new here, i want my bike running like new.

[stonknod]

i bought a gz two years ago to learn on. i was the third owner i believe, the first being the dmv. i got my permit and learned to ride but only really the first summer i had it. as the weathers getting warmer i want to get it up and running again but i dont know where to start. i bought a new battery bc it needed one but the last time i drove it it wasnt running great. i dont want to take it anywhere and get ripped off bc i know nothing about bike, i would prefer to do work myself. im sure i need to change the oil and brakes. tires look good. there seems to be some oil or some kind of residue on the side of the motor in the little grilles. someone who apparently knows something said theres no leak but i'd like to have that checked out and cleaned up. also the exhaust pipes coming from the engine have discoloration on them thats like blue-ish? any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. also if anyone knows any links to places that sell replacement parts. after seeing posts on here i'd really like to add some things to my ride and replace some beat up parts. thanks.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by stonknod

ithe last time i drove it it wasnt running great.

My thoughts:

If it hasn't had a new plug lately, do that first.
You probably need a healthy dose of a good carb. cleaner run through with a tank or 2 of gas.
Berryman's B12 Chemtool and Original Gumout are two good ones; go a little heavier than the standard recommendation. If it's been more than 60 days or so since it's had fresh gas, you probably should drain out to the old stuff first.

Then.....
You should NOT worry about the blue pipes; that is absolutely normal......or not ABnormal.
Same with the thick brown stuff on the fins.
Do a little more reading/searching of threads on here. Both of those things are explained in some detail.

Not all mechanics are rip-off artists. It is possible that you won't be able to fix everything yourself. The carb might need a manual cleaning and not everybody should tackle that job themselves.

Welcome to the fold.

[JWR]

If you want to give it a try, may I recommend this guide.

1. Download the pdf manual.
2. Remove tank and drain gas.
3. While the tank is off, change plug.
4. Reinstall and ride...if it still runs bad come back for more info.

P.S.
I had trash in my carb last week and I removed it, cleaned the trash out, about an hour job.

[blaine]

Welcome, If you have close to 5000 kms you will need a oil change and valve adjustment.Ride careful.

[alanmcorcoran]

Stonk,

More than likely, the bike just needs to be ridden. As someone has probably already mentioned, some carb cleaner plus a tank of fresh gas should probably be your first move before spending a lot of time on anything else. The carbs in GZ's are a common source of poor running, especially when they've been sitting for long periods. Sometimes just putting a few tanks of gas through them sets them straight, sometimes the problem requires more aggressive treatment. But an even moderately fouled carb can contribute to hard (or no) starting, stalling, crappy idle, crappy power, no high end, backfires, etc.

I'm not a mechanic, just a rider, but I've had all of the above and many times fixed the issue by putting 120 miles on the thing with some Seafoam. I did have one problem I had to take it to the dealer to fix, and, while I can't be 100% sure it was the carb, that was the most guilty of the suspects.

When I had my troubles, I did a lot of the other stuff recommended (clean/replace air filter, change park plug, change oil, etc.) but none of them had any significant effect on the running. (You do have to change your oil, but unless it's full of metal shavings, burnt beyond recognition or not enough of it, changing it is not going to improve the running much.) Be careful to avoid the slippery additives motor oil - use the stuff recommended by Suzuki or elsewhere on here.

Good luck.

[mrlmd1]

You bought the bike 2 years ago, as the third owner. What year is the bike? How many miles on it? Or, what I really want to know is, how old are the tires? Look at the date stamp imprinted on the sidewall in a little rectangular box. If they are 6 years or so old, they may have to be replaced even if the tread looks good, as they get hard and brittle with age and lose their grip on the road. And be careful riding up in PA in the cold, cold tires don't grip cold roads well like in the hot summer.
What makes you think the brakes need replacing? Do you have any idea of the previous maintenance on this bike? Do you know how to check for front brake wear? Do you have the service manual or any knowledge of how to do front brake pad replacements? You most likely do not have to do anything with the rear drum brake, it doesn't wear out for a looong time.
Have you ever oiled or cleaned the chain?
We can ask as many questions of you as you can on here. I'm not trying to be derogatory or critical, just trying to get to know you and who you are.
And welcome to the club, the bike should give you years of service with a little maintenance along the way to keep it happy.

[MLGTIB]

With regards to the black stuff on the fins, I would try riding it for a bit and see if there is an oil leak. When you start up the bike is there a popping sound of any kind. If so then there might be a problem with the seal of the gaskets. Good luck and have fun getting your hands dirty. I recommend using the Doc version of the manual as I have found that one of the pix in the PDF version was overlapping another pic in the engine rebuild section.

[stonknod]

wow thanks so much guys for all the responses! very quick and insiteful. in response to a few of the questions listed. it is a 99'. the only thing i know for sure about its previous maintainence was fresh tires which a bike guy told me were rather nice tires so i havent bothered changing them out. mrlmd you wrote some good questions, i havent bothered or even considered messing with the chain but it looks as though thats something i should gain more knowledge on. also i know zero about the brakes. thats the one thing i feel like i'd take it somewhere for. i dunno why but that task makes me more nervous than the others. more than one person mentioned downloading pdf's for carbs, oil, etc. where can i find these files?

[JWR]

Go to top of this page and hit the header GZ250BIKE with your mouse.

Second header is the manuals.

[Water Warrior 2]

Welcome to the forum. All good advice in the above replies. While you are messing with the tank and carb, take the time to install an inline fuel filter between the tank and carb. It will do a fine job and filter out the stuff that gets by the filter in the tank. Cheap too.