time to check vavles clearances?

[hardcore_rm]

i have had my bike for about 3 tanks of fuel now bought it secondhand 04 model 250, bike used to start easy within a few kicks but lately have to clutch start it cos it wont kick over, once its warm it will kick though? just not when cold does this mean i should check my vavles?

[suzuki28]

yes mine started doing that a little while ago and i had to shim

[MotoX178]

Yes you need the shim the valves probably, sounds like they are out of spec.

[Kx250FRiDeR651]

my bike was a bitch to start when hot...sometimes take 10 mins to kick...i checked my valves and they were fine...so hard starting is not always the case, did u check all ur basics, pull the plug and check that?

[MotoX178]

He said when cold and that is a sure sign of valves out of spec, when hot that is different. Sometimes my bike will start first kick when hot or kit could take 30 kicks, just depends, usually it is pretty good and starts first kick no matter what.

[thormx33]

When mine was hard to start I took to a shop and had them check the valve clearence, but that wasnt it. They said it needed a new plug, and the carb needed cleaning.

[hopsingRMZ]

I just did my valves, both exhausts and one intake were out of spec. Re-shimmed it, put it back together a couple of nights ago, started on third kick. Now it starts first kick every time. I had the same problem as hardcore_rm, wouldnt start cold, bump it a few times to get it started, and was ok when hot. as soon as cools it down though, kickin was out of the question. I actually started my bike last night by HAND! I was just messin around to see if it was possible, and what do you know on the third try it fired right up.