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SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> The Cafe >> Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1402487102 Message started by Dave on 06/11/14 at 04:45:02 |
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Title: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 06/11/14 at 04:45:02 A friend knows where I can get a Ninja 250 really cheap....like maybe in the $ 300 range. It was a bike owned by a lady...who let her son borrow it. It got crashed and trashed. Bodywork is broken, engine does not run. My friend is retired and works on bikes....the lady brought it to him to fix, and he found one cylinder is low on compression....she didn't want to pay to have it repaired. Used engines can be had for $ 300 or so if the current engine is not repairable. I like this Blue Collar Bobber....Cafe' kit for the Ninja. http://bluecollarbobbers.com/catalog/ninja-250-gpx-250-r-cafe Anyone know if the Ninja 250 has a particular year that I should avoid....or years that are best? |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by justin_o_guy2 on 06/11/14 at 05:22:04 As popular as those things are Id make 2 bets. One, theres a forum filled with Ninja friends out there that will help you answer all your questions. Two, a dealership mechanic WILL know everythng there is to know about them,,Unlike ours. |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Serowbot on 06/11/14 at 09:17:07 I'd sure like that in a 500... :)... |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by engineer on 06/11/14 at 18:03:38 Sounds like a great project, just promise us you won't leave this forum! Not long ago I read an article written by a guy who bought a crashed Ninja with busted up plastic. He stripped it down and turned into a nice classically styled standard bike for his daughter. |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Serowbot on 06/11/14 at 18:31:02 Dave can't leave... He's a lifer... ;D... |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by PerrydaSavage on 06/12/14 at 00:25:10 Wowzers!!!! That EX250 Cafe is AWESOME!!!! I once owned for a couple of years, the Canadian spec, EX250-H (ZZ-R250) and there's not a day goes by that I don't miss that Bike ... was a fun 'lil Ride and very cool in an Old-Skool kinda way! Get one, do the conversion ... you WON'T regret it! |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 06/12/14 at 04:49:23 Well I bought the Ninja....sight unseen for $ 250. It has been dropped, the engine has some kind of issue....but the friend that told me about it says it is a worthwhile bike. He said the fairing is cracked, and one cylinder seems low on compression. I am not going to use the fairing so that is no big deal....and engines can be had for $ 350 - $ 500. A lot of these Noobie Squids drop these bikes long before they wear the engines out.....so there is a big supply of engines. The 2008 and up engines are supposed to have about 30% more midrange and be more user freindly....so if I look for an engine I might try and find a later one. If the bike is worthwhile....I will see if the engine is savleable and watch for a good engine. It will be a winter project. And no.....I am not trading in my Savage or place on this forum. I just have a need to create something cool next winter. The lady owner of this bike has made a condition of the sale.....that she gets first chance to buy it if I decide to sell it. Hopefully she has learned not to loan it to her son! Dave |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Gerry on 06/12/14 at 05:38:28 That looks like a fun project Dave. Are you going with the full BCB kit? Looks like a really nice kit, they even supply a hack saw! I hope you document your build somewhere. Gerry |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 06/12/14 at 09:28:49 123027272C062230302139343B31550 wrote:
I suppose I will go with the full kit on this build - although I am not sure I really want them to mail me a front tire....or send me a hacksaw. I already have a hacksaw....and I might want to pick up my own tire brand. For a build thread....I imagine that it will be this one. Since it is not a Savage, it should not be included in the RSD or included in the Sticky for the Bike Builds. After all....who wants to see some "Ninjacompoop" work on a little 250cc kit build? :-? It appears that there is a lot less stuff to modify and change on this bike than on the Savage RYCA. The Ninja is mostly left intact, and just the bodywork is changed......and the instrument cluster and turn signals...and the fenders. No fussing with shocks and forks and batteries and air cleaners and rear sets and brake linkages and fuel tanks and clip ons and wheel sizes and kick stands and decompression solenoids. |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by gizzo on 06/12/14 at 17:08:16 That looks like a very cool little bike. Nice way to recycle a UJM. A friend had one of those. it rode very nicely but I found the revvy engine tiresome very quickly. Didn't make any useable power until about 9000 rpm then spun to 16k. It just wore me out listening to it. Awesome handling though. |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by old_rider on 06/13/14 at 06:59:23 The little 2013 ninja 250 i had purchased for the wife left a little to be desired in the low range (very low geared) and of course the top end is about 90-ish, you might break a hundred on a good day. They are VERY good in the twisties though and are super lightwieght compaired to the savage. As far as this site....could create another area for "other bikes", i've seen it done on other bike sites. |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 06/13/14 at 07:14:21 Yea, I bet it is going to be an adjustment to go from a 650 single torque monster.....to a 250 twin with "tiny torque". I did ride a Ninja 300 last year, and that was a fun bike - but I definetly noticed that it didn't do a thing unless you wound it up a bit.....and the 300 is reported to be a big improvement above the 250 models. I am sure this will be a bike that I just ride on the back roads around here - it won't be put into interstate or touring service for long trips. On top of the bike you can be riding your little heart out, playing racer, shifting gears, using all the throttle you got......and nobody else will know! |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by WD on 06/13/14 at 07:46:04 http://www.kawasakimotorcycle.org/forum/ Best Kawasaki forum going. Was a member from 2005-2008 when I had the pair of 800 Vulcans. Still reference it occasionally for the 1500 Drifter, but no longer an active member. |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 06/13/14 at 09:19:32 Thanks WD......that link led me to this article. It makes lot of sense, not just for the Ninja 250 - but a lot of bikes including the Savage. http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/I_want_to_put_a_bigger_engine_in_my_Ninja |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by verslagen1 on 06/13/14 at 10:16:50 Quote:
