Hi everyone,

A few months ago I bought a brand new leftover 2009 KLX250SF - it had no miles on it. When it's cold and I use the choke, the bike starts instantly and runs perfect once it's warmed up. But if I stop to get gas then go to start the bike again, it's really hard to start. It sounds like it starts to fire but won't start, and you have sometimes give it choke or give it throttle, but it takes a few attempts to start and run. Of course, once it does start, it runs absolutely perfect as always.

But if I'm using the bike and then I stop and let the bike sit for 5 minutes or more, it will start instantly with a touch of the starter button without the choke.

What gives? Is this kind of thing the way these are?

Thanks!

 

Mine does the same thing and has since new. If I try to start my bike with in a few seconds of shutting it off, it will not start. I must wait at least 30 seconds before it will start and it's very hard to get going. Wait 5 min and it starts with in a second or two. Don't know why! But I've learned to deal with it because I only get to ride about every 3-4 weeks.

 

It's really strange, isn't it? I'm guessing it's because of emissions regulations and they are running so lean. I could live with it, but it is a bit annoying.

Thanks for your reply

 

That doesnt sound right.... mine starts immediately after i shut it off, unless i drop it and the gas dumps out of the carb or something...

 

Try just a LITTLE bit of throttle....

David

 

Mine was that way but I learned what it likes, like David said a couple twists on the gas and it fires hot or cold and I haven't drilled out the starter jet just got used to what it takes.

 

Bring it up to about 5000 feet above sea level, and that should richen it up enough to start reliably... otherwise, realize that these things are tuned so lean that getting them to start at all is a miracle. You only need to address the lean condition to resolve your issue.

 

This is a well documented problem and it’s inexcusable that Kawasaki let these bikes out of the factory with such a fundamental design flaw (regardless of whether EPA regulations restricted the jetting or not). I like to trouble-shoot & tinker as much as any biker but only to the end of riding, and a brand new bike should not require tinkering to get it started.

With that said, the best solution I have come across (from this forum) is enlarging the enricher jet with a 0.017 – 0.018” drill bit.

If you find yourself out somewhere with a non-staring bike before you’ve had a chance to make this modification, I have found that the choke seems to function in a non-binary fashion. By slowly pulling the choke out while cranking, one can find the ‘sweet-spot’ at which the bike will fire under any given temperature (down as low as -20C).

Another trick, also explained elsewhere in this forum is to lay the bike on its left side for several seconds with the petcock open, then lift it back up and it should start.

 

Any time I've seen an afr done on a dyno on a stock bike they are not lean. Just very restricted on both sides of the piston. As you open it up it then needs jetted to compensate.

 

Pull the choke out slowly