Scary incident, what happened?!?!

[jkkkjkhk]

Hello everyone, new here. I'm a new rider, been riding since Oct '15 and love every second of it. I live in Phoenix AZ and it was about 90 degrees today on my ride home. Ride total was roughly 45 minutes, half was stop and go, the other half (second half) was about 50 mph. I replaced my sprockets and chain last week, doubt that had anything to do with my incident though.

So as I was pulling into my driveway today I dropped into 2nd gear going maybe 15-ish mph. Typically I ease on both brakes and the clutch so I come to a smooth roll. Well today attempting to do the same at some point the bike revved very high (didn't get to see what rpm). Immediately I returned the throttle to full forward, I pulled in the clutch all the way and starting hitting the brakes. The throttle didn't respond, the clutch didn't seem to respond, and the brakes I just don't know. It happened so fast I didn't get to pay attention to the specific rpm or what exactly was happening, and unfortunately I wasn't thinking quick enough to cut the engine.
So after hitting the bump at the base of my driveway, skidding the back tire and being launched towards my garage door I laid the bike down. Luckily it was at slow enough speed that I'm fine and the right fairing has only a small scuff. So I picked the bike up and gave it a quick walk around, checked the brakes, clutch, and throttle and all seemed to be working. I started the bike back up, which it did no problem, but immediately the bike was revving up towards 8k+rpms. I shut it off, waited about 5 minutes and tried it again. It was still revving high so I put it in gear with both brakes fully engaged and the clutch pulled in as well, the bike died right away. At that point both the temp and oil gauges lit up so I pulled it in the garage and let it sit. Went back out about 30 minutes later and the lights are still on. There's no spilled liquid anywhere and nothing I can see seems to be out of the ordinary. The throttle returns to zero as expected as well.

So in all, I'm not sure what happened. I know don't know if this was somehow user error (although I've never had even a similar incident) or if there was an issue with my bike. I don't know if the fan is turning on, so is there a way to check it manually? I don't know if it just overheated and it caused the bike to rev far beyond what's normal (if that's even how it works). I plan to take it to a shop to give it a thorough look over, but I don't know if it's safe to drive until then.

Has anyone heard of something like this? Any ideas what may have happened, or maybe what I might have done wrong?

Thank you for any help

[jkv45]

Sounds like the throttle cable may be routed wrong or was hanging-up on something. When that happens, turning the handlebars can make the throttle open.

As far as the clutch, you can test that by putting it in gear (engine off) and seeing if the clutch will disengage - allowing you to move.

How about the choke? Any chance it got engaged accidentally? That will make the RPMs rise as well.

I would double check that the throttle snaps back sharply and closes completely. It doesn't take much throttle opening to rev an engine pretty high when there's no load on it.

Know any seasoned riders that could take a look at it?

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by jkkkjkhk

Hello everyone, new here............ Any ideas what may have happened, or maybe what I might have done wrong?

Thank you for any help

Welcome, jkkkjkhk !!!

It was all related to the opening of the butterfly valves inside the carburetors; nothing to do with clutch, fan or any other thing in the bike.

Somehow, those valves were induced to open up.
First thing to check or have checked is the control mechanism, beginning at the twisting handle and ending in the idle regulator.

That mechanism must be lubricated and operating absolutely smoothly.
One of the steel cables may be deteriorated and partially grabbing the outer shell.

There is a spring outside the carbs which returns the throttle valve, cables and handle to the normal position: check that one.

In summary, time to disassemble, inspect, lubricate and re-assemble the handle, cables and return spring.

Please, read these:

http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Adjusti...hrottle_cables

http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Throttl...is/re-assembly

http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Lubing_the_cables

[jkkkjkhk]

Thanks for the replies guys, I'm going to read into all of this and have someone take a look at it.

It sucks that I dropped her, she's never been dropped in her life and being an 08. At least it was very minor and only a light scuff.

[adouglas]

Just to expand on/clarify Hernan's post, diagnose first, then correct.

If the throttle snaps back properly, you don't necessarily need to go disassembling everything. It can't hurt but no need to go ballistic.

Jay mentioned the cable hanging up on something. That's a real possibility. Do you have anything installed up front, like a phone mount, camera mount, cupholder, fuzzy dice? Do you have a long, dangly keychain?

Test the throttle for snapping back no matter what position the bars are in. If you've got a hangup/routing issue it might only become evident when the bars are turned.

Having said all that, This sounds like user error to me. If you can't replicate the problem, chances are there is nothing wrong with the bike.

Perhaps a false neutral? That could cause the rev symptom. Thinking that the bike is in gear, you apply throttle as if it were... but you're in neutral and the engine revs suddenly. If you let the clutch out momentarily in your moment of panic, that could have clunked it into gear and caused the bike to lurch forward. Do you remember a clunking noise or a sudden lurch?


PS: Assuming you actually were in 2nd, the reason the clutch didn't seem to respond is that it had already been pulled enough to disengage. Had it not, the engine wouldn't have revved like that in the first place... the bike would have jumped forward instead.

[SLOWn60]

There is another possibility: a brain fart. Most of us have done it; squeezed the brake too hard (praise to the ABS gods!), hit the throttle accidentally (n00b/litre bike lecture at 11) and we have one of those moments when it's dangerous to chew gum and walk at the same time and we're not even aware of what happened.
True story!

