My craiglist motorcycle

[itslocfoo]

On Wednesday of October 16, I made one of the worst decision of my life. I spent 1.7 grand on a bike, that's barely working. His asking price was 2000, it took me an hour to bargain him down to 1.7 grand. This is my first bike I had no idea what I was doing. I made check offs; for instance, i checked for leaks on forks, condition of break pads, tires,& oil. He said it has never been dropped but i noticed the clutch lever ball was broken off i took his word for it. the damn bike was platidip with black. However, I was stupid enough to sign and fill out the sale's paper right in front of him. When I was checking out the bike in Dana Point, it seems like such a great bike for such a great bike. I asked him if he have done any valve adjustment he said he did it 2k of miles ago. I asked if he cleaned the Carb he said he did it recently(doesnt seem like it if it doesnt idle right). He also mentioned he got a new battery, tires,& breakpads; the breakpads and tires seems new but the battery I dont know. Most of these 2007 ninja 250 go for 2100-2400$. In addition, this bike only has 10k of miles. When i bought it home I rode it around the neighborhood for about 15 mins it was running great. Then i realize that the speedometer isn't working. Then I notice the bike shuts off when i tried making it go to idle. it doesn't stay at idle it shuts off when it goes under 1-2rpm. After a while i notice a sense a moderate amount of the smell of gas when i parked it. A few mins later i went out and wanted to go for another ride. unfortunately the bike wont even start, sometimes it would make a buzz noise in the middle section of my bike. Now I do not know what to do. I called Mission Motorsport, they said i need a carb cleaning, new battery and in total that is over 500$. Could you guys help me fix my bike. I don't want to get a new battery because what if that is not the issue. I dont have any friends that are bikers so reddit and google are my only hope. I screwed up bad. I was wondering if you guys could provide me with some advice on fixing the bike. Thank you.

Update - changed the oil and oil filter; I also got new gas. I plan to do carb cleaning soon. nothing changed

i notice one more issue the bike doesnt start when pressing start once. I have to hold on it and spam it several time. this morning it won't even start. does that mean i need a new starter plugs?

[crimsondragon]

Are the gauge lights lit up when you turn the bike ignition switch to on? If they don't come on, that's a clear indicator that either the battery is dead or you have some sort of electrical fault somewhere. Yank the battery out, drive to a parts store and have them test the battery. If it's bad, replace it. Throw all ideas out of trying to save money. You bought a bike that needs work, and work requires you to spend something.
And start going through this: http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Main_Page

If he has no documentations of the work done on the bike in regards to maintenance, assume nothing has been changed and will require servicing or inspection.

[Alex]

/moved to pre-gen tech area

[itslocfoo]

the bike guages lights up fine. its weird cause when i jump start with the car off it would start after 2 crank. i feel like after i do carb cleaning it should help fix some of these fuel issues.

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by itslocfoo

On Wednesday of October 16, I made one of the worst decision of my life. ..........

Welcome to our site, Loc !!!

I disagree with your statement: try being less negative about a unique experience.................. and learn about your machine !!!

Do you have a way to reverse the transaction?
If yes, do you want to keep the bike or not?
If yes, do you have a clue about mechanics and electricity?
If yes, do you have little money to pay for expensive endless repairs?
If not, do you have a suitable place and tools to work on the bike?
If yes, are you willing to learn how to do all the work yourself and have the patience and time to do it?
If yes, the members of this site can help you solve many problems if you expose one at a time and with sufficient information.

Additional annoying questions:
What did you buy it for?
How have you learned how to ride?
Do you have and wear protective gear?
Do you have a safe place to store the bike at night?

[itslocfoo]

thank you!
no i don't sadly. I have seen people on this forums spend little to 900 and get a decent running bike.
i would love to keep the bike. I have some clue about it i have been reading forums and 250 wikia
well i dont really have much i only have less then 100 in my account
i have most the tools for it.
I am willing to learn! i plan to spend the next weekend to clean out carbs and see how it runs.
Okay thanks!