Where's the freaking fun in that? 8-) |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 06/17/14 at 19:46:36 I picked up the Ninja 250 last night...it has a lot of potential. I do believe however that the engine is not worth fooling with. The owner said her son most likely overheated it, and when I looked at it tonight I could not see any coolant in the radiator. It also appears to have blown too much oil for the air cleaner/breather to accept, and the starter turns it over like there is very little compression. I suspect he overheated it and trashed the cylinder walls, pistons and rings. I just bought a local 2,360 mile engine to put in the bike for $ 600 + the $ 250 purchase price and a few dollars for stuff....I should be less than $ 1,000 to get it running. I should get some money back when I start to sell off the bodywork parts....and maybe some parts on the existing engine are salvageable. |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by ToesNose on 06/18/14 at 04:36:52 Bike looks nice and clean, too bad the engine is shot. :-[ |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Gerry on 06/18/14 at 05:52:27 That does look nice. Are you going to do a compression test before swapping engines? Who knows, maybe it will be OK? Looking forward to reading about your project. Gerry |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 06/18/14 at 07:03:36 Gerry: Yeah, I will do some initial work to see if the existing engine is able to be fixed reasonably. Spare parts are pretty cheap on eBay, and if I needed cylinders and pistons the could be obtained for $ 100 or so. New rings and valve seals and gaskets would obviously be a smart thing to install while it is apart. I will remove some body work, then do a compression check before I pull the engine out of the frame. I may also see if there is any way to peek down the spark plug hole and see the cylinder walls. If I find low compression I will pull the motor, then pull the head and take a look. It would be nice if I could repar the existing engine affordably. Dave |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by justin_o_guy2 on 06/18/14 at 11:09:24 Yes, would be nice, keeping in mind the price & availability of used engines,,You dont wanna be too much $$ in & lots of time & have a $600.00 engine to sell,, You should be able to unload the plastic & do well. |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 07/28/14 at 10:35:31 I was able to work on this a bit yesterday. I tried to pressurize the coolant system.....and it would not hold a pressure or vacuum - so there is a coolant leak somewhere. I did not want add water at this point - just in case the leak is a cylinder gasket I didn't want to be pushing water in the cylinders. Then I did a compression check....and got nearly nothing on either cylinder. There is either a big leak somewhere - or the cam is not turning. The next thing to do is pull the cam cover and see what is going on in there, then the head and cylinders. I did buy the spare engine...so I can just transplant that if this engine is not salvageable. Then....order the Blue Collar Bobber kit. Dave |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 08/06/14 at 04:51:31 Well I have had a little bit of time to work on this. Saturday I took it to the DMV and to the title applied for....and that went well. I had a chance to do a little bit of work on it last night. I pulled the cam cover and looked, and the cam chain is in place, and it rotates when the starter turns the engine over. The rear wheel can be rotated by hand when in neutral - but when you click it into first gear you cannot turn the engine over by turning the rear wheel...even with the spark plugs out. The rotation of the rear wheel is limited to whatever movement the slack in the chain allows - and the rotation stops abruptly as if the transmission is locked up. The only 2 positions that you can get with the shifter pedal is 1st and neutral - you can't get the transmission to shift into second. This engine appears to be one sick puppy! 1) No compression in either cylinder. 2) Coolant system does not hold pressure. 3) Transmission will only shift to neutral & 1st, and seems to lock up in first. I did buy a good used engine from a crashed bike that only has 2,000 miles on it....might have time for an engine transplant this weekend if the weather is rainy and I can't work outside cutting firewood for the winter. Dave |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 08/10/14 at 17:44:25 Well this morning at 7:00 AM, I began the process of putting this into the bike. http://i61.tinypic.com/23u7sjm.jpg Our church is out on a camping trip, and we didn't have our service this week, so I just kept working. I had remove the "tupperware" (body parts) a couple of weeks ago - so by 9:00 AM I had gotten this far: http://i59.tinypic.com/1zna62r.jpg It really is pretty easy to get the engine out of this bike - there are 3 wire connectors, 3 engine mount bolts, a couple of radiator hoses, etc. The Savage engine probably comes out faster - but for a twin this one is easy and the engine just drops out the bottom. Because of the process of cleaning the carbs, cleaning up the frame a bit, changing the oil, adding anti-freeze, a break for lunch....I didn't get it running until about 3 PM. Then I had to go get a battery as the one in it decided to be weak...and in the couple of hours it needed to charge after I filled it.....I mounted the tuppeware, aired up the tires, and cleaned up the tools and garage. About 6PM I went for a 40 mile ride down by the Ohio River. I stopped and took a photo at what used to be a lock on the Ohio River - before they put in the dams and big locks on the river. http://i62.tinypic.com/1iic9h.jpg I must be really easy to please, as I like the bike. It doesn't have a bunch of torque like the Savage - but if you get the revs up it goes really well. It sounds like a normal bike up to about 7,500 rpm - but then by 9,000 rpm it is coming on strong. If you keep the revs between 7K and 10K.....it has as much power as the Savage. I thought I would find that irritating - but once you are up at highway speeds the wind noise drowns the engine out....and it just cruises along. It could cruise at 60 - 70 all day long. One fellow on the Ninja 250 forum has over 100,000 miles on his bike. He replaced the original engine at 87,000 miles as the cam chain had stretched so much the tensioner would no longer take up the slack (sound familiar), and you cannot replace the cam chain on that bike without splitting the cases...so he just bought a used engine. No...I am not giving up my Savage....but this is a fun bike! If this was the only bike I was able to have......it would be fine. So far I have $ 875 invested. It is going to need some tires.....the ones on it appear to be the original ones and are 12 years old and have 9,700 miles on them. Not having much torque seems to wear the front and rear tires at about the same rate! Dave |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Serowbot on 08/10/14 at 18:31:22 One day?... really?... You could at least try to make it seem a little difficult... ;D... |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 08/11/14 at 03:28:33 7B6D7A677F6A677C080 wrote:
It was a long day! ;D The bike is not as pristine as it looks in the photo. The exhaust system and trim has surface rust, and the bike was dropped on the right side. The fairing is cracked about shin level - but the crack is not wide and is taped together for the moment. It is in pretty good condition as far as 12 years old 250 Ninja's go....they are either very well cared for.....or very well trashed. A lot of the bikes have been converted to a "street fighter"......which basically means they damaged the fairing and took it off! ::) So....time to save up for the Blue Collar Bobbar Cafe kit. And.......the front brake on this bike is great. It really makes the Savage brake seem weak. Dave |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by ToesNose on 08/12/14 at 04:14:13 Hey Dave I like the looks of the Blue Collar Bobber's Ninja 250 cafe kit, it kinda looks like a Ducati when it's cafe'd ;) |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 08/12/14 at 04:37:13 This is about what I have in mind for a look....with a black seat. I think the front tire is too big....not sure if I can do the tire "delete" in the kit.....I suspect I will end up with a tire I don't use. Dave |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 09/24/14 at 03:49:07 Well at first I thought maybe I jumped the gun a