HELPPPPPPPP! Ninja Gurus, I need your help!

[dkstariob]

-2009 ninja 250
-2nd owner, purchased at 143 miles, now at 4021 miles.
-carbs have been shimmed
-bike is stock
-I have done many oil and filter changes, rode it every day.

The problem I have now happened around the 1600 mile mark. I go about a quarter mile down the road from my driveway to the first light. I shift down to neutral and wait for the light, and I notice the rpms proceed to flicker and go down slowly to zero. It then dies. I have trouble restarting it by just thumbing the starter. As a matter of fact, I can't restart it with just the starter, I HAVE to put it on full choke, then thumb the starter for it to work. And it dies when I try to pull the throttle. I would have to repeat doing full choke + thumb starter until the bike doesnt start at all I would then have to just wait about 5-10 mins (sometimes even longer) for the bike to chill out and then when I start it again (it takes many tries), it would sound as good as new.
-idle setting is at 1.5k. This problem only happens a couple of times per week, but i know that it shouldn't be happening. It has also once died on me when I was riding it all day and i went to eat for 30 mins. but when i rode it again it died. After riding it for 1-2 miles, the bike is fine and i know that i will be good for the rest of the day. Now the guy I bought it from got his ninja in Jan 09 and it was mostly kept in his garage. he also had the idle setting at 3k when i came to buy it from him. Now I already cleaned the carbs with a knowledgeable bike friend on Monday and dumped the fuel bowl? or whatever. Before that I had periodically used 2 cans of sea foam. The carbs were still clean when we inspected it, but we still clean it anyways. The spark plugs look fine. I don't know what else to do, please help me.

UPDATE 10/11: So I've been warming it up before riding. Today the rpms seemed to be a little weird, I would warm it up with the choke on half and move it and while I was moving the bike out of the garage, the rpms started to decrease. I know this isn't supposed to happen. Anyways, it would resume going to 2.5-2.7k. I then decide to take it for a ride. Everything is fine. I go to the market at night, leave it for 25 mins. Then ride it, go to KFC to pick up food, leave it for 10. I start it up, start riding and about 3/4-1 mile down it starts not feeling responsive. I immediately knew that something was up so I pull up into a neighborhood because the minute I come to a stop, I knew this bike is going to die on me so I would rather do it on a street than block an intersection. The only thing keeping the bike moving is because Im trying to keep it at high rpms but even when Im pulling on the throttle it will only be at 4k. So I stop at the neighborhood and the bike dies. I have trouble starting it up again. Can only start with full choke before thumbing starter. The thing is, it will only go as high as 1k and die immediately when pulling the throttle. So since THIS HAS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES BEFORE, I just chill for 3 mins or so, then start it back up with choke (the only way the bike will start) and the bike is perfectly fine and running good. Ninjette forums....WHAT THE F?!

UPDATE #2 10/12: Went riding with some other riders this afternoon for a very long time. We all stopped at a gas station for about 30 mins talking. Decide to head back with 3 other riders. Start the bike up. Bike is stuttering at under 1k. I have to put it on choke and I have to ride it while on choke. Throttle response SUCKS. Once again, about 1/2-3/4 mile down the road on the highway, the bike dies down while trying to go on freeway. I pull it to the side. The riders that were in front of me turn around and come get me on the side asking what was up. I tell them that this has been happening frequently. One guy suggested that it might be a leak in the vacuum or the fuel line being messed up. I can't start it up at all, even with choke. I just wait 3 mins or so before trying. Works fine AGAIN.

Before, when the bike was warmed up, the needle would rest comfortably on 1.5, but now the needle is going up and down (only a little bit, but quite noticeable change) and now it takes forever to warm up. I can be riding for more than 15-20 minutes, and the idle will be at 1.1 or 1.2k

I took it to two very knowledgeable friends garages (only one owns a 250) and they say they cant fix the bike when it runs cherry. They need the bike to not be working to fix the problem. The only thing is that the bike always manages to run fine a few minutes later. I am very annoyed and irritated by this. Is there anyone on this forum that is experiencing the same problem as me? I know that one guy had his ninja die out on him by pulling in the clutch at around the same length (1/2-3/4 of a mile) but mine doesnt die from pulling the clutch in, it usually dies when coming to a stop.

[kkim]

I need to use the choke, no matter what the temps.

Let it warm up with the choke and have the bike run at 2500rpm for a few minutes at least to come up t temp. You can ride the bike with the choke partially on. Bike takes about 5-10 minutes of riding to fully come up to operating temps to where the choke may not be needed.

my advice??? shim the needles if it has not been done yet.

[dkstariob]

Yeah gary is going to help me out with that one.

I'll do that and warm the bike no matter what. Would you suggest I warm the bike up only for the morning? Or also for the nights where I go to a friends place/restaurant/movie and leave it for a while.

[kkim]

I suggest using the choke whenever you start the bike when the engine has had a chance to cool back down. use the choke... it's there to aid starting in a carbed bike.

[fujimumu]

I believe most sport bikes have a proper operating temperature somewhere between 150-200ish. Having it sit in the 86 degree air is no where close to the temperature the bike needs to be to run properly, so use the choke as stated by kkim.

[backinthesaddleagain]

Welcome Dennis. BTW when warmed up idle should be around 1500 rpm.

[Sound Wave]

well, not dennis' fault, but unless the girl is really good looking, i think i am done with helping to shim carbs. two of the carb cover screws were already stripped. i was able to get off one of them but the other one was just too far gone. tried my stripped screw remover, but that didn't work because i didn't have enough room. finally did the dremel trick and cut a groove in it and used a slot screwdriver to get it out.

we also took out his silencer.

edit: just got off the phone with him. he seems pretty happy with the results. that makes it worthwhile.

