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 Click here for the full 1600x1200 image. My old 250, soon to be totaled (if that drat insurance company ever gets around to it). I hope to get another one, probably the pre-2008 model again, as my old one always treated me well.
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Aug 5, 2009 06:01
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NoCleverName posted:I've got a Black and Green 05 with 918 miles on it. I haven't actually ridden it yet as it's still being worked on, but I'm close now. Bought it with one broken front turn signal and a whole lot of filth throughout the internals from sitting outside for 2 years without being ridden. Ninja250.org says 22mm.
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Aug 6, 2009 05:11
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Tsaven Nava posted:WTF. My inseam is only 34" as well. They changed the styling of the 2008 and later models, so you probably saw one of those.
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Aug 12, 2009 19:50
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bladesamurai posted:Is there a buyer's guide for the ninja 250? As someone reasonably acquainted with cars I feel completely lost with motorcycles. I barely have my permit, signing up for the MSF soon, and I think the ninja might be the bike for me. While checking up on how prices are in my area I got to wondering what to look for in the bikes I end up looking at (in a couple months or whenever I end up doing this). Is there a guide like this somewhere? http://www.clarity.net/~adam/buying-bike.html It's not specific to the ninja, but most of the stuff on there is applicable.
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Sep 17, 2009 08:52
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CSi-NA-EJ7 posted:My '90 250 got 70 mpg You know, I've only ever gotten 70 mpg once or twice with either of my ninjas (both pre-2008), and the average is usually about 64 mpg. So what I'm wondering is, is Kawasaki being more conservative with their fuel-mileage estimates for the new one, or has the new engine dropped the mileage by that much? Also, I wonder if it would be possible to swap the old engine/instrument panel into the new chassis. I'd take a temperature gauge over a fuel gauge any day.
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Sep 23, 2009 01:38
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Forget newer bikes.
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I dunno, I ride fairly conservatively when I'm commuting, which means I'm usually hovering right around 6k RPM on city streets and 8k RPM on the highways. I'll open it up wide if I need to pass someone or make an evasive maneuver (or if the mood strikes me at an on-ramp), but most of my spirited riding happens on the weekends.
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Sep 24, 2009 07:21
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I've been noticing more and more the lameness of the stock suspension on my ninjette, so I've been investigating cheap upgrade options and wanted CA's input. Option 1 would be to find an old ZX600/Concours shock and use it as a drop-in replacement for the old rear shock, while also putting in stiffer fork springs and cartridge emulators from racetech for the front forks. Option 2 would be to spring for an aftermarket shock, which would leave me with no money to mess with the front suspension but would probably give me better performance from the rear. I'm anticipating 'get a better bike' being suggested as an option, but I'll say up-front that I cannot afford one.
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Sep 26, 2009 02:13
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the walkin dude posted:Thanks for the guide. What spark plug socket size should I get? After intensive researching I found someone who suggested 5/8''. This cool? One other thing: always (ALWAYS) get NGK or Denso spark plugs; the Autolite and Champion ones have been known to disintigrate during normal operation, which can destroy your engine. Ask for: NGK Part No. CR8E (For the 2008 and later models) NGK Part No. CR8HSA (for the 2007 and earlier models)
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Oct 4, 2009 23:49
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the walkin dude posted:Cross-posting from the questions thread: Here's the diagram of that set of parts from ninja250.org: http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Image:Eng_valve_assy.jpg I'm not sure quite what you've done, but I think more and higher-res/brighter pictures would probably help.
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Oct 6, 2009 01:08
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the walkin dude posted:Is the radiator cap for the 250 interchangeable with other bikes? Or is it one of a kind? I kinda lost mine over the duration of its being taken apart. Sighs. http://www.suncoastcyclesports.com/servlet/the-14840/86-dsh-07-Kawasaki-Ninja-250/Detail There's a replacement part for you, which looks to be a lot cheaper than the OEM part on Babbitts. Is it safe to use CR7HSA spark plugs as opposed to the CR8HSAs?
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Oct 28, 2009 06:23
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Z3n posted:I wouldn't use anything but the recommended spark plugs in it. Any particular reason why? The dealer gave me CR7s instead of CR8s, and I didn't notice until I went to gap them.
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Oct 28, 2009 18:39
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Chill_Bebop posted:I've gotten really bored every time I've ridden my friend's '08. I'm 6'3, my knees are above the tank, it feels like a little toy. Were you shifting before 11k RPM?