bit by buying a used engine to put in this bike - before I took the original engine apart to find out what was wrong with it. All I know is the original engine had zero compression on both cylinders, and the coolant system would not hold pressure. The replacement s a low 2,700 mile engine and is doing fine - but I thought if I can fix the original engine I could get some money back by selling the extra engine. Last night I tore into the original engine....it is toast! The right side has a bad lower end rod bearing, which then allowed the piston to travel too far up the cylinder and bump into the head.....and too far down the bore and the piston hit the crank and broke off pieces of the skirt. http://i59.tinypic.com/ao0pcl.jpg The piston has a hole in the center.....I believe the engine lost coolant and was run hot....but I can't yet explain the hole. The rod most likely failed on the right side first - as the crank is fed oil from the left side and the overheated engine didn't flow enough oil to protect the right side. http://i62.tinypic.com/v3dg10.jpg You can see where the piston has hit the head on the right cylinder, and that combined with the hole in the piston that allowed oil to blow around inside.....has cleaned the carbon from the right side of the head. The plug electrodes being so white are not an indication the engine was running lean.....the previous owner took the plugs out and bead blasted them after the bike died and would not start! :o http://i59.tinypic.com/28uqm1.jpg Here is where the valve has been touching the piston and it cleaned the carbon off...the loose rod allowed the piston to come up too far in the cylinder. http://i60.tinypic.com/npmd8y.jpg So....I will take some parts off the engine that are worth something, and most likely use the trashed parts to make a trophy to donate to the Mods and Rockers in Cincinnati. They make their trophies from trashed engine parts....and now I have a few that I can donate to them. The head is most likely fine....not sure about the valves. Ninja 250 parts are not worth much.....too many of them are crashed and you can buy used engines for $ 400 or so. At that price it is not worth doing too much repair work to them. I am just about ready to order the Cafe' kit for Blue Collar Bobbers. |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 01/30/17 at 06:17:31 Over the 2 summers that I have ridden this bike - I have grown to really like it. It is the easiest bike I have when I need to run up hardware store......and if there is a threat of rain I don't care if the thing gets wet or dirty, and it does a reasonable job of keeping me dry. I have taken the little Ninja the Dragon area twice, and although it is not great at accelerating briskly out of steep uphill twisties (unless you downshift 3 gears as you come out of the corner)....and it doesn't like to hit tar snakes while you are leaned over. I have ridden the bike for all day rides and it is really pretty comfortable......I am 5'-8" and 170 pounds and it would most likely not be a good bike for anybody too much bigger than I am. I am not a fan of the Sport Bike look - so I have begun the installation of the Blue Collar Bobber kit to make the bike a Cafe' bike. The kit is very nicely designed, the instructions are very clear and you can use the CD in a laptop computer and go right along withe the work he shows you on the CD. The fit and paint on the supplied parts is excellent. I have removed the bodywork, cut the frame and grafted on (bolts and epoxy) the new frame rails and installed the base for the seat. The kit does not require any welding or special tools, and the kit comes with a hacksaw, file and wire crimping pliers so that you only need wrenches and screwdrivers to make the kit work. While I had it apart this far I took the opportunity to replace the rubber connectors between the air box and carbs as these were getting a bit stiff and hard to work with, and I also replaced the aged and stiff fuel, vacuum and vent lines on the carb. http://i68.tinypic.com/2qvujvs.jpg While working on the bike I noticed the silver swingarm and rear shock were a bit rusty (the bike must have been ridden when there was salt on the roads before I got it), and I read on the website that the rear shock from the 2008 - 2012 model was an upgrade....so I bought a really nice one from a 2012 on eBay. I then took the swingarm off, cleaned it up, and powder coated it black as that will look better on the Cafe than the silver color would (I think they used silver to look like the aluminum ones that are on the more expensive sport bikes). My goal is not to make it a show bike - but the swingarm did need some attention while I had the back of the bike apart. http://i66.tinypic.com/2pzmt7o.jpg http://i63.tinypic.com/5prd3s.jpg http://i65.tinypic.com/rb0cnm.jpg The bike has more than 12,000 miles on the chain and sprockets, and they look pretty good. According to the Ninja website the chain/sprockets are good for 20-25K miles....but you have to remove the swingarm to replace the chain - and they are pretty cheap so I most likely will throw a new chain on while I have things apart. |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by MMRanch on 01/30/17 at 07:58:05 Dave you do neat work ! Seeing your ninja makes me wounder about the 500 version ??? ::) |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Gary_in_NJ on 01/30/17 at 08:16:41 You are giving me ideas for my build... I have been toying with the idea of building up black wheels but I thought that they would look out of place with all of the aluminum. Powder coating the swing arm may do the trick. Dave, are you going retain the mag wheels or will you be lacing up some (proper) wire wheels? |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 01/30/17 at 09:05:17 Gary: The wheels are going to remain the dark cast wheels....not sure how to get spoked hubs that would work on this bike, and it currently has 16" wheels (which does limit tire choice to the same Pirelli Sport Demons or Bridgestone Battlax BT-45 that are available for the 18" wheels I use on my Savage Cafe'). I am not going to use the overly large front tire they sent with this kit...it makes the bike look like the Harley "48", and the 120/80-16 tire is way too wide for the narrow 2.15x16 front rim. I am also not going to use the bottom mount headlight, instrument cluster or turn signal mount....the stuff is just too heavy and bulky looking. I will use the Trailtech Vaper digital speedometer that I originally had on my Savage Cafe' (it is free), and I bought a 7" sidemount headlight and arms to use. |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by ohiomoto on 01/30/17 at 09:52:12 Looking forward to seeing this thing come together. Here's another nice little Ninja: http://altenergyautos.blogspot.com/2013/12/kawasaki-ninja-250-gets-retro-redo.html http://c1gas2org.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/files/2013/12/NINJA-250-ARY-7.jpg |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by BSTON on 01/30/17 at 12:41:39 2B2C2D2B292B302B440 wrote:
It's cool looking. I think the only thing left from the original bike is the motor though. ;D |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 01/30/17 at 12:46:15 Yep......I am going the easy route on the Ninja project. A bolt-on kit (mostly), and it will be back on the road. I don't want a project that will take too much time or money on the little Ninja - I just don't want it to look like a bright green sport bike any longer. |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by ohiomoto on 01/31/17 at 04:49:15 0617100B0A440 wrote:
Oh come on!!! Parts of the frame and swingarm a surely original too! LOL :) |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by MMRanch on 01/31/17 at 07:41:29 That Scrambler is a handsome bike ! :P I thought I had plenty of bikes till I seen it ! ::) |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 01/31/17 at 08:11:31 130113010C1F101D165E0 wrote:
