XR250 Starting proceedure?

[deerjohn]

Just purchased a 1997 XR250R as my first bike. I did not get an owners manual, and would like some help on the starting proceedure? The bike is very clean, and the engine all original. I tryed putting in a new spark plug, and I'm still battling trying to find a socket to fit! I have a lathe, so will try turning down my 18mm deep socket. My real problem is starting proceedure?? Full choke? Open or closed throttle? Use the de-compressor lever?? I have an owners manual on backorder from my dealer, so really need some HELP?????????????

[honduki]

Full choke when cold, no throttle

If flooded no choke, full throttle or pull in decomp kick it over a few times

When warm no choke with a lil thottle maybe.

Always turn gas off when finished riding for the day as the fuel in carb goes off

and bike is hard to start with the bad gas thats left in carb.

[steveinblackpool]

Cos its winter and only get out once a week does the fuel go off in a week or are you talking maybe about a month?

[creeky]

Before you remove the spark plug, blow the plug well clean with compressed air. Crud collects in there and can fall into the cylinder when you remove the plug.

[azboyz]

Was the bike running when you bought it?

Is there gas flowing to the carb?

Take the carb apart (remove the gas tank for easy access). Don't be intimiated if it's your first time - they are very easy to work on.

Clean it and akme sur the float is not stuck.

[honduki]

The gas in the tank will be fine for a few weeks,

but the gas in the carb can evaporate away and block the jets

in even a week.

It will take alot of kicking to get the gas to flow thru

[Kev_XR]

Almost everything for the XR400 applies to the XR250.

Other than carb jet sizes and suspension (no rebound adj on the XR250)

Starting tips

https://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=865423&page=2&highlight=bsa+trick

[XR250rdr]

If the carburetor is clean and jetting is close...

Cold: full or half choke depending on weather

Hot: no choke

Kick through to bottom of kickstarter stroke and cycle through near bottom of kickstarter stroke until you find TDC. Then bring kickstarter all the way up and kick through with no throttle. Keeping the kickstarter down near the bottom of its stroke when finding TDC bypasses the auto decompressor.

[102dals]

Does the 250 have an "auto" decompressor?

XR250rdr's sequence works for me, usually takes 2 kicks or less, cold (choked) or not.

This should be pretty easy, the 400s harder with the bigger bore.

[XR250rdr]

Does the 250 have an "auto" decompressor?

XR250rdr's sequence works for me, usually takes 2 kicks or less, cold (choked) or not.

This should be pretty easy, the 400s harder with the bigger bore.

Its actuated by the kickstarter via a cable, but only at the top of the kickstarter stroke

[creeky]

'96 and up 250s have a cam mounted auto decompressor, no cable.

[XR250rdr]

'96 and up 250s have a cam mounted auto decompressor, no cable.

I knew that, I just totally read the first post as saying he had a 1987 XR250

So what I said about starting procedure isn't totally accurate, the auto decomp isn't dependent on kickstarter position. I'm sorry guys.

[eltee]

This works for my 1999 XR250R with Gordon's mods and an FMF Q4 pipe. It has been rejetted.

1. Gas ON, Ignition OFF

2. Choke OFF

3. Decompression lever pulled, kick engine over 2 or 3 times at 1/4 - 1/2 throttle

4. Choke ON, Ignition ON, no throttle

5. Kick to start

The above works on warm days, cold days, foggy days, etc. As soon as the bike fires up, I drop the choke to the second position and then to the "run" position.