[dkstariob]

Feels like an orgasm in my butt.

[Sound Wave]

lol.. TMI

[dkstariob]

Err I mean my hand.

[kkim]

Originally Posted by dkstariob

Feels like an orgasm in my butt.

[Sound Wave]

i had nothing to do with that part of it.

[kkim]

why would the carb cover screws be already stripped if the bike was not shimmed before?

[dkstariob]

Hahaha. OH MAN. IT JUST FEELS LIKE A WHOLE NEW BIKE. everyone on king street to 16th ave must have heard some asian maniac screaming WOO HOO while riding.

So 3 mins to warm up the bike at 2.5k would be sufficient?

[kkim]

Originally Posted by dkstariob

So 3 mins to warm up the bike at 2.5k would be sufficient?

each bike will differ, plus it depends on the starting temp of the engine when cold. you'll have to figure it out on your own how long it takes before it will run without stuttering/stalling.

best 25 cents for washers ever, eh?

Gary... I don't blame you on not wanting to shim any longer... perhaps one of the others that you've shown how to do it can take over from now?

[Sound Wave]

plus it was my washers he used. but i did get a diet coke lime out of the deal. thanks again for the drink.

yeah dennis. it is your turn to help the next person. watch one, do one, teach one. but hopefully, your dying bike problem was simply that it wasn't warmed up properly before you headed out.

[dkstariob]

Least I could do man. Thanks again. I really appreciate all the help and tools you provided.

Hopefully. Cause I used to do it with choke and it would still die on me. Maybe I flooded the engine or something long time ago. Here's to new beginnings.

[kkim]

damn... that's one happy customer, Gary.

[komohana]

gary!

i get one friend like their carbs shimmed and dakine removed too!!

[Sound Wave]

she cute? hehe.

[komohana]

...and howzit dennis

cyber shaka attempt:
(\m/)

[komohana]

Originally Posted by Sound Wave

she cute? hehe.

with results like that does it matter?

[dkstariob]

whats up steve.

[ninjabrewer]

Originally Posted by Sound Wave

i had nothing to do with that part of it.

I was going to say I am jealous, I didn't get that and you helped me do mine. But since you added that, I won't be.

nb

[dkstariob]

So I've been warming it up before riding. Today the rpms seemed to be a little weird, I would warm it up with the choke on half and move it and while I was moving the bike out of the garage, the rpms started to decrease. I know this isn't supposed to happen. Anyways, it would resume going to 2.5-2.7k. I then decide to take it for a ride. Everything is fine. I go to the market at night, leave it for 25 mins. Then ride it, go to KFC to pick up food, leave it for 10. I start it up, start riding and about 3/4-1 mile down it starts not feeling responsive. I immediately knew that something was up so I pull up into a neighborhood because the minute I come to a stop, I knew this bike is going to die on me so I would rather do it on a street than block an intersection. The only thing keeping the bike moving is because Im trying to keep it at high rpms but even when Im pulling on the throttle it will only be at 4k. So I stop at the neighborhood and the bike dies. I have trouble starting it up again. Can only start with full choke before thumbing starter. The thing is, it will only go as high as 1k and die immediately when pulling the throttle. So since THIS HAS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES BEFORE, I just chill for 3 mins or so, then start it back up with choke (the only way the bike will start) and the bike is perfectly fine and running good. Ninjette forums....WHAT THE F?!

You might say I'm not warming it up enough or whatever, then shouldn't it just stall? Shouldn't I be able to start it up with just the starter?

[kkim]

dunno... sounds pretty strange to me, too.

bad tank of gas, maybe?

[dkstariob]

Nothing but Chevron 87. I was thinking that. But I ride it every day. Fill up once a week.

[dkstariob]

Went riding with some other riders this afternoon for a very long time. We all stopped at a gas station for about 30 mins talking. Decide to head back with 3 other riders. Start the bike up. Bike is stuttering at under 1k. I have to put it on choke and I have to ride it while on choke. Throttle response SUCKS. Once again, about 1/2-3/4 mile down the road on the highway, the bike dies down while trying to go on freeway. I pull it to the side. The riders that were in front of me turn around and come get me on the side asking what was up. I tell them that this has been happening frequently. One guy suggested that it might be a leak in the vacuum or the fuel line being messed up. I can't start it up at all, even with choke. I just wait 3 mins or so before trying. Works fine AGAIN.

Before, when the bike was warmed up, the needle would rest comfortably on 1.5, but now the needle is going up and down (only a little bit, but quite noticeable change) and now it takes forever to warm up. I can be riding for more than 15-20 minutes, and the idle will be at 1.1 or 1.2k

I took it to two very knowledgeable friends garages (only one owns a 250) and they say they cant fix the bike when it runs cherry. They need the bike to not be working to fix the problem. The only thing is that the bike always manages to run fine a few minutes later. I am very annoyed and irritated by this. Is there anyone on this forum that is experiencing the same problem as me? I know that one guy had his ninja die out on him by pulling in the clutch at around the same length (1/2-3/4 of a mile) but mine doesnt die from pulling the clutch in, it usually dies when coming to a stop.

[kkim]

Dennis,

is the bike still under warranty? Might want to take it to a dealer if it is.

Sorry, intermittent problems are very difficult to troubleshoot even when the bike is sitting right in front of you, let alone on the other side of a computer.

[dkstariob]

They said warranty is voided since I got it from a third party and didnt do the 600 mile service. Curse you Cycle City. I'm just going to take it in to a shop when I have time. Was just hoping anyone knew what was wrong.

[Sound Wave]

i have no advice to give, but i just wanted to chime in and say that i am sorry to hear that your bike is still giving you troubles. hope you get it worked out.