FS - 09 Ninja 250R, Area P, Givi racks, tons more - DFW TX, $4,000

[The Blue Rider]

BIG LIST OF MODS BELOW - I know it's a lot to read, but I've done a lot to the bike. I posted this ad over on Two Wheeled Texans also, and I know most Ninjette regulars will know what the mods do, but I left the explanations in. So, please bear with the wall of text.

--

I'm selling my 2009 Ninja 250R with about 3,000 miles, and lots of modifications - see list below. Clear Title. North TX near DFW airport. $4,000, or $4,500 with a full Givi luggage set (V46 and two V35s). PM me or e-mail tdaniels at gmail dot com. I can't ship; local sale only, usual rules apply - cash in my hand to test ride, bring gear, etc.









This is not an ordinary 2nd-gen Ninja 250; I did a lot of upgrading, thinking I'd own her for another five years, but suddenly felt it was time to move on, and I'm hoping somebody has a good home for her. I added power, comfort, and quality everywhere possible, to make it good for travel over longer distances. The engine is opened up, the new suspension is quality, and there's plenty of carry space available. I think it would be ideal for somebody's new rider/wife and/or girlfriend to come along on trips, or just anybody who wants an efficient, capable commuter. If nobody is interested as-is, I'll part out all the mods and sell the core machine elsewhere as a racer/track bike... But I'd rather not have to.

This was my first bike, and I'm the 2nd owner. Bike has been down three times: a slow-speed piloting mishap involving a curb on my 3rd-ever ride after taking the BRC, one slow face-plant style lowside (gravel in the middle of a back-street turn), and one sleepy 0-mph laydown on soft soil last year (kickstand sank and bike laid over with me still on it). The minor damages from the first two incidents were all on the right side and have been repaired, except for some rash spots which have been sanded and painted over; the repaint shows up as dull spots, but aren't really visible from a distance:



The brake rotors, exhaust, luggage rack, and suspension were all added after the mishaps, so they're clean. The 1st owner was a nice lady who was coming back into riding after racing during childhood; she didn't own it for too long, so it was in great shape when I got it, and other than the mishaps I've kept it that way. I've mainly done day trips ranging from 50-400+ miles, with the occasional commute thrown in. Bike has been garage kept for the last year and a half, so no spiders. If you want, do a search here on Ninjette.org for my user name, I have several DIY threads about some of the mods.

THE BIG LIST O' MODS -

I'm not a fashion guy, so all changes were made for serious reasons. Except for changing the tires, I've installed everything myself. I used the factory service manual, a torque wrench, appropriate tools, and even two different kinds of Loctite... No nonsense:
-------
Engine:

- Area P 18" Carbon Fiber can, "Quiet Core" full exhaust system installed (weight savings and increased flow without excess noise)
- Carburetor has Factory Pro #40 pilot jets and Factory Pro needles (different taper than stock).
- Airbox snorkel removed and Pipercross air filter fitted.
- Kleen air system removed and capped with Slingshot Racing plate.
- Vacuum lines modified with two ports for carb synch. Mods made with Volkswagen 5mm braided fuel hose, it's good stuff and won't decay.
- NGK Iridium Spark plugs.
- Pilot screws and idle are adjusted per manual specs.
--
// Jetting setup was researched carefully - the engine is opened in a balanced way: a bit more intake, a much lighter, higher-flow exhaust system, pilot jets are a little bigger, and the carb needles give a cleaner power curve. Bike barely needs choke to start or warm up, isn't susceptible to the pilots gumming up if it sits for too long, accelerates from a stop much better, delivers power in a more linear way, behaves almost like it has an extra gear, isn't dying of exhaustion at 70+mph, and sounds better too. The "Quiet Core" exhaust isn't annoy-the-neighbors loud, though there is the occasional pop rolling off throttle under load at moderate RPM. Push hard and you might end up a stone's throw from three digits on the gauge. Bottom line, it isn't underpowered, lean, and jerky like the stock setup. Last time I was out with luggage over long distance I got 50mpg too, and I'm not conservative with the throttle.

