Read the owner's manual. The starting procedure is exclusive to 696 and I've heard it's important. No personal experience; only heard that owners had a lot of trouble starting if that procedure was not followed.
Wow, maybe I'm reading you wrong today but I'm getting condescension here.
Anyway, YEAH, I read the manual like the first day we owned it thanks. Those questions I just proposed aren't answered.
Here's what it says:
Cold start control lever.
The choke control is used to favour the engine cold start and
increase the number of rpm at idle, after start-up.
Use the cold start lever while the engine is cold (1 or max. 2
T-oil bars with the engine on). The start lever is adjusted
during engine warm-up so as to guarantee approximately
1500 rpm at idle.
Operating positions of the control:
A) = control not active
B) = control fully active
The lever may be set also at intermediate positions in order
to follow the gradual warming up of the engine (see page 69).
Important
Do not use this device if the engine is warm. Do not
travel with the cold start control active.
Oh it also says:
Starting the engine
Note
Follow the “High ambient temperature” procedure to
start the engine when it is already warm.
Warning
E Before starting the engine, familiarise yourself with
the controls that you will use when riding.
Normal ambient temperature
(between 10 °C/50 °F and 35 °C/95 °F):
1) Move the ignition switch to (1). Make sure both the
green light N and the red light on the instrument
panel come on.
Important
The oil pressure light should go out a few seconds after
the engine has started (page 11).
Warning
The side stand must be fully up (in horizontal position)
as its safety sensor prevents engine start when down.
Note
The engine can be started with the sidestand down
and the gearbox in neutral. If starting with a gear engaged,
pull in the clutch lever (in this case the sidestand must be up).
2) Shift the cold-start lever to position (B, fig. 61).
3) Check that the stop switch (2) is positioned to (RUN),
then press the starter button (3).
Which seems to suggest it doesn't give a crap when you place the Stop/Run switch in the RUN position.
I still don't know if there's linkage or a stepper motor or if it's ignition timing/fuel controlled idle speed etc.
<shrugs>