Bike dies after start up

mohns6062 · June 30th, 2011, 05:27 PM

So this morning I started my bike up to go to work. Rode it down the block and when I came to the stop it died instantly. It wouldn't start back up so I had to cage to work. Later this afternoon my dad started it up and it started up and idled just fine. He took it for a good ride and had no problems with it. When he brought it back to the house and pulled up the drive it still everything worked fine. He put the side stand down and it dies in neutral. Now it won't start.
Any help?

choneofakind · June 30th, 2011, 05:35 PM

Any history on the bike? how long's the gas been in it, how new is the bike to you, any jetting changes, any work done to it recently? etc etc

Snake · June 30th, 2011, 05:36 PM

Sounds like your kickstand safety switch either has a short in the wires that lead to it or the safety switch mounting screws are loose.

choneofakind · June 30th, 2011, 05:39 PM

oooh the part about the sidestand didn't click in my head when I read it. Try that. check faq.ninja250.org and read thru the electrical stuff partaining to the sidestand. That should help a bit with background info on that. I'm still wondering why it died when you were riding it to work. did you put the sidestand down on your ride when it died like with your dad?

Alex · June 30th, 2011, 05:40 PM

I think it could also be the clutch switch or the neutral sensor rather than the sidestand switch. If the sidestand is down, it still shouldn't turn off if either it is in neutral or if the clutch is pulled in.

mohns6062 · June 30th, 2011, 06:01 PM

It is sitting in the drive way on the center stand now. 2006, recently did a valve adj, cleaned carbs, new tank of gas as of yesterday, has ran great since engine work, we adjusted the idle mixture screws as it is running with no result, it idles then slowly keeps reving lower until it dies. When it is running and we rev it up there is a funny sound coming from the airbox/ battery area. It makes a sort of click sound at about 4000 rpm or so.

Thanks for the responses.

mohns6062 · June 30th, 2011, 06:09 PM

thinking it has to be the ignition module or kickstand switch or whatever. It won't even start with the kickstand down and to get it started (it is warmed up) you have to have the throttle on wide open.

choneofakind · June 30th, 2011, 06:17 PM

But it definitely just gets slower and slower and then dies? vs just cutting out instantly like when you flip the kill switch? that likely rules out switches. Double check all the hoses on the carbs; I've forgotten to connect the vacuum lines and what happened is just like what you described.

did this just happen randomly? you said it's been running fine since the engine work. Did you do all the work at the same time and it worked fine and suddenly this is happening? or have you done the carb work/ valve check at different times?

alex.s · June 30th, 2011, 07:01 PM

this is probably over simplifying the problem but does your choke work properly? if you put the choke on does it act like the choke is on? when you take it off does it act like you took the choke off? maybe the choke cable was disconnected and never reconnected after the service

Timon · June 30th, 2011, 09:19 PM

I agree with the fact of it NOT being a switch on the clutch or on the side stand simply because it died while in neutral with the stand down. The bike will only kill itself if you put the stand down and try to drive off in gear with it still down, then it will instantly die as soon as you release the clutch.

mohns6062 · June 30th, 2011, 09:19 PM

I have used the choke after the service

mohns6062 · July 1st, 2011, 12:18 PM

It was on its side stand in a heavy rain... could that hurt the electronics in anyway?

choneofakind · July 1st, 2011, 01:11 PM

no. Mine's been sitting in the rain multiple times. no worries about that

alex.s · July 1st, 2011, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mohns6062

thinking it has to be the ignition module or kickstand switch or whatever. It won't even start with the kickstand down and to get it started (it is warmed up) you have to have the throttle on wide open.

what about in neutral?

choneofakind · July 1st, 2011, 06:47 PM

what are your idle jets set at? that would explain the hard starts and possibly the low idle

mohns6062 · July 1st, 2011, 11:32 PM

Yes all the work was done at the same time and it was working before then the problems started randomly

mohns6062 · July 1st, 2011, 11:36 PM

Turning the idle screws didn't change the idle while it was running

mohns6062 · July 2nd, 2011, 10:25 AM

So this morning it started up unassisted (no choke, no throttle). It seems to idle decently but if I rev it it will hover at about 3 thousand and eventually comes down to"normal" idle speed. So new issue is the hovering idle speed after it gets rev'd up

