Colored Chains and Slip on vs full questions from a Noob.

[Mr.E]

Hey everyone.
So I'm just getting an idea of all that I'll be doing to make my bike super sexy when I get it. I have some questions thanks to being a n00b.

1) I'm split on a Fully exhaust vs a slip on. My main reason is for the sound (because I believe it's a safety feature in a way.) but also for looks. Power hasnt really occured to me until lately, but it seems the full is only 2 or 3 more horsepower then the slip on. Which would be better?

Also, since I've never been on a bike before, should I wait before getting an exhaust due to handling?? Could the extra HP really affect my bike that much? (Because I wanted an exhaust to be one of the first mods I put on the bike.)

Now, for the 2nd question.

I've been thinking and getting ideas off many different posts and never seen much about a colored chain. I want to get a red chain, but I dont know which for what and the specs. In english, I dont know which chain to get because there seems to be a few different kinds. The kind I had my eye on said it was for bikes 600 to 1000 mostly. Are there any for 250s? Click here to view a page that has color chains on it. I was looking at the EK till I read they were for bigger bikes. Also, there seems to be 3 different kinds (look at the numbers). So... yeah. Am I SOL when it comes to a colored chain?

Thanks and sorry for the long post. x-)

[CZroe]

You need a 520 sized O-ring chain. X-ring, W-ring, etc may be overkill but they are fine. Just make sure you do NOT get a chain without rings.

The number of links is 106 so buy a chain with 106 or more links. D2Moto.com seems to be the cheapest place after the WS40 40% off coupon, but the blue paint is flaking off (no-name brand chain). I'm pretty sure that they are the same as forwardpowersports, who sells by the link. EK is the only major brand I know of with multiple colors available. They do have straight O-ring chains that are more appropriate for the 250, but there's nothing wrong with using a better one. It's just more expensive.

[Mr.E]

^^ You just spoke a different language to me. Lol. O-rings are a type of chain? and if the chain is 120 links thats obviously too big. Is there a way to remove links? Thanks I appreciate the reply lol. I was almost scared no one would know about the chains because it's rarely spoken of. I see what you mean about the 520 though. EK has 520 but 120 links.

[CZroe]

Yes. 520 is the size of the chain links that fit on our sprockets. 106 is the number of chain links our bike takes with the standard sprockets. O-ring is a type of chain where the links do not touch each other. Each overlapping plate is separated from the links it is attached to by tiny little rubber O-rings. The O-rings seal lubricant inside and keep dirt and other contaminants away from the connecting pins. It adds weight but increases chain life dramatically. The price difference is also dramatic. You can get a 520 chain at Cycle Gear for $30 but it won't be an O-ring chain (cheapest is closer to $100). I've only found the cheapest of cheap no-name brand chains online for under $40, like the ones i pointed to on D2moto.com. You can have the installer remove links so that a longer chain will fit. They will use a chain-breaker tool. I don't know whether to blame the cheap chain or the installer, but my last cheap chain from D2moto had a problem and an O-ring ripped right out of the master link.

Not all O-rings are perfectly round. Some try to improve lubrication by minimizing how much rubber touches the plates it seperates. They do this by making the side not so round but forming a "lip" or two to trap lubrication under the ring itself. These are X-rings, W-rings, and the like. They are still O-rings, they are just better so they get a special name. That said, they are probably overkill for our bikes.

[greatwhiteninja]

As for exhausts.. slip on is basically a sound adder with slighlty better acceleration. Full exhaust makes a noticeable power / acceleration difference on these bikes imo .. but with full exhaust your gonna have to rejet also so..

[Mr.E]

@Jet, thanks for explaining. That really helped a lot. I believe you get what you pay for, so I'll most likely go with the ones near 100 when the time comes.

@Ed, does it make a noticable difference that a noob should wait to put it on? I was planning on shimming or rejetting when I get the bike eventually too. Thanks x-)

[greatwhiteninja]

i mean its probably best to ride it for a little bit stock just to get the feel of it, then change out the exhaust and all. i mean its not like putting a exhaust on is like going from driving a honda to a corvette but..lol!

[dubojr1]

Another sprocket and chain option for a great price...

http://www.sprocketcenter.com/p/9842...nja-88-10.html

Comes recommended by another one of our memebers... (want1sobad)

[2011Ninja250R]

A good re-jet makes the bike run better from the start. All I have is a slip-on and re-jet. It smoothed out the idle and throttle response. And it sounds mean as heck too.