I can't help but think what a miserable engine this would be to ride "off-road" unless the dirt was really flat. The engine has very little torque at low rpm.....then the thing comes alive between 8,000 - 14,000 rpm. I believe there is a reason that most "off road" bikes smaller than 500cc have single cylinder engines. |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 02/02/17 at 04:20:21 I got a bit of cleanup and powder coating done the last few days. I decided to keep the existing chain and sprockets, as they really don't show any wear and likely have another 10-15 thousand miles left in them. The rear pulley had a black/green oxide looking corrosion protection, and the tensioner adjusters for the axle were corroded - so I powder coated those with the single stage chrome.....it doesn't look quite as much like chrome as the two stage does - but the finish is far less thick as it doesn't require a clear coat over the base (and for the best chrome look they use a black base layer, then the chrome, then a clear.....and that really is a thick coating). The swing arm bearings I ordered were 1/3rd the prices of the factory parts and were ordered from Bearings123 that I found on the internet - unfortunately it is an international company and the parts are being shipped from France.....so they are taking a week to arrive. Yesterday I got the 2012 shock which is supposed to be a nice upgrade from the shock used up until 2007 - it is in much better shape than the one that was on the bike and looks nearly new, and it is adjustable. The suspension that came on the bike feels really soft....this is supposed to correct that in the rear, and it is a direct bolt on. http://i68.tinypic.com/e96lmt.jpg I will have a bit of a pause as I wait for the swing arm bearings, and i will be out of town next week. |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by justin_o_guy2 on 02/02/17 at 08:42:04 There is a warehouse in Longview, Longview Bearing Supply, they have bronze bushings, bearings, belts, lubricants, penetrating oil, tools, I get bearings for the lawnmower deck for a few bucks, the same bearing from the lawnmower place is almost twenty bucks. The old man next door worked in maintenance for the county and he put me onto the best places to get stuff. Odessa Texas was really a heck of a place years ago. I was talking about how easy it was to get about anything in Odessa, because during a few road trips I'd need someone that just wasn't to be had even in a decent sized town. Dad pointed out that the manufacture of drilling rigs, and all manner of oilfield related equipment meant that supplies, parts, etc, had to be available. He said Odessa is the Warehouse to the World.. I don't think that's so true today, |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 02/02/17 at 09:15:45 Cincinnati used to have Bearings Incorporated, and it was the place to get what you needed - they are gone, along with most of the neighborhood engine machine shops that fixed heads/valves/cranks/etc. And the local Auto Parts store that used to carry the stuff that was made in the US/Canada.....is now selling the Chinese parts just like the Autozone/Advance/Pep Boys/O'Reillys does. The only mistake I made in my bearing order was not shopping around a little bit.....the website has a US flag on it and I assumed it was going to send me stuff from a US warehouse. https://www.123bearing.com/ |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by justin_o_guy2 on 02/02/17 at 09:55:15 I ordered from a site that had a white flag on a rifle. Assembly instructions were in French. |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 02/02/17 at 10:04:43 425D5B5C41467747774F5D511A280 wrote:
I think I head about that rifle. "Good condition, never fired.....only dropped once!" |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by justin_o_guy2 on 02/02/17 at 22:02:42 Oui, oui, monsieur. |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 02/03/17 at 04:55:26 Last night I cleaned up the for shock/swingarm linkage. I was surprised to find that at 12,000 miles the bushings were a bit dry on grease, and there was some scuffing evident in the metal sleeves. I cleaned them up and greased them, and put them back together - but I decided I am going to take them back part and install Zerk fittings so that I can use a grease gun on them. I am not sure how well the grease fittings will function with the O-ring seals on the ends....if the grease will just ooze out while filling....or if it will try and push the O-rings out of place.....I suppose I can install one, put that part back together, and try pushing grease in it and see what happens. I should have posted this photo previously.....this is the bike and the boxes from Blue Collar Bobber. The parts were very well packed, wrapped and protected from damage. I have a lot of respect for the way Blue Collar Bobber runs their business and the amount of time they have spent to make these projects go smoothly. http://i67.tinypic.com/v7tba0.jpg |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by MMRanch on 02/03/17 at 20:07:28 Hard to believe these are the same basic Bike ! |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Gary_in_NJ on 02/04/17 at 05:43:52 67756775786B6469622A0 wrote:
Because it's not. Look at the forks. The bike in the photo you've posted has had a front end swap and maybe a swing arm swap/mod. The laced wheels give it it the classic look, and the USD forks and brakes provide the aggressive looks. It all works very well together, but hardly an "awesome in a box" build. |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by MMRanch on 02/04/17 at 08:46:23 I still like the way it looks :) . A 500cc version might have me selling some calfs ! :o |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Ruttly on 02/12/17 at 18:51:29 Dave , Are you gonna build a rad motor for it too ? Big bore , h/c piston, porting , pipes , bigger carb , bump stick. I like the looks kinda a cross between a standard , scrambler , tracker. Very cool ! Must be lots of aftermarket stuff available. Excited to watch your build ! |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 02/13/17 at 03:47:35 The bike I am building is not the gray scramble looking thing that folks have been posting.......I am building a Blue Collar Bobber Cafe' kit. I am not using their large front tire, front fender, bottom mount headlight or the overly large speedo assembly - and I am not sure what I am going to do about paint yet. It looks like this if you use everything in the kit. http://i67.tinypic.com/jtb14p.jpg No, hopping up the little Ninja motor shortens the engine life considerably....30 HP out of a 250cc engine is about all you can coax out and still get durability. Left stock they can go a long time - one Ninja forum member got 87,000 miles on his first motor before the cam chain just got too long.....and it was cheaper and easier to just buy a good used motor than rebuild his high mileage engine. The stock motor can push the little Ninja down the highway at 80 mph easily, and can get close to 80 mpg if you ride at normal speeds......it is best to accept the motor for what it is and just ride it. Over the weekend I was able to push the new bearings in the powder coated swingarm, mount the new shock, get the back wheel on, install the side panels, and I got the headlight mounts on, and made turn signal mounts. I also drained the fork oil and put new oil in.......the Factory Shop Manual says to use 10W-20 motor oil - but I could not find that so I used 5W-20....if that doesn't work well it is easy to change as the forks do have drain plugs. The bike is somewhat