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Nov 23, 2009 07:35
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Chill_Bebop posted:I love small displacement, multiple cylinder motors, like old European racing V8s under 3 liters, so I'd probably adore a 4 cylinder 250. It's not exactly the same thing but ever since I got rid of my CL350 I've wanted a CB 350 Four. The engines in the older models are more fuel-efficient and make more horsepower (at the expense of midrange), and they have a temperature gauge instead of a fuel gauge, among other things. They also don't really have any emissions control gear other than a fuel vapor recovery system on the california bikes. The older ones also have a two-in-two exhaust which might (or might not) sound better than the new one's two-in-one.
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Nov 24, 2009 05:35
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Z3n posted:I had a chance to ride an old (75?) CB400 I4 recently and it was loving awesome. Highly recommended. I haven't had a chance to ride one of the new ninjas, it's possible the top end is a little more neutered than it should be. I'd heard also that they had issues making them meet emissions standards and that it wasn't worth it for them after a point. Kawasaki did import I4 ZX2Rs into Canada in the late 80s-early 90s, so if you can find one to buy up there and bring it back, you can still get them.
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Nov 24, 2009 06:39
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StroMotion posted:What's the deal on winterizing a pre-gen 250? I ask because I live in Virginia, and while it occasionally gets real cold, we'll also have randomly nice days that make me want to still go riding. It depends on what you do to it as far as winterizing goes. If you're just putting sta-bil in the gas tank, new oil in the engine, putting the battery on a tender, and washing the bike before you put it away, then you can ride it at will by just disconnecting the tender/putting the battery back in. Just be sure to clean up the bike again before you put it back away, since road grime/salt will corrode exposed metal bits sharpish.
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Nov 25, 2009 22:05
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I took the liberty of having Blackstone labs run an oil analysis on a sample of my 250's last oil change. Click here for the full 908x1178 image. Other than above-normal wear numbers for iron, copper and aluminum, things look pretty good. Also, the 'hard use' referred to in the comments is mostly a lot of high-RPM highway miles and hooliganism in below-40-degree weather.
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Feb 11, 2010 06:02
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-Inu- posted:I'm not sure what their supply is like now, but last season Kawasaki was having problems keeping the new-gen 250's in stock. That's why they literally weren't deprecating at all. Other than looks, they really didn't change much between generations. The new ones have better braking (wave rotors), slightly increased midrange power (but you could just regear an old one if you like, albeit while neutering the topend), 1" bigger rims, and they removed the centerstand which really helps with ground clearance if you're riding aggressively. Pretty much nothing important/major got changed though. I'm pretty sure they did something to the engine to get that increase in midrange power, since Kawasaki's estimated fuel economy numbers went from 70 mpg for the old model down to 60 mpg for the new one, and the actual fuel economy for most people apparently dropped from about 65 mpg to the low 50s. Also the new engine has less peak HP, and uses a shim under bucket valve adjustment system instead of having adjustment screws like the old model (meaning you'll probably need to do fewer actual adjustments, but when you do need to do them it'll be a much greater pain in the rear end). They also took away the coolant temperature gauge in favor of a fuel gauge, and removed the petcock.
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Mar 24, 2010 04:13
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Endless Mike posted:Maybe they're slowly increasing price so they can finally give us the FI that the rest of the world has. ABS would be nice too.
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Mar 24, 2010 12:57
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Cabledude posted:Somebody hit my parked motorcycle the other day while I was at work. drat, that sucks. I'm assuming the person who did it didn't leave a note; have you contacted your insurance yet? If you have comprehensive/collision they should cover the cost of a new fairing.
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Apr 18, 2010 08:20
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Tsaven Nava posted:Well it'll be Modify Evolution's call, but I think she'll want to stick with analog gauges. Can I get some sort of simple little thing for cheap that has the proper rev ranges? Everything I'm finding from google tops out at 8k, some 10k. Well, there's this: http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp?skuId=407845&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cse The stock instrument cluster would probably be better though, since it comes with various useful idiot lights, a temperature gauge and a trip meter. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...id=120539098665
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Apr 20, 2010 22:09
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-Inu- posted:Everyone who owns this bike should go out and regear to 15/45 right now. I just got done swapping my sprockets and it feels like completely new bike. Cruising rpms are so much more pleasant at 80-90mph and downshifting to 5th still gives you some passing power. First gear is actually usable now, whereas before taking a turn from a stop would leave you redlining or having to shift mid turn. Consequently, downshifting from 2->1 doesn't feel like the rear is going to lock up anymore. I've been running 15/45 with a smaller-than-stock rear tire since last month, and it's just about perfect.
