Hello all,
Anyone out there interested in the odd ride? I usually go for about 2 or so hours.
Most days are good for me. At least until the kids are out of school in June and then it's evenings only.
Heading out shortly to Guelph with everything but Ninja's. ie. a Ducatti, BMW, and some noisy HD's.
Have a Happy!!!

Regards,
Mike

Hey... I'm in TO, but my ninja is for the track only. :)

do you ever post on gtamotorcycle.com :) they have lots of rides.

I'm in Brantford, but not group riding till she's all broken in :)

GTAM is great for meeting other riders, but some group rides are better than others. Try to stay away from the really large ones... it only takes one person not respecting their limits for a great day to go south quickly! Try going to some of the meet ups first, get to know some people and then ride with them.

i totally know what you mean :) I've only gone on one really big ride, but i showed up with riders that i already knew and trusted who rode around me anyhow... i've heard lots of stories about people though on the big rides! these days i'm going to stick to the people i know. i'm not a crazy rider anyhow, i dont want to feel pressure to keep up... i just like to ride. but having said that, i was on a 125 and there were 2 of us who kept up with all the big bikes :) (so i know i can, i just dont want to have to lol)

i was on a 125 and there were 2 of us who kept up with all the big bikes :) (so i know i can, i just dont want to have to lol)

lol! Problem here is that if one of the "big bikes" does something stupid and attracts the wrong kind of attention, they have a way better chance of getting away! Trust me. One ride I was on, a guy on a litre bike did a wheelie past a speed trap. He and the 3 other guys on litre bikes took off, leaving me on my 250 and a noob on a 600 well behind. Even if I wanted to (and I didn't) I couldn't have kept up with the speeds they were travelling.

omg! that doesnt surprise me lol

you really have to be careful who you ride with! i feel pretty lucky that i found some decent guys the first time i ever went out :)

Thanks all.
I'm not necessarily looking for big groups and long outings.
Sometimes, I just don't want to ride by myself . . .

Heading out tomorrow mid-day. Should be a nice day.

Heading out today @ noon again.
I really should post more in advance. My bad.

dan on the 125 forum was looking for a ride today i think?

Thanks for the heads up.
Which web site is that exactly?
Tomorrow might work and Friday looks open.
Tonight won't work as I've got a Hemi meeting.

dan on the 125 forum was looking for a ride today i think?

the cbr 125 forum... you post there right? i recognized your name

I was just asking because there are several different ones.
I think the only one I ever belonged to was cbr125r.ca.

:) i post there alot... seems to be mostly local guys

With a couple of 250 riders in the area, I thought we'd create a thread to coordinate some rides.

That would be awesome, weather is starting to shape up too.
Anybody have any favorite routes they like to take a trip on?
Winding flat roads?

Cool, i'm in. I know the Gatineau Park is really nice...

Problem with Gatineau Park is a ton of cyclists that think they own the road, lots of really slow cagers and cops galore. But if we hit it up now before the cycling/tourist season starts, it should be perfect! :thumbup:

I'm away this weekend, but next weekend is free. Or we could meet up in the evening some time and just cruise around. Wednesday nights are the best for me.

Nice, Wednesday nights are good for me too. I'm going to a hockey game tonight but next Wednesday perfect.

hey guys, I converted my bike strictly to race this year but If you guys want to have a tech day or something im happy to help out.

hey guys, I converted my bike strictly to race this year but If you guys want to have a tech day or something im happy to help out.

I've really been thinking about shimming my bike. Looks easy enough, but always nice to have a watchful eye around.

How hard is it to do the sprocket modification?

Regarding a get-together, Wednesday night seems to be the general answer so far. How about this Wednesday at 7:30...somewhere in the middle? I'm in Ottawa South, by the airport.

Looks like tomorrow Wed will be raining all day :(

Wednesday is a good night though, maybe next week if it's nice. I found some other 250 riders here, I'll invite them:

http://www.ott-motorcycles.ca/index.php?topic=48988.0

Yea we could meet downtown somewhere. In the meantime if you want to go for a ride hit me up.

I want to ride as much as possible this summer...

Peace

Yes, it is a little wet outside isn't it?

Next week should be very good, someplace downtown would be good. We'll need a place with a parking lot. You have any ideas?

did any of you ride through smiths falls today?

did any of you ride through smiths falls today?

Nope. See a 250 I take it?

yeah I saw a group of 3

Hi Guys,

I just got my 09 ninja 250 a few months ago, and if it ever stops raining, I'd be interested in joining along for a group ride or a meet and greet.

I'm in New Edinburgh just east of the market, so I'm pretty easy going as far as location goes.

I also bought my bike used, and I think the previous owner may have had a little bit of a modification bug, so I have a few tech questions if someone in the group is knowledgeable about general motorcycle stuff. I'm also going to post a few pictures of a few of the items here for comments.

Glad to see there are so many 250 owners in Ottawa!

Cheers,
Owen

id be happy to help out with some tech stuff what do you want to do?
Posted via Mobile Device

I actually just have two concerns about some things I noticed when I was working on the bike the other day.

1. The previous owner seems to have installed a red coloured chain, and when I look at it, it appears as though the chain is too wide for the sprocket. I know the chains and sprockets come in a variety of different widths, so I'm concerned he just bought whatever and tossed it on. I've attached a picture of the chain on the rear sprocket for reference.

2. The previous owner also upgraded the exhaust (a full Yoshimura system, not a slip-on) which is actually pretty nice. I just noticed today during some investigative digging that he also installed a K&N 2508 air filter and I'm guessing he also installed a jet kit since that seems to be the package deal. How do I know that the jetting was done correctly and that the bike isn't running too rich or too lean? I noticed that if I blip the throttle from idle, the revs jump then drop well below idle and slowly increase back to normal idle (around 1500). The bike seems to work quite well overall, and it pulls strong and never stalls, but I just want to be sure everything is legit.

Any help with the above would really be appreciated!

Cheers,
Owen

im not sure about the chain, if you feel uncomfortable with it id recommend replacing it with a stock one. as for the exhaust and jetting, it would not be running if he didn't jet it so he did the jettubg for sure. the rev drop then slowly return to idle is normal! if the bike is running good through the power band with no studders he got the jetting right.
Posted via Mobile Device

Thanks! I'll sleep a little better a night knowing the jetting was probably done to an acceptable level.

As for the chain, I might just replace the whole drivetrain sometime this season. I've been wanting to go to an aluminum rear sprocket and a different gear ration that would drop the highway RPM's down a little, so I'll probably just buy a new front and rear sprocket, and a chain to go along with it.

Thanks for the tips!

Back on topic, I'll be looking to go out for a ride tomorrow (Saturday) and Sunday as well. both days look to be warm, sunny, and rain-free, so I'll be heading out for sure. If anyone wants to do a group ride through Gatineau Park either day, then I'd be in. If there are any takers, let me know.

Cheers,
Owen

So the long term weather forcast for next Wednesday looks good, so let's plan a meeting spot.

It sounds like the general concensus would be downtown. I live in the south and know how to get to places downtown, but I'm not familiar with any good "get-together" spots. Or we could always meet at a Timmy's someplace else. There's one on Bank Street, just after the Riverside bridge. That's probably the most "center" one that I can think of that's an equal distance from Kanata/Orleans/Barhaven/Gat.

Anybody got any place better?

And how does 7:00 sound?

Hi SSR,

That would work for me. Parking in the market can be a bit of a pain, and that location should be just far enough outside of the core to make things easy.

Is anyone else here interested?

I'm also looking for some fun places to ride in the area, so any suggestions would be nice. I keep going up and down the parkway, but it's usually full of cars going 40km/h which makes the twisty parts a lot less fun. Gatineau park is also closed until later this month, but even then I hear it's pretty heavily patrolled, and still pretty busy.

If anyone has a favorite spot or route, maybe we can plan to cover it on Wednesday.

Cheers,
Owen

That would work for me. Parking in the market can be a bit of a pain, and that locations should be just far enough outside of the core to make things easy.

To clarify for anyone else, here's the location: http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=45.391219363169235~-75.67966394126411&lvl=15&dir=0&sty=r&rtp=adr.~pos.45.390567_-75.679893_1263-1265%20Bank%20St%2C%20Ottawa%2C%20ON%20K1S%203Y2_Tim%20Hortons_(613)%20736-9118_e_YN1211x236486955&mode=D&rtop=0~0~0~&form=LMLTCC


I'm also looking for some fun places to ride in the area, so any suggestions would be nice... Gatineau park is also closed until later this month, but even then I hear it's pretty heavily patrolled, and still pretty busy. Heavily patrolled is an understatement. It might not be so bad early, but when I was last there in the summer, there was like a cop on every corner (slight, but not by much exageration). Then there's the cyclists who think they own the rode by cycling 4 wide, and the cars who are gawking about. You'll be lucky if you hit 50kph.

