How do you warm up your ninjette?

[00v_Lucky]

I was just curious if there was a wrong way of warming up the engine.

I tend to yank the choke all the way up at start up and was wondering if that does engine damage due to all of the oil not in the pistons.

Is it bad to have the bike warmed up a bit a half choke at 2,500 and rev to 4k here and there?

Tell me of how you warm up your ninjette and how do you know when it is fully warmed up? I kinda check by rpms being steady at 1,500 and check the exhaust air to see if it is warm then I am off.

Is it also normal for gears not to go down sometimes? When I am coming to a red light, sometimes the I cannot go down the gears and the lever just bounces back up, my solution has been to hold down the lever and release the clutch a bit until it drops down and repeat till im back down to 1st gear again.

And another thing that happens I recently noticed was that from time to time the rpm needle inbetween shifting goes haywire and twitches, does this happen to anyone else? I do not think there is a solution for that, or is there?

Thank you for reading and input you guys may have.

[Verus Cidere]

I usually pull the choke on full for a couple seconds and rev it (up high, like into the 9k which is probably bad, but I'm a newb so this will be a helpful thread for me to!) until it holds around 3k. Then I put the choke down a bit until it holds around 1.5k. I let it sit there until it warms up enough to jump back up to 3k. At that point, I generally let the choke off completely and start riding. I ride softer until I notice somewhere like a stoplight that it's holding at the usual RPM range. But, like I said, I'm probably doing something wrong in there.

I have the same problems with shifting sometimes, but I'm not completely sure why either. I have found that if you just keep pumping it a bit, it should drop down, but if nothing else, hold that clutch REALLY TIGHT just to be sure, wait 'till you come to a complete stop, and then downshift. Works every time for me. Again, my noobyness is probably misleading me.

I'm not completely sure what you mean about going haywire and twitching... The only thing I can think of is that the RPMS can easily go either up or down, depending on how fast you're going, what gear you're currently in, how much you have the clutch held in, whether or not you fully released the throttle, etc. I don't know if you mean going up quickly or going down quickly or both though. Can you describe the "twitching" with a bit more detail?

[00v_Lucky]

It is usually around 2nd to 4th gear, right when I am about to shift up and pull the clutch out I noticed in the corner of my eye that the needle moved rapidly up to 6k and down to 3k for like a second or two, after a week more of riding and keeping my eye on it here and there I will get more info on it. Luckily too when I was trying to figure out WTH was up with the needle playing with the clutch a bit on the road a moto cop was shooting me with a laser on a 35 road. I guess I am thankful that it was twitching because in my mind I was about to kinda push the bike a bit because no cars were around. phew!

[Alex]

You're in SoCal. The bike's warm before you turn the key. Basically, I roll the bike out into the driveway, get all my gear on and ready to go, sit on the bike, put the choke on full and start the bike. I wait 15 - 30 seconds at most, put the bike in gear and head on down the street. By the end of the street (30 - 60 seconds later) I turn the choke full off and she's warmed up. There's no need for an extended warmup on these bikes, they warm up quicker when you're riding them rather than idling in a driveway anyway. I wouldn't rev a cold engine up to 9K. It's not likely that it will do any real damage, but it isn't generally recommended either. Any little amount of wear that happens as the oil makes its way all the way around the top end for the first time would certainly be accelerated with the revs at 9k instead of 2k or 3k.

Not sure what you mean about the tach needle flickering. Are you saying that the tach is moving in such a way that the engine itself is not? It's giving you false high readings? Or is the engine revving up between gears because you're holding the throttle on while you disengage the clutch to shift?

[Verus Cidere]

It sounds like you might not be letting the throttle off enough before pulling the clutch. Try making sure you let it off all the way before pulling the clutch next time and see if that helps!

Edit -- Thanks for the info on my methods Alex! I'll definitely change that up a little bit. I had no idea I might be hurting Fury!

[Nemy]

+1 for alex's method. Though I haven't done that for the 09 because its being broken in.

Basically, full choke while I put on my gear and once it starts reving higher than 1500 (about 10 seconds) I put on half choke. Then I usually take it full off in another 10-15 seconds or decrease it to maintain 1500rpm. Finally if I feel inclined I can check by opening the throttle a bit, if there's alot of hesitation, I'll wait a few more secs and then she's good to go. Keep in mind this is also in near 0 degree weather.