Suspension:

- Ohlins KA840 shock with external reservoir, adjustable for preload, rebound, compression, and ride height. Spring and collar set up for heavier rider by Dan Kyle. Original spring included.
- Race Tech Gold Valve Emulators in the forks.
- Race Tech .800kg fork springs (200+lb rider).
- Silkolene Pro RSF 10W fork oil, new bushings, and SKF seals recently installed; forks were completely emptied, torn down, thoroughly cleaned, and sliding parts gently polished when the Emulators were installed a few months ago.
- All Balls Racing tapered roller bearings in the steering head.
- Pirelli Sport Demon tires with about 1,500 miles on them, some hairline crazing on the sidewalls (due mainly to not being ridden enough during summertime).
--
// Suspension comfort alone makes me reluctant to sell. All the fork work was done per Race Tech's spec sheets and instructions. Front end dive is gone, since it's now sprung and "valved" for Big Country Breakfast-sized Americans. The Ohlins is amazing; compared to stock the bike feels like it's on a rail made of clouds. Tapered bearings mean smoother steering, it needs a little more bar pressure than stock but there's no slop or klunking from ball bearing wear. Wheels and front end were all carefully aligned during the upgrading, using good measuring tools.

Brakes:

- Galfer wave rotors on both wheels.
- Vesrah VD-250JL sintered pads front and rear, fairly new.
- HEL stainless steel brake lines front and rear.
- Amsoil Series 600 DOT 4 fluid changed early last year.
--
// Brakes work great, period. Squeeze the lever and the bike slows quickly, nice and smooth.

Ergos/comfort:

- Corbin seat.
- Pazzo Racing *folding* adjustable levers (long handles, gold adjusters).
- SW Motech mirror extenders - the model that installs underneath the mirror base, not the one that adds an extra folding segment to the arm.
- Kawasaki ZX-14 footpegs (still padded but not bulky soap bars like stock).
- Techspec Gripster "Snakeskin" pattern tank and knee grip padding.
- Grip Puppies from California Sport Touring (thicker, more padded, comfort for larger hands).
- 2" round blind spot mirrors added.
--
// The seat is comfortable and keeps you planted, almost no vibration through the footpegs or grips, tank is protected and you can grip with your knees good, the mirrors are useable, and the levers are adjustable for anybody or any conditions.

Luggage/Touring:

- Givi HR4 Monokey luggage rack with Givi SBX-401 side racks that take V35 cases, this system is not available inside the USA!
- Bags-Connection "Daypack" tank bag and map holder is INCLUDED.
- Zero Gravity Sport Touring windshield with OEM "Kawasaki" sticker added (I can switch it out with a ZG Double Bubble, also with a Kawasaki sticker - buyer's preference, I have both)
- Motowerk flatfoot on the kickstand.
- Fenda Extenda up front and Puig rear hugger in the back.
--
// This is probably the only Ninja 250 in the U.S. with a factory Givi hard case rack. I was planning multi-state trips when I bought the system, and I had to order it from Thailand. Tank bag is handy for navigating as well as usual snacks, water, etc. Zero Gravity windscreens make a big difference at any speed, both the Double Bubble and Sport Touring do a good job moving airflow off the rider's chest. Radiator and undertail are guarded. Flatfoot was added after my soft-soil tip-over, people carry beer cans or whatever, but I prefer not to have to think about it.

Electrics and lighting:

