My Ninja is sucking

Coolbpf · October 5th, 2012, 09:02 PM

Not really, I love my baby. But I got 45 mpg on my last tank... It's freaking cold so I've had to carb up for like 5-10 minutes before most rides, however, I don't think a little warm-up could knock like 15 mpg off could it?

I was getting somewhere around 60 mpg before I believe. I don't ride hard, or 'racey', I am certainly not mellow on her, but I'm not mean to her either. Any opinions on why she's eating so much gas?

Jiggles · October 5th, 2012, 09:06 PM

Warm up should never be more than 30 seconds to 1 minute. Put the choke on and ride away, once the bike is warmed up remove the choke or slowly remove the choke as you ride. It is not meant to sit still and idle particularly with the choke on.

And MPG's are directly related to your right hand, a little twitchiness goes a long way to kill your mileage

Coolbpf · October 5th, 2012, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jiggles

Warm should never be more than 30 seconds to 1 minute. Put the choke on and ride away, once the bike is warmed up remove the choke or slowly remove the choke as you ride. It is not meant to sit still and idle particularly with the choke on.

And MPG's are directly related to your right hand, a little twitchiness goes a long way to kill your mileage

Weird. I was always taught to let her sit with the choke on for a while before riding. She always rides way smoother that way too. Guess I'll have to try this newfangled method out.
Yes, I'm gonna do some experimenting then. If she's only gonna give me 45, I might as well have a nice bike that's somewhat comfy with lots of storage space that will get 55. cough*Nc700x*cough

Jiggles · October 5th, 2012, 09:16 PM

If you ride it the same way though you will probably only get 40

ninja250r81 · October 5th, 2012, 09:48 PM

race car with carb injection usually change their jets every 5 degrees difference in temperature.

we are expecting our ninja that us tuned at a certain altitude or temperature (20+) on the dynotune day is expected to run the same in winter (10 to -10).

don't think so!!!!!

winter for me i have to turn the choke on and pump it 5 times before the bike will start.

summer i use no choke at all

if it was easier to change jets or "washers" like a holley i would be changing them around 4 times a year

Jiggles · October 5th, 2012, 09:50 PM

Changing jets is pretty easy if you know the size you want. Take off the side panel, unscrew the bowls, unscrew main, install new main and you're done. Do it when you do an oil change

lgk · October 5th, 2012, 09:55 PM

i can't remember how much fuel the choke adds, but its a very significant amount.

it will definitely lower your gas mileage, if you idle with it on for 10min.

try riding off ASAP. if its not possible then you need to rejet your carbs, so you can.

you should not get 45mpg when i get 55 riding like an ass...

93etgocart · October 5th, 2012, 10:40 PM

I let the bike warm up with as little amount of choke on as possible while puttin on my gear, which now that its getting colder takes a good 5 minutes but i still got 62 mpg on my last tank. Of course im not doing little wheelies, but I know i ride harder than you tyler. Been riding in the city much lately?

DaBlue1 · October 5th, 2012, 10:59 PM

Weather changes can also influence the mileage. Especially in carbs. Gasoline doesn't vaporize very well at very cold temperatures. So some oil companies formulate fuel differently for cold-weather markets in the winter. Unfortunately, the changes that are supposed to make cold weather vaporization better, also result in less available energy for combustion. You won't get as far on a liter/gal of winter gas as you will on a liter/gal of summer gas.

Altitude, air temperature, and humidity are big factors that will affect how an engine will run. Air density increases as air gets colder. This means that there are more oxygen molecules in the same space when the air is cold. When the temperature drops, the engine will run leaner and more fuel will have to be added to compensate. When the air temperature gets warmer, the engine will run richer and less fuel will be needed.

Altitude affects jetting since there are less air molecules as altitude increases. A bike that runs good at sea level will run rich at 10,000 ft due to the thinner air.

Humidity is how much moisture is in the air. As humidity increases, jetting will be richer. A bike that runs fine in dry air may run rich when the humidity is high.

Don't waste fuel warming your bike up too long when you start it. You only need about 45-60 seconds of idling to make sure the oil is flowing sufficiently in the engine. Excessive idling beyond a few minutes will rob you of gas mileage fast. Let the bike continue to warm up as you are riding. You can pull off with the choke on and the idle around 2k rpms, then turn the choke off after about a mile or two. Of course the time it take to sufficiently warm the bike will depend on how cold it is.

Also as the temps get colder you will have to adjust your idle speed up a little.

