Best way to start a ZXR250?

[Oakie]

Hi you 250 folk.
My daughter's partner has a ZXR250 that has been off the road since the start of winter and now he can't get it to start.
I had a loaner ZXR from a shop a while back and was instructed to start it by having the choke on full and once started, to just slowly ease the choke off while at the same time rolling the throttle on slowly until it was running on throttle alone. Does this sound right to you ZXR owners ... or are there any suggestions you can make? I think he has enough juice left in his battery for another 1/2 dozen attempts to start it so we don't want to waste them. (Don't fancy trying to push start it and there are no hills handy).
Oh, if anyone in the Christchurch area wants to buy a ZXR250 (1991?), he's going to sell it very shortly ... asking $4500.

[Motoracer]

You might want to mention the price after you get it going all OK.

Here's what I usually do. Hook up the bike's batterie (while it is still connected to the bike) to a running car's one with jumper leads, then just use the starter button till it shows sign of starting. Once this happens give a gentle twist in the throttle to let some fuel go through to let it fire properly. Try no choke or with choke...

With fuel injected bikes, you run into the risk of damaging the computer with the jumper leads (or so I have heard) but for the ZXR you should be sweet.

Dont' forget to take a break between atempts and not use the starter motor continiously over long periods as you might over heat it.

If you still can't get it started something else is up.

[Devil]

Hi you 250 folk.
My daughter's partner has a ZXR250 that has been off the road since the start of winter and now he can't get it to start.
I had a loaner ZXR from a shop a while back and was instructed to start it by having the choke on full and once started, to just slowly ease the choke off while at the same time rolling the throttle on slowly until it was running on throttle alone. Does this sound right to you ZXR owners ... or are there any suggestions you can make? I think he has enough juice left in his battery for another 1/2 dozen attempts to start it so we don't want to waste them. (Don't fancy trying to push start it and there are no hills handy).
Oh, if anyone in the Christchurch area wants to buy a ZXR250 (1991?), he's going to sell it very shortly ... asking $4500.

I'd definately go for the crash start. You dont need a hill, you dont need to be going too fast. Gets the motor turning over easy.

Fresh petrol is another thing to have in the tank.

[Jonty]

Ok, the zxr's and cibbers are lethal bastards to start cold takes alot of practise - MY method is to get some oil flowing by starting it with full choke, and as soon as it turns over and kicks to life QUICKLY drop the chock back so it holds at about 2krpm, run it at about 2k for awhile then crank the choke half way when the temp guage moves out of the blue (sometimes takes awhile, you DONT have to) take the choke off and let the throttle do the work then pull the clutch in and out to get some oil flowing then roll it backwards alittle bit and kick it into first, yes it takes awhile but its my method and I KNOW it runs happier because I do it that way.

Good luck, it really depends on your bikes attitude, I have tried to show my method to others but they preferr to let the poor thing warm up on full choke they dont like it trust me!!

edit: IF it doesnt crank on the second time, turn the ignition off, it wont start otherwise - let it sit for 30seconds and try again - they are tempremental! But in saying that this barely ever happens to me, normally kicks over first flick!

edit edit: I cant read, the zxr's are easy to bump just run along and have it in second let out the clutch while jumping on the peg or seat and boom they get going quick so make sure your quick to pull in the clutcher'ino
as said, empty the carbs, empty the tank, shove some new oil in, and check the cooling and go nuts!

I completely agree with this process. My old ZXR started like a dream from cold but you should never start it on full choke (other than to get it running). As John said, full choke then immediately drop it down until you reach 2Krpm. It is a bit of a juggling act to keep it hovering around there and you will notice it creep up after 30 sec or so. After about a minute you are good to shut it off and take it easy until the needle is moving up in the temp gauge (or in my case when the cam chain stopped rattling )

[Oakie]

You might want to mention the price after you get it going all OK.

Here's what I usually do. Hook up the bike's batterie (while it is still connected to the bike) to a running car's one with jumper leads, then just use the starter button till it shows sign of starting. Once this happens give a gentle twist in the throttle to let some fuel go through to let it fire properly. Try no choke or with choke...

.

Cheers. I passed this onto him this morning so he did a jump start off his car and the bike fired up.

Funny thing about the price. He put the advert in todays Auto Trader or whatever publication it was and had three phone calls by 10 am. It was only after the third call though that he found they'd mis-printed the advert and listed it as $500 instead of $4500.

[Motoracer]

Funny thing about the price. He put the advert in todays Auto Trader or whatever publication it was and had three phone calls by 10 am. It was only after the third call though that he found they'd mis-printed the advert and listed it as $500 instead of $4500.

Hehe, gotta hate it when that happens.

[R6_kid:Me]

good to hear you got it started.

way i did it is run it up to speed (pushing) in 2nd, clutch in just before you drop the clutch press the starter button for about 2secs then let the clutch out... worked every time cept when the battery was completely knackered.

my $0.02

[gamgee]

good to hear you got it started.

way i did it is run it up to speed (pushing) in 2nd, clutch in just before you drop the clutch press the starter button for about 2secs then let the clutch out... worked every time cept when the battery was completely knackered.

my $0.02

thats what i do as well, works well, except i can do it in first without damaging anything, had to do it on Monday because i hadn't ridden it in about 2 weeks combined with a cold mourning but i got it started first time with this method, can someone explain to me what the choke does as i have never used it, or when i have used it (only half out) it cause the bike to splutter and die

[campbellluke]

can someone explain to me what the choke does as i have never used it, or when i have used it (only half out) it cause the bike to splutter and die

Choke rushes more fuel through the carbs. Speeding up your idle. I've only used it 3 or 4 mornings in Dunedin this year.

Same concept as a car. - Useful on a cold engine on a cold day.

My bike can start cold without choke most of the time. Did you use the choke on a warm engine, or on a slightly warm day? Or even both? Because from the sounds of it you didn't need it. - If it doesn't need the extra fuel it will indeed get pissed off and die.

Only time I have ever used the choke on a hot engine was because I once dropped 2 gears and ran out of petrol in the carbs going up the Kilmog at 160kmph. The choke with the starter button got the bike going again in 3 or 4 seconds.

But if your bike is fine starting without choke. Don't bother with it.

Edit: Fixing typos.

[gamgee]

thanks, that helps a lot i was just worried about doing damage to it by not using the choke but obviously it causes no harm

[froggyfrenchman]

fresh gas, clean plugs and a good battery (or jump leads) if that dsnt work, theres something else up mate. Good luck

[Dolos]

fresh gas, clean plugs and a good battery (or jump leads) if that dsnt work, theres something else up mate. Good luck

I have 91 c model that takes 20 min on a car battery to start from cold it won't push start it has new leads battery an carbys have been cleaned an o rings replaced ( it's like the timing is out )

[cods4]

Once you get it going how does it run? It could be timing out by a tooth or two. And if you are taking the rocker cover off to check the timing you should check the valve clearances while you are there.

My ZXR250A had been sitting for a couple years and was still pretty difficult to start after a full carb clean and impossible to start once it was hot. I started by checking and adjusting valve clearances which fixed the hot start problem, next thing was I replaced the cam chain and tensioner which helped a bit more because the stretched chain (right on the limit of the manufacturers specs) was putting the timing out slightly. I then adjusted the idle screw a bit as it was idling lean. I think I still need to adjust the carbs a bit because it still takes a fair bit of choke to get it started.

[AllanB]

Sitting since the start of winter.

The fuel will be shit now.

Fresh fuel.


Vrmmmmmmmmmmm