Additional annoying questions:
What did you buy it for? I bought a new windshield & bolts, oil, oil filter, i plan to change fork oil soon.
How have you learned how to ride? i took the MSF class to learn the basic and i started riding when my bike was running
Do you have and wear protective gear? Yes so far i have gloves and helmet, i plan to buy jackets and boots soon
Do you have a safe place to store the bike at night? yes i do i leave it outside with a cover on top of it

[fr1dayn1ght]

the gas smell is normal, no? I smell it on my bike sometimes too, I mean you're sitting right on top of the gas tank and all so some fume prolly got out

[itslocfoo]

I actually fixed the gas thing today! there was a hole on the california emission tube

[csmith12]

Welcome Loc! Just like you, I feel most of your issues will be addressed by "really" cleaning the carbs. Getting the carbs out is the hardest part but one of our members made a great DIY video. Check the airbox and filter while your at it.

Get a torque wrench if you don't have one already. Assuming you get you list of issues taken care of, don't forget other more subtle things. Such as;
Rear wheel alignment
Lube of cables
Torque on bolts in problem areas (shift lever, front and rear axles, front sprocket, clutch/brake perch & calipers, ect.. ect..)
Lube your cables (throttle, choke and clutch)
Inspect/clean petcock

Your local autozone (or just about any other auto part store) should be able to test the battery free of charge.

Don't feel bad though, everyone makes mistakes in life. Chalk it up to experience & education and put your best foot forward making the bike right. Sell it or keep it, you will sleep better knowing you did the right thing.

[choneofakind]

Dead battery and dirty carbs.

Relax. It will run just fine. We've all been there. Getting angry just leaves you unhappy

[choneofakind]

And yes, a little gas smell is normal. The gas cap vents when there's pressure in the tank. It smells like gas fumes. Totally normal.


Also normal is some gas leaking if your carbs are dirty and flooding.

[itslocfoo]

Originally Posted by csmith12

Welcome Loc! Just like you, I feel most of your issues will be addressed by "really" cleaning the carbs. Getting the carbs out is the hardest part but one of our members made a great DIY video. Check the airbox and filter while your at it.

Get a torque wrench if you don't have one already. Assuming you get you list of issues taken care of, don't forget other more subtle things. Such as;
Rear wheel alignment
Lube of cables
Torque on bolts in problem areas (shift lever, front and rear axles, front sprocket, clutch/brake perch & calipers, ect.. ect..)
Lube your cables (throttle, choke and clutch)
Inspect/clean petcock

Your local autozone (or just about any other auto part store) should be able to test the battery free of charge.

Don't feel bad though, everyone makes mistakes in life. Chalk it up to experience & education and put your best foot forward making the bike right. Sell it or keep it, you will sleep better knowing you did the right thing.

what do you mean by lube of cable? what kind of pressure should i put the torque at ? inspect and clean petcock?

thank you so much! I will clean the carb and see how it goes. I have issues on starting the bike do you know what's the issue? it takes several cranks to start it at 70-80 degree weather

[itslocfoo]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

Dead battery and dirty carbs.

Relax. It will run just fine. We've all been there. Getting angry just leaves you unhappy

thank you! This actually makes me very happy because i am doing a cleaning for my carbs soon. i know it will be difficult so i'll take pictures and keep myself organize on where things should be.

Hey it takes several crank to get my bike starting. What do you think the issue is? at weather like 70-80 F

[n4mwd]

Well I agree that you most certainly should have gotten a better bike for what you paid. I've seen newgens in that price range. Bottom line, you paid too much, but I don't think that you bought junk.

But it is clear that the bike went down. I looked at the photo and I can clearly see a dent in the muffler which is what you get when it goes down. Also look for road rash on the bar ends, levers and plastics. If you can prove that it was like that when you bought it and that he claimed that it had never been down, then you might have a legal action against him and could force him to take it back.

