Hey there. I recently got a ttr250 from a friend that has been sitting, i replaced the diaphragm, the two orings next to it, the seal for the float bowl, cleaned the jets, cleaned the little hole from the diaphragm into the float bowl, cleaned the routes to the side cover and the jet into the carb from there. Bike runs well on fuel poured into it but will not suck fuel on it's own. Pet**** has been cleaned as well. I'm at a loss.
Sounds to me like the carburettor needs looking at.
If it's been neglected for a few months then it may be gummed up by sediment and dross from old petrol.
Modern ethanol additives in petrol are hygroscopic and are known to attract moisture. This petrol has also been found to "eat" certain metals and plastics.
I'd recommend a complete carb. dismantle, clean (ultrasound bath?), check and reassemble.
My bike had been sitting for 8 years. I cleaned out the carburetor ( or so I thought ) but it would still not pull fuel.. I found I had overlooked the tube into the carburetor (as per pic) It was totally blocked full of sediment, from what I don't know. maybe just the fuel turned to crap. Maybe because I never turned the petvalve off (proper word would be blanked out ) when I last rode it.