Going out west is pretty good, out towards Lanark county. There's a few nice roads, but you have to ride a bit out to reach them. The most popular would be Calabogie, out by Black Donald Lake. You'll see a ton of bikers out there:
Black Donald Lake (http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=45.23215058746345~-76.87255138075672&lvl=13&dir=0&sty=r&rtp=pos.45.23547563964179_-76.87162010218561_near%207978%20Calabogie%20Rd%2C%20ON%2C%20K0J___a_~pos.45.2499 79752688894_-76.91281883265436_near%201254%20Centennial%20Lake%20Rd%2C%20ON%2C%20K0J___a_&mode=D&rtop=0~0~0~&form=LMLTCC)

Im in too! Sorry for not getting back earlier.

Bank location is good. Merivale could also work.

Haha yea the parkway is always fun.

Thx for organizing SSR. Out west could be cool. Will it be too dark though?

We might not be many first time out but ppl will add to group. Alot of 250s in Ottawa.

Or

We could just do a little loop around Ottawa, going north to Wellington then Parkway then Woodroffe then Fallowfield... Something like that.

I did a little ride to Chelsea (Quebec) a few weeks ago, there are some nice curves there, we could go there and back.

I'd rather follow you guys though if you don't mind since relatively new rider.

Hope it still works, I'll be riding this afternoon anyways.

Yeah, out west, as in Calabogie out west is an afternoon ride.

Just around Ottawa is cool, there's enough nice roads (Colonial By, Queen Elizabeth II, parkways...)


Enjoy the ride. I'm stuck at work.:mad:

hmm... looks like it's just Alex and myself. Anyone else in?

I'll be there from 7:00 to 7:15 at least, so you can look for the red 250 pictured to the left. I've got a white and black helmet, and a white and black Yoshi jacket. I'll be inside having a tea.

Hope to see at least a few people there...

Cheers,
Owen

I went but nobody there

Hopefully nxt wed will work for more ppl.

I suggest other location, parking lot was small.

Maybe Tim H at Innes and Cyrville? A little far for me but right next to highway which is good. Saw a few sportbikes there tonite.

Hi Alex,

Both myself and Jonathan were there from 7:05 to 7:30, so I'm not sure how we missed you! We ended up being the only two, so we did a ride up and down the parkway, and around a few other parts of Ottawa.

Were you there early? Did you get the correct location?

Hopefully next week we can get a better turnout. If the Wednesday thing doesn't work for anyone, then suggest another day and we'll see what we can do. There is another 250 owner in my condo building, so I'll try and figure out who they are and invite them along.

Cheers,
Owen

I went but nobody there

Hopefully nxt wed will work for more ppl.

I suggest other location, parking lot was small.

Maybe Tim H at Innes and Cyrville? A little far for me but right next to highway which is good. Saw a few sportbikes there tonite.

I actually showed up a little early (6:30) and was inside munching on a donut. 7:30 came, we said "let's ride".

I just picked that location as it seemed like the most "center Tim Hortons in Ottawa". Agreed, that parking lot was small. By all means, I'm up for a location change. You pick next weeks location!

Yeah, the Timmy's at Innes and Cyrville is a VERY popular bike get-together. Heh, drive by on a Sunday afternoon. You'll see that whole lot crammed with bikes.

You were there? Tim at Bank and Heron?

Guess I went to wrong location


I actually showed up a little early (6:30) and was inside munching on a donut. 7:30 came, we said "let's ride".

I just picked that location as it seemed like the most "center Tim Hortons in Ottawa". Agreed, that parking lot was small. By all means, I'm up for a location change. You pick next weeks location!

Yeah, the Timmy's at Innes and Cyrville is a VERY popular bike get-together. Heh, drive by on a Sunday afternoon. You'll see that whole lot crammed with bikes.

You were there? Tim at Bank and Heron?



We were at the next one up, Tim's at Bank and Riverside!

Hahaha, it happens to the best of us. I'm cool with meeting somewhere else if you want. Let us know.

We were at the next one up, Tim's at Bank and Riverside!

Hahaha, it happens to the best of us. I'm cool with meeting somewhere else if you want. Let us know.

Ahhhh man... too many tim hortons lol

Sounds good for Bank and Riverside next week. Hopefully will be nice again.

Ahhhh man... too many tim hortons lol


You make that sound like a bad thing! :D

Yep, next week is still good...provided it's not raining :mad:

And just to make sure, if you're heading north on Bank street, you'll pass the Billings Bridge mall, over the bridge and it's right there on your righ.

See you there!

If the weather is clear, I'll be at that Timmy's (Riverside and Bank street) at 7:00. If there's rain, I'm staying home and staying dry.

Same here... If it's dry, I'll be there, but if it's pouring, then I'll be ducking out. Anyone else going to be there?

Cheers,
Owen

Hey,

Sorry I can't tonight. I made plans thinking it was gonna rain. Hopefully next week going to be nice.

I'm out too... it's already raining, and I got soaked riding home from work!

Hopefully next week.

Cheers,
Owen

Can't make this week. Co-worker needed to swap night shifts, so he owes me one. See you guys next week.

You guys are making me jealous! I want a street bike again!

Hi Colin,

Weekends at Calabogie are what make me jealous! Just tape a flashlight to the front of your bike, and tag along. Nobody will notice!

Did you buy a full-on one piece leather suit for that turn 2 course you were telling me about? I'm finding it hard to stomach the $1000 cost for leathers just to give the track a try. Do they rent them there?

Cheers,
Owen

As a side note, I'll be there (Tim's on Bank St. near Riverside) tonight for 7:00pm, but only if a few others confirm. Anyone else here going to show?

Cheers,
Owen

Man I'd love to go, super busy at work though...

I'll see if ppl from other forum want to go.

ll be there!

2 other 250s from ott motorcycles.ca coming as well

Hi Colin,

Weekends at Calabogie are what make me jealous! Just tape a flashlight to the front of your bike, and tag along. Nobody will notice!

Did you buy a full-on one piece leather suit for that turn 2 course you were telling me about? I'm finding it hard to stomach the $1000 cost for leathers just to give the track a try. Do they rent them there?

Cheers,
Owen

Hey Owen,

I acctually bought my leathers used for $100 from a friend of a friend. Leather rentals are available at turn 2. I know my uncle has 2 used sets for sale for $100 i can find out what size if you want.

Colin

Sounds like it's a go then! I'll see you guys there at 7:00.

Colin,

That would be great if you could let me know. I'd have to try them on since I have no idea how to size them, but if it's something that I can get started with for $100, then I'm definitely interested!

Cheers,
Owen

You guys are making me jealous! I want a street bike again!

Don't you have a 600? Bring that!

How'd this evening go? Absolutely great night for a meet and ride. I'll be there next week (I just took this late shift as a favor for a co-worker. He owes me)

It went really well! We had four guys turn out (Alex, myself, and two others from another forum) and we went for a pretty good ride down Riverside to Beechwood, then back up the parkway to Woodroffe. We had three new-gen bikes and one pre-gen in the group.

The highlight of the night was on the parkway where this guy pulled up beside the four of us on an older 1000cc, revved his engine a few times, then proceeded to stall his bike on take-off when the light changed! All four of us sped off without issue. It was a pretty epic fail on his part, and one that he tried to later make up for by blowing by us while cutting in between myself and the car beside me.

It was great to meet everyone, and I'm looking forward to another ride in the coming weeks.

Cheers,
Owen

Don't you have a 600? Bring that!


No 600 unfortunately, racing is hard on the wallet, especially being a student.

@ Owen:

Glad to hear the ride went well! talked to my uncle and he still has 2 sets of leathers size 46 so for someone about 5'8 or taller. And he has a friend that has an assorted number of sizes of used leathers and boots in Ottawa. I can get his friend Phil's contact info for you and he can get you in the right sized suit for a fraction of the cost of buying new. I'm meeting up with them in Montreal for the nationals this weekend, so ill talk to them and get Phil's contact info for Monday at the latest.

Colin

It went really well! We had four guys turn out (Alex, myself, and two others from another forum) and we went for a pretty good ride down Riverside to Beechwood, then back up the parkway to Woodroffe. We had three new-gen bikes and one pre-gen in the group.

The highlight of the night was on the parkway where this guy pulled up beside the four of us on an older 1000cc, revved his engine a few times, then proceeded to stall his bike on take-off when the light changed! All four of us sped off without issue. It was a pretty epic fail on his part, and one that he tried to later make up for by blowing by us while cutting in between myself and the car beside me.