If you decide to keep it, know that these bikes require a lot of maintenance. If you aren't able to do the work yourself, you'll end up in the poor house really fast.

Regarding the gas smell, its probably normal, but with a bike that is essentially in an unknown condition, its imperative that you test the petcock first thing. It takes about 5 minutes max to test it. Take a look at my blog below for info on how to do that.

The buzzing sound when you push the starter button is a sign of an electrical fault. The FIRST thing to check is your battery terminals. Just clean them and put them back.

Also, a few things to know. NEVER jump to a running car. NEVER hook a charger to the battery without disconnecting it. (Battery tenders excepted). And check to make sure that the negative terminal properly goes to the engine block.

If you get stumped, ask around here to see if there is anyone that lives near you that can come and look at it in person. Many of us with experience with this bike could look at it and tell you what the problem is in less than 5 minutes. So don't be afraid to ask.

EDIT: How many miles are on this bike?

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by itslocfoo

what do you mean by lube of cable? what kind of pressure should i put the torque at ? inspect and clean petcock?

thank you so much! I will clean the carb and see how it goes. I have issues on starting the bike do you know what's the issue? it takes several cranks to start it at 70-80 degree weather

I most likely is hard to start due to the dirty carbs, weak battery or poor/dirty connections at the battery terminals. Symptoms from the lac of love the bike received from the previous owner.

To answer your other questions;
You can lube the cables by using a lubricating spray that is teflon based or go old school and use 3n1 oil
Torque specs are here, as well as in a service manual. You might want to pick up one.
As far as the petcock, you have to make the call yourself. Ask yourself, How does it feel when you turn it to the different positions? Does it leak? How do the hoses look? Dry or rotted? If so, then service it now to keep it from becoming a problem later. You basically just cleaning it and replacing parts (if any) that don't work.

It's awesome to see you continue to ask questions and working toward getting the bike to a safe, comfortable and well maintained machine. With the proper service and a bit of TLC, even the oldest of bikes can continue to provide their riders many trouble free miles of enjoyable riding. So, take your time to inspect, clean and service your bike and it will take the time to service it's rider. This is the attitude that defines "a bike owner".

[itslocfoo]

I feel like the Motorcycle Community is so useful and active. This is great! I have never been treated with such respect even though i am a major beginner.

thank you everyone so much. I honestly really appreciate it.

Originally Posted by n4mwd

Well I agree that you most certainly should have gotten a better bike for what you paid. I've seen newgens in that price range. Bottom line, you paid too much, but I don't think that you bought junk.

But it is clear that the bike went down. I looked at the photo and I can clearly see a dent in the muffler which is what you get when it goes down. Also look for road rash on the bar ends, levers and plastics. If you can prove that it was like that when you bought it and that he claimed that it had never been down, then you might have a legal action against him and could force him to take it back.

If you decide to keep it, know that these bikes require a lot of maintenance. If you aren't able to do the work yourself, you'll end up in the poor house really fast.

Regarding the gas smell, its probably normal, but with a bike that is essentially in an unknown condition, its imperative that you test the petcock first thing. It takes about 5 minutes max to test it. Take a look at my blog below for info on how to do that.

The buzzing sound when you push the starter button is a sign of an electrical fault. The FIRST thing to check is your battery terminals. Just clean them and put them back.

Also, a few things to know. NEVER jump to a running car. NEVER hook a charger to the battery without disconnecting it. (Battery tenders excepted). And check to make sure that the negative terminal properly goes to the engine block.

If you get stumped, ask around here to see if there is anyone that lives near you that can come and look at it in person. Many of us with experience with this bike could look at it and tell you what the problem is in less than 5 minutes. So don't be afraid to ask.

EDIT: How many miles are on this bike?

I don't want to take any legal action against these guys because they are mexican and they seem like they don't have any money to lose. They dont seem very well off. I would feel bad if something were to happen. In addition, I can't afford a lawyer and the paperwork.
what kind of maintenance work do you mean?
oh yeah i am aware of the jump starting procedure. I read it off 250 Wikia Thank you though!