Felipe the Ant · July 2nd, 2011, 11:20 AM

It's idling rich, I don't know enough about these bikes to tell you why though, unless someone messed with the screws or unplugged a hose they shouldn't have

Edit: Oh I see now that you did mess with the screws. You went too far, lean it out a bit. When you get it right it should rev quickly with no bogging and when it comes down it should come right back to idle. If it hangs above it's too rich, and if it dips below and comes back up it's too lean

kkim · July 2nd, 2011, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felipe the Ant

If it hangs above it's too rich, and if it dips below and comes back up it's too lean

you have it backwards.

hangs= lean
dips=rich

http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/How_to_...r_idle_mixture.

Felipe the Ant · July 2nd, 2011, 12:58 PM

derp

Yeah that's what I meant

choneofakind · July 3rd, 2011, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mohns6062

So this morning it started up unassisted (no choke, no throttle). It seems to idle decently but if I rev it it will hover at about 3 thousand and eventually comes down to"normal" idle speed. So new issue is the hovering idle speed after it gets rev'd up

...that's why I asked what your pilot jets were set at, even though I called them idle jets because I wasn't thinking.

If they're in too far it makes the bike hard to start and it hangs terribly when you blip throttle (lean). it will also make the bike die from starving it of fuel. Try backing them out 1/4 turn at a time until you get good response off idle and it drops back down to idle quickly without dropping below idle (rich). then test ride it and see how it feels.

take it for a ride and get it warmed up before you adjust the idle mix screws

mohns6062 · July 5th, 2011, 11:35 AM

So while i was out of town my dad cleaned any suspect electrical connections. He pur di-electric grease on them. He jumpered te side stand swith and he dried out the air box ( not really anything in there). Headjusted the carbs again and he took it for a good half hour "shake down". He says it seems to be real good.

(It was also cooking this past weekend without a cover on in 25+ degrees celcius weather)

choneofakind · July 5th, 2011, 06:16 PM

what did he end up doing to the carbs when he adjusted them?

mohns6062 · July 10th, 2011, 02:38 PM

He said he just adjusted the pilot screws

choneofakind · July 10th, 2011, 07:37 PM

Glad you got it fixed. now go ride it and love it!

mohns6062 · July 10th, 2011, 07:48 PM

Just heading to her now, bought new boots so I'm going to try them out

June 30th, 2011, 05:27 PM	#1
mohns6062 ninjette.org member Name: Braydan Location: Saskatchewan Join Date: Mar 2011 Motorcycle(s): Kawasaki ZZR 250 Posts: 39	Bike dies after start up So this morning I started my bike up to go to work. Rode it down the block and when I came to the stop it died instantly. It wouldn't start back up so I had to cage to work. Later this afternoon my dad started it up and it started up and idled just fine. He took it for a good ride and had no problems with it. When he brought it back to the house and pulled up the drive it still everything worked fine. He put the side stand down and it dies in neutral. Now it won't start. Any help?

June 30th, 2011, 05:40 PM	#5
Alex ninjette.org dude Name: 1 guess :-) Location: SF Bay Area Join Date: Jun 2008 Motorcycle(s): '13 Ninja 300 (white, the fastest color!), '13 R1200RT, '14 CRF250L, '12 TT-R125LE Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 7	I think it could also be the clutch switch or the neutral sensor rather than the sidestand switch. If the sidestand is down, it still shouldn't turn off if either it is in neutral or if the clutch is pulled in. __________________________________________________ Montgomery Street Motorcycle Club / cal24.com / crf250l.org / ninjette.org ninjette.org Terms of Service Shopping for motorcycle parts or equipment? Come here first. The friendliest Ninja 250R/300/400 forum on the internet! (especially Unregistered)

