Ok here is my story so far with my 2006 Ninja

[jackliu239]

Saw a guy selling 2006 Ninja 250R on craigslist for $2000, the bike only have 97 miles on it... yes 97 miles. The story is his friend brought it and took it home without telling his parent and his bike got instantly banned for life. The bike sit in the garage for 5 years until the seller brought it, after he purchase it, he did a complete tune up and got it working. He only rode for around 55 miles and it too start sitting in his garage for 2 more years until he put on craigslist, I offered him $1500 and he accepted, I went to his home, and true enough the bike just won't start. I put it in my Honda Odyssey and drove it back home.

This is my first motorcycle ever, I know absolute NOTHING about it (except the MSF course I took the previous week), but absolutely nothing about motorcycle mechanically.

I found another person on craigslist that will come to your home and do a complete tune up for $150, carb cleaning, oil change etc...

After he did his work, the bike won't start, you would hear this load noise like something is slapping the piston, the guy told me the bike have engine damage, the piston is shot.

I got worried, I thought I fall for a craigslist scam, the next day I called about 10 motorcycle repair shop to ask for quote for repair piston, the cheapest quote I got was 600, most expensive quote I got was 2000. I was on the verge of total despair for making such a stupid purchase.

I decide to do it at the shop quoted me 600, put the bike into my Honda Odyssey again to the shop.

The mechanic took one look, spray something onto the carburetor and the engine runs, but it would shut off very quick, he told me the carburetor is dirty, nothing is wrong with the piston.... How can this be? I told him I did a full tune up, I even saw the previous guy took the carb out and clean it in front of me. But the mechanic insist that the carb is dirty.

He would charge me 120 to clean the carbs, I left the bike there and 3 hours later he told me its fixed. And guess what? What ya know, it was working.

I rode around the parking lot joyfully like a 11 year old girl.

I took the bike home and the next day try to rode it, I rode it for one block, accidentally took my hand off the clutch, the bike stalls. I try to restart and it won't. I had to hold the bike back to home on the sidewalk (yes plenty of cars passing me by).

I was again... not feeling happy about it, thought the repair shop didn't fix it right. But I have a feeling it was because the engine was cold, what happen is when I try to start the bike starts, but only for 1-2 seconds before shut down, but if I start and giving gas at same time it stays on, so I tied to starting it and giving a bit of gas at same time, and I hold the throttle like this for 5 minutes straight, finally to my surprise when I let go of the throttle, it still runs.

I called the motorcycle shop to tell them about the problem, the mechanic said did you use the choke... I had no idea what he was talking about, but I learned quite a bit from talking to the mechanic. The next day, I tried to start the bike without any choke, what you do know it won't start, but when I turn on the choke it starts and runs at about 5k RPM, after a few minute I start to adjust the choke a bit to turn it lower and lower until it still runs with the choke off at 1.5k RPM.

So here is where I am now, the 3rd day with my functional Ninja, but my question is that is this normal for Ninja 250? Where you have to use choke just to warm up the bike to start it?

Sorry for the long reading, I'm just really excited with my new motorcycle.

[vman1313]

My main complain about my 2007 PreGen 250 and reason for buying the 300 is the pain in the ARSE choke! Yes this is normal! Youll get use to the right amount of choke needed to start and warm up the bike. I use to max out the choke and let the thing warm up RPMing very high but somewhere on here I read to use as little amount of choke as possible that allows the bike to start and sure enough it was easier and better. Search this forum for proper choke use and youll get the hang of it! Best of luck to you and keep enjoying the bike like an 11 year old girl!!! Hahahaha!!

[csmith12]

Welcome Jack!

Using the choke to start and warm the engine up is completely normal. Once the engine can run and take throttle input without choke, turn it off. Normally only a mile or two.

[slickt0mmy]

Welcome! As the others have said, using the choke to start up a cold bike is perfectly normal. As is the carbs needing cleaned after being left sitting for a few years. Sounds like your problem has been taken care of.
You should post some pictures of your new toy! We all like sharing in the joys of buying a new motorcycle. haha

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by jackliu239

............I rode around the parking lot joyfully like a 11 year old girl........

Welcome to our site, Jack !!!

Have you taken the MSF basic course?

Please read this:
http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Engine

..and all these:
http://www.ninjette.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=39

....and this:
http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/New_Riders

[fishdip]

I all ways had to use the choke tell after I did the valves carb sync and a new battery.

[jackliu239]

Thanks for the answers, I can't believe how active this forum is, I was expecting maybe 1-2 reply by tomorrow.

I read up a bit on using the choke and warm up process, and I got to say, I'm going to have some upset neighbors soon....

Here is some picture as requested.

[KawiKid860]

Very clean bike, glad you got it running. Proper warm up would be to start the bike, set your choke accordingly if needed (not all bikes require choke to start up when it's warm out), let the bike run for 30 seconds to a minute (this is a good time to put your helmet and/or gloves on) then put her in gear and ride away. Take choke off when it can idle within spec without it. Just take it easy riding until it starts to get warmed up, no aggressive throttle or super high RPMs (your pregen has the advantage of a temp gauge), then give her hell!