hard to photograph in the garage with a cell phone....there is a lot of black. http://i63.tinypic.com/2lcs40k.jpg |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Ruttly on 02/13/17 at 19:28:15 I like the cafe racer just as much very sporty. Riding a under powered bike teaches better cornering & braking skills , due to the need to carry more speed thru the turns , less on brakes & back on throttle sooner. It's great fun , till you get passed by a guy on a DR650. What is target weight for it ? |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Ruttly on 02/13/17 at 19:31:10 If your good you will get him in the next turn ! |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 02/14/17 at 04:09:48 Most of my riding experience is on small HP bikes, and I like riding them. When young I raced motocross and hare scrambles on a TM125 or TS90 Suzuki. My street legal bike was a Kawasaki 125 Enduro (F-6). I really am very satisfied riding single on a bike that makes 30 HP....however recently I did buy a bigger bike so that I can ride double with the wife....and for taking on long road trips with gear. The only thing the little Ninja lacks is torque....when riding in the hills around TN/NC the Ninja just can't pull out of steep uphill curves briskly....unless you drop down 2 or 3 gears while in the corner and keep the revs up over 8.000 rpm. Most of the time I just don't feel the need to do that....instead I drop down 1 gear and just exit the corner and accelerate somewhat slowly out of the curve. It does just fine everywhere else, and it s blast to ride. |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by ohiomoto on 02/14/17 at 06:56:59 Looking good Dave. Sorry I confused people with that Scrambler (or a cool looking standard, brat or whatever you want to call it.) |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Ruttly on 02/14/17 at 10:04:49 Dave , Is it carbed or EFI , if it's carbed you have options ! |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 02/14/17 at 10:52:09 456263637B6E170 wrote:
It has carbs, and it is re-jetted and it runs smooth as silk. I am not going to do any engine modifications.....I am just going to ride it and put miles on it! A little 250 twin just isn't very good at making low rpm torque. What you have to understand is that the stock Savage engine is a big single, it makes 31 HP at 5,400 rpm and 37 ft/lbs of torque at 3,400 rpm.....it is really good at accelerating out of corners (especially with engine mods that bump up the HP and torque.....the stock Savage motor is in a very mild state of tune). The little Ninja 250 makes 28 HP at 12,000 rpm, and only 14 ft. lbs of torque at 9.000 rpm - it has 38% of the torque of the Savage, and then only if the engine is at 9.000 rpm! Below 8.000 rpm the engine runs smoothly - but it is not making very much torque or HP (but it can get 70+ mpg when ridden that way). The little Ninja engine already is built to a pretty high state of tune from the factory...it has 12.4:1 compression, pretty wild cams, good intake/exhaust ports - and the rods and crank don't last long if you try to coax more power out of the motor. |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Ruttly on 02/14/17 at 14:58:07 I thought is was a single ! If it ain't broke don't fix it ! |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 02/17/17 at 06:31:59 Last night I was able to work for a little while making a mount for the Trailtech Vapor. The mount looks a bit bulky and heavy in the photo - but when it is cleaned up, painted black and the Vapor is mounted - it will blend in and not be so gaudy looking. The plate is made out of aluminum so it is not very heavy - I may be able to drill some holes in the plate below the speedometer to lighten up the look.....I will wait until I get it shaped and the speedo housing mounted to decide how to lighten up the look. Cutting this thing out on my metal bandsaw is a bit cumbersome as the blade is thick and you can't follow curves easily. I did find out that you can easily drill large holes in the aluminum with a "spade bit" made for drilling large holes in wood! The hole for the ignition switch was drilled with a 1-1/4" spade bit. Cutting out openings in the interior is really cumbersome, and I had to use a handheld "scroll saw" to cut the square hole where the wires come out of the back of the speedo housing. If I cut additional holes to make the appearance less bulky, I will have to drill holes to create the corners, then cut out the metal in between using that same hand held scroll saw. http://i67.tinypic.com/s66ikk.jpg |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by ohiomoto on 02/17/17 at 07:42:37 Spade bit?! Good info. What plate did you use? I've been working with some 3003 3/16 plate for my side panels and I'm thinking I might have gone overboard. I used a jig saw to cut it but bending it might be more than I am up for. I haven't annealed it yet, but I think it's going to prove pretty tough. :) |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 02/17/17 at 08:43:54 The spade bit worked surprising well on the aluminum, the edges of the hole are very clean. I did find a video on youtube that shows you that it does work (I didn't use any lube - but cut slowly). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDbRHWGgy5w [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDbRHWGgy5w[/media] |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by justin_o_guy2 on 02/17/17 at 10:42:51 Be careful about how fast a drill bit designed for wood,like an auger or spade is spun up. I watched one bend , break and fly across the shop fast enough to break 1 1/2 " schedule 40 pvc. It was an auger type. Missed Reelthing by about six inches... We were just seeing how daggum fast that press would spin. I hit the off button before it ever got fully wound up, but a few hundred RPM too late. If in doubt, having the tip in the pilot hole would keep it from deflecting. |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Gary_in_NJ on 02/17/17 at 12:01:35 Good point Justin, 100-150 rpm is all that is required. |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 02/17/17 at 16:48:27 I did a bit of looking at the mount tonight after the wife and I got home from our Friday "dinner date". The spaces on either side of the key switch will work really well for mounting a cigarette lighter style power socket. I didn't run the drill very fast, and it was amazing how well the spade bit just kept peeling off small strips of aluminum foil! |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 02/20/17 at 04:33:16 I was able to get the headlight mounts installed, and finish up the speedo mount. I drilled 2 holes and used 1 for the accessory plug, I might look for a voltmeter to mount in the other one. I guess the next phase is to start getting all this wired up, http://i66.tinypic.com/2a4pr3m.jpg I found a voltmeter that will fit into the hole. I could get it in green, blue or red - I chose red as it does not hurt your night vision.....some of those blue lights they use on the high beam indicator can be really offensive! |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Ruttly on 02/20/17 at 15:08:43 Very nice Dave |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 02/21/17 at 05:06:57 With the camera stuck right on top of the new mount and speedo it looks a bit bulky - it really isn't that big looking in person. The speedo has to go out that far to clear the fork lock that is built into the ignition switch. The headlight has a similar issue, as I would like to mount it a bit higher - but the fork lock gets in the way. I could trim 1/4" off the back of the headlight housing and move the light up a bit farther to help cover the back of the speedo.......I will leave it "as-is" for now and see what it looks like when