June 30th, 2011, 07:01 PM	#9
alex.s wat Name: wat Location: tustin/long beach Join Date: Sep 2009 Motorcycle(s): wat Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 5 MOTM - Oct '12, Feb '14	this is probably over simplifying the problem but does your choke work properly? if you put the choke on does it act like the choke is on? when you take it off does it act like you took the choke off? maybe the choke cable was disconnected and never reconnected after the service __________________________________________________

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June 30th, 2011, 05:35 PM	#2
choneofakind ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: . Location: . Join Date: Feb 2011 Motorcycle(s): . Posts: Too much. MOTM - Feb '13, Feb '14	Any history on the bike? how long's the gas been in it, how new is the bike to you, any jetting changes, any work done to it recently? etc etc

June 30th, 2011, 05:36 PM	#3
Snake ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Rick Location: Alexandria, Louisiana Join Date: Jan 2009 Motorcycle(s): 05 Blue Ninja 250 Posts: Too much. MOTY - 2017, MOTM - Jan '19, Oct '16, May '14	Sounds like your kickstand safety switch either has a short in the wires that lead to it or the safety switch mounting screws are loose.

June 30th, 2011, 05:39 PM	#4
choneofakind ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: . Location: . Join Date: Feb 2011 Motorcycle(s): . Posts: Too much. MOTM - Feb '13, Feb '14	oooh the part about the sidestand didn't click in my head when I read it. Try that. check faq.ninja250.org and read thru the electrical stuff partaining to the sidestand. That should help a bit with background info on that. I'm still wondering why it died when you were riding it to work. did you put the sidestand down on your ride when it died like with your dad?

June 30th, 2011, 06:01 PM	#6
mohns6062 ninjette.org member Name: Braydan Location: Saskatchewan Join Date: Mar 2011 Motorcycle(s): Kawasaki ZZR 250 Posts: 39	It is sitting in the drive way on the center stand now. 2006, recently did a valve adj, cleaned carbs, new tank of gas as of yesterday, has ran great since engine work, we adjusted the idle mixture screws as it is running with no result, it idles then slowly keeps reving lower until it dies. When it is running and we rev it up there is a funny sound coming from the airbox/ battery area. It makes a sort of click sound at about 4000 rpm or so. Thanks for the responses.

June 30th, 2011, 06:09 PM	#7
mohns6062 ninjette.org member Name: Braydan Location: Saskatchewan Join Date: Mar 2011 Motorcycle(s): Kawasaki ZZR 250 Posts: 39	thinking it has to be the ignition module or kickstand switch or whatever. It won't even start with the kickstand down and to get it started (it is warmed up) you have to have the throttle on wide open.

June 30th, 2011, 06:17 PM	#8
choneofakind ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: . Location: . Join Date: Feb 2011 Motorcycle(s): . Posts: Too much. MOTM - Feb '13, Feb '14	But it definitely just gets slower and slower and then dies? vs just cutting out instantly like when you flip the kill switch? that likely rules out switches. Double check all the hoses on the carbs; I've forgotten to connect the vacuum lines and what happened is just like what you described. did this just happen randomly? you said it's been running fine since the engine work. Did you do all the work at the same time and it worked fine and suddenly this is happening? or have you done the carb work/ valve check at different times?

June 30th, 2011, 09:19 PM	#10
Timon ninjette.org member Name: Timon Location: Utah Join Date: Feb 2011 Motorcycle(s): Ninja EX250R Posts: 80	I agree with the fact of it NOT being a switch on the clutch or on the side stand simply because it died while in neutral with the stand down. The bike will only kill itself if you put the stand down and try to drive off in gear with it still down, then it will instantly die as soon as you release the clutch.

July 1st, 2011, 12:18 PM	#12
mohns6062 ninjette.org member Name: Braydan Location: Saskatchewan Join Date: Mar 2011 Motorcycle(s): Kawasaki ZZR 250 Posts: 39	It was on its side stand in a heavy rain... could that hurt the electronics in anyway?

