2003 Ninja EX250-R

[ZoomSplat]

I'm new to this forum.

I've been with this bike for almost 6 months. I'm the third owner, paid peanuts for a great bike with some nice mods (Lambo yellow paintjob and custom fairings, Muzzy stainless steel full exhaust system, integrated rear signals, scooped seat, Dyno-Jet kit with a K&N air filter, front fairing flushed w/ LED signals). The previous owner scooped the seat because he was tiny (5'0") but I like being lower even at 5'9".

I may be losing engine pressure. I thought it was my throttle at first and tightened it but I fear I may have blown or loosened a gasket. Is there any easy way to tell without taking her into the shop? Consistency from the throttle seems to get better when I have the choke on (even when the bike is warm) which doesn't quite jibe with a loose gasket but I imagine there is someone here who knows better than I do. Thanks!

[NCDave]

possibly a carb problem. may be dirt or something. I just took my vulcan in and the mech told me it's likely a slow-speed circuit clog. I ride mine all the time and have lots of miles. I wouldn't have expected a clog to happen, but I'm waiting to find out if that's what it is. It was basically flooding out when I started to slow. I had to keep it on choke a very long time so that it would run.

[JasonFMHS]

Im with him, its probably a carb problem if anything. you would have to seriously damage the engine for it to lose pressure.

[ZoomSplat]

Poor little moto... we'll have to head to the shop. Thanks for the input.

[V2K_CCTX]

check carb adj and synch first

[xeon]

The addition of a free flowing exhaust and filter along with a jet kit bring up all sorts of variables. Did it ever run "right" for you? It is possible the jetting could use some work.

I'm not sure what the nature of your problem is exactly from your description, but does it have an erratic idle? If so, it would lead me to want to clean the carbs and sync them along with inspecting the plugs... no harm in just replacing them anyway. Another thing that can give you erratic throttle response could be a tank of bad gas.

[ZoomSplat]

She ran great for the first 5 months, a little dirty on start but otherwise nothing notable.

It probably is a carbeurator or other clog problem. This started after I left her parked for 10 days. She was super slow to warm up (which I expected) ran fine for about 15-20 miles and then began to stall out and started and ran if I had the choke released. She also didn't rev over about 3 rpm consistently in second or third, usually low on the rpm no matter how far I opened the throttle. Idle in first was fine. I find it plausible some particulate settled while I was away and clogged a fuel line or something when I got back.

I have to change out the battery too. It's original to the bike and now 5 years old. It's harder to restart the stalled bike when the battery won't hold charge...

[V2K_CCTX]

run some seafoam thru her first

[ZoomSplat]

I've only been perusing this forum for a few hours and I don't think I've seen a thread that didn't mention seafoam... Does it do dishes too?

[fitbmxseries1]

You know it probably does.

[ZoomSplat]

So my first takeaway from this forum is to get 3 bottles of SeaFoam; put 4 oz. in my bike, do my dishes with the next bottle, and drink the rest to see if I develop telepathic abilities.