26th Dec 2005, 05:55

That sounds like one of the cylinders isn't firing.

Could be something as simple as a vacuum tube leak. Check the carbs, ensure the rubber tubes aren't leaking or cracked, and then check the ignition.

18th Jun 2006, 05:20

I have had the pleasure of a 1999 ZZR 250 for 5 years now. It has been the most enjoyable machine I have ever had. The bottom and midrange power is perfect for city riding and the odd weekend blast with friends.

The handling is the most impressive thing with this bike. The brakes are very good for the weight of the bike, and the fuel usage was around 320 Kms per tank.

The paint finish was very nice. I had the burgundy and black version. It looked a lot bigger than it was.

Slipping the clutch you could wheel stand it with practice in second gear, and glide it down quite easily, but you need plenty of revs and practice.

You could arrive really late to a corner and throw it in and it would grip like it was on rails. You could carry a lot of corner speed and not wobble.

I loved it and will miss it.

I have bought a Virago 1100 special.

The virago is a great bike, but I will always think of the ZZR 250. It was predictable and forgiving, and very reliable for me.

22nd Jul 2006, 10:51

I got my ZZR250 3 month ago. Just love it. Have one question...

What is the optimum RPM for different gears at different speeds? What is best (safe) way to change it?

May it's a dumb question... but anyway, I'd like to know what you think about.

29th Jul 2006, 16:02

In answer to your question about gear changes. Several years ago I had a ZZR250, so know a lot about them.

Bearing in mind, maximum power is at 12500 rpm and maximum torque is at 9000 rpm.

I use to find that riding the machine on the torque gave good performance and didn`t sound harsh. Taking the engine to 12500 rpm and changing gear, the engine sounds very harsh.

In other words, take to engine to 9000 rpm and change gear each time. Every higher gear change at that rpm, the engine speed will drop back to about 7000 rpm. This is where most of the good torque lies in the rev range.

Riding the machine that way, ensures you have a combination of good performance, economy and smoothness.

6th Dec 2006, 03:16

I have had my ZZR250 for about 14 days. It has done 742564 Ks and I paid $1500 for it. Was it worth buying...??

19th Jan 2007, 04:49

I have had my ZZR for 3 months and have done 4000k on her, some very quick, long runs and riding to work every day.

She has recently got a little noisy and has lost a little power in 4th and 5th gear, I would like to know what to do first about this before garaging her?

11th Mar 2007, 09:08

HELP. After having the engine apart, how do I tell if it's firing on No1 or No2 for reassembly to get the cam timing right, or does it not matter? This thing has been giving me many running dramas since I did the timing chain last week. It will barely run, carbs possibly due to one exhaust feeling cooler.

30th Mar 2007, 13:46

Hi, it's really nice that other people think that the ZZR250 is a top little bike.

I found mine in the back of a garage. It hadn't been used for 8 years, that was 21 months ago. I have lost skin, blood, tears and a large amount of money, but I now have a very sweet machine.

I've read all the comments on this page, and all the answers seem to be good advice.

Mine is a UK bike, and they are getting a bit rare now.

To finish this, all I'm going to say is it won't let you down if you look after it. I've done 5600 miles on mine, and I prefer it to my GPZ500s.

p.s. If anyone is selling theirs, then contact me as I would love another to turn into a show bike.

neal_williams@btconnect.com

21st Jul 2007, 15:13

Having only recently passed my test, I bought a ZZR 250. I absolutely love it, except for one tiny problem; she either stalls when idling, or the revs shoot up past 4000.

I've replaced carbs to try and solve the problem, and she has a new fuel switch, spark plugs, oil and filter. Tried adjusting the idle speed, but that seems to have no effect.

Could anyone tell me if there is anything obvious that I've missed please?

23rd Jul 2007, 18:23

Regards the comment dated the 11th March 2007.

To do the cam timing on this machine, bear in mind the left cylinder is number one, and the right is number two, when sitting on the bike.

This one is a bit obscure, because you get number two piston on compression, not number one as is the case with most bikes. Then it is a matter of lining up the appropriate marks on the cam sprockets, so they are flush with the top of the cylinder head. Don't forget the cam chain tensioner.

Word of caution; always check the timing by rotating the engine by hand, and NEVER crank it over with the starter motor.

30th Jul 2007, 03:18

My ZZR 250 is a 1994 model and has a bad knocking sound at low idle; is this normal? Also, what should I make the engine idle at?

Could anybody help?

Thanks.

9th Aug 2007, 18:03

A knocking noise at idle could be a number of things. Check the usual stuff such as tappets. I have experienced the same symptoms with a GPZ600R, and later found it was a weak mixture on one of the carburetors. The idle speed should be around 1300 RPM.

6th Sep 2007, 04:28

I bought a ZZR250 last saturday and was quite pleased. I've had it running a few times, but every time I have, a mixture of petrol and oil have been coming out of the bottom of the exhaust on the left side, and the right side is smoking like a soldier, right where it meets the engine. Any suggestions???

Cheers

thefoo15@hotmail.com

21st Nov 2007, 02:00

I have had my 1994 ZZR250 for a little over a year now. Recently went for a long distance ride of about 440 miles, 2 ways. She was performing well and was able to run at 75 - 85 miles/hour all the way.

She was left to stand on centre stand for one whole week after the ride due to bad weather. Now I couldn't get her started. When cranked, the starter would turn, but the engine doesn't fire up. Checked the spark plugs, both were wet, but after cleaned up, both also able to produce sparks. Still couldn't start the bike even with the choke on or with blipping the throttle.

What's wrong??