[Alex]

Originally Posted by adouglas

Having said all that, This sounds like user error to me. If you can't replicate the problem, chances are there is nothing wrong with the bike.

Originally Posted by SLOWn60

There is another possibility: a brain fart. Most of us have done it; squeezed the brake too hard (praise to the ABS gods!), hit the throttle accidentally (n00b/litre bike lecture at 11) and we have one of those moments when it's dangerous to chew gum and walk at the same time and we're not even aware of what happened.
True story!

I was about to post pretty much the same thing, but then I re-read the rest of his post. He started up the bike afterwards, giving it no gas, and the revs spiked to 8k+. Something is causing the throttle to be rolled on significantly, without his hand on the grip. I'm now with the stuck/misrouted throttle cable idea.

[SLOWn60]

Originally Posted by Alex

I was about to post pretty much the same thing, but then I re-read the rest of his post. He started up the bike afterwards, giving it no gas, and the revs spiked to 8k+. Something is causing the throttle to be rolled on significantly, without his hand on the grip. I'm now with the stuck/misrouted throttle cable idea.

Well there's your mistake, Alex; you read the posts first!

[jkkkjkhk]

Originally Posted by SLOWn60

Well there's your mistake, Alex; you read the posts first!

Yeah that part along with when I put it in gear it died immediately. It is possible the wipeout was user error but regardless I'm going to lube up the throttle and clutch cables, can't hurt. I didn't ride it to work today and won't until after this weekend when I can lube it up. Certainly not afraid to ride it, but I don't want to worry about this happening again... and in worse circumstances.

[SLOWn60]

Aside from doing a thorough check; keep in mind and be ready to disengage the clutch and hit the kill button if things start to go wrong!
If it were me; I'd disconnect the throttle cables and before lubing: check that they slide easily in their cable housing and throttle grip. Then check the throttle plates snap back without the cables hooked up. Any thing seem sticky: service or replace!

[jkkkjkhk]

Originally Posted by SLOWn60

Aside from doing a thorough check; keep in mind and be ready to disengage the clutch and hit the kill button if things start to go wrong!
If it were me; I'd disconnect the throttle cables and before lubing: check that they slide easily in their cable housing and throttle grip. Then check the throttle plates snap back without the cables hooked up. Any thing seem sticky: service or replace!

Thanks, yeah the kill button would have been helpful.

[jkkkjkhk]

Quick little update. So I lubed and adjusted both throttle cables (following all the DIY guides) to where the cable slides freely in it's sheath (although it did before as well) and adjusted the return to snap back a little more. Did a quick start up and after letting the idle settle I'm still finding that the throttle is jumping when turning the handlebars (right this time instead of left) and returns when back to center.

Took the fairing off again to double check and while checking the open cable end down at the carb there is a slight amount of play on the open cable when the throttle is at zero. A little tug on the cable doesn't affect the throttle so maybe there's just more force behind it than it seems. Turning the handlebars back and forth I found no difference in the tautness of the cable and at the same time I'm not finding any tight spots where the cable/sheat runs from the handlebars to the carb, I can freely move them at any point.

Started the bike up again and now I'm not seeing the jump in rpms I was before. I didn't change anything this time so not sure what's going on. It's hard to find any problem when I can't duplicate the issue which is becoming increasingly frustrating.
What would the consensus be on just taking it to a shop for what should be a simple fix? I don't want to throw down possibly a couple hundred $$ for what might be such a stupid little problem. If the recommendation is take it to a shop, does anyone have a preference for a specific PHX shop?

Thanks again for any help

[SLOWn60]

You ask a difficult question to answer because we don't know you!
You may have cleared the hang up or pinch point in the cable(s) while poking about and not realized it. You are a new rider and we don't know your level of mechanical aptitude or your physical, instinctual aptitudes.
What I'm trying to say is perhaps you should pay to get it checked.
It could be dangerous to you for us to say it's probably fixed, go ride if you might miss the danger signs and not react in time with the clutch or kill switch etc.
This is a small mechanical problem but if you're not confident it's now fixed or think there's a chance you could get yourself back into the same situation as before then get it checked and there's nothing wrong with doing that.

[JohnnyBravo]

Sucks you dropped your ride, it happens to almost everyone.

DK bout your issue, hopefully you can get it figured out quick...

[jkkkjkhk]

Originally Posted by SLOWn60

You ask a difficult question to answer because we don't know you!
You may have cleared the hang up or pinch point in the cable(s) while poking about and not realized it. You are a new rider and we don't know your level of mechanical aptitude or your physical, instinctual aptitudes.
What I'm trying to say is perhaps you should pay to get it checked.
It could be dangerous to you for us to say it's probably fixed, go ride if you might miss the danger signs and not react in time with the clutch or kill switch etc.
This is a small mechanical problem but if your not confident it's now fixed or think there's a chance you could get yourself back into the same situation as before then get it checked and there's nothing wrong with doing that.

Thanks for the tip. I'm going to ride it tomorrow and hopefully no problems, I'll take it to a shop soon for them to look over my work, if they see anything I don't.