higher than normal idle speed?

kyle98927 · July 27th, 2009, 01:21 AM

hey guys, second post, big fan. Im just finishing with the dang break in period on my beast and have noticed something about when im driving sometimes. when started and standing still the idle speed is perfect, around 1300 i believe it is...however, aftr a bit of semi-fast riding and lugging around ive noticed when i stop it will idle around 2000-2100...is this normal just bescause the engine is heated up or could i have broken it in wrong possibly? ive made sure its nothing with the choke cable or anything being pulled slightly...just seemed odd to me.

thanks in advance, kyle

Nickds7 · July 27th, 2009, 01:57 AM

1300rpm +-50 at idle in neutral. Sounds like the idle was adjusted for a cold engine. Probably simply adjusting the idle when the engine is warmed up will fix your problem.

Copying pic from kkim, hope he forgives me.

Its that silverish knob a little above the '15' in the date stamp.

tjkamper · July 27th, 2009, 06:30 AM

M-Oorb · July 27th, 2009, 07:30 AM

In the picture it looks silver...but on your bike it will be black and plastic...easily accessible with the fairings on...obviously on the left side of the bike if you are sitting on it

ARF07 · July 27th, 2009, 03:40 PM

I'm glad he asked, kuz I had the same question but didn't feel like asking

So to lower the idle speed, what do I need to do to that knob? And don't say turn it lol..I mean which direction and how much.

paterick4o8 · July 27th, 2009, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ARF07

I'm glad he asked, kuz I had the same question but didn't feel like asking

So to lower the idle speed, what do I need to do to that knob? And don't say turn it lol..I mean which direction and how much.

twisting it left (downward--away from you when you're on the bike) lowers the idle RPM; twisting it right (upward--towards you when you're on the bike) raises the idle RPM.

after warming up your bike just try it, you'll see. no need to be afraid

ARF07 · July 27th, 2009, 04:06 PM

sweet, thanks Patrick, I'll give that a shot. Anybody know if there are any negatives to running higher?

M-Oorb · July 27th, 2009, 04:40 PM

Wasting gas. The manual recommends someplace around 1300 rpm I believe? I run mine at 1500 because thats where the bike seems most comfortable. Just go ride around for ten minutes so the engine is warmed up and adjust up until the bike feels comfortable(dont ask me what it means you'll just know

)

There is no reason that the bike should be idling higher than 1600 though

ARF07 · July 27th, 2009, 05:13 PM

I'll definitely do that once the problem from recent thread does away (which is what I was about to do when the problem happened..but thats OT). Thanks for the help Matt

M-Oorb · July 27th, 2009, 05:49 PM

No problem...thats what were here for. Adjusting the idle in the break in period is pretty normal if I recall...I had to do it atleast once maybe twice.

Hopefully that smoke situation gets cleared up too

mr.niftie · July 28th, 2009, 12:32 PM

Could not an overly-lean mix (ie. from factory) cause this situation?

kkim · July 28th, 2009, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr.niftie

Could not an overly-lean mix (ie. from factory) cause this situation?

what situation are you referring to?

mr.niftie · July 28th, 2009, 05:34 PM

The very 1st post. The higher than normal idle speed.
I had the identical situation with my '09.
Mormail idle for the first 20 minutes than what I would call a hanging idle, that after a minute or 2 would settle down.
The dealer found out it was a mixture issue and it's been perfect ever since.
Plus, I have no more issues with take off after a cold start.
.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kkim

what situation are you referring to?

kkim · July 28th, 2009, 05:45 PM

do you know if they adjusted the idle mixture screws to fix your problem? it's a known a lot of these bikes are lean from the factory, but the dealer is prohibited under federal law from tampering from the adjustments due to emissions regulations. I'm surprised they stuck their @ss out that far to help you, if in fact they readjusted the idle mixture screws.

mr.niftie · July 28th, 2009, 06:36 PM

I think that's it because your comments are ringing a bell.
Maybe Canadian regs are different from US?
My dealer said that these bikes were set too too lean to squeak by emissions to allow them to be imported into Canada, but once they were in country . . . wink . . wink . . . nudge . . nudge.
All I know is that it cured 100% of my driveability issues and they say said they have 100% satisfaction with all their 250 owners..
The shop owner said the bike wouldn't be quite as squeaky clean as before but all of these carb bikes drift over time anyway compared to FI.
He said there would be zero drop in fuel economy so it can't be running pig rich. Just a touch I suspect.
To sum it up, their mechanic had a maestro's touch, it was fixed under warranty, and I am now happy as it is running as good as the CBR125 (FI) I used to have.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kkim

do you know if they adjusted the idle mixture screws to fix your problem? it's a known a lot of these bikes are lean from the factory, but the dealer is prohibited under federal law from tampering from the adjustments due to emissions regulations. I'm surprised they stuck their @ss out that far to help you, if in fact they readjusted the idle mixture screws.

kkim · July 28th, 2009, 06:53 PM

you're lucky to have such an understanding, cooperative dealer. good to hear just an idle mixture screw adjustment cures the ills of the too lean condition. the fix is to usually shim the needles to work around the leanness.

enjoy your bike!

mr.niftie · July 28th, 2009, 07:06 PM

Thanks!
We're planning too.
The wifey is still recovering from her unintended endo on the nose-dive prone CBR125 but she's getting back into it.
That Honda was scary bad under panic braking situations.
The Ninja is much more stable!
After the initial stab of the front brake, the Ninja takes a set and just holds that angle, where the 125 just keeps pinning the nose down. Truly a much harder bike to control when things go wrong.
If the Ninja were FI, it would be nearly perfect, but then we wouldn't be having these high idle conversations

Quote:

Originally Posted by kkim

you're lucky to have such an understanding, cooperative dealer. good to hear just an idle mixture screw adjustment cures the ills of the too lean condition. the fix is to usually shim the needles to work around the leanness.

enjoy your bike!

mista350z · July 29th, 2009, 01:03 PM

I bumped mine to 1500 too after kkims recommendation. Super happy with it. It was idling at 1000 before and kept feeling like it was going to stall all the time. Also, at 1500, it seems I have better take offs at the lights.

