In case there are other Do-It-Yourselfers out there that like building things themselves, I have drawn up a set of plans to build a luggage rack for the Ninja 250. They are attached.

Alternatively, they are also available at Google Docs. (https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B4GWAfhZ69xLNjVhNjg1ZDAtZWE0NC00YmY4LTlmZGUtOTYwZGNmM2Y2OWRh&hl=en_US)

The rack is made of welded chromoly steel and bolts to the Ninja frame via the luggage hook brackets. It has a flat deck that measures 9x13" and is big enough for a large pizza or cargo trunk.

Enjoy.

Dennis, this is a great DIY! Very professionaly done. Thanks for sharing.

An interesting build.

Great job D, too bad I dont know how to do any of that :(. This thread should be stickied

Thanks. The build isn't for everybody. You'll need basic welding skills and some common shop tools to complete it. But if you do, it seems to be a sturdy design. I think most people with those skills and equipment can complete it in about a weekend.

One thing I was worried about was accidentally kicking the trunk when I got on and off the bike. When I had stuff tied to the seat with my cargo net, I always seemed to kick it by accident. But with the rack, that hasn't been a problem because its farther back.

You could make some up and sell:thumbup: Be cheaper than the twisted throttle alu-rack.

ps I run that top box on my concours, love it!

pps. can people see your brake light? Looks like the rack could be brought back a few inces closer to the bike.

Looks good. Clean and effective. Too bad the newgens dont have the luggage bolts available. Makes for a much more difficult build.

You could make some up and sell:thumbup: Be cheaper than the twisted throttle alu-rack.

ps I run that top box on my concours, love it!

pps. can people see your brake light? Looks like the rack could be brought back a few inces closer to the bike.

While the materials are fairly cheap, there is a lot of labor in them. So I don't think anyone could sell these very cheap. There is the ventura rack which sells for about $150 I think. Actually, I think they sell the side rails separate from the actual rack, so you have to buy both. I don't think their racks are very long, maybe 6-8".

If you build this one, you can make the rack as long or short as you want. The Ninja tail lights are angled internally so they reflect parallel to the road even though they look like they point up. I didn't have any problem seeing them standing about 6 feet back, but if was being tailgated by a big truck, it might be a problem. I'm thinking about adding some LED lights to the trunk.

I got the trunk at JC Whitney. I think its a fair box, but JCW definitely pulled one over on me. I wanted a box that I could put my helmet in, and the photo on their website shows that it can, but they didn't say that I would be able to close the lid - which I can't. The box is plastic so my next project will be enlarging the box with a heat gun so that my helmet will fit.

hmmm the box I got from JC whitney (large) was able to fit 2 medium helmets or 1 large and then some. MY dad and I also took the red reflective off the JC and put leds in it for turn singals and brake lights. Really nice.

hmmm the box I got from JC whitney (large) was able to fit 2 medium helmets or 1 large and then some. MY dad and I also took the red reflective off the JC and put leds in it for turn singals and brake lights. Really nice.

I got the medium one. I have a large modular and it wont fit. I tried sideways, upside down, no luck. It would probably fit a small. I'm going to make mine fit with a heat gun though.
http://www.jcwhitney.com/jcwhitney/product/images/large/G_20997G_CL_3.jpg

So can you post a pic of your LED modifications?

yup dad and I are going on a ride tomorrow ( if it'll quit raining here) and i'll take some pics after and post em up.

Looks good but your instructions are very... elaborate. I think more detailed pictures or drawings with measurements would be good.

Hey D, here is the link to the youtube (dont know how to imbed it sorry) We just went to autozone and got some led stripes, put them in it and spliced them into all my other lights.

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Thanks for posting that. They look great. I think I'm going to put some in mine too.

I got the trunk at JC Whitney. I think its a fair box, but JCW definitely pulled one over on me. I wanted a box that I could put my helmet in, and the photo on their website shows that it can, but they didn't say that I would be able to close the lid - which I can't. The box is plastic so my next project will be enlarging the box with a heat gun so that my helmet will fit.

I got the same box as shown in your pic off ebay and it fits my helmet sitting upright inside it as long as the visor is closed. My helmet is a large too :confused:

Definitely looks great tho!

Thanks for posting that. They look great. I think I'm going to put some in mine too.

:thumbup: Go for it, I stole the idea from a COG member.

I got the same box as shown in your pic off ebay and it fits my helmet sitting upright inside it as long as the visor is closed. My helmet is a large too :confused:

Definitely looks great tho!

I think the modular mechanism makes it bigger. I can get my 3/4 in there if I lay it sideways, but I don't like the 3/4.

I think the modular mechanism makes it bigger. I can get my 3/4 in there if I lay it sideways, but I don't like the 3/4.

Ahh. I see

Ahh. I see

If you got it off Ebay, do you know if you have the medium one or the large one? The large one has straps inside. I'm not sure if there is a difference in vertical height though.

If you got it off Ebay, do you know if you have the medium one or the large one? The large one has straps inside. I'm not sure if there is a difference in vertical height though.

Both the medium and large are pictured above...I got the medium

So let me know if anyone builds the rack.