smoking upon start up

[Howie]

Let me preface my question with the fact that you guys are the best with your in-sight and willingness to help.  I have an 07 iron and I haven't been able to ride it more than once a week sometimes longer.  When starting it, I see some smoking but after running it for a few miles it appears to stop.  Is this evidence of some wet sumping going on.  Howie

[mrunderhill1975a]

You are correct, that is wet sumping.  To reduce this effect, try placing the piston at top dead center after your ride. In this position, the crank is at its highest position and least likely to allow oil to dribble into the sump.

[Chasfield]

Also, when wet sumping has occurred, keep engine revs to the minimum until the scavenge pump has cleared the crank cases of excess oil. With cold oil going through the feed pump and surplus cold oil going through the scavenge pump, the vulnerable oil pump worm drive will be under maximum stress.

[ace.cafe]

Sometimes it can be just some condensed water inside the muffler which boils off and produces steam.
After a couple of minutes of heat, it's all gone.
If you are starting the bike up cold, and the temp is lower than the dew point, it can have some water inside the pipe and muffler.

It can be wet sumping too, but it's not always that.

[Howie]

Thanks once more.  Yooze guys are da best. Howie