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Apr 21, 2010 01:17
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Z3n posted:This is what you said...you could just boost the front up to 16 and see if that gets you where you want or if it's too much. I only recommend this because fronts are ~20$ and rears are ~50$. Plus you should have access to an impact wrench so changing the front is way easier than changing the rear. I know the 250 wiki says it doesn't fit but this guy installed one on the new gen and it seems like it's fine: You don't even need an impact wrench to change the front sprocket, it's held on with two small bolts torqued to about 14 ft-lbs. I got the old sprocket off and swapped on the new one with the bike's onboard toolkit in about 5 minutes. There was more work involved in getting the chain slack re-adjusted.
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Apr 21, 2010 20:04
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Z3n posted:Right. So you can go up to a 16/45 tooth and have the equivalent of a 15/42 for 20$, rather than buying expensive rear sprockets. Plus, generally, larger sprockets are better for chain wear. Not a huge concern, but another small bonus. http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/How_do_I_change_the_front_sprocket%3F Yeah, it's a pretty nice system. I'm surprised more bikes don't use it.
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Apr 21, 2010 20:13
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Terminal posted:Question for <'07 owners, how linear is clutch engagement? I took my wife's '02 on the road today for the first time since we purchased it. Everything seems pretty good mechanically, but I'm thinking that either the clutch springs are worn or there's some glazing. Is there any slack in the clutch cable? If not, then you could probably see a big improvement by fiddling with the adjuster on the handlebars, like Z3n said. 3mm of play in the cable should be just tight enough to prevent the handle from rattling without inducing any clutch slippage. Edit: while you're messing with that, lubing the cables at the same time wouldn't be a bad idea either.
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Apr 30, 2010 06:11
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Terminal posted:You post like some 250 owners are neglectful or something  Sonic Dude posted:I've noticed some resistance on the clutch lever recently that was not there last November. I presume the clutch cable has probably never been lubricated (2003 model, and the PO did jack crap in terms of maintenance). Does this sound reasonable? You can get one of those tools at harbor freight for <$5, and while it isn't strictly necessary, it does make things a bit easier.
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May 3, 2010 10:26
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Ammanas posted:How do I get the screws out of the bottom of the carbs? All of my phillips heads just shred the metal. Like its made of cheese or something I think they are made of cheese, or at least a cheese-like substance that also vaguely resembles a metal. If you haven't yet, try the screwdrivers that come with the bike's tool kit, they should be the perfect sizes to fit the screws, and assuming the screws aren't totally seized should work fine for removing them.
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May 14, 2010 22:22
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Ammanas posted:I emptied out the gas tank, probably got around 90% of the fluid in there out and refilled it with new gas. Emptied the carbs completely of gas. Checked one of the plugs, bit fouled with gas. I want to run the engine through some of the gas before putting new clean ones in, but the engine won't catch. Whats the best way to get some gas into the carbs? Could be the plugs keeping it from igniting right? Right, you need a vacuum to open the petcock and allow fuel to flow to the carburetors. In order to get that, you have to get the engine spinning by some other means. Typically, the easiest and cheapest way to do it is to just crank it with the starter a few dozen times, but this is hard on the battery and starter motor. I recommend either getting it rolling down an incline at a decent speed and popping the clutch with the bike in gear, or busting out a can of ether/starting fluid and spraying it in the airbox before hitting the starter; I've used both of these methods with great success in the past. Edit: and yes, if your spark plugs are fouled that would also be a problem. sectoidman fucked around with this message at 08:39 on May 15, 2010 |
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May 15, 2010 08:30
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blugu64 posted:Honestly that might be a bit high, but still, it's a cheap bike and it's not like you couldn't pickup a second one for under 2grand. Great bike to learn on, massively underrated. Cheap enough to do stupid poo poo and not worry about it (and not drop it like you would on say...a virago You know, 60-70k would probably be a reasonable estimate for mean time before a major engine failure, but a low-mileage replacement engine can probably be found for <$500 in any decent motorcycle salvage yard. Rebuilding a ninja 250 engine would also make for a nice project if one were so inclined.