I don't remember the full reasoning, but I was told idling at high revs (i.e. 9k) or even just revving in idle is not great for the engine (engineers chime in?). If it REQUIRES a high rev to warm up, though, you might want to check/clean out your carbs.

For the shifting, I'd simply recommend getting into a practice of either engine braking or shifting down while you brake to match your speed. Not only does this give you power/opportunity to pull away quickly in an emergency but it'll save your brakes and stop the problems you guys are having shifting at a stand still.

[Kurosaki]

Turn bike on with full choke.

Gear up.
Qhen the bike starts to increase RPMs on its own with the choke on, that's my cue to leave. 3-5 minutes on that one. Turn off choke and go.

[Sound Wave]

Originally Posted by 00v_Lucky

Tell me of how you warm up your ninjette and how do you know when it is fully warmed up? I kinda check by rpms being steady at 1,500 and check the exhaust air to see if it is warm then I am off.

i put my bike in full choke and turn it on. then i start putting my head gear and gloves on. i mess with the lever to maintain 2500 rpm. after a couple minutes, i turn off the choke and blip the throttle a couple times to make sure there is no hesitation... then i go.

Is it also normal for gears not to go down sometimes? When I am coming to a red light, sometimes the I cannot go down the gears and the lever just bounces back up, my solution has been to hold down the lever and release the clutch a bit until it drops down and repeat till im back down to 1st gear again.

that happened often to me before. i adjusted my clutch lever's gap and it doesn't happen hardly anymore, but once in a great while it still does. what i do is i slowly let go of the clutch until i feel the gear engage, then i press it in again and then downshift. try seeing what your free play gap between your lever is. it should be 2-3 mm. helped me... it may be your problem as well. idk.

And another thing that happens I recently noticed was that from time to time the rpm needle inbetween shifting goes haywire and twitches, does this happen to anyone else? I do not think there is a solution for that, or is there?

that, i have no idea. sorry.

[SteveL]

I have the fuel injected model turn the key press the button, and she starts every time wait 10 to 15 seconds and the exhaust note changes and you are ready to go, this is for when the temperature is below 7 or 8˚C . If you open the throttle before the exhaust note changes it stops and usually does not like starting again. For temperatures above 10˚C just start and go, I don’t normally accelerate hard or take the rpm too high until the temperature gauge has come off the stop and shows cold.

Steve

[Sound Wave]

yeah, yeah steve. why don't you just rub it in.

[sm0kediver]

I open the garage door, get on the bike, and while I'm rolling it backwards, I hit the start button. Starts first touch.

I put the kick stand down, get off the bike, give it a little throttle and turn the choke all the way on (if I don't give it a little throttle it dies when I apply the choke).

I go back in the garage, put on my helmet and gloves, close the door, and by the time I am ready to get on the bike, the RPMs have gone up.

I turn off the choke, get on the bike,and ride away

[jfauerba]

Normally start the bike with choke on if below 55F without if above, put my gear on, bike is normally up to 2500rpms (except when around 20F or choke off). Roll out of carport, up short 45 degree driveway. If it stalls going up hill and I did not choke, I restart it with choke. If above 50F, cut choke off at end of driveway. If below 50F, cut choke off at stop sign at end of street (1/10 mile) otherwise I will forget to turn it off later.

Note: Only time I did a wheelie was gave it too much throttle to start up my 45 degree driveway and release the clutch too fast. Only been riding for less than 5 months.

[Cali619]

Start her up full choke until its idle around 3k then turn the choke off completely.

[M-Oorb]

i think I have your answer to your revs tach as I had the same issue. When I first got my bike, as I would be riding the needle would go up and down and do crazy things...but the revs would remain normal, just the needle would do crazy things. Does this sound like your problem? If it is...and its still under warranty...take it in. They hada replace my whole gauge cluster b/c the tach was broken. Hope that helps!

Oh yea...and with one washer under the needles in florida no warm up needed. I like Alex's though if I ever had too

[sometimesido]

What is the correct way to apply choke at startup?

[jfauerba]

Originally Posted by sometimesido

What is the correct way to apply choke at startup?

If I used the above method, I would never be able to get out of my driveway when it is below 50F. I need more choke to get enough power to get up my 45 degree driveway otherwise it stalls on me half way up the hill.

[sometimesido]

It's a suggestion. You don't have to follow them.