KawiKid860 · October 6th, 2012, 01:26 AM

Don't they change fuel mixtures when it gets colder out? I got 42 consistently last winter commuting mixed city highway, with a couple tanks of 38-39 running a gear lower than my usual in the city just to test it out. Spring and summer my mpg went up to about 52-55 same city/highway mix as winter and 65-68 on long rides at 70-80 mph. Also would just like to state I ride very aggressively and it never seems to affect my mpg and my bikes double the CCs of a 250.

One more little tip; try covering half your radiator with a piece of cardboard or something. I do this, its the only way the bike will warm up (on the temp guage at least) when its in the 40s and lower, and still cools effectively up into the 60s. Definitely helps out on those cold mornings

Apex · October 6th, 2012, 04:29 AM

If anything, your fuel mix runs lean when it gets cold out. Re-jetting will only allow more fuel to be dumped into the combustion chamber. This will not net in an increase in fuel mileage. I got 60+mpg regardless of the time of year.

I also would choke up when I first started it up, let it sit for 30-60 seconds, then choke down and ride off. I typically spent the first 5+ minutes of my ride with the choke on, until it finally idled on its own with no issues.

dfox · October 6th, 2012, 05:38 AM

even in the high 30's mornings we've been having, I put on my gear, sit on the bike, start with full choke and immediately start down the driveway. Leave her with full choke in second gear until I turn out of the driveway, then drop the choke and take it easy for the next 1-2 minutes of riding. After that, it's plenty warm to rev her up.

LoneRonin · October 6th, 2012, 03:51 PM

I've been noticing my bike has gotten much more finicky recently. If I ride off after the bike has been put on choke for 30 secs to a minute it will usually turn off when I come to stop and not start up again without choke....even after having been ridden a couple 100 meters. Its so annoying when I have a car behind and then it just dies...
I've got two shims under the needle.... Could this be a sign of needing a valve check?

choneofakind · October 6th, 2012, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoneRonin

I've been noticing my bike has gotten much more finicky recently. If I ride off after the bike has been put on choke for 30 secs to a minute it will usually turn off when I come to stop and not start up again without choke....

are you turning the choke off right away? The idea is to leave the choke on for a while while riding until the bike doesn't need it to idle.

In my experience, that takes a mile or two, which is lik 3 km for you. Post-start warm up should be just until the bike accepts a little throttle and drops back down to idle with out bogging or trying to die. On a normal day, this is maybe a minute. On a cold day (0 C) that could be 2-3 minutes. Then ride off and turn the choke off gradually after a couple km.

mrcrunch · October 6th, 2012, 04:06 PM

Make sure you are up to date on your maintenance if nothing obvious has changed (aka, riding hard). My bike went from 64 to 49 over a few months as the valve clearances degraded. I was long over do for my valve job.

It was like a new bike again when i got it back.

Coolbpf · October 10th, 2012, 05:55 PM

Yeah I ride city 85% of the time. Maybe that contributes to my gas mileage... I have been riding really mellow and taking off with choke on etc... So we'll see if I break 300 miles on this tank. If I don't I'm going to throw a fit.

choneofakind · October 10th, 2012, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coolbpf

So we'll see if I break 300 miles on this tank. If I don't I'm going to throw a fit.

hold the phone. I've never broken 300 in one tank... that's like 70 mpg. I've only done that well on one tank ever, and I filled up long before I got to the 300 mile marker.

Use your right hand a little more!!

250rr · October 10th, 2012, 08:20 PM

My Ninja is also sucking. Which is why I ride it as much as I do. Ha! You see what I did there? It's funny 'cause, like, my Ninja...it's sorta sucking....and...ummm....I straddle it when I 'ride' it. See...I'm super witty...and...yeah.

October 5th, 2012, 09:02 PM	#1
Coolbpf Limp Noodle Name: Tyler Location: Missouri Join Date: Jun 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2006 Ninja 250, Fastest Red money can buy Posts: 212	My Ninja is sucking Not really, I love my baby. But I got 45 mpg on my last tank... It's freaking cold so I've had to carb up for like 5-10 minutes before most rides, however, I don't think a little warm-up could knock like 15 mpg off could it? I was getting somewhere around 60 mpg before I believe. I don't ride hard, or 'racey', I am certainly not mellow on her, but I'm not mean to her either. Any opinions on why she's eating so much gas?