It was great to meet everyone, and I'm looking forward to another ride in the coming weeks.

Cheers,
Owen

Hahaha that's what happened with that guy

That was an awesome little stretch. Didn't know there was curves like that in Ottawa.

We ended up just going back to starting spot... Everybody cool to meet again next week. (if it doesn't rain)

Is your bike fuel injected or carburator? Do you have full exhaust with the fuel mapping? Yoshimura sounds awesome.

Yea I am thinking of doing TURN 2 also at the end of summer.

Hi Alex,

I'm glad you enjoyed the route... it's a favorite of mine!

As for my bike, here's what I've got:

- Yoshimura full exhaust and bracket
- K&N air filter
- Stock air box and snorkel
- Stock Carburetors with Jet Kit (not sure what settings)
- Kleen Air system left in place
- Hotbodies Undertail Kit
- Flush Mount front indicators
- Ballistic LiFePo 4 cell battery
- Driven front cro-mo and rear alloy (15T/43T) sprockets
- EK 520 x-ring chain

I've also got the following on order, and hopefully it'll arrive next week:

- Bridgestone BT-016 tires 110/70F and 150/60R
- EBC Prolite front rotor
- EBC HH pads
- Moth rearsets
- KTC Racing clipons
- SSR Race Gas Cap

If all goes well, I should have most of it on for the next ride. I'm trying to get it as close to a race-ready bike as possible, while still keeping it road legal (sorta).

Cheers,
Owen

You'll also need a back protector for Turn2. I think 613 Motorsports has them in stock.

I wouldn't ride without one! I like my back too much...

got this link in a msg, and hopefuly you guys are getting together next week as i wouldn't mind getting out and meeting some other riders!

Everybody cool with same time same place next week? I'll be there.


AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA at the guy who stalled his bike. Wait for it... Legen-dary fail.

I just got my 250 last week, and have been loving it so far. I live downtown (lisgar/lyon) and would love to go for a rip anytime. Since I'm pretty new to the whole game I'd love to know about good spots to cruise in or around the city.

Cheers.

if wed at tim hortons is still on i'm in!

Hi Guys,

I should be good to go for next Wednesday. Same time same place?

I think that makes 4 so far... anyone else in?

Cheers,
Owen

@ Owen
Awesome, wider tire should look nice! Yea I've been on the fence about turning my 250 in a track bike as well.
Good luck with the install, install yourself? Where did you get the parts?

Next Wed. good! Lets hope it doesn't rain :mad:

Here is the other Ninja 250 thread I started:

http://www.ott-motorcycles.ca/index.php?topic=48988.25

Tos and JakeBoss supposed to come again next week. Nice, Ninja 250 crew getting bigger.

Next Wed. good! Lets hope it doesn't rain :mad:

Here is the other Ninja 250 thread I started:

http://www.ott-motorcycles.ca/index.php?topic=48988.25

Tos and JakeBoss supposed to come again next week. Nice, Ninja 250 crew getting bigger.

hey guys,

I saw Alex post a link to this thread in the ott-motorcycle forum, so i joined!

and hopefully i'll make it to the next meet as well..

Toseef

Welcome! Great to have another 250 rider!

We may have to move locations...that Tim Hortons parking lot is prettys small. :D

Ninja 250 Club of Ottawa Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=134165676603742

Hey, are people planning on meeting up this week? Where and when?

Cheers,

Dave

Cool, hope to see you there Colin and others.

I'll be there, Tim Hortons at BANK and RIVERDALE (next to riverside) Wed. at 7.

Hey, are people planning on meeting up this week? Where and when?

Cheers,

Dave

Nice to meet you Dave, who else coming?

Hi Guys,

I'll be there!

Regards,
Owen

@Alex and everyone else, nice to meet you too!

I'll try and be there for 7 tomorrow. I ride a red 2010 ninja, and wear a shift racing jacket (white, grey, black) and have a black helmet.

Cheers,

Dave

I should be there at 7 as well, see you all then!

I don't think ill be there, still unemployed and streetbikeless

I don't think ill be there, still unemployed and streetbikeless

Bring your cage? At least you could say hi!:car:

Anybody got a preference for a route? I'm familiar with south Ottawa, so my thinking was:

Right onto Riverside then ramp to Bronson North.
Ramp onto Queen Elizabeth Dr, follow that to the end to Lauirer Dr. -> Elgin -> Colonel By to Prince of Wales South to Hunt Club.

At that point we could continue down River Road to Mitch Owens and then back up (long) or we could go east on Hunt Club and hit the 416 and do some ramps.

Or if any one knows the Gat's area well, that would be cool as well.

i'll be there, unfortunately i don't know any good routes so i'll just be following! :D

hey guys just want to appolagize if i cut any one off or anything! first time riding in a group and the wind was killing me!! had a great time, sucks that i had to duck off early but thats the price of these damn m1 rules. good to meet everyone and hope the rest of the ride went great!

thanks for waiting for me guys, i forgot to secure my helmet

good route, the wind was brutal though at times i thought i'm going off the road! any suggestions how to counter that? i followed Owen and hugged the tank but can't do that on the 417 so what do you do for that?

That was a blast. Thanks guys! The wind was crazy heading up towards Manotick. I've never done a group ride before (hell I only started riding 2 weeks ago), so hopefully I didn't do anything super noobish, haha.

Thanks again! Hope to go for another ride soon!

I'm just a beginner, maybe Owen Colin SSR can elaborate but from what I learned, COUNTERSTEERING

If the wind pushes you from left to right, go left so push on left handlebar

If the wind pushes you from right to left, go right so push on right handlebar

nice special edition greennewbie. sorry i think i cut you off also near the end. just felt like ripping it :)

Great ride guys. When I want just a quick rip, I frequently do the Queen Elizabeth -> Colonel By route. Usually always get a pretty decent pace with no stops!

I do apologize at the end when I gunned it past that 18-wheeler and left you guys. I really wanted to hit that ramp!

I've never done a group ride before (hell I only started riding 2 weeks ago), so hopefully I didn't do anything super noobish, haha

I remember my first group ride. You learn really quickly. By your third group ride, you'll be a pro.

Here's just a few general tips I've picked up over the few summers I've been in group rides:

1) Ride staggered
|
....|
|
....|
|

This is mostly to give yourself and others a little bit of extra space. Also, if the rider in front goes down or makes an emergency stop, you have that little extra space.

2) Ride at your pace. It's not too bad since we all drive the same bike, but I remember my first group ride, it was me then a 750 then a Liter bike then a 'Busa. Yeah, I was playing catch-up a lot. You can always catch up at the next light, or if the group gets too far ahead, they'll stop/pull over to the side and wait. If you're driving out of your comfort zone, then you're driving unsafe. That's no good.

3) When going around curves/ramps, move into a single file


Tos: It was windy. When you're upright, your body acts like a giant sale so you want to minimize your body area. Slide your butt back and lean forward just like what Own did. If you're not comfortable doing that on the 416, practice doing it at 50. When you get comfortable at that speed, do it at 80. That, and I know this SOUNDS so cliche, but just get to know your bike. The more you ride it, the more you'll get to know how it handles. After a while you'll just "know" how your bike reacts. Also, you can "lean" into the wind. If the wind is blowing you to the right, lean to your left, like you're leaning into a left bend curve. That'll help.

If anybody knows of a favorite route they like, let's hear it. If you're not comfortable leading, just say-so and someone else will pick it up.

See you guys next week!

had a great time guys, and Alex i dont remember you doing any thing but if you had room to go then do it!!! awesome!

Hi Guys,

It was a great ride indeed! We had a very good showing of people, and everyone did really well in terms of riding in a group. It's not easy keeping 6 riders together for a 50k ride, but we managed to not lose anyone which was great.

As for the crosswind, I find the single biggest thing for me is learning a good tuck position, and being comfortable in it. You'll need to be more aware of your surroundings, but once you get used to it, it's much more comfortable on the highway, and as an added bonus you'll get 30% more out of a tank if you're properly tucked down and going over 100km/h.

The downside is that you're less visible to other motorists, and if you hit a large bump with your chest resting on your tank, it can throw you off a little. Like SSR said... practice at lower speeds until you get used to it, then work your way up.

Steering into the wind should be done very lightly, since you never know when the gust of wind will end. If you steer into it too much (overcompensate), and the wind stops, you don't want to go flying into the other lane or off onto the shoulder. Steer in a little bit, but also position yourself on the road so that you have room to drift to the left and right a little. You don't need to stay straight as an arrow when it's that windy, so let the wind push you a little, and give yourself room for when it does.