[OldGuy]

Originally Posted by sometimesido

What is the correct way to apply choke at startup?

Owning both an '01 and an '09 I would say that the ninja250 thread might be more to the first gen's. Most of the time my '01 does not need any choke to start and run smooth unless it is really cold. When I first got her I did shim the needles and it was the wrong thing to do for her. Didn't get two blocks and she bogged and died. Took out the shims and all was well.

On my '09 this winter I've taken her to work when it was in the mid 20's and she needed full choke to start and then back it down as she warmed up to keep the RPMs under 3K. Sunday it was upper 30's and half choke was plenty.

I usually get my pants and boots on, roll her out of the garage, start her up, and then get my jacket, helmet, and gloves on. If I need to I will nudge the choke down to keep the RPMs under 3K. When I'm ready, she is and off we go. Like Alex choke is off by the end of the first block.

On the shifting, I usually don't have a problem because I am down shifting as I slow down and dropping into first as I come to the full stop. When it has occurred it has been when I didn't down shift at all and tried to go from whatever gear all the way down to first at a dead stop.

Maybe this is a case of the "young ones" never having had a car with a manual transmission that DID NOT have syncros - you either double clutched or you ground. Everything has to line up in the drive train to get it into gear.

[sometimesido]

Thanks for clarifying that for us.
I was starting to think the above link was only for pregens since it doesn't look like it's been updated in a bit.

I try to have it at 2k RPM when warming up. I finish my coffee and its good to go!

As far as gear not going down, I've had that happen when I'm slowing down at a light and going straight from 6th to stop, then try to down shift.
If I just keep down shifting as speed slows, all is well.

[djpharoah]

1) Key in
2) No Choke - Start Bike
3) Gear on - drive away

Love SoCal

[jfauerba]

Originally Posted by 00v_Lucky

Is it also normal for gears not to go down sometimes? When I am coming to a red light, sometimes the I cannot go down the gears and the lever just bounces back up, my solution has been to hold down the lever and release the clutch a bit until it drops down and repeat till im back down to 1st gear again.

I use to have this problem a lot. Turns out that when I down shift, I was not fully pressing the lever down all the way until it stops. Once I started doing that, the problem disappear unless I goof up.

Also, when I goof up, to fix the problem, I release the clutch just enough to start the friction zone and pull the clutch back in and I am able to continue the shifting down to 1st.

[komohana]

ok so when i first got the bike, i would start like my other ride:
choke - full
start
adjust rpm's - around 3k on 250
gear up/warm up - around 2 min
choke off and GO!

but since shimming the mixture needles, i dont have to use the choke at all. so now i'll fully gear up, start the bike, use throttle to keep revs up above idle till i'm out of the drive way and shifting gears.

[Mista Bob]

I start her up with choke on full then start putting my gear on.
I'll adjust it whenever the rev's increase to keep it around 2000-2500 rpm's.
Then once I have all my gear on I ride off.

This is my winter routine....which is my only routine as so far I've sorta only ever ridden in winter.
Don't know if the bike will need full choke once it is warm out.

[BlueRaven]

Originally Posted by OldGuy

Owning both an '01 and an '09 I would say that the ninja250 thread might be more to the first gen's. Most of the time my '01 does not need any choke to start and run smooth unless it is really cold. When I first got her I did shim the needles and it was the wrong thing to do for her. Didn't get two blocks and she bogged and died. Took out the shims and all was well.

On my '09 this winter I've taken her to work when it was in the mid 20's and she needed full choke to start and then back it down as she warmed up to keep the RPMs under 3K. Sunday it was upper 30's and half choke was plenty.

I usually get my pants and boots on, roll her out of the garage, start her up, and then get my jacket, helmet, and gloves on. If I need to I will nudge the choke down to keep the RPMs under 3K. When I'm ready, she is and off we go. Like Alex choke is off by the end of the first block.

On the shifting, I usually don't have a problem because I am down shifting as I slow down and dropping into first as I come to the full stop. When it has occurred it has been when I didn't down shift at all and tried to go from whatever gear all the way down to first at a dead stop.

Maybe this is a case of the "young ones" never having had a car with a manual transmission that DID NOT have syncros - you either double clutched or you ground. Everything has to line up in the drive train to get it into gear.

do you suggest that we double clutch?

