My 07 Kawasaki 250 would not start at night unless choke was all the way out?

Question

So usually I have to start my bike at night with the choke mid way, well today it would rev up to 2000-3000 rpms as usual but then it dropped to zero and cut off. After about 5 times of that happening I turned the choke all the way but it was reving up to 6000 rpms and I didn't want to pull off on that because I'm a new rider. So I ended up pushing my bike home.

What could cause this? I let the bike warm up for a few minutes before pulling off. I was able to pull off but as soon as I slowed down and pulled up to the parking lot it just cut off and wouldn't start with the choke unless it was turned all the way on. It was has about 3400 miles on it. Do I need to adjust the idle adjusting screw or synchronize the carburetors? Any help is appreciated. I only have to use the choke when its cold but this is the first time it happened where it kept shutting off.

I have heard people say the ninja takes a while to warm up and this is normal if I pull off to fast. How long should I wait for it to warm?

Answer 1

maybe your motorcycle is afraid of the dark.

try shining a flashlight down the carb next time.

Answer 2

Like others have said - the EX250 is cold blooded.
The symptoms you've described are normal.
Adjust the idle screw when the bike is at operating temperature.
Motorcycles are very temperamental.
If atmospheric conditions aren't exactly the same from one day to the next, the idle will have to be adjusted to compensate for the differences.
(oxygen in the air, barometric pressure, air temperature, etc - that's why high performance sport bikes with fuel injection, have so many sensors to tell the computer how to adjust the fuel injectors for optimum performance).

Use full choke to start it.
Then turn it to half choke and continuously rev the engine - vroom, vroom, vroom, vroom, vroom.
Until it will idle on it's own with the choke half way.
Leave the choke on half way and start riding.
Turn off the choke in increments while you're riding, until it will idle on it's own.

Answer 3

The little Ninja 250 is VERY cold blooded and needs plenty of warm-up time --- and more time the colder it is.

Guardrailjim's advice is sound. Give the engine plenty of warm-up time. And when it's fully warmed (or after a ride), then adjust the idle. I doubt you need to sync the carbs.

You may want to put some "Seafoam" in your gas to clean out the carbs some if you have been running it choked a lot however.

Answer 4

Do you like to wake up when it gets dark and cold?

The choke on a motorcycle is like getting a caffeine boost. The colder it gets the more caffeine it needs. The choke gives motors extra fuel to start it and keep it going.

But if you still have problems with it turning off when the motor is warm, you have a fuel restriction. Clogged screen, plugged jets.

Good luck

Answer 5

its getting colder out, you will need full choke, i'm guessing you have a 250 ninja, it is normal for it to be over 5000 rpms with full choke, those bikes a cold blooded, my wife has a 07 and it needs to be fully warm before it runs right, make sure your fuel valve is where it needs to be

Answer 6

It sounds like you have a blockage of some flavor in your fuel system and to compensate for it the choke make it run, but not real well. Drain your tank see if you maybe picked up some bad fuel somewhere and also take the bowls off of your carbs and see if there is any debris in them. If you can fit one in the system anywhere see if you can install an inline fuel filter

Answer 7

Check your spark plugs to make sure they're not fouled, and that they're at the proper gap setting.