[gfloyd2002]

Originally Posted by Mr.E

Hey everyone.
1) I'm split on a Fully exhaust vs a slip on. My main reason is for the sound (because I believe it's a safety feature in a way.) but also for looks. Power hasnt really occured to me until lately, but it seems the full is only 2 or 3 more horsepower then the slip on. Which would be better? Also, since I've never been on a bike before, should I wait before getting an exhaust due to handling?? Could the extra HP really affect my bike that much? (Because I wanted an exhaust to be one of the first mods I put on the bike.)

Now, for the 2nd question.I've been thinking and getting ideas off many different posts and never seen much about a colored chain. I want to get a red chain, but I dont know which for what and the specs. In english, I dont know which chain to get because there seems to be a few different kinds. The kind I had my eye on said it was for bikes 600 to 1000 mostly. Are there any for 250s? Click here to view a page that has color chains on it. I was looking at the EK till I read they were for bigger bikes. Also, there seems to be 3 different kinds (look at the numbers). So... yeah. Am I SOL when it comes to a colored chain?

1) A slip on exhaust is not a good way to spend money. They offer almost no performance improvement, but will still require you to adjust your carburetion. The cost per performance improvement ratio is about as bad as it gets for an upgrade. They really aren't any easier to put on than a full exhaust, either. The full exhaust is just a couple of bolts further up the system, and since you have to adjust carbs either way, no real sense in getting the slip on. Of course, you could say something similar for a full system. The cost really isn't supported by a large return in increased performance. And if you are doing it for cosmetic reasons, there are cheaper upgrades with better cosmetic returns. Honestly, the smartest thing (especially if money is tight enough that you are concerned about the extra money for a full system) is to leave the bike stock. And in both the slip on and the full system, you are risking screwing up a very well designed system. Many who change to aftermarket exhaust have to tinker with their fuel mixture, their jetting, etc. for quite some time to get the bike running well again. I had my carbs completely out of my bike twice before I got it right. If this sounds fun to you, great. But if that freaks you out a bit, it is a good indicator that an change isn't for you or you may want to have it professionally done.

If you do upgrade your exhaust, I recommend considering an Area P full system. The system is specifically engineered for the 250r, by a company with an excellent testing program and outstanding customer service. I bought a full system from Area P after a ton of research. Despite lack of financial sense of any exhaust upgrade, I wanted a project to work on with my Dad, and enjoyed the challenge of making my bike the best I could. I also had the money. And, I do notice a positive performance change. It is not big, but it is there. And, during the process of upgrade, there were a few times that I regretted it. Now, I'm happy with my decision, and really do like the sound and looks. But it was, and remains, a close call on whether this is a good idea.

2) 520 O-Ring chain. I've attached a picture of an O-Ring Chain below. The O-Rings are the little black gaskets you see.

[Mr.E]

Hey guys, thanks for all the feed back and sorry its taken me so long to reply. I nearly forgot about this thread. Money wise, nothing really is an issue for me there. I've already listed all the mods I want and how much the total will be (which is a lot, but do-able) lol.

I'm still slightly bent on the exhaust. But I'm leaning for full now. The power wasn't a biggie at first, but I'm sure eventually it will be nice. I do have a question though, for somone who has never worked with michanical stuff, not even cars or anything, should I take my bike to the shop to get the exhaust placed on for me and to get it rejetted? Or is it simple enough that if I fallow instructions I may be able to do a decent job?

As I was reading I saw you said the full was just as easy as the slip on, just a few bolts up higher. I'm sure I could manage that. But should I take the bike to a shop to get it rejetted and fixed up? I'm kind of scared id mess that up. It seems a little difficult and would be even more for someone who is mechanically impared x-( lol

Thanks. Floyd that helped a lot. One of the reasons I'm leaning more towards full.

[YORCHI]

You can do what I used to do...make friends that know how to work on bikes and have done similar mods in your local area...buy them drinks and food for helping, invite other friends to watch or help, and then go to their house and spend a day working on your bike. Do the work yourself with their close supervision.

I did every mod myself to my Mustang except for the headers, suspension, and rear end because I didn't have the tools. Everything else was installed just like I told you...that's the great thing about being in a club, you help each other out and learn along the way.

[gfloyd2002]

Before I bought my ninjette last fall, I hadn't worked on my bikes. Always just took them in to have them services. Now I have to do my own work because I don't have a local bike shop. So I did my exhaust pretty much by myself (with my dad who was visiting), did my own carb rejetting, etc. I did it, and it turned out to be a great experience. I now know more about my motorcycle, and would be comfortable fixing its carbs and have pulled out many of its parts. Really was helpful for me to learn about the bike, especially because I need to do my own repair and maintenance. I used the DIYs here that kkim put up, set aside a weekend and just did it. Bike now runs and sounds great, and I know a ton more about how to work on my bike and am proud of it.

