I noticed that when I start my Honda NSR250R, it is idling really low (1000 and under) before cutting out. Today I got it to run for about 5 minutes with the choke out, and then it died. I started it up shortly after and at that point it was idling really low before cutting out within seconds.

Does anyone have any ideas what could be the issue?

I think we would need some more info
Do you have any history on the bike
How many miles since last rebuild
How old is the battery
Has it been left standing for a while
Has it been ridden often recently and what kind of riding, i.e. road, track
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Why do things simply when you can complicate them

It might be that you just need to turn the idle setting up a bit - the silver knob/dial on left side near fuel petcock - rotate clockwise (I think) to increase idle setting (to about 1250rpm) once engine is warmed up. Also, rather than just leave bike on full choke to warm up for 5 minutes, you might try, once it starts and is on full choke, blipping the throttle a bit repeatedly and slowly decreasing choke as you see engine temperature coming up so that choke is off by time you get to full operating temperature. Alternatively once temperature is maybe half way to full operating temp, can ride away SLOWLY with partial choke still on and dial back choke setting as temperature comes up. Basically as temperature comes up, choke setting goes down. Hope that helps.
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-Jim
'93 MC21

RobH wrote:I think we would need some more info
Do you have any history on the bike
How many miles since last rebuild
How old is the battery
Has it been left standing for a while
Has it been ridden often recently and what kind of riding, i.e. road, track

To the best of my knowledge, the bike has never been rebuilt. I purchased it a few years ago in Japan, and at the time it had slightly over 20,000 km.
I believe the battery was new when I purchased the bike. When I returned to Canada, the bike came with me and underwent a pretty thorough safety inspection in order for it to be licensed for the road here.
I'm assuming any major issues would have been caught at that point?

The bike has been sitting for about 8 months. It arrived in Canada in March 2020 and was lightly ridden last year as I swapped in new fairings and went through the process to get it licensed for the road. It has not been to the track- all street riding.

Jim wrote:It might be that you just need to turn the idle setting up a bit - the silver knob/dial on left side near fuel petcock - rotate clockwise (I think) to increase idle setting (to about 1250rpm) once engine is warmed up. Also, rather than just leave bike on full choke to warm up for 5 minutes, you might try, once it starts and is on full choke, blipping the throttle a bit repeatedly and slowly decreasing choke as you see engine temperature coming up so that choke is off by time you get to full operating temperature. Alternatively once temperature is maybe half way to full operating temp, can ride away SLOWLY with partial choke still on and dial back choke setting as temperature comes up. Basically as temperature comes up, choke setting goes down. Hope that helps.

Thank you. I have been giving the bike throttle when it is sitting in the garage warming up. Nothing out of the ordinary until it goes back to idling. I also did try decreasing the choke the last time I started it up, and it died as soon as I turned the choke off. So I am wondering if it is a carb issue.
Is it possible for the idle setting to change if I have no adjusted it?

if it's been sitting 8 months carbs could easily be gummed up enough to cause problems.
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-Jim
'93 MC21

Jim wrote:if it's been sitting 8 months carbs could easily be gummed up enough to cause problems.

Before the winter, I made sure it sat with a full tank and fuel stabilizer- hopefully it made somewhat of a difference

Malinda wrote:
Before the winter, I made sure it sat with a full tank and fuel stabilizer- hopefully it made somewhat of a difference

Did you fill it with non-ethenol fuel and drain the carbs?
Most of our Canadian gas has 5-10% ethenol content, unless you specifically look for a station that sells premium non-ethenol.

I think Jim is right. You probably need to clean the carbs.

Perhaps start with the air filter condition ,and work forward and clean and adjust the the carbs.

Thank you for all of your tips.
I tried to start it up again, and this time it had difficulty running without me holding the throttle. AS soon as I let go, it would die, that was both with and without the choke.

Not sure if that narrows it down squarely to an issue with the carbs? What are your thoughts?