I just realized I have a blog here, so I will be transferring a few posts from another site and just blog here.

I finally found "MY" ninja... I have been looking for just over a month and was starting to think I would have to end up buying a new one. In fact I even contacted Central Texas Power Sports 2 days ago and offered $4500 OTD, they refused the price stating it would be $5200 or else they would be losing money... (laughable)

So after calling on a number of craigslist postings, scouring the local papers and websites I came across a 2009 Kawasaki Ninja 250, Candy Thunder Blue w/3100 miles at Dream Machines of Austin for $2995. So Rude (husband) and I venture down to Austin to take a look.

The color actually looks alot nicer in person-in fact it is really cool. I notice a small scratch on the right side fairing and the bottom of the right side turn signal has some minor scratches. To me it appears as if the bike was dropped...

Washed and Gased up for the first time this season.

I been having the same problem for the last two years with my 250 '08, the front caliper freezes up when is cold. I have rebuilt this brake once due to my dealer telling me that it was water freezing up inside the brake line. And to put new seals and to put new fluid and to bleed the lines. I did this and still has the same problem. The more that you apply pressure to the lever the more difficult it becomes to rotate the wheel. I usually have to blow hot air with a blow dryer to get it going. I have not been able to find an aftermarket replacement or an upgrade for this caliper. Help.

A very good article from 2008, linked here: Motorcyclist Online.

1. Assume you're invisible
Because to a lot of drivers, you are. Never make a move based on the assumption that another driver sees you, even if you've just made eye contact. Bikes don't always register in the four-wheel mind.

2. Be considerate
The consequences of strafing the jerk du jour or cutting him off start out bad and get worse. Pretend it was your grandma and think again.

3. Dress for the crash, not the pool or the prom
Sure, Joaquin's Fish Tacos is a 5-minute trip, but nobody plans to eat pavement. Modern mesh gear means 100-degree heat is no excuse for a T-shirt and board shorts.

4. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst
Assume that car across the intersection will turn across your bow when the light goes green, with or without a turn signal.

5. Leave your ego at home
The only people who really care...

In a 2003 study, a group of public health researchers from Auckland and Sydney Universities investigated whether the risk of motorcycle crash related injuries is associated with how conspicuous the rider's gear was. It reviewed approximately 500 riders involved in crashes, compared with a control group of about 1250. (I should check this - too lazy atm.) The study found that:

•Crash related injuries occurred mainly in urban zones with 50 km/h speed limit (66%), during the day (63%), and in fine weather (72%).
•Drivers wearing any reflective or fluorescent clothing had a 37% lower risk than other drivers.
•Compared with wearing a black helmet, use of a white helmet was associated with a 24% lower risk.
•Light coloured helmet versus dark coloured helmet was associated with a 19% lower risk.
•Three quarters of motorcycle riders had their headlight turned on during the day, and this was associated with a 27% lower...

In my ongoing attempt to keep thinking about safety and make sure we use facts to back up our discussions, I've been trying to post on the main motorcycle safety studies every month or so. In The Cause and Effect of Motorcycle Accidents thread, I listed the conclusion of the Hurt Report following the USC study of accidents in the LA area in the early 80's. In Cause and Effect (Part II) thread I discussed the conclusions of the 2007 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study on fatal two-vehicle motorcycle accidents. This thread will discuss the concusions of the 2004 MAIDS (Motorcycle Accident In-Depth Study) study of European motorcycle accidents. Keeping in mind that the study methods have come under some scrutiny, and that cultural differences may not make the findings completely applicable here, in context of the other two major studies, there are still some good takeaways. The study reconstructed 921 motorcycle accidents during 1999 and 2000 in France, Germany, Italy,...

In the The Cause and Effect of Motorcycle Accidents thread, I listed the Hurt Report conclusions. Dated, but still useful information about motorcycle safety. This post will list the conclusions of the 2007 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study on fatal two-vehicle motorcycle accidents. The report doesn't contain much analysis other than reporting the statistics, but the theme is pretty clearly that motocyclists are culpable for the majority of fatal motorcycle accidents.

• In only 30 percent of two-vehicle accidents resulting in motorcylist fatality did the car driver receive a violation for contributing to the accident.
• Alcohol involvement among motorcycle operators killed was almost 2.5 times the alcohol involvement of the passenger vehicle drivers involved in these crashes. Of the alcohol involved (BAC .01+) motorcycle operators killed in these crashes 69 percent had BACs of .08+, which is above the illegal limit in all States.
•...

The following comes from a detailed University of Southern California study of motorcycle accidents in the LA area. It is very instructive about how we can ride to stay safe. In short -- get miles under your belt, take a safety course, wear protective clothing always, don't drink and drive, and when all else fails, keep your insurance up to date.

Key findings:

1. Approximately three-fourths of these motorcycle accidents involved collision with another vehicle, which was most usually a passenger automobile.

2. Approximately one-fourth of these motorcycle accidents were single vehicle accidents involving the motorcycle colliding with the roadway or some fixed object in the environment.

3. Vehicle failure accounted for less than 3% of these motorcycle accidents, and most of those were single vehicle accidents where control was lost due to a puncture flat.

4. In the single vehicle accidents, motorcycle rider error was...

How fast can you take that corner? How quick can you stop? It depends on the road surface, and one riding skill to develop is the ability to judge the road surface as we approach a corner or come through an intersection where we may need to stop quickly. Following are some measurements of coefficients of friction for various surfaces to guide our thoughts. These first friction coefficient estimates are motorcycle-specific from the Master Strategy Group:

Concrete 0.55-1.2
Concrete (wet) 0.44-0.9
Asphalt 0.5-0.9
Asphalt (wet) 0.4-0.7
Gravel 0.4-0.8
Ice 0.1-0.25
Snow 0.1-0.55

Here is another estimate, taken from an engineering text on rubber/asphalt and rubber/concrete coefficients:

Asphalt 0.5 - 0.8
Asphalt (wet) 0.25 - 0.75
Concrete 0.6 - 0.85
Concrete (wet) 0.45 - 0.75
...

Following are the results of my research on whether WD40 is harmful to chains: WD40 consists of 50% Stoddard Solvent (which is just desulferized kerosine with a lower flash point), 25% propellant, 15+% Mineral oil (light lubricating oil) 10-% Inert ingredients. My research on the difference between Stoddard Solvent and kerosene show no difference in their effect on rubber or silicone, and their behavior as a solvent appears to be the same as it would apply to o-rings. This makes sense since they are basically the same thing. It appears that any worries about WD-40 would apply equally to kerosene, which most manufacturers recommend to clean their chains. On a good chain, solvent (wether it is kerosine or WD40) should not get past the O rings, because the O rings do what they are supposed to do, seal the inside of the chain. If WD40 should for some reason get past an ring, kerosine or diesel should just as well. And basically this means the ring is shot and the life of the chain is...