Exhaust was easy, but carbs were a trial by fire experience. Jumping into the deep end to learn to swim. Some "holy sh*t, what have I done" moments. Not really recommended, even though it worked out. While I was doing it, I regretted it almost immediately. I swore more than ever have. I couldn't get the bike started when I thought I was finished. It ran worse than before, and I thought I screwed it up, until I started tinkering with the fuel mixture screws and got it sorted. It was stressful, as many growth experiences are. Unless you consider yourself mechanically inclined, or have experience working on the bike, or unless you do this with the purpose of learning about your bike and knowing that it will be a learning process where you will make mistakes, don't do the rejetting yourself.

Easiest thing is to take it somewhere. Benefit of doing that also is that a shop will have a dyno with a sensor that can tell you whether you've got the carbs dialed in. There is precision there about your settings that will ease your mind, where I had to go by feel on the bike to decide if I was rich or lean. (Which itself was a useful exercise, but took much more guesswork.)

[Mr.E]

Originally Posted by gfloyd2002

Unless you consider yourself mechanically inclined, or have experience working on the bike, or unless you do this with the purpose of learning about your bike and knowing that it will be a learning process where you will make mistakes, don't do the rejetting yourself.

Easiest thing is to take it somewhere.

I think thats what I'll exactly do lol. So does that mean I should have them install the exhaust too? Im sure a short 2 mile trip to the shop (assuming the dealership will do jetting) wouldnt hurt the bike if the exhaust is installed before hand..right? lol

[rusninja]

I wish they made a akrapovic full exhaust for the 250s :[

[polokid699]

my new chain and sprocket installed yesterday

[csmith12]

Nice! Post a pic of the entire bike?

[Old Lemon]

did u get that chain from the link posted above? i just bought a green one from there and a green sprocket from pmpsprockets. I hope thats what mine looks like

[polokid699]

Originally Posted by Old Lemon

did u get that chain from the link posted above? i just bought a green one from there and a green sprocket from pmpsprockets. I hope thats what mine looks like

the chain came from D2Moto
http://www.d2moto.com/?gclid=CMOVtPb-07UCFVSVMgodDgsAAQ

[polokid699]

Originally Posted by Old Lemon

did u get that chain from the link posted above? i just bought a green one from there and a green sprocket from pmpsprockets. I hope thats what mine looks like

the chain is from D2Moto

[Old Lemon]

oh ive heard bad things about their chains, hope it works out for you good luck

[CZroe]

Originally Posted by Old Lemon

oh ive heard bad things about their chains, hope it works out for you good luck

If you are referring to my experiences that I shared, understand that I was guessing and still never determined the cause of my problems. I had those same problems with other cheap chains too, there have been some incidents which may be relevant, and the "professional" installation I received was also suspect. Also, the chains have definitely been updated since then and they seem proud enough to actually seek out criticism and address it. They even sent me 3 free chains to review, but I haven't put any on my bikes yet and the one I put on Chris' bike was totaled with the bike less than 12 hours later when he was hit by a car.

I will be giving my impression of their updated chains soon enough.

[Old Lemon]

Well your experiences as well as others

[alex.s]

Originally Posted by CZroe

If you are referring to my experiences that I shared, understand that I was guessing and still never determined the cause of my problems. I had those same problems with other cheap chains too, there have been some incidents which may be relevant, and the "professional" installation I received was also suspect. Also, the chains have definitely been updated since then and they seem proud enough to actually seek out criticism and address it. They even sent me 3 free chains to review, but I haven't put any on my bikes yet and the one I put on Chris' bike was totaled with the bike less than 12 hours later when he was hit by a car.

I will be giving my impression of their updated chains soon enough.

hey jet, i'd be happy to review a chain for you! just ship it to my house :P

[CZroe]

Originally Posted by alex.s

hey jet, i'd be happy to review a chain for you! just ship it to my house :P

Hey, if I knew you needed it and knew you wouldn't mind a gaudy blue color on your race bike, I would have. As it is, I kinda need the remaining two.

And no, my impressions will be more like a "the dos and don'ts of replacement chains" with a facts-only evaluation of the Volar chains. No special treatment in exchange for free chains, but I should at least acknowledge what was just speculation in the past while I let the weekly measurements and mileages speak for themselves.