October 5th, 2012, 09:06 PM	#2
Jiggles Jigglin' your Jiglets Name: Sean Location: San Jose, Ca Join Date: Jun 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2009 K1300S, 2013 Ninja 300, 2011 Ninja 250R, Faster than Unregistered's ninjette Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 1 MOTM - Apr '13	Warm up should never be more than 30 seconds to 1 minute. Put the choke on and ride away, once the bike is warmed up remove the choke or slowly remove the choke as you ride. It is not meant to sit still and idle particularly with the choke on. And MPG's are directly related to your right hand, a little twitchiness goes a long way to kill your mileage __________________________________________________ If the Ninja 250 doesn't have enough power for you, then you don't know how to ride it. AFM #676 Supersports are for n00bs Last futzed with by Jiggles; October 5th, 2012 at 09:15 PM. Reason: warm up lol*

October 5th, 2012, 09:16 PM	#4
Jiggles Jigglin' your Jiglets Name: Sean Location: San Jose, Ca Join Date: Jun 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2009 K1300S, 2013 Ninja 300, 2011 Ninja 250R, Faster than Unregistered's ninjette Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 1 MOTM - Apr '13	If you ride it the same way though you will probably only get 40 __________________________________________________ If the Ninja 250 doesn't have enough power for you, then you don't know how to ride it. AFM #676 Supersports are for n00bs

October 5th, 2012, 09:50 PM	#6
Jiggles Jigglin' your Jiglets Name: Sean Location: San Jose, Ca Join Date: Jun 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2009 K1300S, 2013 Ninja 300, 2011 Ninja 250R, Faster than Unregistered's ninjette Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 1 MOTM - Apr '13	Changing jets is pretty easy if you know the size you want. Take off the side panel, unscrew the bowls, unscrew main, install new main and you're done. Do it when you do an oil change __________________________________________________ If the Ninja 250 doesn't have enough power for you, then you don't know how to ride it. AFM #676 Supersports are for n00bs

October 5th, 2012, 09:55 PM	#7
lgk ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Jason Location: Norfolk, VA Join Date: Dec 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2012 EX250, 2014 EX300 Posts: A lot.	i can't remember how much fuel the choke adds, but its a very significant amount. it will definitely lower your gas mileage, if you idle with it on for 10min. try riding off ASAP. if its not possible then you need to rejet your carbs, so you can. you should not get 45mpg when i get 55 riding like an ass... __________________________________________________ Ethioknight Memorial Fund- Sticker sale http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=111700

October 5th, 2012, 09:48 PM	#5
ninja250r81 ninjette.org guru Name: scott Location: australia Join Date: Jan 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2012 ninja 250r se Posts: 435	race car with carb injection usually change their jets every 5 degrees difference in temperature. we are expecting our ninja that us tuned at a certain altitude or temperature (20+) on the dynotune day is expected to run the same in winter (10 to -10). don't think so!!!!! winter for me i have to turn the choke on and pump it 5 times before the bike will start. summer i use no choke at all if it was easier to change jets or "washers" like a holley i would be changing them around 4 times a year

October 5th, 2012, 10:40 PM	#8
93etgocart ninjette.org member Name: dennis Location: swmo Join Date: Mar 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2003 Honda Shadow, 2008 ninja 250 Posts: 237	I let the bike warm up with as little amount of choke on as possible while puttin on my gear, which now that its getting colder takes a good 5 minutes but i still got 62 mpg on my last tank. Of course im not doing little wheelies, but I know i ride harder than you tyler. Been riding in the city much lately?

October 5th, 2012, 10:59 PM	#9
DaBlue1 Long Time Rider Name: Blue Location: Charlotte, NC Join Date: Sep 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Kawasaki Ninja 250R Posts: A lot.	Weather changes can also influence the mileage. Especially in carbs. Gasoline doesn't vaporize very well at very cold temperatures. So some oil companies formulate fuel differently for cold-weather markets in the winter. Unfortunately, the changes that are supposed to make cold weather vaporization better, also result in less available energy for combustion. You won't get as far on a liter/gal of winter gas as you will on a liter/gal of summer gas. Altitude, air temperature, and humidity are big factors that will affect how an engine will run. Air density increases as air gets colder. This means that there are more oxygen molecules in the same space when the air is cold. When the temperature drops, the engine will run leaner and more fuel will have to be added to compensate. When the air temperature gets warmer, the engine will run richer and less fuel will be needed. Altitude affects jetting since there are less air molecules as altitude increases. A bike that runs good at sea level will run rich at 10,000 ft due to the thinner air. Humidity is how much moisture is in the air. As humidity increases, jetting will be richer. A bike that runs fine in dry air may run rich when the humidity is high. Don't waste fuel warming your bike up too long when you start it. You only need about 45-60 seconds of idling to make sure the oil is flowing sufficiently in the engine. Excessive idling beyond a few minutes will rob you of gas mileage fast. Let the bike continue to warm up as you are riding. You can pull off with the choke on and the idle around 2k rpms, then turn the choke off after about a mile or two. Of course the time it take to sufficiently warm the bike will depend on how cold it is. Also as the temps get colder you will have to adjust your idle speed up a little.

