Motorcycle Repair: cold natured, 1984 honda magna, honda dealer

Question
I own a 1984 Honda Magna 700. She is very cold natured. See cranks OK in the summer but in the winter she is a nightmare to get started. Is there anything that can be done to help with this? I've tried a hotter spark plug but it did not seem to help. Nick

Answer
I usually only answer questions on harley's, but I might be able to help you. First, make sure you have a fully charged battery and a good battery. The cold plays heck with batteries. Check with your local Honda Dealer and see what oil you can go to in the winter. When it get cold the oil get thick and makes the motor hard to turn over. You can also retard the timing a little and this will make it easier to start. Also, before starting, give it a couple squirts of gas with the throttle before trying.
Good luck and happy riding
Mike