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SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> The Cafe >> 1997 Ninja 250 /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1470843815 Message started by stewmills on 08/10/16 at 08:43:35 |
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Title: 1997 Ninja 250 Post by stewmills on 08/10/16 at 08:43:35 Ok you fixer uppers...What do you think about this bike? Guy says it sat for a couple of years, dead battery and probably needs carbs cleaned as it was running funny last time it ran. Has minor scratches and blinkers broke off...all things I am ok with fixing or replacing. Any red flags for those of you that know these bikes? http://atlanta.craigslist.org/wat/mcy/5636360107.html |
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Title: Re: 1997 Ninja 250 Post by Serowbot on 08/10/16 at 09:12:32 Dave has one,.. 'nuff said.. 8-) |
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Title: Re: 1997 Ninja 250 Post by pg on 08/10/16 at 09:20:07 Go check out youtube videos for reviews and helmet cams. They can share a lot of good info. Best regards, |
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Title: Re: 1997 Ninja 250 Post by stewmills on 08/10/16 at 09:26:18 3325322F37222F34400 wrote:
Yep, that pretty much settles it 8-) |
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Title: Re: 1997 Ninja 250 Post by Oldfeller on 08/10/16 at 11:27:12 Dave is small and he fits that Kawa well, however ...... Riding up mountain roads he has to flog it some and make it strain sometimes, or else he has to kick it down a gear or two and let it wind up some to make the power level he needs at the time. Once out of the curvy uphills, he's golden, a great little bike. |
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Title: Re: 1997 Ninja 250 Post by stewmills on 08/10/16 at 11:35:29 I'm just a hair bigger than Dave so these bikes (I think) will suite me well. I don't have mountains here, so my only mountain riding is usually the Dragon trips. I just think one of thee would be fun to scoot around on and something to tinker with so I'll leave the Savage alone. If these Ninjas are easy to work on and easy to find parts for I don't mind a little work. I just don't need a headache or a money pit. |
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Title: Re: 1997 Ninja 250 Post by Dave on 08/10/16 at 13:14:30 Stew....come on up to my house....and ride my Ninja for a few days and see if you want one! I love mine......except for the sport bikey image (I will fix that this winter). OF is right....it does lack the torque of the Savage - but it is actually better at speed and can cruise at 80 mph all day. On my ride with OF I just wasn't in the mood to keep the engine up over 8,000 rpm - which is required if you want to accelerate out of an uphill corner. A full day of that can get to be a bit tiring - but I did ride 3 full days on the bike and went almost 300 miles every day....it is a comfortable bike. The bike is very easy to work on - although the carbs are just a bit fiddly to get in/out. That is a good looking bike, and well worth the money. This is what I plan on doing with mine......a Blue Bobber Cafe' conversion. http://bluecollarbobbers.com/bikegallery/ninja250 |
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Title: Re: 1997 Ninja 250 Post by Serowbot on 08/10/16 at 22:46:41 I've never owned one,.. but I have ridden one... It was kinda' fun... in a revvy kinda' way... Not quite all the power you can use,.. but, you can use all the power... ;D I also did filter, oil, and valve adjust... etc... Valve adjusts are amazing... so easy... almost fun... I'd be happy to be rid of all the plastic though... that can be like getting all the worms back in the can... ... (I'm not a patient man)... (I don't follow instructions well)... :-[ |
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Title: Re: 1997 Ninja 250 Post by Art Webb on 08/11/16 at 07:14:32 The plastics are a PITA when you service it, other wise they're great bikes and, as Sero said, once the plastics are off, they are easy peasy to work on I'd like to have another, and do what dave is planning on it Only I prefer the 500, cause I'm a fair bit oversize compared to dave |
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Title: Re: 1997 Ninja 250 Post by springman on 08/11/16 at 09:12:34 That looks like a deal. Good luck. |
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Title: Re: 1997 Ninja 250 Post by stewmills on 08/11/16 at 09:25:45 Owner had to go out of town, so we're supposed to reconnect next week. If it doesn't disappear before we reconnect, I am hoping to drive up and check it out and see about bringing it home. We'll see if it's meant to be... |
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Title: Re: 1997 Ninja 250 Post by Dave on 08/11/16 at 09:40:04 Since it doesn't have a working battery....at a minimum I would try and look into the radiator...and confirm that there is coolant in there. It may not be completely full - but it you leave the cap off and tip the bike over....you should be able to get some coolant to dribble out. I would also put it in 2nd or 3rd gear, and then put an even pressure on pushing the bike forward....you should feel the bike move forward until one of the cylinders comes up on compression....then with some more push it should go over TDC and move a bit until the other cylinder comes to the compression stroke (this test will confirm that both cylinders have compression). It shouldn't be hard to find some good used turn signals on eBay.....provided the kids haven't broke them all off while learning how to keep the bike upright! |