Also, don't sit there with your choke on and RPMs at 5k, I personally set my choke so the bike is at 1500-2000 rpms since that isn't much higher than warm idle. My CBR is EFI and has an automatic "choke" that sets the rpms to 3000 until it gets up to 100 degrees so that would be a good number to go by, but 4-5k is definitely too high IMO.

My best advice to you if you're going to own a motorcycle is to get some mechanical knowledge. These bikes are incredibly simple and easy to work on once you get the basic knowledge of how things work. With the basic skills I learned from my Ninja, I was able to do a lot more complex work on my CBR which is a much, much more mechanically complex bike. The $120 for a carb clean could easily be done for $20 in supplies and a few hours of your time at the most. The $400 for a complete service could be done with $100 in tools/supplies and a few hours of your time. Then next time you do it you'll already have all of the tools. And you'll walk away with the satisfaction of doing your own work + a lot of extra money in your pocket instead of over paying a mechanic. In my case my bike had been sent to a completely incompetent mechanic who messed something up on it 3 times in a row, so I started taking things into my own hands.

[deeno415]

Hello & welcome!

You'll find this forum very helpful... if you have questions, shoot away!

Just in case you haven't done it yet (or no one has told you)...

Your front right indicator light is backwards!

Congrats on your bike & safe riding!

[jackliu239]

Originally Posted by deeno415

Your front right indicator light is backwards!

Thank you, I just notice that, it got popped off when I was loading into my van, and when I put it back on it must have been on the opposite direction.

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by deeno415

Your front right indicator light is backwards!

I remember when I was new, miles of smiles and every new experience was as thrilling as the next.

[MR2Aaron]

Originally Posted by jackliu239

So here is where I am now, the 3rd day with my functional Ninja, but my question is that is this normal for Ninja 250? Where you have to use choke just to warm up the bike to start it?

That's actually what the choke is there for.

Gasoline does not burn unless it's a vapor, but when the engine is cold, it does not vaporize easily. Engaging the choke causes the engine to suck more fuel out of the carburetors for the same amount of air, which allows enough fuel to vaporize to keep the engine running. Once the engine reaches the proper temperature, this is no longer necessary, and you can release the choke.

That's a great looking bike; I like the blue color. I wish mine were that clean.

I agree with the others that you'd do well to learn a little about mechanics. You can save an awful lot of money and stress if you have an understanding of what's happening to cause a particular problem, vs. panicking and having to cart the bike to a mechanic. This learning about mechanics must obviously be tempered by proper attention to doing things correctly, however. You don't want parts falling off because you didn't tighten bolts properly or something.

[csmith12]

Find a service manual and for the next 2 years, ask for tools for your bday/xmas!

[az3200]

Originally Posted by jackliu239

The next day, I tried to start the bike without any choke, what you do know it won't start, but when I turn on the choke it starts and runs at about 5k RPM, after a few minute I start to adjust the choke a bit to turn it lower and lower until it still runs with the choke off at 1.5k RPM.

So here is where I am now, the 3rd day with my functional Ninja, but my question is that is this normal for Ninja 250? Where you have to use choke just to warm up the bike to start it?

Sorry for the long reading, I'm just really excited with my new motorcycle.

yep, you'll usually need to use the choke to get it started when the bike has been sitting for a few hours. If you just got done riding it you can usually start it without the choke. Normally when I start mine I set it to full choke, which is pulling that lever all the way down. Once it starts the rpms jump up but I will adjust the lever so it idles between 2k-3.5k. You'll probably notice the rpms jump around a bit and notice it takes a precise choke setting to get it to do this.
depending on where you are and what the traffic situation/road situations are like, or if it's really cold try to take the choke off as soon as you start moving. It's not especiallly good to run the engine while moving and having the choke on. Make sure you're not riding around with it on!

[slickt0mmy]

Originally Posted by jackliu239

Here is some picture as requested.

It's so clean and pretty!

[jkv45]

Very clean - congrats!

Some of this has already been covered, but anyway...

As far as the choke goes, learn how much you need to move the choke lever to get it started. It doesn't always need to be all the way, just enough to get it going and cleanly idle at 2000 or slightly more. Starting cold and zipping up to 5000 isn't a good idea. Back it down as soon as you can, and use just enough to keep it idling smoothly. You'll learn what it sounds like when it has too much. In warm conditions you shouldn't need it for long. I'd recommend having it completely off before taking off for a ride - it's one less thing to remember to do.

Also, if you haven't gone through the maintenance items yet you should. Oil and filter change, brake fluid change, coolant change, chain lube and adjust, tire pressure check - these are all important items for your safety on the road. It's not like a car. Even though it only has a couple hundred miles on it, it's still old enough to need new fluids and other parts.

I personally wouldn't ride it around the block with the old stock tires on it. At this point they are junk - no matter how much tread they have on them. Having good tires on your cycle is one of the most important things you can do to give yourself a bigger margin of safety on the street. The next would be learning to use the front brake properly.

That, and take a riding course if you haven't already.

[Alex]

Hi Jack - your pics have disappeared, did you delete them from your pic host?