Ask the Editors: Bringing a 250R Back to Life
Back from a 30 Year Nap.
With any machine that’s been sitting for 30+ years, draining all of the fluids and starting fresh is a given. Don’t forget the brake fluid here as it draws in water from the air over time. Be sure to install a new spark plug as well. Whether or not you had the presence of mind to drain the tank and run the machine dry before parking it all those years ago will have major influence over the amount of carburetor cleaning you have ahead of you.
If fuel has sat for such an extended period, it would surely have evaporated, leaving behind varnish-like deposits that will clog the carb’s jets. You may be able to soak the carburetor’s internals with a quality cleaning agent to get these narrow passage ways open again but more often than not, rebuilding the carburetor with any one of hundreds of rebuild kits available on eBay should do the trick.
Once you have added fresh premix, cycle the engine a few times but slowly pushing the kickstarter down then back up to just past TDC (top dead center) before kicking it properly. This will confirm whether or not the piston still moves freely within its bore.
Prepare to lubricate the moving parts- obviously the chain but also the suspension linkages, swingarm pivot and so on. Over three decades is a long time for moisture to accumulate at critical junctions. Don’t be surprised if you aren’t greeted with various sequels and squeaks from areas that were smooth when you parked her.
Finally, check out the condition of all of the rubber pieces and bits on the machine (including the tires) before taking it out for a test run. Rubber tends to dry out and crack over time, especially the rubber that was exposed to fuel at some point (fuel lines, overflow hoses etc.)
