The starting solutions for the oscillating motion of a generalized Burgers fluid due to longitudinal oscillations of an infinite circular cylinder, as well as those corresponding to an oscillating pressure gradient, are established as Fourier-Bessel series in terms of some suitable eigenfunctions. These solutions, presented as sum of steady-state and transient solutions, describe the motion of the fluid for some time after its initiation. After that time, when the transients disappear, the motion of the fluid is described by the steady-state solutions which are periodic in time and independent of the initial conditions. These solutions are also presented in simpler but equivalent forms in terms of modified Bessel functions of first and second kind. In both forms, the steady-state solutions can be specialized to give the similar solutions for Burgers, Oldroyd-B, Maxwell, second grade and Newtonian fluids performing the same motions. Finally, the required time to reach the steady-state for cosine and sine oscillations of the boundary is obtained by graphical illustrations. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.