Otherwise, the Ninja 250 does have a full fairing, so it really does catch the crosswinds pretty badly. It's also a reasonably light bike, and tos, you look like a pretty light rider which also makes it a little worse.

I'll be out of town all next week. but I'll be looking to ride the week after when I'm back. It was great to meet everyone (and meet some people a second time) and I hope you guys have a good ride next week!

Cheers,
Owen

Not this Saturday (too much rain forecast), but maybe next Saturday you guys up for a group ride during the day, around 2 hours (124 km)? I'm familiar with the south, so I'm thinking a trip down to Kemptville -> Burrit's Rapids and then back to Ottawa. It's an easy ride, speed limit is never faster than 80, not much traffic as the 417 takes most, very scenic as we drive along the river and you'll see a ton of bikes as it's a common route. A few places to stop and walk around a bit. We can also all take turns leading (if you want to) as it's not a challenging road at all.

You guys up for that? If so, I'm thinking maybe we plan for June 11? Leave at 10:00 or so and be back in Ottawa by 12:30ish/1ish or so?

http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=45.39953538691435~-75.68119186162948&lvl=13&dir=0&sty=r&rtp=pos.45.39065602761102_-75.6792554825765_near%20566%20Avenue%20Riverdale%2C%20Ottawa%2C%20ON%2C%20K1S___ a_~v.45.21080762530418_-75.6490828035915_RR-19%20%2F%20River%20Rd~v.45.121197528365954_-75.62009113302434_RR-19%20%2F%20River%20Rd~v.45.05259908366052_-75.64910190572941_CR-19%20%2F%20Rideau%20River%20Rd~pos.45.02976977285868_-75.63686605564406_near%20Major%20Road%2C%20ON%2C%20K0G___a_~pos.44.9811484437743 94_-75.7904264330864_near%20591%20CR-23%2C%20ON%2C%20K0G___a_~pos.45.13164815143655_-75.71606240608706_near%202325%20Roger%20Stevens%20Dr%2C%20Ottawa%2C%20ON%2C%20K0 A___a_~pos.45.33426702477804_-75.70083435092833_near%20W%20Hunt%20Club%20Rd%2C%20Ottawa%2C%20ON%2C%20K2E___a_~ pos.45.368497366820534_-75.70103849883807_near%20Chemin%20Hog's%20Back%2C%20Ottawa%2C%20ON%2C%20K2C___a_ ~pos.45.410502875420924_-75.6820930838582_near%20Colonel%20By%20Dr%2C%20Ottawa%2C%20ON%2C%20K1S___a_~pos. 45.424744960614625_-75.69172160595465_near%20Avenue%20Daly%2C%20Ottawa%2C%20ON%2C%20K1N___a_&mode=D&rtop=0~0~0~&form=LMLTCC

i might be in a golf tournement that day but its up in the air right now, if im not golfing i am definately down! i know the kemptville area as well and think that would be a fun ride!

hey ssr, only 1mm in forecast for this sat so if your up for a tour at all let me know.

Let me know how that date works for everybody. I just threw it out there, so we can for sure change it. We could even do a Sunday afternoon ride (next Sunday, going to the Ottawa Fat Cats ball game this Sunday), say 2:30 - 5? I want to try and make sure we can include everybody.

hey ssr, only 1mm in forecast for this sat so if your up for a tour at all let me know.

I'm busy in the morning at 10:00, but yeah, I'd totally be up for something around 12:30 or so. Little jaunt (or big one) around Ottawa.

FYI, I'm in town until next Friday (June 10th), but then I'm gone for a few weeks, so you probably won't hear from me. Hopefully we can get a ride in before then, otherwise I'll hopefully see all you guys later in the month.

Cheers,

Dave

Thanks for the info guys, I was trying to counter steer but i guess i'll get better at it with riding

Thanks for the info guys, I was trying to counter steer but i guess i'll get better at it with riding

Just get out and ride. You'll pick it up.

Some youtube vids on counter steering

dqcRPv-rOi8


vEiiPn3GMXU

If anyone is looking at doing any mods or needs tires or replacement parts I'd recommend 613 Motorsports. They are a small local company that supply aftermarket accessories for sportbikes. They have experience working on Ninja 250's and own one themselves. You can add them on facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/The613Motorsports or visit their website at http://www.613motorsports.com.

If anybody knows of a favorite route they like, let's hear it. If you're not comfortable leading, just say-so and someone else will pick it up.

See you guys next week!

Hey SSR,

Next week if you guys want we could hit Gatineau Park.

40 km of curves, wide lanes as well so not too extreme. There and back would be about 60 km. Very popular route for motorcycles.

I don't mind leading the way in Gatineau Park as I am familiar. If anybody wants to pass me go ahead.

Easy directions, take Portage Bridge then left after bridge. Continue then turn right in Gatineau Park. Continue 15 km or so then turn left to go to Belvedere Champlain. Stop then come back!

I also know another route with more extreme curves that we could do another week (to Chelsea). However not as nice as Gatineau Park.

Just went today, lots of bicycles but shouldn't be too bad at all weeknight

SSR, As for going Ottawa South sounds cool. A little busy on weekends but will do my best to come.

I'm in the GTA but next time I head up to the capital, I'm bringing the Ninja :thumbup:. I'll be sure to read the ride report. Be safe guys.

Alex, sounds great.

Let's do this. This Wednesday night we'll meet up at the usual spot (Timmy's) and then you can lead for a tour of the Gats. With it being evening I imagine (hope) most of the bicyclists are at home. And everybody should no how to get home from Gat park.

This weekend, we could do the Ottawa South trip (down to Kemptville), and the next group ride we'll do Chelsea (say, plan for a two hour trip?). I know weekends are busy for everybody, but it's really the only day time all of us have. What time works for everybody? My thinking is if we did Saturday morning at 9:00 (10:00?) and have all the group rides around 2 hours, we'd be back in time for lunch.

It would be really cool to have a small (50/60km) group ride around the Ottawa region every Wednesday night led by a different person, then a big (2 hour) group ride once a month or so.

Can anybody here represent Ottawa East and West?

@Boom King. Yeah man! Hope to see you up!

hey guys, i'm down for a ride on saturday for sure! dont think ill make wed though,

Sweet idea for a ride in the Gats. I haven't been up there yet on the bike. Same bat time, same bat channel? (or Tims tomorrow at 7).

Cheers,

Dave

Ride to Gat park sounds good, i went there once with friend on the bike but he was leading and it was awesome! i don't remember the exact location but we went in the park a few kms and took a left which went up about 10kms.. it was end of april and sort of cold and very few bicycles and i think we only saw two bikers there.. may be because it was middle of the week and mid-day.

anyways i look forward to it tomorrow.. see you all there

Ill be up riding at Calabogie with Turn 2 on Thursday and Friday

Ride to Gat park sounds good, i went there once with friend on the bike but he was leading and it was awesome! i don't remember the exact location but we went in the park a few kms and took a left which went up about 10kms.. it was end of april and sort of cold and very few bicycles and i think we only saw two bikers there.. may be because it was middle of the week and mid-day.

anyways i look forward to it tomorrow.. see you all there

Nice, yea that's exactly where I was gonna go.

Ill be up riding at Calabogie with Turn 2 on Thursday and Friday

Nice, doing ARC 1 (or ARC 2) course? Thinking of doing it end of summer.

chances of severe thunderstorm .. strong winds already.. are you guys still going?

Radar shows the storm coming through right now, should be clear by 5:30 - 6:00. I say play it by ear, if at 6:30 it's cleared up, I'm game.

Cheers,

Dave

who's up for getting experience driving in the rain?

If it's stopped raining by 6:45, I'll be there. If not, I'll be kicking back to watch the game.

That being said, I brought my motorcycle to work today, so I could be getting wet in 8 minutes...

Rain experience is always good!

Haha, I'm in the same boat with the bike at work (it was so nice this morning). I think I might stay later and see if I can wait it out.

Good luck on the ride home.

i just drove home on the edge of the storm, and let me say the wind is terrible! changes directions every few seconds!i'll be staying in tonight, working outside in the heat all day im wiped! have fun guys.

so did you guys go to Gat park?

so did you guys go to Gat park?

We did indeed. Small group, just myself, Dave and Jackson (ZZR 250).

Dave knew how to get us there, so we just followed him (by the way, great job leading!). Got there, came to a T-junction and said "let's go straight". Ended up at Champlain look-out (there were like ZERO cars on the road except the slow moving van that braked at every turn right in front of us). Turned around at the lookout then went down to Meech lake, all the way to that private property, where the cul-de-sac is. Then just went straight out and hit highway 5.