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Title: Re: 1997 Ninja 250 Post by stewmills on 08/11/16 at 10:01:16 Thanks Dave! I text him and we have an "agreement" to meet next week as soon as he is back. I planned to take a battery to spin it over to make sure it at least spins as it should with the starter. etc., but is the battery not convenient to access and either swap with a small ATV battery (I have one) or connect to a spare car battery (I have one) with cables? If not, I'll definitely try the push method. Why check the coolant level at this point? Is that to make sure they didn't overheat the engine or something? Looking for rust or anything else? |
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Title: Re: 1997 Ninja 250 Post by Dave on 08/11/16 at 10:28:02 The Ninja that I bought had been run out of coolant, and it overheated and the thin oil made the rod bearings fail. The engine had no coolant in it when I got it, and both cylinders had "0" compression. And just in case you aren't sure what you are getting into: The early bikes have 16" diameter wheels, and the selection of tires is a bit limited....the super sticky sport bikes tires don't come in this size - you have your choice of Pirelli Sport Demons or the Battlax BT45, and either one of these tires will work just fine on the little Ninja. It is not very hard on tires, the small diameter sure does jump around on Tar Snakes! The suspension is really soft - but for your weight it will be OK. I do notice that as I apply the brakes, the front forks really take a dive. When sitting still, I can rock forward and backward and move the forks through several inches of travel (maybe I should check the fork fluid). The little bike doesn't shoot off the line as fast as the Savage - but once it is wound up it goes fast. The little engine is very calm and easy going below 8,000 rpm, and it makes power like you would expect form a small 250cc engine. From 8,000 to 14,000 rpm it comes alive, and pulls pretty strong...and it gets up to 80 mph pretty quick. I don't believe I have every had ti any faster - but it feels like it could go over 100 mph without much trouble. I get more than 70 mpg....my best has been 77 mpg. I really like the little bike, and if I just need to run up to the hardware - I take the Ninja. I have also taken it to the Dragon trip twice when the weather forecast was not good for the Savage Cafe'. |
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Title: Re: 1997 Ninja 250 Post by Serowbot on 08/11/16 at 10:33:22 The bike looks so much better without all the plastic... especially the tank... Kaw really needs a naked version... |
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Title: Re: 1997 Ninja 250 Post by Art Webb on 08/12/16 at 07:34:48 They have one...of the Ninja 650 It's called the Versys |
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Title: Re: 1997 Ninja 250 Post by Steve H on 08/14/16 at 14:27:47 You'll like the Ninja 250. It's a solid, dependable bike. Good on gas. Adequate power. Will do 100 according to the factory but just barely. It's happy all day cruising at 80 mph. Handles well. It's a lot of fun in the twisties. Wind it up it'll go. don't wind it up so much, it's a nice, sedate little bike. They stretch chains if you get on them. And, I can't resist twisting the throttle sometimes. AS has been said, tire selection in its native size is a little limited. I've got michelin commander II's on mine and they work very well with it. It's easily serviced once you get the plastics out of the way. The plastics are quite expensive so be careful with them. When you remove the upper fairing from the gas tank, make sure the short screws go in the right place on reassembly or you'll punch a hole in the tank. |
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Title: Re: 1997 Ninja 250 Post by old_rider on 08/15/16 at 15:26:40 PPppssstttt!!! Get a used 300 ninja!!! Fuel injected, water cooled, a little torquier (is that a word?) than the 250..... and maintenance is almost NIL! 8-) |
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Title: Re: 1997 Ninja 250 Post by Dave on 08/16/16 at 03:59:04 686B63756E636275070 wrote:
Yep....the 300 is a better bike. The only downside is cost, as you won't be finding them for $ 800 unless the are a basket case. (And the fact they are fuel injected if you want the ability to work on your carbs periodically). I needed the 1987 - 2007 version for building the Cafe' conversion (and I bought it for $ 250 with a blown motor). The Ninja 250/300 forum is great. The general membership isn't as helpful and friendly as this forum - but the page that tells you about tires/engines/mods is perhaps better, as it just lays it on the line without pages of discussion. http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Ninja250_Howto |
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