everything is assembled. |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 02/23/17 at 10:21:50 The little Ninja is a capable bike. This fellow has used one to do some Iron Butt rides. He has gone 1,527 miles in less than 36 hours, 2,226 miles in less than 48 hours, and a Coast to Coast ride of 2,412 miles in less than 50 hours of riding time. http://www.theyeagergroup.com/ninja_250_BB1500_50CC.htm |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 02/27/17 at 04:48:30 Over the weekend I was able to strip the poor factory paint off the headlight, and put on a nice low-gloss powder coat, and then get the headlight mounted. http://i64.tinypic.com/2wrezab.jpg I also got pretty far along with the wiring for the front. I got the factory connector cut off, and new bullet connectors installed on the wring harness and I got the front turn signals wired in. Next is putting the connectors on the Trailtech Vapor wires, and plugging it all together. http://i63.tinypic.com/2vmdcb9.jpg |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by justin_o_guy2 on 02/27/17 at 05:50:47 determined that the Metzeler ME 880 Marathon 130/90HB16 rear tire would be fine the entire trip. I didn't know that little bike used such a tire. Id sure like a few days of playing with one of those things. |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Gary_in_NJ on 02/27/17 at 07:16:15 Dave, are you doing the powder coating at home? If so, what kit are you using and how do you like it? Does it make a mess of your oven? |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 02/27/17 at 07:39:01 I bought the Eastwood dual voltage gun, and a used oven that I put in the garage. The powder coat doesn't make a mess of the oven - but it sure does make a strong smell when the paint is curing. There is a warning that you should not use the oven for food once you use if for powder coating....I think it most likely would be fine as long as you didn't bake a cake while you are powder coating. The powder coating process is a bit time consuming - but no worse than painting. It takes a little practice to get things right, and it is not without surprises. A friend brought some pieces over to get coated - and it all seemed to go fine - but when we took the pieces out one had some weird spots on it....turns out he stripped the parts and then washed them, and there was still water stuck in a pore in a weld....the water boiled out when the part got hot. The powder coating doesn't make a mess all over the garage - but it does leave a pile underneath whatever you are painting.....sometimes I can powdercoat outside if there is no wind, and that makes cleanup easier as I don't have to sweep the floor. Cleaning up the gun is a breeze compared to paint.....just take the air compressor and blow it out! |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by MMRanch on 02/27/17 at 08:14:23 Very NEAT looking package on that speedometer Dave ! 8-) |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 02/27/17 at 08:17:35 726072606D7E717C773F0 wrote:
Thanks. I just ordered one of those turn signal diodes so I can make the left/right turn signals run a single indicator light on the speedo. I am going to change one of the turn signal indicators on the speedo to be the oil pressure warning light. I really like my connector kit from Vintage Connectors. It makes it possible to change the wiring around, add connectors or wiring, and have it look and work just like the original stuff. You can put a connector in with a single, double or triple connections - and that really helps when wiring up running lights, turn signals and the matching indicator light, etc. The connectors all have seals to keep them watertight! Their website is currently down....but here is a link: http://vintageconnections.com/ |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by ohiomoto on 02/27/17 at 08:33:13 43787562737F646279717C63100 wrote:
I need one (or two??) of those myself. Right now I'm using the oil indicator light as one of my turn signals. Where did you get your diodes and just to confirm, you need one diode on each input, correct? |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 02/27/17 at 08:52:34 You only need one "assembly" to combine 2 turn signals into 1 indicator light. The assembly will be connected to the positive lead of each (left/right) turn signal, then you just run the single wire on the other side of the assembly to the positive side of the indicator light. (You don't really need to worry about the negative wire jumper they send....I am not sure where you would connect that?). You can get the diode assembly from Kuryakin is you want to spend a bunch BikeMaster if you want to spend less. I got mine in eBay - but you can get them from Superbight LED, Bike Bandit or most other online suppliers (I should maybe have checked Amazon). http://www.ebay.com/itm/232183613162?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by ohiomoto on 02/27/17 at 09:53:04 Thanks! I assume there are two diodes in that assembly then and they are set up to combine the two wires into one (I'm not sure how the LED application works)? EDIT: Never mind, I found it on Amazon and it says right in the descripton it it used for exactly this purpose. I told you I didn't know "the LED application" Ha ha. https://www.amazon.com/BikeMaster-Turn-Signal-Diode-HO002001/dp/B01DYS3A56 |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by MMRanch on 02/27/17 at 22:29:10 I ordered a couple of those Diode 2 into 1 rigs , it just looks so easy ! So 2 of them only cost $6. and change. I might go with the other speedometer anyway but Options are Good ! ;) Thanks guys ! |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Kenny G on 02/27/17 at 22:46:09 MM, Please show some pics of how you route the speedometer cable. Kenny G |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 02/28/17 at 03:35:22 Last night I got the voltmeter wired in, most of the wires in the headlight bucket connected front turn signals and running lights hooked up, neutral light and oil pressure warning light. The only things left to do up there is to wire in the diode for the turn signal indicator light when it arrives, and wire in the water temperature sensor when it arrives from Trailtech, and then put in the headlight. I have a 7" Candlepower headlight and will most likely install the self contained LED bulb with the fan that goes inside the headlight. The left side warning lights are the oil pressure and neutral light, the right side lights are the high beam and turn signals (not lit). You can see the running lights glowing below the headlight on both sides....I have plastic bubble wrap bags on them to keep me from scratching the black chrome while I am working on the bike. http://i64.tinypic.com/2jb8s39.jpg |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by MMRanch on 02/28/17 at 09:14:49 Dave , that just plain-old LOOKS GOOD 8-) 58 degrees even ! :o Kenny , I used lots of "Zip-Ties" on those wires and cables under the gas tank ... ::) this is about the only picture I got , The fuel petcock needed to be a little higher than it landed but I'm not cutting the front tank tabs off to re-mount them 1/4" higher :P adding 1/4" to the back is just spacers. |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by MMRanch on 02/28/17 at 09:18:53 The other side , |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 02/28/17 at 09:39:02 MM: Yep, a snuggly 58 degrees in the workshop! Having a well insulated garage, and a wood boiler to heat it sure is nice. I imagine I will stop burning wood in the next few weeks....warmer weather is coming to KY! http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/alexandria-ky/41001/month/2149754?monyr=3/01/2017 |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 03/01/17 at 06:19:11 