Weather was beautiful. Not a single rain drop, temperature was good, no cars (except that van. grrrr) and all the bikers were going the opposite direction.

Excellent ride.

Hey sorry guys, I saw the thunderstorm and rain and didn't think it was going to clear up. Oh well, glad you had fun though. I'll be at the next one.

so is there a plan for saturday morning in place yet?

Apologies for the lateness.

Meet up at the standard meeting place at 10:00. We'll leave at 10:15.

We'll take River road down to Kemptville -> Burrit's Rapids and then back to Ottawa. It's an easy ride, speed limit is never faster than 80, not much traffic as the 417 takes most, very scenic as we drive along the river and you'll see a ton of bikes as it's a common route. A few places to stop and walk around a bit. We can also all take turns leading (if you want to) as it's not a challenging road at all. Round trip should be 2 hours, or about 125 km. We'll have multiple stops along the way (about 2 or 3)

Please fuel up before the trip. Although this is a short trip with gas stations, it's a good habit to get into. As your trip distance increases (for example, out to Calabogie), fueling stations become more rare.

Here's the route.


http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=45.39953538691435~-75.68119186162948&lvl=13&dir=0&sty=r&rtp=pos.45.39065602761102_-75.6792554825765_near%20566%20Avenue%20Riverdale%2C%20Ottawa%2C%20ON%2C%20K1S___ a_~v.45.21080762530418_-75.6490828035915_RR-19%20%2F%20River%20Rd~v.45.121197528365954_-75.62009113302434_RR-19%20%2F%20River%20Rd~v.45.05259908366052_-75.64910190572941_CR-19%20%2F%20Rideau%20River%20Rd~pos.45.02976977285868_-75.63686605564406_near%20Major%20Road%2C%20ON%2C%20K0G___a_~pos.44.9811484437743 94_-75.7904264330864_near%20591%20CR-23%2C%20ON%2C%20K0G___a_~pos.45.13164815143655_-75.71606240608706_near%202325%20Roger%20Stevens%20Dr%2C%20Ottawa%2C%20ON%2C%20K0 A___a_~pos.45.33426702477804_-75.70083435092833_near%20W%20Hunt%20Club%20Rd%2C%20Ottawa%2C%20ON%2C%20K2E___a_~ pos.45.368497366820534_-75.70103849883807_near%20Chemin%20Hog's%20Back%2C%20Ottawa%2C%20ON%2C%20K2C___a_ ~pos.45.410502875420924_-75.6820930838582_near%20Colonel%20By%20Dr%2C%20Ottawa%2C%20ON%2C%20K1S___a_~pos. 45.424744960614625_-75.69172160595465_near%20Avenue%20Daly%2C%20Ottawa%2C%20ON%2C%20K1N___a_&mode=D&rtop=0~0~0~&form=LMLTCC

sounds good!need to pick up my daughter around 1 so should be plenty of time! looking forward to the ride should be fun.

looks like rain tomorrow, but if we left around 9-930 should be ok, rain to start around noon. play it by ear?

less than 1mm in the morning, 2-4mm in the afternoon (which we'll be done before then).

Let's keep it at 10:00, just so we don't confuse anyone with changing times.

who else is coming tomorrow?

Nice, doing ARC 1 (or ARC 2) course? Thinking of doing it end of summer.

I did 2 days both in the CRG 2.2 Which is pretty much a track day with instructors that you can ask for help. Was a blast!!!

good morning to all! so ssr looks like it might just be the two of us? you still in? i'll be there at 10!

good morning to all! so ssr looks like it might just be the two of us? you still in? i'll be there at 10!

Ill be there!

hey guys, that was a blast! was nice to get out on some open road for a change! sorry about my speed issue. after a while 120 just doesn't seem fast enough!

An excellent ride, not a drip of rain, no traffic once we got out of Kemptville and other than missing the turns twice (I blame the lack of street signs), it was almost perfect.

pfffft. And people say the Ninja 250 doesn't have enough power...

We all good for meeting up today, same time same place?

It's gonna be a beautiful night, I'll be there.

can't make it tonight,wife is working so got to stay home with my little one! have fun and i'll see you guys next week!

Hi Guys,

Sounds like I missed a few good rides while I was away on vacation!

I'm not going to be able to make it tonight, as I'll be tied up installing my chain, sprockets, and new tires. I've been waiting for weeks to get them on, and tonight looks like the only day I can get it done.

Enjoy the ride though, and I'll be there for sure next week!

Cheers,
Owen

Hey SSR, see you there!

Just have to clean lube my chain first, already over 500 km, any tips?

Get a rear stand.

Option 1) Put bike up on rear stand and rotate tire to rotate chain. Easy.
Option 2) Push your bike down your street stopping every couple of inches to lube the chain. Hard.

If you're using a wax, make sure to apply it when the chain is hot. Or you can apply it cold if you're not going riding for a while.

Ahhh What are you boys saying for tonight? I might have to end up in Manotick for 7-8ish...thank god for nice weather. :)

Hey Matt, welcome!

Actually guys, think I'm gonna cancel. I got a pretty busy night with stuff I have to do, plus I really really want to watch the game tonight. I just don't see how I can fit a motorcycle ride in.

I'll see you all next week!

Hey Matt, welcome!

Actually guys, think I'm gonna cancel. I got a pretty busy night with stuff I have to do, plus I really really want to watch the game tonight. I just don't see how I can fit a motorcycle ride in.

I'll see you all next week!

Yea same, I'll cancel too

So I took the bike out to Manotick, Farhaven etc... Tons of bikes out, bunch of 250's... little chilly in the open grassy roads....

Hi Guys,

Looks like I picked a good night to miss! Next week I'll be out for sure.

On a side note, I wanted to mention that if you only ever do one modification to your bike, it should be swapping the gear ratio! I installed my front and rear sprockets yesterday, and the ride in on the highway this morning was a DREAM compared to the stock gear ratio. At 80MPH I used to be around 10,000RPM, and now I'm sitting around 8800RPM and the bike is infinitely more happy at the lower RPM. There's less noise, less vibration, and first gear is actually useful now!

I went from the stock 14/45 to a 15/43. I think you can get a front and rear steel sprocket set for about $50, and it's definitely worth the money.

I also wanted to echo Colin's comment about 613 Motorsports. It's a really great little store, and Stephane (the owner) is a remarkably nice guy. They stock a whole bunch of goodies for the 250 because he's currently race prepping one (ask to see it, it's pretty pimped out!). They're also competitive with US pricing, which is something the local dealers definitely DON'T do.

Would anyone be interested in an empty parking lot session for one of the group rides? We could head out towards Kanata where I know a few very large empty lots are. We could setup some pylons and practice cornering or anything else that might be harder to do on the road. Just a thought...

I'll see you guys next week!

Cheers,
Owen

I'm in for that (the parking lot). How long do you think it'll take? Including travel time/set-up time... If it's more than 2 hours plan for a Saturday (morning)

How hard was the sprocket change? I've been thinking about doing that myself and was talking to Colin about it. Any issues?

It should be about 1.5 to 2 hours. It's about a 20 minute ride out on the highway (or parkway if people prefer) and about the same time back. If we planned for 45 minutes to 1hr in the parking lot, then that might work.

I'm not entirely sure if it's a great idea. If most people would rather just ride, we can always just do that.

As for the sprocket swap, it's a bit of a pain in the ass. The bolt that holds the front sprocket on is a serious pain to get off since they use a washer underneath it and then bend the washer over onto the bolt. You need to use a flat head screwdriver and a hammer to flatten it back out, then it takes a lot of force to get the nut off.

The rear is a piece of cake, but you do have to drop your rear wheel out. The chain can stay as is, but you'll have to adjust tension.

It'll take a full evening (at least it did for me) but if you've got a rear-stand and some patience, it should be pretty straightforward.

Cheers,
Owen

Tonight or this weekend anyone?

Ill be riding at Calabogie on Sunday and Monday

Tonight or this weekend anyone?

Hey Matt,

Apologies. Don't know about anybody else, but my weeknights are booked solid. The only time I have is Wednesday night. Saturday's are busy as well, but I can usually always make time for a ride in the morning...I just need a few days advance notice to clear my morning.

hey everyone! im in for wednesday, parking lot or street.
on a side note i just put a new yoshimura can on my bike and i gotta say im loving it..... little loud at first but driving it sounds like a bike now not a scooter!
i like the sound of changing the gear ratio, that could be next!

yep, I'll be there too. Looking back on last week, had I gone riding instead of watching game 7, I wouldn't have missed much...

TJ, I want to hear that exhaust!

If its raining Im not bringing the bike out.