[Alex]

Originally Posted by BlueRaven

do you suggest that we double clutch?

It's not possible to double-clutch on a sequential motorcycle transmission. It was necessary on older car transmissions and on many newer heavy truck transmissions. Basically, to downshift, you had to depress the clutch, move the gearshift to neutral, release the clutch, then depress the clutch again, and move the gearshift into the next lower gear, then release the clutch. If the engine revs weren't matching when you tried to put it in the lower gear, it wasn't going to go in no matter what, even with the clutch depressed. To do it right (or even at all) meant that you had to have a feel for getting the engine to the correct rev range before/while you were completing the downshift; there were no syncros to help the process along.

I think what OldGuy is saying is that the feel you need to do that, translates into being able to do similar things on a bike transmission or any other transmission. It becomes intuitive to get the revs correct before engaging the next gear. With syncros and slipper clutches, it may be a dying art, and with fewer and fewer manual cars coming out each and every year, it may be dying sooner than we know.

[OldGuy]

Originally Posted by BlueRaven

do you suggest that we double clutch?

No and Alex nailed it on the head.

Motorcycle transmissions are new to me but I'm finding they like it best when you treat them like any close ration transmission; don't lug them down (e.g.; short shift and end up in 6th and only be doing 25 mph) and don't expect to go from "high" gear to first at a dead stop without a little coaxing.

I didn't have enough experience when I was riding my '01 to take really wring it out, and my new lady doesn't have enough miles on it yet to really push it, but both of them do love it when I wind them up in each gear - love to listen to the lady sing

[Viper-Byte]

I start her up without the choke, she has always started without issue. I think I have only used the choke once to try it out!

But usually what I do is start her up, she will idle just over 1000rpm on a really cold day, I ride away, if I am stuck in traffic where the RPMs are sitting low, I just hold the throttle open sitting at 1500RPM (my idle speed)

I have not had any issues with the downshifting, I usually blip the throttle to match speeds and never had an issue.

I have also not had an issue with the tach picking up like that.

[BlueRaven]

the reason i was asking about the double clutch is that i drive tractor trailer and my SUV is a 5 speed manual. One has a syncronized transmission and the other doesn't. I'm new to motorcycle and don't know a thing about their transmissions only that they are manual. i was just curious and thought that double clutching might help if it was an option but now i know with the expert advice of you guys. Thanks!

I believe that the manual transmission is here to stay beside isn't that what makes a sports car a sports car?

[Alex]

Originally Posted by BlueRaven

I believe that the manual transmission is here to stay beside isn't that what makes a sports car a sports car?

I certainly don't disagree with your sentiment. I've only owned one car with an automatic, and with any luck I'll continue to own manual transmission / standard clutch cars for as long as they are available. But with 3 of 4 corvettes coming with manuals, over half of 911's coming with their slushbox (and that's the old crappy one, not the new dual-clutch), and even Ferrari selling a huge portion of their cars with the paddle-shift rather than a traditional manual with clutch, who knows how long they will be available. One of the most tech-laden and fastest production cars on the planet, the new Nissan GT-R, only comes with a paddle-shift transmission; no true manual offered...

[Sailariel]

I don`t use the choke since my garage/bike shop is 60 F. I agree with you, Alex, that a good manual transmission is hard to find. We just got a 2007 Pontiac Vibe with a nice 5 SP. The car is basically an 1800cc Corolla with a GM body made in Canada. It`s a nice all around vehicle that gets really good milage. Our 95 Escort wagon finally died with 230,000 mi. Engine was fine--body was toast.

[OldGuy]

Originally Posted by BlueRaven

the reason i was asking about the double clutch is that i drive tractor trailer and my SUV is a 5 speed manual. One has a syncronized transmission and the other doesn't.

I understand why you would ask the question. I used to drive a Peterbuilt cab-over for my daughters high school field band and you had to double-clutch on down-shifts. Although, once you learned the "sweet-spot" on rpms we all used to up-shift without the clutch unless we were in low-range in downtown San Francisco.

On a motorcycle it is a physical impossibility to double clutch - there is no "neutral" going between gears other than 1-2. From my limited experience the only time you might need the throttle blip is on a downshift.

[miks]

Paddle shift gears are horrible, why can't they just stick with the original 'H' Pattern. Or instead of shifting with the paddle gears, they can be used to activate the Machine Guns and the Rocket Launchers!