I bought my bike (2003) about a three weeks ago and I've put about 200 miles on it so far. The previous owner had the oil changed last fall before putting it up for the winter. This past weekend, I changed the oil to Rotella T6 with a KN-401. Everything went as expected (except I don't have the washer for the top of the spring---not attached to the old filter). The oil I pulled out was dark and completely opaque.

The bike behaves differently now. It must warm up or else it stalls. Also, if I stop the bike in first and leave it for a while, I have to hold the clutch and rock it back and forth to get the clutch to disengage before I start it, otherwise, it bucks like a mule.

I'm a bit of a newb so this might be normal...

If oil was black, he most likely lied about just changing it. I see no reason for new better oil to effect your warm up time. If anything, the synthetic oil will be thinner when cold with engine running smoother. Ninjas have to be warmed up otherwise they will stall.

Not sure what you mean about the clutch. Sometime you have to rock the bikes to pop it in the gear.

I figured that about the stalls and about the previous change of oil.

If the bike is cold and I hold down the clutch and try to roll the bike, it will stop as if I wasn't holding the clutch at all; however, if I keep pushing or rock it back and forth, the clutch will slip and I'm able to push the bike with the clutch depressed. I'm not talking about changing gears---I'm talking about moving the cold bike in first with the clutch depressed.

Before changing the oil, I could cold start the bike in first by holding the clutch. I would move a bit, but not much---now, after the oil change, it jumps a lot unless I make the clutch slip before starting it.

Thanks

I figured that about the stalls and about the previous change of oil.

If the bike is cold and I hold down the clutch and try to roll the bike, it will stop as if I wasn't holding the clutch at all; however, if I keep pushing or rock it back and forth, the clutch will slip and I'm able to push the bike with the clutch depressed. I'm not talking about changing gears---I'm talking about moving the cold bike in first with the clutch depressed.

Before changing the oil, I could cold start the bike in first by holding the clutch. I would move a bit, but not much---now, after the oil change, it jumps a lot unless I make the clutch slip before starting it.

Thanks
Why not shift into neutral before foot peddling the bike?
Edit: + I remember readin on ninja250 org that the pregens lurched when started in gear since the clutch plates would stick/until the oil lubed them up

Sure, and often I do that, but I'm trying to figure out if the new behavior of the bike expected or if I messed something up.

Why not shift into neutral before foot peddling the bike?
Edit: + I remember readin on ninja250 org that the pregens lurched when started in gear since the clutch plates would stick/until the oil lubed them up

Some reflections from 2002, http://forums.ninja250.org/posting.php?mode=topicreview&t=11115&tro=1
And from 2008
http://forums.ninja250.org/posting.php?mode=topicreview&t=69819&tro=1

Edit: I don't own a pregen and my bike doesn't seem to do this, but from the sounds of it, all is normal

Ahh, thanks. That makes me feel better. I wonder what oil was in it before that made it not lurch as badly---like if it was energy conserving oil.

My guess is that the former owner used a motorcycle specific oil which has friction modifiers for wet clutches. Try changing to a motorcycle specific oil such as what I use which is Mobile 1 full synthetic motorcycle oil. When I used "automotive" oil my clutch plates would stick and the bike would lurch at startup even while in neutral.

My 96 is the same way with motul in it. In gear with clutch depressed, try to push it and it feels like I'm dragging it. Better just to move it in neutral.

The lurching part is normal. I've never had my bike lurch to the point it was out of control. I did notice it did it more with the original oil in the bike that the previous owner was using (not sure what it was). I run Honda 4 stroke 10w-40 in my bike and it seems to love it. The guys at the local motorcycle shop recommended it and a lot of them run Kawsakis themselves.

As for the stalling part, that seems to be very bike and temperature specific. My bike use to do it all the time until it warmed up (the bike and the weather). Now that it's about 90*+, I've shimmed the carbs, and modified the intake box, it starts just fine and doesn't stall. I know sometimes on cold starts in the mornings the first few times I give it a bit of throttle it will chug along (the RPMs don't raise according to the amount of throttle input), but not to the point it stalls. It goes away after the first block or two from my house.

this might sound dumb, but when you start it cold and have that stalling problem, do you use the choke at all? If i use no choke to start the bike and just leave it there, inevitably after a minute or so it'll try to chug and stall. using choke is not bad. it raises the rpm's and it wont stall with partial choke just sitting there, at least in my experiences it wont

this might sound dumb, but when you start it cold and have that stalling problem, do you use the choke at all? If i use no choke to start the bike and just leave it there, inevitably after a minute or so it'll try to chug and stall. using choke is not bad. it raises the rpm's and it wont stall with partial choke just sitting there, at least in my experiences it wont

I have to use the choke now, but I didn't before.

As for the stalling part, that seems to be very bike and temperature specific. My bike use to do it all the time until it warmed up (the bike and the weather). Now that it's about 90*+, I've shimmed the carbs, and modified the intake box, it starts just fine and doesn't stall. I know sometimes on cold starts in the mornings the first few times I give it a bit of throttle it will chug along (the RPMs don't raise according to the amount of throttle input), but not to the point it stalls. It goes away after the first block or two from my house.

That's how it used to behave before I changed the oil to Rotella T6. As long as there are no alarms or warning bells going off, I'll get used to it.

As far as the lurching goes, I just have to pay attention a bit more and make sure I break free/slip the clutch before I start it/put it in gear.

Thanks for the help.