July 1st, 2011, 01:11 PM	#13
choneofakind ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: . Location: . Join Date: Feb 2011 Motorcycle(s): . Posts: Too much. MOTM - Feb '13, Feb '14	no. Mine's been sitting in the rain multiple times. no worries about that

July 1st, 2011, 06:47 PM	#15
choneofakind ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: . Location: . Join Date: Feb 2011 Motorcycle(s): . Posts: Too much. MOTM - Feb '13, Feb '14	what are your idle jets set at? that would explain the hard starts and possibly the low idle

July 1st, 2011, 11:32 PM	#16
mohns6062 ninjette.org member Name: Braydan Location: Saskatchewan Join Date: Mar 2011 Motorcycle(s): Kawasaki ZZR 250 Posts: 39	Yes all the work was done at the same time and it was working before then the problems started randomly

July 1st, 2011, 11:36 PM	#17
mohns6062 ninjette.org member Name: Braydan Location: Saskatchewan Join Date: Mar 2011 Motorcycle(s): Kawasaki ZZR 250 Posts: 39	Turning the idle screws didn't change the idle while it was running

July 2nd, 2011, 10:25 AM	#18
mohns6062 ninjette.org member Name: Braydan Location: Saskatchewan Join Date: Mar 2011 Motorcycle(s): Kawasaki ZZR 250 Posts: 39	So this morning it started up unassisted (no choke, no throttle). It seems to idle decently but if I rev it it will hover at about 3 thousand and eventually comes down to"normal" idle speed. So new issue is the hovering idle speed after it gets rev'd up

July 2nd, 2011, 11:20 AM	#19
Felipe the Ant ninjette.org sage Name: . Location: . Join Date: May 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2011 Ninja 250R SE GREEN! Posts: 562	It's idling rich, I don't know enough about these bikes to tell you why though, unless someone messed with the screws or unplugged a hose they shouldn't have Edit: Oh I see now that you did mess with the screws. You went too far, lean it out a bit. When you get it right it should rev quickly with no bogging and when it comes down it should come right back to idle. If it hangs above it's too rich, and if it dips below and comes back up it's too lean

July 2nd, 2011, 12:58 PM	#21
Felipe the Ant ninjette.org sage Name: . Location: . Join Date: May 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2011 Ninja 250R SE GREEN! Posts: 562	derp Yeah that's what I meant

July 5th, 2011, 11:35 AM	#23
mohns6062 ninjette.org member Name: Braydan Location: Saskatchewan Join Date: Mar 2011 Motorcycle(s): Kawasaki ZZR 250 Posts: 39	So while i was out of town my dad cleaned any suspect electrical connections. He pur di-electric grease on them. He jumpered te side stand swith and he dried out the air box ( not really anything in there). Headjusted the carbs again and he took it for a good half hour "shake down". He says it seems to be real good. (It was also cooking this past weekend without a cover on in 25+ degrees celcius weather)

July 5th, 2011, 06:16 PM	#24
choneofakind ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: . Location: . Join Date: Feb 2011 Motorcycle(s): . Posts: Too much. MOTM - Feb '13, Feb '14	what did he end up doing to the carbs when he adjusted them?

July 10th, 2011, 02:38 PM	#25
mohns6062 ninjette.org member Name: Braydan Location: Saskatchewan Join Date: Mar 2011 Motorcycle(s): Kawasaki ZZR 250 Posts: 39	He said he just adjusted the pilot screws

July 10th, 2011, 07:37 PM	#26
choneofakind ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: . Location: . Join Date: Feb 2011 Motorcycle(s): . Posts: Too much. MOTM - Feb '13, Feb '14	Glad you got it fixed. now go ride it and love it!

July 10th, 2011, 07:48 PM	#27
mohns6062 ninjette.org member Name: Braydan Location: Saskatchewan Join Date: Mar 2011 Motorcycle(s): Kawasaki ZZR 250 Posts: 39	Just heading to her now, bought new boots so I'm going to try them out