So I decided to "winterize" my 07. Here's how:

Replaced rear Pirelli Diablo with Kenda 671
Changed the oil
Lubed chain
Added Mike's winter wings
Got a battery tender setup w/ quick plug
Did Purspeed's zip tie mod (obviously not a necessity..but hey).

Now I am ready to ride for the cold season :thumbup: Already been in windy 23 degree temps and refuse to put her away!

Notes: Was down to about 15% tread life on Diablo.....4300 miles logged commuting on good roads. Will not purchase them again, gotta have more miles than that. We'll see how the Kenda holds up.

Already been in windy 23 degree temps and refuse to put her away!

U is krazy. Too cold to be be riding. :p

how do you like the kenda so far?

I have only had it on since Sunday, but so far so good. I notice a big difference in rpm since the Kenda is a larger tire. I enjoy the lower rpm, especially on the highway.

The zip tie mod and the winter wings made a HUGE improvement! My hands will stay much warmer now with a still pocket of air around the bars. And the single zip tie added to the throttle is how Kawasaki should have done it from the get go!

What are some good tires to get that would be good for some light winter riding and on into the spring?

What are some good tires to get that would be good for some light winter riding and on into the spring?

It really kind of depends on your riding habits. You can check the pregen tire wiki on here for a few ideas. Also check the FAQ on ninja250.org. I can only vouch for the Pirelli Diablos and stockers. Diablos handled great in all weather but life was short. Not expensive either. The Kenda feels better to me because it is taller....and has a wider footprint.

what did you pay for the kenda? was it a ebay find?

I think I paid about 65 for it, with shipping. And I believe it was on Ebay.

I know Motorcycle Superstore has some great deals on tires, too. And free shipping.

Thanks for the heads on the tires, too! I just got my bike back today and I am really looking forward to riding her more.

Rebecca, I highly reccomend the Pirelli Sport Demons. They have good grip and are long lasting. :thumbup:

Sweet! Thanks... i'll look into those. So far, so good. My tires seem to be holding up in the cold weather. My new friend who's got a Ninja 636 road her back to my place yesterday. She did great out there and he said that my bike is the perfect bike for me. He had a good time on her. Now, to fix the front cowling/fairing under the rear view mirror.

I have only had it on since Sunday, but so far so good. I notice a big difference in rpm since the Kenda is a larger tire. I enjoy the lower rpm, especially on the highway.

The zip tie mod and the winter wings made a HUGE improvement! My hands will stay much warmer now with a still pocket of air around the bars. And the single zip tie added to the throttle is how Kawasaki should have done it from the get go!

What is the ziptie mod?

What is a Kenda, some kind of snow tire?

4300 on the Pirelli actually isn't that bad. I've chewed them up with much less miles. I might have been been on a bike that is a bit heavier, with a bit more torque, and I was riding in squid mode.

I'm going to try Michelin Pilot Road 3 tires and see if I can get some good mileage for this winter. Hopefully they will last from Biktoberfest through Bike Week.

What is the ziptie mod?

If you make the throttle tube a little larger in diameter by gluing a zip-tie to it, you can get to WOT with less turning of the throttle. This helps by reducing the double-gripping many riders have to do with the stock throttle.

I did it. It's nice, but it's really not anything massively different.