July 27th, 2009, 01:21 AM	#1
kyle98927 Newwwb Name: Kyle Location: midwest Join Date: Jun 2009 Motorcycle(s): none yet Posts: 10	higher than normal idle speed? hey guys, second post, big fan. Im just finishing with the dang break in period on my beast and have noticed something about when im driving sometimes. when started and standing still the idle speed is perfect, around 1300 i believe it is...however, aftr a bit of semi-fast riding and lugging around ive noticed when i stop it will idle around 2000-2100...is this normal just bescause the engine is heated up or could i have broken it in wrong possibly? ive made sure its nothing with the choke cable or anything being pulled slightly...just seemed odd to me. thanks in advance, kyle

July 27th, 2009, 06:30 AM	#3
tjkamper ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Travis Location: Warwick, RI Join Date: Apr 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Ninja 250R Posts: A lot.	__________________________________________________ Addicted to anything that has an engine and rolls.

July 27th, 2009, 04:40 PM	#8
M-Oorb ninjette.org sage Name: Matt Location: South East Florida/Rutgers University Join Date: Dec 2008 Motorcycle(s): 2008 250r (Fastest Color) Posts: 914	Wasting gas. The manual recommends someplace around 1300 rpm I believe? I run mine at 1500 because thats where the bike seems most comfortable. Just go ride around for ten minutes so the engine is warmed up and adjust up until the bike feels comfortable(dont ask me what it means you'll just know) There is no reason that the bike should be idling higher than 1600 though

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July 27th, 2009, 01:57 AM	#2
Nickds7 ninjette.org guru Name: Nick Location: Sacramento, California. Join Date: Apr 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Ninja 250r Posts: 379	1300rpm +-50 at idle in neutral. Sounds like the idle was adjusted for a cold engine. Probably simply adjusting the idle when the engine is warmed up will fix your problem. Copying pic from kkim, hope he forgives me. Its that silverish knob a little above the '15' in the date stamp.

July 27th, 2009, 07:30 AM	#4
M-Oorb ninjette.org sage Name: Matt Location: South East Florida/Rutgers University Join Date: Dec 2008 Motorcycle(s): 2008 250r (Fastest Color) Posts: 914	In the picture it looks silver...but on your bike it will be black and plastic...easily accessible with the fairings on...obviously on the left side of the bike if you are sitting on it

July 27th, 2009, 03:40 PM	#5
ARF07 ninjette.org member Name: Nathan Location: West Georgia Join Date: Mar 2009 Motorcycle(s): Yamaha R6 Posts: 145	I'm glad he asked, kuz I had the same question but didn't feel like asking So to lower the idle speed, what do I need to do to that knob? And don't say turn it lol..I mean which direction and how much.

July 27th, 2009, 04:06 PM	#7
ARF07 ninjette.org member Name: Nathan Location: West Georgia Join Date: Mar 2009 Motorcycle(s): Yamaha R6 Posts: 145	sweet, thanks Patrick, I'll give that a shot. Anybody know if there are any negatives to running higher?

July 27th, 2009, 05:13 PM	#9
ARF07 ninjette.org member Name: Nathan Location: West Georgia Join Date: Mar 2009 Motorcycle(s): Yamaha R6 Posts: 145	I'll definitely do that once the problem from recent thread does away (which is what I was about to do when the problem happened..but thats OT). Thanks for the help Matt

July 27th, 2009, 05:49 PM	#10
M-Oorb ninjette.org sage Name: Matt Location: South East Florida/Rutgers University Join Date: Dec 2008 Motorcycle(s): 2008 250r (Fastest Color) Posts: 914	No problem...thats what were here for. Adjusting the idle in the break in period is pretty normal if I recall...I had to do it atleast once maybe twice. Hopefully that smoke situation gets cleared up too

July 28th, 2009, 12:32 PM	#11
mr.niftie 4 Season Need 4 Speed Name: Mike Location: Oakville, ON, CAN Join Date: Jun 2009 Motorcycle(s): Ninja 250, 2009 (GONE) Honda CBR250RA, 2011 Posts: 64	Could not an overly-lean mix (ie. from factory) cause this situation?

July 28th, 2009, 05:45 PM	#14
kkim Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: Too much.	do you know if they adjusted the idle mixture screws to fix your problem? it's a known a lot of these bikes are lean from the factory, but the dealer is prohibited under federal law from tampering from the adjustments due to emissions regulations. I'm surprised they stuck their @ss out that far to help you, if in fact they readjusted the idle mixture screws.

July 28th, 2009, 06:53 PM	#16
kkim Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: Too much.	you're lucky to have such an understanding, cooperative dealer. good to hear just an idle mixture screw adjustment cures the ills of the too lean condition. the fix is to usually shim the needles to work around the leanness. enjoy your bike!

July 29th, 2009, 01:03 PM	#18
mista350z ninjette.org member Name: John Location: The OC Join Date: Feb 2009 Motorcycle(s): 08 CBR600rr, 08 Ninja 250r - sold Posts: 81	I bumped mine to 1500 too after kkims recommendation. Super happy with it. It was idling at 1000 before and kept feeling like it was going to stall all the time. Also, at 1500, it seems I have better take offs at the lights.