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May 16, 2010 01:01
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), goes the distance.
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Ammanas posted:Spraying it in the airbox? Little more detail please, this sounds like the easiest means. For future reference, the airbox is directly under the seat, just behind the fuel tank. I just spray some ether into the upper two intake holes on it, and that usually does the job. Also, now that you have it running consider dumping in a can of seafoam and taking it out for an italian tuneup session. That should sort your carbs out if it is possible to sort them out without detail-stripping and cleaning them off of the bike.
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May 16, 2010 10:09
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the walkin dude posted:How do I seafoam my 250? Just go to a Pep Boys, buy a typical can, and dump the whole thing in my gas tank? Something like that should work well, yes. Make sure you're adding that to a full/almost-full tank of gas though.
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May 16, 2010 23:10
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Ammanas posted:putting seafoam into the gas did nothing for me, ymmv. http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/My_handlebars_shudder_when_I_ride
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May 16, 2010 23:46
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the walkin dude posted:Thanks! Seafoaming in process now. Just make sure it is also green, so that it matches the other two.
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May 18, 2010 08:37
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modify_evolution posted:Does anyone know what the normal engine temp range should be? I was riding yesterday, and my Trail Tech Vapor gauges started flipping out that my engine was too warm, at 225 degrees. But Tsaven wired them in, and he doesn't actually know what the normal temp range is, so I think he made it up... That's a bit unusual, as far as I know ninja 250s usually run very cool, at least according to the stock gauges. Is the fan kicking on at any point?
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Jun 15, 2010 05:25
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Cabledude posted:Quoting for the new page, I don't know if it is the Gauge itself or maybe some deeper issue... Honestly, if I were you I'd just use the trip meter to track fuel consumption. The whole idea of a fuel gauge on a motorcycle is a bit wacky to begin with, since whatever sensor you use has to account for the lean angle of the bike, among other things.
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Aug 10, 2010 07:37
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sklnd posted:All sad images are click-for-giant. The final one has the most impact. Are you planning on tearing down the engine to find out what happened?
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Sep 12, 2010 04:41
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Z3n posted:Yes. If it starts and runs and you can ride it, buy it. I've seen ones in similar condition going for $800 in my area. It's amazing how much the price has dropped on the pre-2008 ninjas.
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Sep 14, 2010 05:03
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henne posted:Very clean 2006 250, 8000 miles, decent tires. Lady is asking 2100. Portland, Or area. This is for my mother. She is thinking of offering 1800 or 2100 with gear, as the lady is thinking of selling hers. Decent price? No pictures, sorry. Not a terrible price, but I've seen them going for cheaper then that: http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/mcy/1992885462.html
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Oct 7, 2010 16:34
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Arcane posted:I paid $1700, which is more than I wanted, but this bike was so clean. The tires are stock so by the end of next summer I'll probably have to replace them. It's not a commuter bike so I don't expect to put on too many miles. The stock tires are pretty awful, and were the first thing I replaced on both of my 250s. I recommend Pirelli's MT75, as it is both very sticky and very cheap.
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Oct 18, 2010 05:34
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revmoo posted:Speaking of tires, what is the absolute best possible set of tires for the Ninja for 5k miles or so? Or maybe even less? Without spending over 250 a tire, what is the best tire to have if you don't care how many miles you get? I see there's tons of good ones on the Faq, but it doesn't say which is best. MT75s are really sticky, and the rears tend to last about that long. Sport Demons are pretty good too.
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Feb 6, 2011 08:52
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| # ¿ Apr 29, 2024 01:19 |
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AncientTV posted:Looks like I'll possibly be joining the Ninjette club in a weeks time, found an '06 with 6k on the odo, minor fairing damage, and a jetting issue (some PO equipped the bike with the Muzzy system) for $900 I'm rather partial to the flush front turn signal mod, but that's primarily a cosmetic / personal preference thing. As for issues, If it's at 6000 miles it's probably about due for a valve adjustment if it hasn't already had one. That can be a little involved, but if you can turn a wrench and have a bit of space, you should be able to tackle it without any special tools beyond feeler gauges, a few socket drive extenders and a torque wrench.
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Feb 22, 2011 11:35
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