Hi Guys,

With an 80% chance of rain, and the fact that it's already raining, I'm going to say that tonight is a no-go.

Perhaps this weekend on Sunday if it's reasonably nice.

TJ:

Good call on the Yoshi exhaust! Did you go for the slip-on or the full system? I really like the way it sounds, and the few extra HP you get are always welcome when you've only for 26 to start with!

Cheers,
Owen

hey guys, i just got soaked on the ride home, so im thinking im staying in tonight!

owen,
i just got the slip on for now, my wife wouldnt go for the the full system(wasnt too happy about the 400$ as it was) im down for a sunday tour for sure, looks like the only nice day in a while!

Hi Guys,

With an 80% chance of rain, and the fact that it's already raining, I'm going to say that tonight is a no-go.

Perhaps this weekend on Sunday if it's reasonably nice.

TJ:

Good call on the Yoshi exhaust! Did you go for the slip-on or the full system? I really like the way it sounds, and the few extra HP you get are always welcome when you've only for 26 to start with!

Cheers,
Owen

hey guys, i just got soaked on the ride home, so im thinking im staying in tonight!

owen,
i just got the slip on for now, my wife wouldnt go for the the full system(wasnt too happy about the 400$ as it was) im down for a sunday tour for sure, looks like the only nice day in a while!

Guys Im pissed that its raining. I really wanted to hear those exhausts.... :banghead:

Hmmm...maybe next time I should read the thread before I head out!

I've got some friends coming over Sunday, so I won't be able to make that : (

You guys have a great ride though.:thumbup:

If you guys ever take a trip past Carleton Place let me know. I am out here and normally dont have time to ride in to the city.

Hi Gaby,

I've heard there are some great routes around the Calabogie area, so we could certainly plan something that takes us by Carlton Place and then up towards Calabogie. We'd have to set aside at least three hours for a ride like that though, so it might need to be on a weekend.

Would that work for you?

Do you have a favorite area up there for riding? Any suggestions are always welcome!

Have you made it to the Calabogie race track yet? I'm just about to sign up for a Turn 2 course a little later in the summer, but if I was as close as you, I'd probably be there right now!

Cheers,
Owen

so is anyone up for a ride tomorrow? wouldn't mind getting out for a bit seeing as how the last few days sucked!

Hi Guys,

This is probably really late notice, but I think I'm going to do a 1 hour ride from 11:30 to 12:30 on my usual route up and down the east end of the parkway.

If anyone wants to join in, we can meet up at the Bridgehead coffee shop on Beechwood and go from there:

http://maps.google.ca/maps?oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=bridgehead+coffee+beechwood&fb=1&gl=ca&hq=bridgehead+coffee+beechwood&hnear=0x4cce05b25f5113af:0x8a6a51e131dd15ed,Ottawa,+ON&ei=TEUHTt3bGonz0gGTqIX7Cg&sa=X&oi=local_group&ct=image&ved=0CAQQtgM

I'll be there from 11:20 to 11:40, then I'll be heading on my way.

I will also be checking this thread, so let me know if you're coming!

Cheers,
Owen

hey owen,
i would love to go but i live in the west end so no chance i can make it that soon! i'll probably just head out this afternoon for a tour.

Going once going twice... I'm leaving Bridgehead in about 5 minutes.

Cheers,
Owen
Posted via Mobile Device

anyone up for a ride this afternoon? going to eat some lunch and head out for ride shortly.

anyone up for a ride this afternoon? going to eat some lunch and head out for ride shortly.

Sorry guys, went with the Ott-Moto guys for an insane 6hour trek up through calabogie etc. Lets plan something this week!

so are people meeting at tims on bank tomorrow?

Hi TJ,

The forecast for tomorrow looks pretty much perfect, so you can definitely count me in.

Same place same time unless someone needs it to be different I suppose. I'll look into possible routes so we have somewhere to go.

Cheers,
Owen

Ill make sure I am there... What time?

Hi Guys:

Matt - It's usually 7:00pm at the Tim Horton's on Bank near Riverside.

Has anyone ever seen this? It looks like it might be an RCMP training facility, but it would also make a very fun motorcycle track! I get the feeling it's off bounds though... nothing says "You're not welcome here" like barbed wire!

http://maps.google.ca/?ll=45.445921,-75.554309&spn=0.023906,0.055747&t=h&z=15

Cheers,
Owen

I'll be there for sure.

Owen, I'm up for that!

Matt, if you want to plan something, do it up!

Wednesday nights we try to stay around Ottawa, as there are some riders who only have an M1 and it is a work day the next day.

Longer trips, if it's a Saturday I'm there!

I'll be there tomorrow also, hope weather will be nice. haven't gone out in 2 weeks.

Owen that looks like MotoGP circuit lol. if we can we get in without attracting police i'm in!

Still have to clean lube my chain, thanks for the post a while back SSR, yea I have rear stand that will help alot.

Still have to clean lube my chain, thanks for the post a while back SSR, yea I have rear stand that will help alot.

Best $50 you'll ever spend on your bike.

To do a real good job cleaning your chain, you can take the chain off your bike and soak it in some gasoline. Or you can just go and buy some chain cleaner in a spray can. It was like $12 or something like that at GoodTime Center. Just spray it on your chain, wait for it to dry (make sure you have some newspaper underneath, it will drip) and then apply your chain lube.

I am contemplating joining you guys !

I have a nice green 250r and she's ready to go but I only have 200km on the road behind me.

I have taken the course and I think I should be good but I definitely don't wanna hold u up or be too far behind the group.

What's the general skill level in the group?



Would anyone be interested in an empty parking lot session for one of the group rides? We could head out towards Kanata where I know a few very large empty lots are. We could setup some pylons and practice cornering or anything else that might be harder to do on the road. Just a thought...


I am definitely VERY interested. Do you wanna do this this weekend? After all it's a long weekend !! :) wohoo :D :thumbup:

Hi quanttrom,

You should definitely join us for a ride! There are plenty of folks in their first season, and some who just got their M1. We won't be leaving anyone behind.

As for the parking lot session, I think we can leave that up to the group to decide tonight. It's definitely do-able, but I'm not sure if people would rather just do a normal ride.

This weekend I'll be away at a cottage, but I'll be back by Sunday so perhaps we could plan for something Sunday afternoon or morning.

I'm also bent on trying some of the routes near Calabogie, specifically the one between Calabogie and Griffith. According to this site, it's "one of the best in Eastern Ontario".

We would need a full 4 hours to pull something like that off though, so it's kind of a full day affair.

http://www.themcdonalds.net/~themcdo/richard/index.php?title=Motorcycle_Route:_Centennial_Lake_Road

Cheers,
Owen

http://www.themcdonalds.net/~themcdo/richard/index.php?title=Motorcycle_Route:_Centennial_Lake_Road

Cheers,
Owen

Yeah I think that's the route we did on Sunday. In the faster group, so I don't remember too much scenery.

I am contemplating joining you guys !

I have a nice green 250r and she's ready to go but I only have 200km on the road behind me.

I have taken the course and I think I should be good but I definitely don't wanna hold u up or be too far behind the group.

What's the general skill level in the group?


Deff come out! Everybody rides together, I wouldnt worry about it. I have 1600km on the bike over the past two weeks. So im still fresh too. The most important is to look over the signals:

CLick here for signals (http://www.msf-usa.org/downloads/Group_Ride.pdf)

Hope the weather is good for tonight.

Deff come out! Everybody rides together, I wouldnt worry about it. I have 1600km on the bike over the past two weeks. So im still fresh too. The most important is to look over the signals:

CLick here for signals (http://www.msf-usa.org/downloads/Group_Ride.pdf)

Hope the weather is good for tonight.

Thanks for the heads up. This is the first time I see this group riding info :)

I am trying to get my other buddies to join in on the ride as well.

Hi Guys:

Has anyone ever seen this? It looks like it might be an RCMP training facility, but it would also make a very fun motorcycle track! I get the feeling it's off bounds though... nothing says "You're not welcome here" like barbed wire!

http://maps.google.ca/?ll=45.445921,-75.554309&spn=0.023906,0.055747&t=h&z=15

Cheers,
Owen

That looks unreal! let me know if you guys can get into that and ill trailer my race bike down!

That looks unreal! let me know if you guys can get into that and ill trailer my race bike down!

gates and barbed wire are not a big enough deterrent for you ? :)

oops i misread that post, i thought he said theres no barbed wire :(

I've been lurking on this thread for a little while.. I might show up for the ride tonight.

