Difficult cold start

I would NOT disable the choke. Even on warm days the choke is helpful in starting a cold (un-started for a few hours) engine. Like I mentioned in my last post, sometimes it just needs enough pedal pressure to set the choke, at least mine did. Try just pressing the gas pedal, maybe an 1/8th to 1/4 of the way down, let off, remove the air cleaner lid & check to make sure choke closed all the way, then try to start it without touching the gas. It may be like my Duster was, too much fuel & it was hard to start. If I just hit the gas pedal enough to set the choke, it would start right up, even after sitting for a few weeks! Hot out (summer) cold out (mid-winter) it didn't matter, it always fired right up. Maybe I just had a freaky engine, I don't know, but I would try that first, it may be all it is, too much fuel.