I am at a bit of a delay getting the wiring in the front completed, as I need some parts. The temperature sender for the Trailtech will arrive today, the diode for the front turn signals won't be here until next Monday. So last night I started on the wiring and bodywork on the back. The turn signals supplied by Blue Collar Bobber are nice and bright, they have 1157 bulbs and should have no problem being seen in daylight. Unfortunately the tail light is a bunch of smaller LED bulbs, and the brake light will not be of much use getting the attention of those folks behind. http://i63.tinypic.com/24zkhnd.jpg I really want to be as safe as possible, and it really bothers me that so much of the aftermarket lights (brake/turn signal) are worse than the factory DOT lights. It is not cheap - but I decided to buy and install one of the modules that allows the turn signals to work as supplemental brake lights. This module wires in and when you use the brakes the turn signal come on as a brake light, and when you use a turn signal the light still flashes as normal. https://www.amazon.com/Badlands-Products-Signal-Module-ILL-01/dp/B000GV64BC |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by MMRanch on 03/01/17 at 06:53:32 good move Dave ! ;) All three of them firing-up when ya want to slow down ought to show your intent really good ... 8-) Really , the factory bikes should have that idea already in play , that is just plain smart ! :) |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Kenny G on 03/01/17 at 07:02:41 Dave, For what it is worth: I have wired the turn signals on different bikes to operate with the brake light. I didn't use a module, I just simply used dual filament #1157 bulbs and red lenses. I have had many people comment on how visible the bike was when I was stopping, especially at night. Kenny G :-/ |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 03/01/17 at 07:12:39 4C6269447566746F070 wrote:
Kenny: I don't see how it is possible to get a turn signal to flash if you also connected it into the brake light circuit......unless you also install a module (or system of relays). The turn signals on this bike use the dimmer filament as a running light, and the brighter filament as the turn signal. If you were to connect the power for the brake light into the wire for the brighter filament in both turn signals - the turn signal would stop flashing and come on steady when you apply the brake. And......with both left/right turn signals connected to the brake light - when you used a turn signal the power would cross feed over to the brake light and other turn signal.....and all 3 lights would flash when you used a turn signal....and it might even cross feed up to the turn signals at the front! |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Kenny G on 03/01/17 at 07:22:26 Dave, The way I wired the turn signals they worked only as brake light and turn signal light. I did not have running lights incorporated into the turn signals. The only rear running light was the tail light. I wired a 1973 Norton this way and rode it for 30 years. I must admit that the module produces a better system because you also have the turn signals functioning as running lights. Most of the bikes that I ever owned I had to turn on the lights manually, they did not come on automatically when I kick started the bike. I never had an electric starter until I moved to North Texas 10 years ago. Kenny G :-/ |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Ruttly on 03/01/17 at 12:23:36 I bought a module for my sportster like that, it must modulate the voltage to rear turn signals cause they are single filament bulbs but have running,stop & turn at the turn signals , then changed to red lenses. It's a slick setup and it was plug n play from Harley. |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Ruttly on 03/01/17 at 12:35:26 On my tracker it has a dual tail light setup and no place to mount turn signals. So off to Radio Shack I went bought some diodes ( can get you part number if you want it) tried using 3 but wound up needing 4 diodes. So now my dual tail light acts as tail , stop & turn and doesn't back feed front turns and brake will override turn. Only I'll effect is when turn is on and brake is applied front turn flashes a little faster. I could maybe cure that with 2 resistor but have not tried to. |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Kenny G on 03/01/17 at 12:56:41 Anything that you can do to be more visible is going to save your life. I am now wearing a fluorescent green safety belt after being hit in the ass end by an automobile a couple of years ago.. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OIS6RUW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 My setup for wiring the turn signals is not near as effective as using a module to sequence the lights for safety, but at the time I first tried it I didn't have much money and possibly it saved my life over the years..... Kenny G :-/ |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by verslagen1 on 03/01/17 at 13:00:54 Use germanium diodes instead of the others. They have a voltage drop of .75v instead of 1.5v |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Ruttly on 03/01/17 at 18:58:03 Thanks Versy , I must be way to predictable. Cause you know I'm headed to the garage to check that !!! Where do you buy them? Might make my tail lights brighter with another .75 volts !? |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 03/06/17 at 07:00:27 I worked a bit on the bike over the weekend. I got the headlight and wring all done on the front. I wanted a way to be able to secure the wires inside the headlight bucket, and I didn't have any of the little metal straps that would fit the 8mm headlight bolts. I decided I could fabricate some using 14 gauge copper wire, and the insulation could be left on. I stripped a bit of insulation, formed the copper wire around the bolt, then soldered the wires together so it would stay in a loop when I tightened the nut. http://i67.tinypic.com/22m9nl.jpg I then installed the new wire ties to the headlight mounting bolts, then put the wires where they were somewhat organized, and got ready to put the headlight in. You can see in the upper right of the bucket the 2 red wires that go into a black heat shrink tubing and a single blue wire coming out the top......that is the turn signal diode that allows me to use a single indicator light for both turn signals. http://i66.tinypic.com/2iht1yo.jpg The front end is now done. The rear tail light/turn signal controller should arrive today, and I can get that wired in this week. I am also going to modify the inner fender a bit - it won't do a very good job at keeping water from the rear wheel from being thrown up into the frame under the seat. The stock rear fender had a lot better fender that wrapped around the back of the frame rails to keep the water from being thrown forward.....the new fender has a 1/2" gap on both side. |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 03/24/17 at 05:36:18 I haven't posted much....the last 12 days I was waiting for an order from Bike Bandit to arrive. It was shipped on the 11th and was a "USPS 2 day" package.....for some reason it took 12 days to arrive! It had a new air filter and I couldn't assemble things until it arrived. The headlight looks a bit goofy in the photo - it appears to stick out too far, and it doesn't look as bad in person. I may look for a way to get shorter arms and move the headlight back and down a bit if the look bothers me over the summer. I also don't like the little black panels that are on the front of the fuel tank - the permanent repair before painting will be to weld in metal and cover up the areas where the fairing used to mount. I have to put the mirrors on, install new brake pads in the front, add anti-freeze and fuel....and it will be ready to test ride! I sat on the seat and bounced around....the new oil in the front forks seems to have tightened them up a bit....and the newer rear shock from the later 250 Ninja has firmed up that end - I do believe it will ride better as the suspension seemed a bit soft previously. http://i65.tinypic.com/2nqwew4.jpg |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by MShipley on 03/24/17 at 09:03:55 lookin great |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Serowbot on 06/15/17 at 09:34:10 The lines are very familiar... (Moto Guzzi v7) Kawa should take a lesson... 