[mitchal]

Hi Everybody,
I'm hoping someone can help me out with this problem which has plagued me for almost as long as i have owned the bike and that no mechanic so far has been able to solve...
I have a CBR250R (1988) which i have owned for about 2 years. One day i was out riding and it started missing here and there but would quickly recover and deliver power again but then maybe 1 km further down the road the exhaust started sounding really weird (like a dying Giraffe), and gradually the bike lost power (the throttle was fully open but the revs steadily dropped). So on the side of the F3 i was stuck. when i tried to turn the bike over the battery was nearly flat despite having been riding for 40 mins. On that day i got Jimmy from SOS motorcycle recovery to pick it up and take it to the workshop for me (sorry had to plug jimmy, he's a top bloke). The mechanic said that the stator had gone in it and he replaced it with reconditioned one.

So i was able to ride it to and from Sydney from the central coast for a few weeks and it was running fine. but then one day on the way to work a car clipped me. I managed to keep the bike upright and it only caused cosmetic damage but rattled me a bit. so i started driving the car to work. a few weeks later i went to take the bike for a ride and it started with the same problem again. except when i managed to limp home the battery wasn't fully dead.

I left it for a while as i didn't have the money to fix it. when i got around to getting some cash it wouldn't start at all. so again Jimmy picked it up and took it to the workshop. Mechanic this time said it was a crimp in the fuel line.

So on Sunday i decided to take it for a ride and it crapped out on me again on the F3. same issue. engine wont start now...

Any ideas of what this could be?

 

[Hessian]

Its interesting you said it sounded like a dying giraffe. They are apparently the only animal that cannot make noise

Sounds electrical. but then again it could be a combination of things.

Clean carbs
Get new battery and charge it up with a good charger
Check fuel tank doesnt have crap in it
Check fuel hoses/filters for MORE crap
Possibly purchase a proper CDI or get one from Eclipze

 

[mitchal]

Cool,
Thanks Hessian, I will pull the tank off this weekend to see if i can purge it and clear any gunk out. I have heard that there is a mesh filter in the fuel tank. do you know if this can be removed and cleaned and the tank flushed out when this is removed and if so how is it done?
Also are there any other filters that i need to be aware of?

I am in agreement that it could be a combo of electrical and fuel flow.

 

[Eclipze]

A battery that is nearly flat after 40mins of riding is definitely a problem, and would cause the symptoms you have described. A battery going flat after an extended break of riding is no surprise though.

It could be either the battery, the regulator/rectifier or the alternator. Avoid guessing... you need to do some testing to determine what's the cause.

Suggest you start here...
http://cbr250.com/forum/thread-282.html
This thread has recently been updated too.

Grab a multimeter and take some measurements at the battery, with the engine running >3,000rpm. You should be getting around ~14V if the alternator and reg/rec are working. If you battery is flat, it'll mess with getting a good reading as the battery is going to load up the alternator. Best to charge your battery first... for a flat battery, 8 hours on a 2 amp charger will do it.

 

[mitchal]

Thanks Eclipze,
Your advice is much appreciated. This was my first suspicion when the issue first reared its ugly head so i went out and bought a new battery (funnyly enough i stumbled across that thread and followed to a tea). after that solution failed i got myself a new reg/rec off ebay and fitted.

A mate at work was looking over my shoulder while reading your post and mentioned he had a multimetre that he can lend me so i will give that a try after i have cleaned the fuel tank out (only coz i gotta feeling the fuel tank could do with a flush out anyway).

could it be that i have no headlight fluid?

 

[Cowboy1600]

I'll bet $1,000 it's the regulator/rectifier and probably a dead battery by now.

My NSR spat one and my CBR900 spat two. I replaced the CBR one with one from an R1 and never had another problem.

In fact, I have a spare R1 one here if you wish to purchase it. Any semi-competent auto electrician (or someone with the required nous) should be able to wire it in for you. You can have it for $100. From memory I paid $175 for it.

 

[BriZer]

I'll bet $1,000 it's the regulator/rectifier and probably a dead battery by now.

+1 defs the Reg/rec same thing happened on mine. Plus the old bikes don't like sitting but sounds the same as what was happening to mine.

 

[Matt]

Its interesting you said it sounded like a dying giraffe. They are apparently the only animal that cannot make noise

which is bullshit. there you go.

 

[Hessian]

So what, then, does a dying giraffe sound like?

 

[mitchal]

Hi Guys (and girls),
thanks for the info, that was my first suspicion after reading about how common this issue is. the reg/rec was replaced around 6 months ago with one from a vtr as someone said that these fit and have got a larger heat sink surface.
In saying that though, perhaps i got a dodgy one in which i will need to replace. does anyone know what i need to do to test the reg/rec to see if its working?

 

[mitchal]

Hey guys,
Just an update, here is the sound of a dying giraffe... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiDkd9ePq4M
still no update on bike though...

 

[Lane]

Hey guys,
Just an update, here is the sound of a dying giraffe... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiDkd9ePq4M
still no update on bike though...

I'm so glad you posted that. I was just about to but dinner is ready!!!

 

[Hessian]

I checked the net before posting and there was mention of a south park dying giraffe. I imagine they do make some sort of noise, but I never got close enough.

The ones at Taronga zoo seemed to be eating more than making noise

 

[mitchal]

Ok guys,
So i had a chance to have a look at the bike this weekend and test some of the things you guys mentioned. After a good recharge i whacked the battery back in and the bike kicked over better than it ever has. got a multi meter and tested voltage going back to the battery (i gather you do this by holding the multimeter to the terminals on the battery and give it some stick). At 5000 RPM the multimeter was only reading 12.20 volts. Is this enough? i know i have read in places that it should be around 14.50 volts but is that a bare minimum or an ideal amount?
I didn't end up pulling the fuel tank off or messing round with anything else because i want to be able to take it back to the mechanic and have him complete the work i paid him for without giving him the chance to say the guarantee on his work is void because i have been tinkering.
Any light you could shed on the voltage reading i got would be a massive help.
Thanks guys

 

[shane]

as tony aka eclipze posted:

Grab a multimeter and take some measurements at the battery, with the engine running >3,000rpm. You should be getting around ~14V if the alternator and reg/rec are working.

do some testing on the reg/rec, this is pretty much the only option

 

[mitchal]

Thanks Shane,
I just spoke to the mechanic and he is going to pick up the bike for me and have another look without charge.
I'll keep everyone posted...

 

[fitzy]

as said, check your battery, ive had similiar problems on my gsxr.

You will know straight awayif your stator has shit again or ya regulator/rectifier is shat![hr]
12.5 volts is enough to start. Turn the bike off and check votage then start the bike.

But yes you should have more that 12volts running. My geuss regulator short circuited also.