- Shorai LFX09 Lithium Iron Phosphate battery.
- Rizoma "Zero 11" LED turn signals front and rear (rear signals mounted out on the Givi rack tips, I made plug-in extension segments myself with quality materials - no cutting to the original wires).
- "modmyd250.com" no-cut Diode kit and CF12ANL-01 LED Electronic flasher unit installed, to allow the 4x LED signals.
- "NoCutModulators.com" plug-and-play brake light modulator, and a brighter 2357LL bulb in the brake light itself.
- Osram All-Season H7 headlight bulbs.
- Reflexite V97 and SOLAS tape highlights (white, blue, red, amber, and black) in various places on the bike, especially towards the rear.
- Brighter 5K LED bulbs in gauge, neutral, and signal dash lamps.
--
// The Shorai battery took off at least a couple of pounds of weight. Rizoma LED flashers on all four corners are low-profile and bright. The rear brake light flashes either 3 or 5 times (can't remember) and then goes steady when you press either brake lever, I think this really does make a big difference in traffic. Tape highlights are unobtrusive but visible: front reflectors were replaced with 100mm strips of V97 amber tape, the blue tape under the tail is lit up by headlights from behind, and there's also a bright reflective piece of SOLAS on the front brake caliper which flares in car headlights when parked nose-out at night.

Miscellaneous:

- FIAMM Freeway Blaster Low Tone horn inside the upper left fairing. LOUD - bike sounds like a car.
- OEM sport rear cowling (Givi V35 rack bars lift this up a bit with an adapter on the lock, fit is a little ugly but the alternative was cutting the cowling).
- Shogun rear swingarm spools.
- Shell Rotella-T6 oil w/K&N filter and Honda Type 2 coolant, both changed last year.
- Passenger pegs and peg mounts removed, Area P exhaust hanger on the right side. Ohlins reservoir is strapped to the bottom of the Givi rack, looks junky but I lack the means to fab up a nice holder for it. I made a padded cutout in the back of the undertray for the Ohlins' reservoir hose.
- Various crappy pot metal screws and fasteners have been replaced with quality Metric Stainless stuff during maintenance, for example, intake boot clamp screws, carburetor screws, the front wheel cotter pin replaced with J-clip, others.
- Bike is occasionally cleaned and lightly waxed, Rain-X on the windscreen and mirrors, chain is kept lubricated with Dupont Teflon dry wax spray.

Extras included, it all (mostly) fits in an office printer paper box:

- Service and Operator's manuals included.
- Spare clutch cable in the tank bag.
- Extra K&N oil filter with gaskets for next oil change.
- I'll throw in the remaining parts of the Factory Pro jet kit (I only used the needles and pilots, not the mains).
- A bag full of new replacement fairing pins and rubber fairing screw plugs (those cylindrical things the fairing screws go into, they do decay and break up over time, I've replaced several already)
- I also have two Kawasaki key blanks; there is one key (original owner lost the 2nd one), I bought blanks to have copies made but never got around to it. I know the factory key code also.
- Saddle Cream for the Corbin seat included.
- Registration is good until 2014, Inspection needs to be done though.
- Comes with the bigger take-offs - original windscreen, pillion seat, chain guard, footpegs and left passenger peg mount (I think I got rid of the right side one, can't find it), fasteners, screws, original carburetor internals, etc.
- The touch-up paint I used to cover the scratches is included, it's an R/C car acrylic paint that's an exact match for Candy Thunder Blue.

**I will also throw in a Givi V46 (has SOLAS tape under the red plastics and an occasionally sticky latch), and a pair of essentially new V35s, with the single key/3 lock kit plus all the original keys, for another $500. I'd like to sell the Givis with the bike as a set because I have the lock kit, and my new bike doesn't have any accomodation for Givi cases at all.**

Here's what she looks like with the full Givi setup:



V46 only, configured for commute:



Here's the Bags Connection tank bag:





---

[xSean13]

Good luck selling. You'd probably be best parting it out though (the extras, not the bike), since mods don't add value; so trying to find a person who wants exactly everything you have on the bike at that price is just limiting your customer base.

[SMman]

Great looking bike with lots of nice additions. You will DEFINTELY be much better off taking the mods off the bike and selling everything separately. How do you like the tank bag? I'm in the market for one.