October 6th, 2012, 01:26 AM	#10
KawiKid860 ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Murphey Location: Eastern Washington Join Date: Apr 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2002 Honda 919, 2004 Ninja 500R NAKED Posts: A lot.	Don't they change fuel mixtures when it gets colder out? I got 42 consistently last winter commuting mixed city highway, with a couple tanks of 38-39 running a gear lower than my usual in the city just to test it out. Spring and summer my mpg went up to about 52-55 same city/highway mix as winter and 65-68 on long rides at 70-80 mph. Also would just like to state I ride very aggressively and it never seems to affect my mpg and my bikes double the CCs of a 250. One more little tip; try covering half your radiator with a piece of cardboard or something. I do this, its the only way the bike will warm up (on the temp guage at least) when its in the 40s and lower, and still cools effectively up into the 60s. Definitely helps out on those cold mornings

October 6th, 2012, 04:29 AM	#11
Apex Livin' the Minimoto Life Name: Mark Location: Riding around in TX Join Date: Mar 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2022 Honda Navi, 2018 Z-125 Pro Posts: A lot.	If anything, your fuel mix runs lean when it gets cold out. Re-jetting will only allow more fuel to be dumped into the combustion chamber. This will not net in an increase in fuel mileage. I got 60+mpg regardless of the time of year. I also would choke up when I first started it up, let it sit for 30-60 seconds, then choke down and ride off. I typically spent the first 5+ minutes of my ride with the choke on, until it finally idled on its own with no issues. __________________________________________________ --- My IG Page --- My FB page! --- 2022 Honda Navi && 2018 Z-125 Pro

October 6th, 2012, 05:38 AM	#12
dfox ninjette.org sage Name: Fox Location: Boston Join Date: May 2012 Motorcycle(s): 08 250R Posts: 881	even in the high 30's mornings we've been having, I put on my gear, sit on the bike, start with full choke and immediately start down the driveway. Leave her with full choke in second gear until I turn out of the driveway, then drop the choke and take it easy for the next 1-2 minutes of riding. After that, it's plenty warm to rev her up.

October 6th, 2012, 03:51 PM	#13
LoneRonin ninjette.org sage Name: Jason Location: Mississauga Join Date: Mar 2011 Motorcycle(s): 09 Ninja 250r Posts: 634	I've been noticing my bike has gotten much more finicky recently. If I ride off after the bike has been put on choke for 30 secs to a minute it will usually turn off when I come to stop and not start up again without choke....even after having been ridden a couple 100 meters. Its so annoying when I have a car behind and then it just dies... I've got two shims under the needle.... Could this be a sign of needing a valve check? __________________________________________________ ”Any man dies with a clean sword, I’ll rape his f*ing corpse!”- The Hound

October 6th, 2012, 04:06 PM	#15
mrcrunch ninjette.org member Name: Brian Location: wixom MI Join Date: Jul 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2007 250r Posts: 54	Make sure you are up to date on your maintenance if nothing obvious has changed (aka, riding hard). My bike went from 64 to 49 over a few months as the valve clearances degraded. I was long over do for my valve job. It was like a new bike again when i got it back.

October 10th, 2012, 05:55 PM	#16
Coolbpf Limp Noodle Name: Tyler Location: Missouri Join Date: Jun 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2006 Ninja 250, Fastest Red money can buy Posts: 212	Yeah I ride city 85% of the time. Maybe that contributes to my gas mileage... I have been riding really mellow and taking off with choke on etc... So we'll see if I break 300 miles on this tank. If I don't I'm going to throw a fit.

October 10th, 2012, 08:20 PM	#18
250rr ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Mark Location: Portland Join Date: Sep 2010 Motorcycle(s): Cheap Italian Suit. Otherwise known as Dew Kitty Posts: A lot.	My Ninja is also sucking. Which is why I ride it as much as I do. Ha! You see what I did there? It's funny 'cause, like, my Ninja...it's sorta sucking....and...ummm....I straddle it when I 'ride' it. See...I'm super witty...and...yeah. Last futzed with by 250rr; October 10th, 2012 at 08:26 PM. Reason: I typed two words twice accidentally.