Hey Mike,

I assume you mean rain or washing by 'short hot soak'?

First thing, don't use your throttle on starting. With the airbox, this could lead to a blowback that might crack it or worse. btw, can you qualify 'takes a few cranks'?

What I would do is (in no particular order!) :

- raise the idle a little (just did this for the wife's T100 and she cranks right up now (the bike! ))
- check/clean the battery connections
- check/clean the spark wires (a light coating of dielectric grease wouldn't hurt either)
- have battery checked or just replace it

"Never underestimate the power of human stupidity" - Robert Heinlein