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Ninja 250r

2K views 26 replies 14 participants last post by  Shamrock627 
#1 ·
Ok, so for my first bike I went with what seemed to be one of the most highly recommended: the Kawasaki Ninja 250r. I was just wondering, for those of you who also started/ride one, if you could provide any tips for the bike that your experience has taught you about it.
 
#2 ·
If it starts "beeping" at you it is simply gas fumes escaping from the tank. I don't know if they changed it on the 09 model by my 08 will sometimes have a high pitched noise. Had to come here to figure out what it was.

5,700 miles on my 08 now and I still love it. Good purchase in my opinion.
 
#5 ·
Yeah, the whining tank thing is a little allowing. My friend, the PO, told me there is a way to slightly drill out the vent holes in the cap to stop the noise, but it hasn't bothered me enough to mess with it.

Also, granted it is summer time, I have not yet once required the choke to start the bike. The one time I did, it ended up taking 15 seconds to get the engine going instead of the usual 2, heh.
 
#6 ·
i did 200 miles yesterday, had some front end pushing may be from the fact that i was redlined in 6th gear going around the corners, and the thing i noticed was the suspension, if you get a chance and can afford it get stiffer springs in the front fork.
 
#7 ·
Alright everyone thanks! This is my first bike, so all your advice is appreciated, as I do not know enough about the bike yet (mechanically, since I don't actually own it or know anyone who owns one) to be able to know these things!
 
#9 ·
Not yet, but my uncle is going to teach me. He has ridden for 30+ years and used to work in a shop, so I'm not too concerned about learning basic maintenance.
 
#12 ·
+1 on doing your own maintenance. fun way to kill a day, cheap, and you aren't putting your baby at someone elses mercy.
 
#13 ·
Sounds good! I have never been a huge fan of maintenance on my car, but that's probably because it is a car and not a bike! I am sad though, because I have to go down to Austin next week for orientation at college and that is when my bike should be ready to be picked up :( How saddening!
 
#14 ·
I never owned one, but my buddy's is in my garage right now. +1 on the high pitched whine. Scared the shit out of me the first time I heard it.

Also, they take a while to warm up to operating temperatures. There have been times where I've had to wait up to 10 min for him before it got warmed up and wouldn't stall out when you revved it.
 
#18 ·
i would suggest him to tune the throttle a little bit if things take that long.
 
#20 ·
I had a friend telling me that it wouldn't have the power for the interstates in TX (speed limit of 70mph) but I have read otherwise. I think he is trying to get me to get something b***** (he said at least a 500, but a 600 would be better). But what I have read is that it does have the power, just in a forgiving manner, am I correct?
 
#22 ·
rolled with a Ducati 748, my 600 and a 250 yesterday. he kept up jsut fine- now we only cruised between 80-90 though.

not sure about passing abilities- cause once or twice went to move around some people and he feel back- but he had a busted ankle and knee- soooo that might have played a part- pretty sure the bike would have handled it just fine being down shifted and ridden more agressively.
 
#23 ·
Yeah, I have been getting more and more tempted to throw an exhaust on there and gear it up one tooth on the front sprocket. The longer gearing would be nice for riding around, and the 7% reduction in thrust due to the gearing change should be more than offset by the ~10%+ increase in torque across the powerband. Even without the exhaust upgrade, I hear nothing but good about going up a tooth, and the upgrade would only increase that pleasure. Hell, I might even consider dropping a tooth or two outback to increase gear length while not really losing any thrust.
 
#24 ·
Binx: In order of need on an '08+...how would you rank? Mainly street riding, but a track day/ ARC every month thru the remainder of this season and probably into next (going to hold of on the next bike purchase until my 30th birthday in Oct). I'm 5'11, 160-65 ish. Rolling on stock IRC Roadwinner tires in stock sizes at the moment (which is my biggest mental block on this bike so far...ESPECIALLY after my first closed-course event).

A) Suspension-front springs
B) Suspension- rear spring upgrade (ZX-6/GSX-R6/CBR6/R6)
C) Tire upgrade

Can't do anything about rearsets in the ranking as those are already waiting to go on the bike.

Thanks in advance.

-Christian
 
#25 ·
i would suggest shopping around for either stiffer front springs, or possibly forks from a 600ss. rear shock/spring upgrade would be great too. just replace tires as needed, but shop around those stock tires suck, but now that the 250 has been out for a while there might be a market for stickier compound tires.

if i wasnt looking to buy a ZX14 right now, i would be doing those upgrades.
 
#26 ·
i don't think there is much for the 250. the best I found in the 100/120 front/rear were Bridgestone Battlaxes. not much else, I think.
 
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