8-) http://suzukisavage.com/yabb2.2/Attachments/NINJACafe.jpg http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/motorcycles/2013models/2013-Moto-Guzzi-V7-Special-Silver-Black-Grigio-Essetre1.jpg |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Danmiller369 on 06/15/17 at 11:54:52 nice |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Ruttly on 06/15/17 at 15:18:15 Your hooked on motorcycles when your seriously thinking about the Motoguzzi. I always thought they were weird and now they look like a work of art to me. I like the V7 Specials they have that look like they haven't changed in 30 years ! |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Ruttly on 06/15/17 at 20:19:47 The baby ninja looks just like the Guzzi Racer model Foam filters deliver more air than paper or gauze and that's more than enough to lean out a EPA/ARB emissions carb. I'm sure someone makes a trick carb set for it or a custom manifold with one BIG carb ! |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 01/16/19 at 05:41:09 It has been a while since I updated this thread. I finally got the engine to run well again. I bought a good set of used carbs from a last generation of the EX250, and they have different slide needles than the early models.....not sure if that is what helped cure the problem. I bumped up the main set a couple sizes and shimmed the needles 2 washers when I mounted them - and the bike runs well again. I don't know what was wrong with the other carbs - maybe they are just getting old and are very sensitive to the slide diaphragm getting old and stiff. The running problem seems to be related to a very lean condition that occurs at a steady cruising speed - when a gust of wind comes along and slows the bike down......it feels like the slide doesn't react and the engine goes into a lean surge condition. Whatever the issue...the replacement carbs fixed the problem. I rode the little Ninja down to the Barber Vintage Motorcycle event in Birmingham Alabama. The first day I rode down to Lynchburg, TN and spent the night with MMRanch, the next day I rode down to Auburn, AL and spent the night with Stewmills, the following day we rode to Birmingham and spent the day at Barber's, then on Saturday night and Sunday I finished the ride home.....it was a bit over 1,400 miles! The stock seat is not adequate for long rides, and I had a 1" thick foam pad taped to the seat....my butt still got horribly tired by the 4th day of riding. This is what the stock seat from Blue Collar Bobber looks like. It is rounded and has padding in the middle, but very little on the edges where my buns contact the seat. http://i67.tinypic.com/315zq5x.jpg The Blue Collar Bobber seat pan is a thick piece of steel and is pretty heavy - so I decided to build my own seat pan. I put 2 sided carpet tape on the frame, fuel tank and rear fender/body - then put cardboard on the tape in the shape I wanted the seat bottom to be. I then put packing tape over the cardboard to work as a bond breaker and allow the seat pan to be pulled off the cardboard once the resin had cured. I put 2 layers of fiberglass cloth down first: http://i65.tinypic.com/2cf6vwm.jpg Then to get better stiffness I cut strips of PVC molding and heated them in my oven at 215 degrees - then bent them into shape while they were still warm. The PVC cools and gets stiff very quickly, you have to bend them very fast and work them into shape with 4-5 heating cycles. I then epoxied the PVC strips into place. http://i65.tinypic.com/14brvya.jpg I soldered a stainless nut onto a large washer for the seat mounting bolt, and I epoxied the nut and washer to the seat pan. I then put pieces of the corrugated plastic yard signs that I had cut to fill in the space between the PVC reinforcement, and then placed a couple of layers of fiberglass "mat" over the PVC. I learned that the matt did not want to make the sharp bends over the PVC, and it would have been better to use the mat on the flat bottom, and the fiberglass cloth over the PVC reinforcements.....and the PVC pieces should have been rounded to allow the fiberglass cloth to make the bends easier. The seat pan ended up a bit thicker than heavier than I imagined - but it is incredibly strong.....I could have made it a bit thinner and lighter and it would have been fine. The top ended up being a bit lumpy and uneven....but the foam that gets glued onto the pan won't care. http://i63.tinypic.com/10514yu.jpg Here is a piece of black plastic pulled over the seat to show the shape I am working for - the seat will be flat from side to side and provide more padding on the edges. http://i68.tinypic.com/nfmf5d.jpg I will take the finished seat pan up to Ronny Price upholstery and have them add the padding and sew a new cover. |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 02/15/19 at 05:20:28 The end of an era.....my beloved little Ninja has been sold. It was a fun little bike to own, and I put about 10,000 miles on it in the 4 years I owned it. I took hundreds of short local rides on it, ran lots of errands, hauled it to TN/NC/GA about 4 times for weekend rides, rode it on a 1,400 mile trip to visit MM, Stewmills and the Barber Vintage Motorcycle days in Birmingham, AL. http://i63.tinypic.com/2d78wh3.jpg In hindsight I should have just ridden the wheels off of it in the stock form and not done the Cafe' conversion - it was not financially rewarding to buy the kit and install it....but it did make the bike look more appropriate for the kind of guy I am (not a sport bike wannabe). Still.....I didn't lose a ton of money and got some really good riding out of it. A nice young "first time" rider bought it......I hope he enjoys it as much as I did. http://i67.tinypic.com/2mqmgy8.jpg |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Gary_in_NJ on 02/15/19 at 07:07:12 There are very few bikes in my past where I wish I never sold them. Usually when I make the decision to sell a bike it is not missed. Hopefully you got what you wanted from this one...and enjoy the next one. |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by MMRanch on 02/15/19 at 09:16:03 Dave , you have done the motorcycling world a service --- there is now a "New Rider" out there somewhere due to your sacrifice . ;) and Now ya got room on the carport for that Royal Endfield Himalaya ! ;D |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 02/15/19 at 13:18:06 Nope, a Royal Enfield is not in my plans....the used BMW F800GT was the reason the little Ninja is gone. |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by MMRanch on 02/15/19 at 18:20:10 This one ? |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by stewmills on 02/15/19 at 20:21:15 It has a rear gas tank too? |
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Title: Re: Next Project?....Ninja 250 Cafe. Post by Dave on 02/16/19 at 03:53:25 333425372D292C2C33400 wrote:
Yep.....the gas tank is under the seat! Up front between your knees is the vertical fuel injection stacks, the air cleaner, the battery, and a lot of electrical stuff. Having that lighter stuff up top makes the bike less top heavy I guess. |
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