Push Start button and wait

I can't seem to find a thread that has the same starting issues as my bike.

Turn the key, everything lights up, the pump sounds. Press the start button and nothing. Hold it in and wait or hit a few times and it will start and run perfectly.

It's a 2008 WR250R that I bought last year new from a local dealer. 0 miles.

I haven't ridden it much this past year. I got it to replace my old XR250L that I thought was going to die but it continues to live.

Right now, 230 miles on it. Starting hesitation seems to be getting worse--but it always starts. I just have to wait.

I plan to make this bike an adventure bike and take it to the middle of nowhere as often as I can. It doesn't give me confidence when it hesitates to start.

Could it be the switch connector behind the radiator that seems to be common to other starting issues?

Sounds like it could be a bad contact in the push button itself. Like if you push it and wiggle it a little, will it sometimes start? If it's been sitting unused for 3 years, the electrical contacts could have developed some corrosion.

Had this happen to my bike too. It was fairly obvious to me what the problem was though because I went down on my right side in 1.5' of mud and water and the entire right side of the bars were submerged. All I did was take apart the throttle side electrical assy. and clean the gunk out and shined up the start button contacts. Also had to clean the grit out of my throttle tube. Just wondering, has anyone attempted to seal the switches or are there waterproof (or resistant at least) options floating around on the aftermarket?

does anybody know a couple tricks to get a hard to start 2002 Yam WR250 running? key points:
- rebuilt the carb
- new spark plug
- good compression
- clean new gas - premium 91 octane
no electric starter, so I am kicking this thing

rocko44 wrote:

does anybody know a couple tricks to get a hard to start 2002 Yam WR250 running? key points:
- rebuilt the carb
- new spark plug
- good compression
- clean new gas - premium 91 octane
no electric starter, so I am kicking this thing

Fuel petcock on.
Pull out the choke knob.
Use the compression release to get the piston just past top dead center.
Let go of the compression release.
Twist the throttle two times to squirt some gas into the inlet tract.
Give it a kick.

You should only twist the throttle to squirt some gas into the engine when the engine is completely cold, as when starting the bike for the first time that day.
Is your acellerator pump actually squirting gas, by the way?