Tutorial: How to use a Choke on a Motorcycle. 2007 Kawasaki Ninja 250r

So I thought this was another basic topic not really talked about in many channels and felt as a person who wants to take care of all beginners, this is an area I could talk about. If you enjoyed the video, please hit that like button and Subscribe! Thank you.

[entropede]

Finally someone who explains this properly for noobs like me. Great vid!

[stupidname]

i know it's been 5 years, but appreciate the vid. i just bought a bike with a choke. manual says to have lever pulled all the way at start and let it run for a while. i got scared when it rev'd up like crazy, and thought my bike had something wrong with it, but saw it's normal if it's pulled all the way. i tried it like you said and it's running smooth now. thank you

[dianemaskosky]

Has anyone ever told you you look like Rob Dyrdek?

[AaronKroll]

Took a motorcycle class, this was the one thing they didn't teach. Thanks helped a lot!

[daniellemitchell]

Thanks for this tutorial. My mom bought a 2002 Sportster 1200 with choke and couldn't find any tutorials. Much appreciated. Really helped a lot

[michelle.leeanne]

Did anyone else notice the lizard to the left of the bike at 3:50? 😂

[paulschneider]

I searched for german videos at first but ended up here and u explained it perfectly. now i know how to use the stroke on my new supermoto. Thank you!

[gingerdeadman]

i just got a 125cc cruiser with a manual choke and had no idea what to do with it...great video, helped alot!

[Hasotogaraj]

finally someone who explains this properly and clearly, im 16 just started riding thanks for helping!

[DRCsyntax]

The 2014 Ninja 250 still uses carbs! (So a choke).Good vid. I miss starting my Bandit in the morning and waking people up.


A lot of people don't know, carbs are the reason behind us revving our engines. You rev'd to make sure the throttle was responding and that the bike didn't die.

[dainhamilton]

This is super useful, I got my license in 2022 but just bought my first personal bike, went with a 2003 that wasn't too expensive so I wouldn't have to worry about being new on it, but it had a choke which I had never seen before! Now I do this every day

[josegaray]

Wow bro thanks I was wondering why my bike was running so loud I didn’t know what that handle was for . Thanks I did exactly what u said once the bike was warm push the handle All the way up she stay running quite nice

[Ash_Carnelian]

I'm about to buy the (new to the U.S) Honda Navi. I had no idea how the choke is supposed to work, so this is really helpful.

[summysideup]

Thank you so much!! I was so confused I thought I had to have it all the way until it got warmed up at least that's what I was told

[DracoJakeo]

I’ve just got my first bike, a 2007 Honda cbr125r and I had no clue how to use the choke properly! Thanks for the explanation!

[justinr]

I just bought a 94 yamaha xj600s.


Never had a carb'd vehicle before. Thank god for youtube.

[Richard-xucj]

This bike actually has an 'enrichment' system and not a 'choke', but the results are the same- they both supply a fuel- rich mix to the engine whether it's 'hot' or 'cold'. No throttle should be required or used (blipping) during the initial start up process, and if throttle is needed it's almost always a sign that your carb needs servicing-very common with today's fuels if the machine has not been run on a regular basis/several times a month. Any throttle used while 'on choke' defeats the purpose of the choke or enrichment system.



Avoid ethanol blended fuels if possible unless you run the machine daily and NEVER run E85 in these 'vintage' engines! Use a quality fuel stabilizer if the machine (mowers et al too!) sits for weeks at a time without being run to control phase separation of the 'fuel'. Once started, it's important to run the machine until it's fully up to operating temperature- 5-10 minutes minimum.



The traditional choke has a plate or slide that closes off the intake(inlet) side of the carb to restrict airflow which routes increased vacuum to the carb's internals to add more fuel to the mix. The enrichment circuit differs in that it adds fuel to the mix with a plunger that reroutes vacuum and/or fuel to the carb inlet; there is no restricter plate. This is a simplified explanation and a good factory service manual (or goggle) shows the actual internal passages, etc. of the carb if you're interested.



Regardless of which system your bike has it's very important to keep the rpms as low as possible during the initial warmup until the oil has circulated through the top end. Manipulate the 'choke' to maintain rpms only to where the engine continues to run without using the throttle, and go 'off choke' asap, when the machine idles as it should without any choke, or throttle blips.



On the hottest days of the year, my KLR 250 (which has a nearly identical carb as the little Ninja in this vid) occasionally needs to be briefly 'choked' after it sits for short periods during the days I ride it due to the rapid evaporation of fuel in the carb from the high heat radiating from the engine, but typically no enrichment is needed but for the initial start up for the day.



Above all, RTFM!

[addictedbaseballrgd]

I had a Ninja 250 in the early 90's, and this is exactly how I used the choke. After it started I would adjust the choke so that the tac would idle at 1K RPM's. After 2 minutes I was ready to go.

After 30 years, I purchased a 20 year old carbureted motorcycle, and it starts much different. That's why I seeked out this video, I wanted to see if the procedure was different from bike to bike. I either choke a little or not at all, and when the bike starts, I bring the choke down, or it will die. I don't know if it's because it has four carburetor's and they all have different needs etc.

I do like my fuel injected bike much better, but the cool thing about these carbureted bikes, is that you can push (bump for you people out east) start them.

[peaches]

Thank you!!! The motorcycle handbook I got didn't really explain the choke that well, so appreciate it! You got a new sub!

[steelyhendrix]

Thanks man. Appreciate the simple explanation.