ER-5 issues

[buckenclaergh...]

Hi all,

Bit of trouble with my Kawasaki er5.

It's been sat a while in the shed through winter - took it out yesterday (albeit briefly) for the first time in about 3 months. I noticed a sort of sputtering as if fuel delivery to the engine was intermittent, particularly noticeable while accelerating. I put it down to low fuel as I was riding on the reserve tank to the fuel station.

Same feeling even after filling up though, also stalled when I slowed for for a junction as the revs got low. Pulled into a car park and adjusted the idle screw to try to prevent the stalling, didn't seem to make much difference, and I couldn't get it started after that. Eventually got it going and the bike was revving itself up to about 4000rpm and back to 1000 repeatedly in a rhythmic way, weird! This stopped when I put it in gear so I just rode home keeping the revs up.

Today started up at the lightest touch of the button, revs nice and steady at 1250 at idle and everything seemingly fine. Left it running for 10 minutes to warm up, came back and there was a patch of oil on the floor which had come from the air cleaner. Wiped up around the air cleaner and it didn't leak anymore after that. Switched the engine off and noticed a small amount of smoke from the exhaust.

Do these symptoms point to anything in particular? I'm assuming they're linked but they may well not be! Hoping someone much wiser than I can point me in the right direction, thanks in advance.

[Nemo]

If it were me, I'd take it out for a nice long ride and see if the symptoms persist after.
____________________
Previously owned: Kawasaki KH125, Suzuki GP125, Suzuki GX 125, Honda CB125 TDC '83, Honda ntv 600, Kawasaki ER5, Kawasaki ZZR600, Aprilia RSV 1000 Mille
Now own: Ducati 848 evo

[gerg]

to me that seems like a terrible idea, might conk miles away from home

[.....]