Should a GN250 take this long to start?

[dyls]

I bought this bike recently (Suzuki gn250) and had it fully serviced, which included fitting a new regulator rectifier as well as new battery (and lots of other stuff that I don't think is as relevant) - my question is, when I go to start the bike up after it's been left overnight, it takes aaaaaaages and heaps of tries to get it to the point where the starter actually starts the engine and it doesn't die after about half a second.

You'll have to forgive me here cause I have no mechanical aptitude (yet!) so I will describe things as best I can in layman's terms.

So I press the starter button and it does its thing, I hear the engine almost turn over, then I give it a tiny pinch of throttle and let go of the starter button, then the engine dies...so I repeat the process. Like 25+ times. Takes between 5 - 10 minutes before I actually can keep the engine running and can start warming it up before riding off.

I have a feeling maybe I'm giving it too much throttle as I seem to have better results the less I put on. For example if no throttle was zero and full throttle was 100, I only have any luck at 0 - 5. But who knows.

Anyway I guess my question is, is this something I go back to the shop about and get them to sort it, or is it kind of expected in older bikes (mine's 1986!!)?

It doesn't bother me toooooo much as I kind of feel the more times I do this the better I'll get at it (and I live on a hill, so can always jump start it like I did yesterday...lol) but one day I'll probably want to sell it and would like to either get it sorted or at least know this is 'normal' before I do!

Thanks heaps for any advice!!

[MSTRS:Me]

Not normal. You are using the choke when it's cold? And does it start fine when it's warm?

[klingon]

No way is that normal. My Volty (same as GN250) starts straight off, every time. Then I leave it running with the choke on while I put on helmet and gloves, then we're off! No matter how cold the morning is.

In saying that, I live in Auckland and the bike is in the garage overnight, but still it shouldn't be anything like that hard to start.

[dyls]

Not normal. You are using the choke when it's cold? And does it start fine when it's warm?

I could be wrong but I don't think it has a choke.

At least, if it does, it's not where I'd expect it to be, on the left grip somewhere, towards the bottom, which is where I tend to see them on other bikes.

Could it be that it has a choke and I'm not even noticing it?

And yes it starts great when it's warm, first time every time.

[MSTRS:Me]

I could be wrong but I don't think it has a choke.

At least, if it does, it's not where I'd expect it to be, on the left grip somewhere, towards the bottom, which is where I tend to see them on other bikes.

Could it be that it has a choke and I'm not even noticing it?

And yes it starts great when it's warm, first time every time.

Oh, it has a choke all right. That it starts fine when warm suggests this is your problem. Use the choke. I'm not sure where the choke lever is on your bike, 'modern' bikes have a lever on the inside end of the left handgrip (usually). On a bike the age of yours, it may be a pull-out button or a lever that lifts up on the side of the carb. That's the unit under the tank, directly behind the engine

[dyls]

Just went to have a look, if there is a choke, it's seriously eluding me

Was another gn parked behind mine, albeit 2006, and I couldn't see a choke on that one either!

[MSTRS:Me]

http://ad5zo.com/mc/gn250_left_side.jpg
See that little flash of red under the tank? That may be the choke lever

[dyls]

Oh....genius! I didn't even think to look there. From a quick google lots of other gn250 users talk about using the choke so it's got to be there.

I'll check it out tonight

thanks a lot!

[MSTRS:Me]

That's what I meant when I said a button or lever on the carb...

[Lucy]

Oh....genius! I didn't even think to look there. From a quick google lots of other gn250 users talk about using the choke so it's got to be there.

I'll check it out tonight

thanks a lot!

On mine it was a black circular pull out thing, under the tank on the left hand side, not all that far from the fuel switch.

Well done on getting it started at all without it! Mind you, I never had to use it when I lived in Auckland....

[FROSTY:Me]

dude--look at the thing hanging off the back of the engine (the carby)
On the left hand side of it is a black round Knob about the size of a 20c piece. Pull that out. Thats the choke

[BASS-TREBLE]

Yerp use your choke,

fuel gets in my engine if I don't turn the fuel tap of when left for 30 mins plus and then I tend to have the problem that you do, only happened once tho.

Turn your fuel tap of ehrn left and use the choke

[mrchips]

dyls,

Full choke & no throttle .... if she's anything like my old tart absolutely no throttle play is required & should fire up almost straight away.

Just push the choke back in when warmed up to normal idle.

[Meekey_Mouse]

Just push the choke back in when warmed up to normal idle.

If you ever forget to push the choke back in after a bit of time the bike will feel like it's ran out of gas and eventually die... That's the choke

*Speaking from experience *

[The Pastor]

LHS of the bike, its a lever thing attached to your carb, not sure what it looks like? start poking/pulling/pushing things, if you find a sliding lever, thats your choke.

You will find it much easier to start.

But only ride with it on for a short while (5 mins max etc) if you can't find it just go to any bike shop and hope they dont laugh at you