fluid and squirt a little into the air filter just before you hit the start.

Hello.

Sparkplugs. That will fix it.

You can choose between 3 types the normal the cold and the hot (performance) sparkplugs. The normal for medium temperatures is the best, the cold is suited for bellow 5º C temps. And the hot is for hot weather and performance usage.

Hope that helps.