How could i ask for help? I live in Irvine, California.

it has 10,673 miles on it

[itslocfoo]

Originally Posted by csmith12

I most likely is hard to start due to the dirty carbs, weak battery or poor/dirty connections at the battery terminals. Symptoms from the lac of love the bike received from the previous owner.

To answer your other questions;
You can lube the cables by using a lubricating spray that is teflon based or go old school and use 3n1 oil
Torque specs are here, as well as in a service manual. You might want to pick up one.
As far as the petcock, you have to make the call yourself. Ask yourself, How does it feel when you turn it to the different positions? Does it leak? How do the hoses look? Dry or rotted? If so, then service it now to keep it from becoming a problem later. You basically just cleaning it and replacing parts (if any) that don't work.

It's awesome to see you continue to ask questions and working toward getting the bike to a safe, comfortable and well maintained machine. With the proper service and a bit of TLC, even the oldest of bikes can continue to provide their riders many trouble free miles of enjoyable riding. So, take your time to inspect, clean and service your bike and it will take the time to service it's rider. This is the attitude that defines "a bike owner".

the petcock feels fine even though the last owner never turn off the gas line when he's not riding. the hoses feels fine i guess i am not sure what the good hoses feels like hahah.

I actually enjoy working on the bike but sometimes i do not know what i am doing. I really hope carbs cleaning would fix most problems.

[quarterliter]

Gotta love the ZX-14R sticker on the tail section!

[n4mwd]

Originally Posted by itslocfoo

I don't want to take any legal action against these guys because they are mexican and they seem like they don't have any money to lose. They dont seem very well off. I would feel bad if something were to happen. In addition, I can't afford a lawyer and the paperwork.
what kind of maintenance work do you mean?

Its your choice, but it sounds like you have even less money to lose. They don't sound all that honest to me. For starters, I assume that you compared the VIN # on the title with the one stamped into the neck. Since the seller is dishonest, you can't take anything for granted. I'd bet the engine was warm when you got there too - right?

As such, you need to take a look at the upper tank fairing bolts. The pregen has a design flaw in the tank-fairing bolts in that the bolts will puncture the tank if screwed in too tight. This is a possible source of the gas fumes. Keep an eye on it especially after you fill up the tank.

How could i ask for help? I live in Irvine, California.

it has 10,673 miles on it

About 90% of the riders on here live in California. They aren't all that hard to find.

Originally Posted by itslocfoo

the petcock feels fine even though the last owner never turn off the gas line when he's not riding. the hoses feels fine i guess i am not sure what the good hoses feels like hahah.

I actually enjoy working on the bike but sometimes i do not know what i am doing. I really hope carbs cleaning would fix most problems.

The petcock should always be left on - even when the tank is removed for servicing purposes. The only time you should turn it off is when the bike is put in storage for a long period. If its working properly, it should not leak out. See my blog about the petcock and how to test it.

Also, don't forget to disconnect the battery when charging it. A lot of people remember the jump start thing, but forget to disconnect when charging and then burn up the regulator.

The bike seems to have two different problems at least. Something is preventing the engine from cranking. See my blog about battery health and diagnosis. The carbs are most likely also plugged up as you said. Be sure to watch my carb removal video to see the proper way to get them out. Also be aware that there are three jets in each carb that need your attention - 2 come out, one is fixed. See my carb diagrams to see how to clean all the passages.

[itslocfoo]

I didnt know what am i suppose to take pictures of but here are some!
request some if you want to help Thank you!

[Insan3guy]

Originally Posted by csmith12

With the proper service and a bit of TLC, even the oldest of bikes can continue to provide their riders many trouble free miles of enjoyable riding. So, take your time to inspect, clean and service your bike and it will take the time to service it's rider.