[The Blue Rider]

Obviously it would be more profitable to break all the parts off and sell them, but it would also be a colossal pain in the rear to tear out the luggage rack, electrics, wiring, 3-way adjustable Ohlins shock, and it's not really possible to part out a Race Tech emulator installation either. The whole machine is a unique but coherent package - A practical racy/touring 2nd-gen Ninja 250R with shortcomings removed, plus quality upgrades to important bits, and a lot of extras. Hence, the big list. Like I said in the ad, I really thought I was going to own it for another five years, but had a change of heart. I've since bought a Street Triple and I find that I actually miss the suspension and brake feel on the Ninjette, so that tells you something about what I've done here. I'm confident that somebody out there will see value in this machine beyond just mods and price tags.

The tank bag is very handy. Bags-Connection has since come out with an updated version, using their newer base ring, which is easier to open and has an A4-sized map holder, but I think they sacrificed some interior space to make it.

[SMman]

Congrats on the Street Triple. It always gets great reviews and is a bike I want to try. Did you get the R model? There's 2 leftover 2012 models sitting at a local dealership calling my name but I'm trying to resist the temptation.

I went through the same thing you are doing now when I sold my SV650. I had Givi luggage, Corbin seat, full Yosh exhaust, etc, etc. and nobody wanted to pay extra for the mods. I put the bike back to stock, sold the parts quickly for top dollar, and unloaded the bike in stock trim. I can understand if you don't want to do the work converting it back though.

Thanks for the info on the tank bag. I'll check out the new one. I wanted Givi but they do not list it for the 250.

[alex.s]

aren't those bikes $4000 brand new?

[Trailerboy531]

I really do wish you luck with selling that beautiful bike but when you hit the inevitable "this highly customized bike is hard to sell" point....

I'll trade you forks and $100 so you have stock anddddddd I want your ohlins

[krolinked]

I'm Very interested in your tail mounted Rack. If you want to sell it send me a PM!

[Jiggles]

I am the exact person that would buy this bike

[polokid699]

Nice bike, worth the money for the right person, ignore the haters.

[The Blue Rider]

I'm taking names down in case I have to part her out... Thanks for the interest.

Congrats on the Street Triple. It always gets great reviews and is a bike I want to try. Did you get the R model? There's 2 leftover 2012 models sitting at a local dealership calling my name but I'm trying to resist the temptation.

The Street Triple is a thrill - I adore it - but the suspension and brakes actually feel a little worse than my 250! I'd definitely go for a newer R if you can get past the new-style tank logo and the bug eyes (I couldn't, plus I found an '09 standard for half the price of a new one). The rebound damping on the standards isn't adequate and I'm getting a kind of pogo/wave bouncing issue on certain kinds of bumpy roads. The fix for that is probably going to be new cartridges; you'd be better off getting an R if you have the choice, that way there's at least some mod- and adjust-ability built in.

Originally Posted by alex.s

aren't those bikes $4000 brand new?

Closer to $4,500 out the door with tax, title, license, etc. in this neck of the woods. And on crap OEM tires, without a high-quality suspension, factory hard luggage system, adjustable controls, better windscreen, improved power and braking, or any of the other smaller things done to this one... You could go for a Ninja 300 but you still don't get an Ohlins shock or luggage.

See all the mod and DIY threads for all the crap we like to fix and change on these bikes because they come "factory inadequate" for anybody who isn't a 120lb guy in Thailand. I've done all the hard work already, this thing is ready to go anytime, almost anywhere.

[SMman]

Add my name to the list of people interested in items if you decide to sell some of your aftermarket parts. I'm still interested in the part I sent you a PM about. Cheers

[alex.s]

you should list the service history. the kind of person who would buy an already setup bike would want to know its well taken care of also

[cbinker]

My dealer has 4 used 09/08 on their floor, that hype in 2009 really hurt resale value. good luck on getting what you want, i am betting you will get round $3500

[Jiggles]

If this bike had 7500mi on it I'd buy it

[rc-rick]

Have you sold this yet?

[The Blue Rider]

Originally Posted by rc-rick

Have you sold this yet?

Nope, still available. Just replied to your mail.

[SMman]

Keep us up to date if you plan to sell any parts and good luck with the sale on the bike.

[rc-rick]

For those that are curious, this bike is sold. As long as my plane doesn't crash on the way to Dallas.