Anyway.. some googling I came up with this about the interesting google map link.. :D

Former DND military base. Currently used by the RCMP Physical Security Branch may be refered to as the RCMP Orleans Complex (TPOF). The large area to the south was testing grounds for military vehicles. From Blvd. St. Joseph are visibly paved hills which were used for tank testing.

The entrance from St Joseph seems open from the street.. :P

I've been lurking on this thread for a little while.. I might show up for the ride tonight.

Anyway.. some googling I came up with this about the interesting google map link.. :D



The entrance from St Joseph seems open from the street.. :P


Join in, I think I got 2 other buddies joining us !

Yeah... I used Google Maps and Bing to try and get a better look, and it looks very well fenced off with the exception of the entrance from St. Joseph which looks open. Still doesn't mean you can just show up and ride there, but I might take my car and give it a closer look one of these days just for kicks.

It kills me that there are places like this in town and I'm not riding on them!

temps:

Welcome! I hope to see you out there tonight.

Regards,
Owen

Welcome temps!

Great to see another 250 rider in Ottawa!

Radar looks clear (sky is certainly not).... See you all tonight:thumbup:

(sky is certainly not).... See you all tonight:thumbup:

http://www.theweathernetwork.com/hourlyfx/caon0512/hourlygraph/1?ref=qlink_st_hourly

looks good to me !

awesome! looks like the group is getting bigger! look forward to tonight.
hey quanttrom,
the first time i went out with these guys i only had about 100km on my bike, but i have learned alot by talking to and watching some experianced drivers. hope to see you there so my green bike doesn't stick out like a sore thumb!

i'll be there too!
Sounds like it's gonna be a pretty good sized crew, looking forward to it

thanks for the ride guys, it was really good except the rain!

Thanks for the ride it was fun for my first group ride :D

(I'm Kevin on the green 2010)

You guys make me so jealous going on all these group rides

You guys make me so jealous going on all these group rides

There were... 11 or 12 bikes... 1 honda, 1 pregen, the rest all 08+.

Yep, there were 11 at the peak, but finished with 9. 08Ninja250, how hard is it to make your bike road worthy?

So, I guess we can say we've outgrown that parking lot! (Honestly, it wasn't very good. Making a left out of that lot was a pain). As agreed, here's where the new spot will be. The Tim Hortons at the corner of Prince of Wales and Meadowlands.http://www.bing.com/maps/explore/#5003/0.5039=id:AddAPlace:T:TIm+Hortons:l:45.3692793307228:L:-75.7025476535368&e=1/5872/style=auto&lat=rjvcmb&lon=8pr95q&alt=54.418255&z=18&h=0.815211&pid=5874

It's a bit more west, and it should be easier for people to get to. If anybody has any objections, or has another spot they'd like to put forward, do so. We'll take a general concensus and try to pick the best spot that fits everybody.


Before we left I did some weaves in between those concrete "ends". Tight. Put down some traffic cones and we could have some fun with a little course. Anybody have any traffic cones?:D

This was the route we did a couple weeks down to Kemptville and back. It was about 3 hours (including the wrong turns)

http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=45.39953538691435~-75.68119186162948&lvl=13&dir=0&sty=r&rtp=pos.45.39065602761102_-75.6792554825765_near%20566%20Avenue%20Riverdale%2C%20Ottawa%2C%20ON%2C%20K1S___ a_~v.45.21080762530418_-75.6490828035915_RR-19%20%2F%20River%20Rd~v.45.121197528365954_-75.62009113302434_RR-19%20%2F%20River%20Rd~v.45.05259908366052_-75.64910190572941_CR-19%20%2F%20Rideau%20River%20Rd~pos.45.02976977285868_-75.63686605564406_near%20Major%20Road%2C%20ON%2C%20K0G___a_~pos.44.9811484437743 94_-75.7904264330864_near%20591%20CR-23%2C%20ON%2C%20K0G___a_~pos.45.13164815143655_-75.71606240608706_near%202325%20Roger%20Stevens%20Dr%2C%20Ottawa%2C%20ON%2C%20K0 A___a_~pos.45.33426702477804_-75.70083435092833_near%20W%20Hunt%20Club%20Rd%2C%20Ottawa%2C%20ON%2C%20K2E___a_~ pos.45.368497366820534_-75.70103849883807_near%20Chemin%20Hog's%20Back%2C%20Ottawa%2C%20ON%2C%20K2C___a_ ~pos.45.410502875420924_-75.6820930838582_near%20Colonel%20By%20Dr%2C%20Ottawa%2C%20ON%2C%20K1S___a_~pos. 45.424744960614625_-75.69172160595465_near%20Avenue%20Daly%2C%20Ottawa%2C%20ON%2C%20K1N___a_&mode=D&rtop=0~0~0~&form=LMLTCC

I managed to loose you after I stopped at a red light and didn't find you after. Oh well :) It was still fun.

I agree with the new proposed meeting spot. There is a lot more space at that location !

Hey guys, sorry I missed the ride. I'm just back in town again, so hopefully I can meet up again next Wednesday.

Have a good weekend!

Dave

it looks like we are going to have some really nice weather tonight. Who is up for another spin?

it looks like we are going to have some really nice weather tonight. Who is up for another spin?

I work the late shift tonight : (

cant do tonight either but maybe tomorrow during the day?

cant do tonight either but maybe tomorrow during the day?

I wanna do a trip to gat park tomorrow. I haven't been there with the bike yet.

I wanna do a trip to gat park tomorrow. I haven't been there with the bike yet.

Just be careful. On the weekends, that park is loaded with slow cars, tons of bikers and A LOT of cops. Best time to go is during the week in the evening.

Just be careful. On the weekends, that park is loaded with slow cars, tons of bikers and A LOT of cops. Best time to go is during the week in the evening.

Yeah I have no intentions of speeding at all. I wanna get a hang of the bike.

hey ssr, good call on a rear stand! made life so much easier cleaning and lubing my chain!:thumbup:

who's interested in going for a spin today?

hey quant what did you have in mind? i might be down for a bit of a spin. let me know what youre thinking.

don't have a route in mind. Just wanna get out of the house for a bit later today :)

what part of town r u in? we could meet at a tims and just go for a random tour. anyone else down?

what time r u thinking cuz im getting stir crazy sitting in the house!

I have a meeting on Monday so I'm doing some work right now. Probably in the afternoon?

sounds good, just give me a heads up when you want to go.

Hey guys,

Had to switch my late shift this week, so I won't be able to make it out. You guys have a good ride!

Don't forget it's at the new location.

who is up for a spin tonight?

http://www.3rdbrakeflasher.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65&products_id=181&zenid=60755a85c010013f91919b2846f61408

is anybody interested in purchasing a break light flasher?

You guys still want to meet tonight???

I'll be at new location, Meadowlands and Prince of Wales 7PM.

Unless it starts raining... But it's cleared up now.

I'm interested if weather permits.

I'll be there if it's not raining.

i'll be there, doesn't seem like its going to rain so lets hope it stays that way!

Can't make it. Wifes at work until 730 so I got to stay home with my little one. Wish I could go its so nice out now!
Posted via Mobile Device

I'm actually going to drop out as well. My gear is all still soaked from the torrential downpour this morning, and I'm not up for riding in soggy gear.

Have a good ride though, and I'll catch you guys this weekend or next week.

Owen

Awesome ride guys, felt good to rip it on the Parkway...

Just came back from a ride in Chelsea with a 750...

Some really nice curves there, I can bring you guys one time

do you mind making a map of it?

do you mind making a map of it?

Basically it's the same ride a few ppl here did a while ago:

Take Promenade de la Gatineau all the way to the end, from Boul. Alexandre Tache.

Turn right on Meech.

BUT instead of continuing to take highway back to Ottawa, TURN RIGHT on Chemin Notch where you will find some more curves. It starts out straight but there is a strech with some tight curves, maybe 2 km.

Turn left at the end, which will bring you to St-Raymond, where you turn right. This will bring you to Champlain Bridge (Ottawa).

u mean like so?

http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=hog's+back+and+Prince+of+Wales+Dr,+Ottawa,+ON,+Canada&daddr=45.422174,-75.68708+to:45.4286128,-75.6959814+to:45.4292917,-75.7018152+to:Boul.+Alexandre+Tache.+to:Promenade+de+la+Gatineau+to:45.4589477,-75.8069582+to:45.411473,-75.762558+to:45.41873,-75.71019+to:Hog's+Back+Rd%2FRegional+Road+51&hl=en&ll=45.499098,-75.825405&spn=0.020545,0.061798&sll=45.374036,-75.694771&sspn=0.041181,0.090895&geocode=FRBEtAId9-N8-yk11IaoawbOTDGEpiHrUpyJEg%3BFV4WtQIdWBt9-ynj7p2PBwXOTDFGOue1-YPScA%3BFYQvtQIdk_h8-ylD0PO1_QTOTDEh7oRwPsouKg%3BFSsytQIdyeF8-ykZaXZ7-gTOTDHh1LJ3V0IWsg%3BFTMYtQIdXkp8-yltWQ_KewTOTDGVEoKZbfs_Xw%3BFS4RtgId4et6-w%3BFQOmtQIdEkd7-yl768QevwLOTDHw6OO4qLpAig%3BFZHstAIdgvR7-ymnaH5H8wPOTDH_WBb74WGtyA%3BFeoItQIdEsF8-ymJyfWvUATOTDFu_tyNdPzKoQ%3BFapEtAIdROR8-w&mra=dme&mrsp=9&sz=14&via=1,2,3,6,7,8&t=h&z=15

That looks like a great route! It's also the perfect length for a Wednesday night outing.

