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I picked up a 2005 Ninja 250 as my first bike ever last Friday, and I'll be taking the MSF course at the end of the month. I'm having a hard time picking out gear though. I live in Texas, and it's been 100+ every day for a while now. Aside from protection, I'm pretty concerned about keeping cool. Anyone else in hot weather area have suggestions for what to look for? So far I'm leaning towards a simple Shoei (TZ-R Solid Helmet) helmet, the T-breeze (T-Breeze Air-Flo Jacket) jacket from Alpinestars, and maybe overpants in addition to shoes (Alpinestars Octane Riding Shoes) and gloves (Alpinestars SP-1 Gloves). I've been reading a lot over at ninja250.org, but I would love to hear some feedback specific to the hotter riding conditions. What do you think? Good for hot weather? Enough protection? Wasting money anywhere or not spending enough somewhere? Any suggestions for overpants?
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Aug 11, 2009 04:06
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| # ¿ May 22, 2024 10:37 |
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blugu64 posted:edit: If you're in the Dallas area, lets go riding sometime. I'm in Austin, but my brother lives up in Dallas. Once I get some practice in I would definitely be up for a ride. And, thanks for the tips, I'll be getting some pants with something in the knees, but I'm still not sure to what extent I want to go with the boots. I can't decide between a true boot which might be harder to walk in, and a riding shoe, which might offer less protection but could be used as a normal shoe.
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Aug 11, 2009 19:10
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Alright, I went ahead and listened to all the advice about the boots. I like having feet. The only thing I wanted differently was the SP-1 gloves instead of SP-2 but they were out of stock. I'll look like an Alpinestars ad, but hopefully I'll be safer and not cooking in my gear. Still looking for a helmet. Thanks again for all the help.   
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Aug 12, 2009 22:12
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So I had my ninja 250 for about 2 weeks before I lowsided on some sand/gravel in a turn and broke it. I replaced some parts on the side, (brake lever, light etc.) but the front wheel is not aligned. I have to hold the handle bars to the left to go straight. I'm not sure what part exactly is bent or out of place yet, so this might be a premature question, but how much is that going to cost in parts? Any idea? I would like to do all the work myself, so hopefully it'll just be parts.
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Sep 18, 2009 23:12
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Thanks Z3n, it was just a matter of loosening everything to straighten it out. Simple fix. Time to go on a ride. 
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Sep 19, 2009 19:34
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Welp, today my clutch lever feels very loose and it looks like there is some slack in the cable. Is there any way I can tighten it up a bit to drive home from work or do I need to bring more tools and fix it here? Also, I think unrelated, but becoming annoying, is that I get inconsistent power at the low middle of the RPM range, right around 5 - 7k it comes in and out. Low and high RPMs seem fine. I'm pretty sure it developed recently, but I may be noticing it more as my riding style changes. I'm pretty new, and I want to learn how to fix my own bike, but I haven't encountered or worked with either of these things before. Any thoughts 250 guru goons? Oh and one more thing, any suggestions on good places to find other riders in Austin?
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Nov 17, 2009 00:56
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blugu64 posted:Assuming you own a classic 250 Perfect, I should have known they would have something. Thanks!
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Nov 17, 2009 01:01
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Well the clutch cable adjustment sure was easy, but this jetting thing seems to be quite an undertaking. I guess I can hold off on finding people to ride with until I get these things sorted out. Is it likely that the settings for the jetting got off or is it more likely the cold weather or something? I guess what I was hoping to know is, will I need to recalibrate the jetting again once it's warmer outside? If it'll work fine when it warms up I could just wait ("winter" in Texas is pretty short) but if it's still going to be a problem I might as well try to fix it now. In any case, thanks again for pointing me in the right direction.
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Nov 17, 2009 17:06
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Recently my front break lever has been sticking a bit and I can't get smooth front break control. I looked on 250.org and I didn't see anything about the front break lever being sticky. Is it likely the lever itself just needs some lubrication or is there something else that might be going wrong? I don't want to do anything stupid, front brakes being pretty important and all... Any thoughts?
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Aug 8, 2010 00:09
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The lever is the standard part for a 2005 250, it was replaced months ago (not by me) and was working fine up until recently. I suppose I'll try some lube first, and go from there. I wonder if something got bent (lever was replaced because I dropped the bike) thought it feels like it got worse today after I did a hard brake. edit: I also keep my bike outside and it was pretty abused before I got it, so no idea what other things could be wrong...
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Aug 8, 2010 00:22
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I just checked it, it's not dark, but it's certainly not clean. A little discoloration and what looked like debris. Am I lucky to be alive? Regardless of the problem it looks like I need to change the brake fluid I think.
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Aug 8, 2010 00:30
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Z3n posted:That's the place to start. When the fluid gets lovely you'll start to feel things go weird. Thanks for the help! :-) Each time I was about to decide to do something I would find that it would be a small step to do the next most elaborate thing. I've gone from planning to change my brake fluid to installing SS brake lines and replacing my brake pads. Also: Any thoughts on fixing a gas tank? I seem to have poor reading skills and ended up puncturing my gas tank with the wrong size bolts. New tank sounds pricey, any cheaper options out there? I was thinking about having the hole welded closed, but I wasn't sure if I needed to consider anything else before doing that. Are there any dangers or downsides (aside from explosions) to welding the hole closed?
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Aug 8, 2010 20:33
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I'm also interested in 250 parts since my Ninja got knocked over by a hit and run. I'm mainly interested in things that go on the right side of the bike...
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Feb 1, 2012 22:24
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I used to park my 250 on the street, then someone knocked it over, bent the bars and did other assorted damage to it, before standing it back up and leaving. I don't think I'll ever park on the street again.