+1 to this. Current owner & rider of a 1984 zx900 that runs as well as you could hope for. Take care of your bike and it'll take care of you!

Also, I once bought a click-type ratcheting torque wrench from autozone for $22, if you're still looking for one. Here's a link

[n4mwd]

Originally Posted by itslocfoo

I didnt know what am i suppose to take pictures of but here are some!
request some if you want to help Thank you!

Dude, where's your windscreen? I also noticed that three of the riser screw caps are missing. Also, the handlebar grips are the wrong type. The bar ends may be missing. The tank cap has been painted. They are normally black.

I was wondering what that round thing is on the left handlebar. Its not a normal part.

Here's another test to see if the bike has gone down. Turn the handlebars all the way to the right. Measure the gap to the tank. Then all the way left and measure. They will be identical on a non-dropped bike.

For what you paid, you should have gotten a pristine bike. When buying a new bike on craigslist, its definitely a good idea to either take someone with you that knows the bike or look at several of them and then decide which one is best.

[choneofakind]

...so you think he paid too much for it. Get over it, it's not your bike. Telling him he paid too much is accomplishing nothing.

EDIT: The thing on the left bar looks like a RAM mount for a gps or cell phone.

[n4mwd]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

...so you think he paid too much for it. Get over it, it's not your bike. Telling him he paid too much is accomplishing nothing.

Go away. I wasn't talking to you.

[choneofakind]

it's not even your thread. Calm down.



You still don't need to tell the poor guy that he paid too much blah blah blah. He has the bike, regardless of what you would have paid for it (remember everything is more expensive in CA). It sounds like it needs some carb love and a new battery; help him through that and keep the judging to yourself. He can still get loads of pleasure out of riding this bike for cheap as long as he puts in a little elbow grease.

Now, we've assessed that a carb cleaning and likely a new battery is in order along with a valve check/adjustment and a thorough once over of every part of the bike. You gave him links so he has some guidance with those. I think we're good to relax here.

Loc, check out the member map to find ninjette users near you. I know nothing of Irvine California or else I'd suggest someone to hook up with who could help. It's always good to have someone knowledgeable help you with working on the bike.
Good luck!! I think you'll do just fine. You seem to have the right attitude.

[tfkrocks]

lol you're nitpicking about the caps on the handlebar screws? I only had all of them on one bike because I bought it brand new and then promptly lost one.

And that's really not a terrible price for california. People are still frequently posting pregens for over 2k...

[n4mwd]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

<brow beating snipped>

All you are doing is flaming an otherwise peaceful thread. Why do you keep doing that? Yes, I'm sure he realizes that he paid too much and kind of implied that in his first post, but did it occur to you that other people might read this post that were thinking about buying a bike and now know a few things they should look for?

[choneofakind]

I'm flaming?

So far; I've identified the problem with the bike in posts 10 and 11, I identified the foreign object on the left handlebar in post 23, and I gave supportive guidance to find someone local to help using the member map and reiterated the basics of what need done (because doing the work will be a good learning experience for the OP), and I tried to calm the peanut gallery from being negative and lecturing him about paying too much when they don't even live in CA because that's unnecessary. The best thing you can do to help a new rider who's having doubts on his/her new purchase is be supportive. I know his situation because I've been there with my dirty carbs when I purchased my bike. A little support would have been awesome, not someone lecturing me about how much I paid for it.

The OP here has been given good direction on what to do. He has loads of help if he needs it, but at this point, we can't do anything until he pokes around the bike a little and comes back with more questions. When he encounters surprises or questions, we're here for him.


If you have further issues, you're more than welcome to PM me or Alex about it.

[n4mwd]

Yes, you are. You are harping on the fact that I mentioned that he paid too much for it. Get over it. Sheesh.

Since you always have to argue about everything I say I suggest you add me to your ignore list. Problem solved.

I don't have time to argue about this so I will leave things in your capable hands.

Unsubscribed.

[CZroe]

Edit: Derp.