Shall we do that next week?

Cheers,
Owen

looks like a great run! im down for wednesday or even tomorrow morning if anyone is up for it!

Just came back from a ride in Chelsea with a 750...

Some really nice curves there, I can bring you guys one time

I'm taking you up on that offer. This Wednesday?

Hi Guys,

I've got some time on the dyno booked with MD motorcycles here in town, and I'm looking for a favour from one of you.

I want a baseline run done with a completely stock Ninja 250 from 2009-2010, and mine has already been tinkered with, so it doesn't fit the bill.

If you happen to own a 09-10 that is completely stock, and don't mind driving it out to Bank and Hunt Club one evening next week, then I'll pay for your dyno run and we'll both get the results.

I'm then going to run my bike through a few times as it is now, and then again once I pull the airbox/Kleen Air system and re-jet.

If there are any volunteers, let me know and we'll sort out the details. I love to tinker, but the engineer in me also wants to know what I'm getting for all that work! A baseline run on an unmodified bike will let me know exactly how much of a benefit the exhaust and intake modifications have.

Cheers,
Owen

I'm all over that. Bank and Hunt Club eh? Heh, I could walk there. Didn't know there was a dyno there!

Send me a PM with some times that you're available and we'll work something out.

u mean like so?

http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=hog's+back+and+Prince+of+Wales+Dr,+Ottawa,+ON,+Canada&daddr=45.422174,-75.68708+to:45.4286128,-75.6959814+to:45.4292917,-75.7018152+to:Boul.+Alexandre+Tache.+to:Promenade+de+la+Gatineau+to:45.4589477,-75.8069582+to:45.411473,-75.762558+to:45.41873,-75.71019+to:Hog's+Back+Rd%2FRegional+Road+51&hl=en&ll=45.499098,-75.825405&spn=0.020545,0.061798&sll=45.374036,-75.694771&sspn=0.041181,0.090895&geocode=FRBEtAId9-N8-yk11IaoawbOTDGEpiHrUpyJEg%3BFV4WtQIdWBt9-ynj7p2PBwXOTDFGOue1-YPScA%3BFYQvtQIdk_h8-ylD0PO1_QTOTDEh7oRwPsouKg%3BFSsytQIdyeF8-ykZaXZ7-gTOTDHh1LJ3V0IWsg%3BFTMYtQIdXkp8-yltWQ_KewTOTDGVEoKZbfs_Xw%3BFS4RtgId4et6-w%3BFQOmtQIdEkd7-yl768QevwLOTDHw6OO4qLpAig%3BFZHstAIdgvR7-ymnaH5H8wPOTDH_WBb74WGtyA%3BFeoItQIdEsF8-ymJyfWvUATOTDFu_tyNdPzKoQ%3BFapEtAIdROR8-w&mra=dme&mrsp=9&sz=14&via=1,2,3,6,7,8&t=h&z=15

Hey quanttrom, thanks for map :) Didn't know you could post map from Google Maps.

Exactly! I would change it up just a bit:

Stay away from Alexandra bridge crossing to Quebec, bridge metal and extremely slippery on motorcycle. I made that mistake once, scary. Take Portage bridge instead.

I would add a little detour to go to Belvedere Champlain (Destination C), curves are worth it!

So this:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=hog%27s+back+and+Prince+of+Wales+Dr,+Ottawa,+ON,+Canada&daddr=Colonel+By+Dr+to:Boulevard+Alexandre-Tach%C3%A9+to:Promenade+Champlain+to:Promenade+Champlain+to:Chemin+du+Lac+Meech+ to:Chemin+Notch+to:45.464465,-75.820141+to:National+Capital+Commission+Scenic+Driveway+to:hog%27s+back+and+Pri nce+of+Wales+Dr,+Ottawa,+ON,+Canada&geocode=FRBEtAId9-N8-yk11IaoawbOTDGEpiHrUpyJEg%3BFUActQIdTgx9-w%3BFXQWtQIdU0B8-w%3BFTdbtgIdR8F5-w%3BFf4-tgIdolZ6-w%3BFahqtgIdSQ57-w%3BFZ7stQIdlxx7-w%3B%3BFZqLtAIdgal8-w%3BFRBEtAId9-N8-yk11IaoawbOTDGEpiHrUpyJEg&abauth=dd659930:ybcb-nSf2-EEa7ANz67s0U272ls&hl=en&mra=mi&mrsp=7&sz=12&via=1,4,6,8&vps=19&ei=J9oZTpb5EIKGNIuqkI4P&jsv=353b&sll=45.478911,-75.751762&sspn=0.113864,0.338173&num=10

Alex

Sounds good for next Wed!

Sorry guys I think I was going a little fast last Wednesday, leading the group.

I will slow it down this week.

Sorry guys I think I was going a little fast last Wednesday, leading the group.

I will slow it down this week.

Faster than TJ on our trip down to Kemptville? Hahaha.

If it's a big enough group, break up into two groups, "aggressive" and "leisurely".

c'mon i wasn't going that fast!

so is wednesday meeting at prince of whales?

I'm assuming so... how did it go last week? Was it a decent spot to meet?

Cheers,
Owen

Hahaha, I honestly don't remember how fast we were going. I just like teasing you about it :D:D

Yep, the Timmies on Prince of Wales and Meadowlands.

how is it looking for tonight?

The hourly forecasts shows POP of 40% :(

Hello all,

Where do you meet tonight to start the ride? Prince of Whales and Hog's Back? In what parking lot do you assemble? And at what time?

I may join depending at what time I get off work and the weather.

Thanks.
/s

we typically meet on prince of wales and hog's back at the Timmies.

right here:
http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=rjvdxh8prbrp&lvl=19.430674674954044&dir=0.8152098994861733&sty=b&sp=Point.rjvdg38prb9w_Meeting%20Location____&form=LMLTCC

Welcome!

To add to what quanttrom posted, we meet at 7:00, hang around for a bit then typically take off for a little group ride at 7:30 (between an hour and 1 1/2 around Ottawa).

Find the Tim Hortons, and you'll find the bikes! (The Tim Hortons is tucked in at the back), there's a Shell gas station and a Petro Canada on either side.

Hope to see you there (providing the rain holds off)

hoping this rain pisses off cause i really want to go out tonight!

I've got my fingers crossed as well... It was just pouring rain here in Vanier, but it's stopped now and it looks like a blue sky is on the way!

I'll be there if the rain holds off!

Cheers,
Owen

Posted via Mobile Device

If its not raining at 630 ill be there as well! Hope we have a good turn out again!
Posted via Mobile Device

If its not raining at 630 ill be there as well! Hope we have a good turn out again!
Posted via Mobile Device

same see you guys there hopefully!

It's sunny in Gatineau now :)

I'm already at tims and I got to say its a sweet eve for a ride!
Posted via Mobile Device

Well that was an awesome ride! Except for almost eating ditch! Oh and the crazy guy on the blue 250! Ha ha
Posted via Mobile Device

Oh and the crazy guy on the blue 250! Ha ha



*looks around innocently* who? me? I just went out for a friendly little ride in the park! :ride:

Happy you guys liked it!

It's supposed to be sunny all weekend. I'm busy Saturday but if any of you wanna ride Sunday could be nice. Not sure where to go though (forget Gatineau Park on a Sunday).

I'm totally booked Sunday, right from am to pm. Have a great trip though, it's gonna be a perfect day.

well i wont be out on wednesday as i have my "motorcycle saftey coarse" wed, sat, and sun. but at least next week i shouldn't have to worry about waht time it is, or if you guys want to hop on the hwy!

Awesome man, that'll be good times.

Try not to show off too much!

I hear there are bonus points for wheelies during the course. Double bonus points if you can find a sweet jump and get some air! A fallen classmate works best.

Good luck!