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Feb 13, 2012 22:15
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sildargod posted:My big concern is how will the Honda or the Kawasaki do with my 100 mile all highway commute? The poor Bashan does me no favours when I need to overtake slow-moving trucks but it handles the distances very well. Should I look at something like a SV650? I used my ninja 250 to commute on the highway, and compared to the drz it's a luxurious ride. I never came across a situation where I felt slow or under powered on the 250. I think the difference between a 10 mile commute and 100 mile commute is only going to be a comfort issue. From my experience a 250 is a perfectly capable highway commuting motorcycle.
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Feb 14, 2012 15:50
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Facefight posted:It's getting near time to switch my 250 to synthetic oil. I've heard good things about Shell Rotella T6 Full Synthetic 5W-40 - it was recommended in the FAQ linked in the OP, and I've heard it mentioned once before. Just wanted to know if any of you are using it, and how well it's working. I use it and it seems to be working fine. but I'm not a motorcycle expert or anything.
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Mar 14, 2012 01:23
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Vilkata posted:After a fun year, through some combination of neglect and general idiocy, my ninja 250 motor exploded. I've been told it would cost about $1,000 to get another motor and install it, so I'm going to explore the option of selling the bike for parts. If everything else is okay with the bike, does anyone know what I should try listing the entire thing for on craigslist? Some jerk knocked my parked ninja 250 over and I need parts for the right side of the bike, if you do part it out instead of selling it whole, let me know :-)
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Apr 16, 2012 22:00
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Alphius posted:Just picked up my first bike! Stored inside for now until I get my endorsement and some good gear. Very nice :-)
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Apr 28, 2012 19:20
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ADINSX posted:welp I finally found a decent bike in my price range! Nice, that's the same ninja I got for about the same price, but mine was in horrible condition and had more miles.  Enjoy!
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Jun 9, 2012 18:22
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(his picture not mine, its been too rainy to get a better shot)
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I'm planning to turn my old and horribly abused ninja 250 into something for the track once I've moved into my new place with a garage. Seeing how cheap a ninja in not poo poo condition is... I'm thinking it might make more sense and be cheaper just getting another one. I don't want to lose a finger.
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Jun 12, 2012 22:49
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stevobob posted:The gently caress? I did a double take reading this. The finger is still inside the engine to this day, haunting all who ride the motorcycle.
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Jun 13, 2012 03:29
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Spiffness posted:Absolutely, I always get to know the mileage of my bikes. You can just pop the 250 into reserve as well (at least the last gen model) it's easier to reach than the switch on the DRZ.
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Jul 6, 2012 02:24
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Dealers are poo poo, I wouldn't trust a single word. I would advise going over every inch of the bike to make sure there are not loose bolts or parts etc.
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Jul 28, 2012 22:20
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eddiewalker posted:I figured I'd pay a tiny bit more for a dealership bike that had been gone over, since I was inexperienced with two-wheeled death machines. That was my thought as well when I got my first bike. Lesson learned.
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Jul 29, 2012 06:32
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Zazamoot posted:I bought a 2007 Ninja 250, my first bike, a few weeks ago. It took a while to acquire the gear, so I'm just now getting to know it. Ha, I had the same thing, because the handle bar was bent. Might be a good idea to take a closer look and see if yours is bent too. If it's been dropped on the right side there is a good chance that the bar may have bent slightly.
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Aug 13, 2012 23:35
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Zazamoot posted:I think you may be right. How did you deal with it? Can a shop simply bend it back? I have not fixed it, (My bike got knocked over by a hit and run and bent them even more. ) the bike is sitting in my garage waiting for attention. I was considering just bending it back, or maybe getting some new clipons, there are some specifically for the ninja 250 that seem pretty nice from woodcraft. I'd be interested to hear what you do to fix it. With before and after pictures. If I get around to fixing mine I'll let you know how it goes.
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Aug 14, 2012 22:07
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Is there anywhere to get cheap not broken original handlebars for the pregen 250? I can't seem to find a good condition bar for less than 40 dollars shipped. Which seems like a lot for a metal tube.
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Nov 30, 2012 22:32
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nsaP posted:Ah but it is a bent tube. I just want the handle itself, I don't need the risers, hardware or anything, it's the stock bar that is bent. I don't have aftermarket clipons that could use a standard 15 dollar handbar, so I think I'm stuck getting an OEM one. If 40 dollars sounds reasonable, I guess that's the route I'll have to go.
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Dec 1, 2012 05:52
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That looks like a great deal! My 250 is so beat up I could probably give it away. If that bike is going for 500 dollars I have no chance of getting anything for mine 
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Feb 7, 2013 15:07
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AncientTV posted:That's what shipping is for How much did you end up paying for the right handlbar? I've been needing one of those for a while :-p
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Mar 18, 2013 17:41
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Fifty Three posted:Be careful with the screws that go into the sides of the tank- depending on the year, the top and bottom screws may be different lengths and you'll puncture the tank if you mix them up. Don't do that. It's worth mentioning that I have zero mechanical experience but I was able to remove and reinstall the fairings with very little effort. Assuming they or my frame hadn't been warped, of course. I did this and punctured my tank. It's really easy to do!
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May 14, 2013 17:39
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Fifty Three posted:What year is yours? I suspect the PO of my bike bought new hardware, because my screws seem nearly identical in length aside from manufacturing variances. It's the previous gen, 2006 I think. I wasn't really worth replacing the tank, so I just fixed it myself. I did not even realize there was a length difference when I made the mistake, but I believe the PO of my bike had replaced the hardware as well.
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May 14, 2013 19:42
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| # ¿ May 22, 2024 10:37 |
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noxiousg posted:
Sweet, that's the same as my old ninja except for your looks like it's in pretty good condition. Have fun
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Aug 4, 2013 16:25
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