Introduction With A Few Questions (mostly suspension)

cokatominnesota · July 29th, 2013, 12:31 PM

Hey posted this in the ninja 250 riders club forum...figured I would post it here as well.

Hello all motorcycle rider inter-web exploring people. My name is Colton. I bought a ninja 250 with 3000 miles as my first bike a couple months ago. After the first couple hours of riding I realized that motorcycling was a thrill that I should have found a long time ago!

So I have been working at a pallet factory in my home town for almost 3 years. Around christmas I had bought a ticket to burning man. Which is coming up in a couple weeks. And I have FINALLY decided I will not be returning to Minnesota once I am there. I will continue west and head towards California, to spend about a month in L.A. and then continue to Nor cal and spend the fall there. I want to do this on my ninja.

So I have been doing the best I can to keep up on maintenance. And I know that I have to have my bike running top notch before I leave. I will be bringing my bike to my buddy who is a mechanic to go through things like synching the carbs, valve clearance, and anything else that is over my head.

The main reason I have started this post is because I have a few questions about suspension. I have been reading wiki about upgrading the suspension to the Ex500 suspension, or the new GEN 08-13 ninja suspension. Is it worth the money to put this in before I leave? I have rode the bike fully loaded with gear, and do quite a lot of riding with a passenger, and it does fine but I do feel it could use some extra help. Am I really going to feel the difference with the upgrade? Another question I have is if I do order the new suspension what are the chances it comes with the adjusting tool? Anyways I'm pretty sure I'm just going to order it but feedback would be appreciated.

I have some other questions about my front forks as well. When I bought the bike my front right fork was leaking. I bough new seal and had my buddy install them. I have put on about 3000 miles since and there was a very small amount of oil on the right fork (it could be from bug guts or whatever), and I do plan on replacing them AGAIN before I leave just to make sure. I did some reading on the wiki about the front suspension but most of it seems to be targeted towards people that are racing with them. My conclusion after reading the article was that maybe I should just consider building a spacer, perhaps a 3/4in spacer, since this could be a low cost improvement over stock. Whats really on my mind is should I upgrade my springs or anything else for all the extra weight I'm going to be having on the bike, or should I replace the fork seals leave the rest and just wing it.

Another question that I have been stressed by, is if I should pack a torque wrench. In my home town its easy for me to get ahold of the ones that I need. I don't want to have to pay 100 to a mechanic to change my tire once I get there. And I don't want to pay them to change my oil. Thing is both require 2 different torque wrench. I do have the option of shipping out some tools to L.A. which is probably what I will end up doing. So anyone has any expertise on this area please let me know!

And for my last question for now. I bought the alu-rack from twisted throttle. I have still not ordered a luggage compartment to put on it. I have always envisioned putting a DOUBLE helmet top case on the back. On Amazon they have a top case under the brand name "Bestern" I have also considered JC Whitney (not sure what site I should order that from). Is it a bad idea from me to go double? I have thought maybe I would like the single more, but a double would be worth the extra capacity. SO I guess let me know if you think the double will be to much, if not let me know "Bestern" or "JC Whitney"

Also if you have any recommended articles that could help me prepare for this trip please point/share!
Peace! Colton

JohnnyBravo · July 29th, 2013, 02:56 PM

Hello, welcome, have fun burning the man? Most of the long distance stuff is in - Ride Reports. Like this http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=134231

alex.s · July 29th, 2013, 03:20 PM

500 and newgen front suspension is also non-adjustable. think about buying preload adjuster fork caps if you want. have fun at the burner. its been years since i've been to a real burner but i miss them.

torque wrenches are for inside the engine. outside the engine you can use german torque specs

have fun on your trip. go slow and take in the sights and smells.

Motofool · July 29th, 2013, 03:47 PM

Welcome to our site, Colton !!!

Isn't all that too much to worry about in just two weeks?

Correcting that leak and finding its cause (pitted fork surface?) will be enough for now.

This is my recommended reading:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=488511

cokatominnesota · July 29th, 2013, 04:02 PM

working on ordering the stuff for the front forks now! and I will also give that a read!

quarterliter · July 29th, 2013, 04:38 PM

Alright Colton. First make sure you start off with a fresh oil change. I recommend rotella 15w40 it doesnt shear down to a lower viscosity like the T6 5w40(make sure to get a new oil filter WIX is good). Also are these stock tires on the bike(dunlops)? The originals are garbage, pirelli offers a good selection. I went with the MT75s and have been very happy with them so far. They are soft and wear out fairly quickly but offer excellent grip. If you want a touring tire check out the ninja250.org and look at the wiki. The EX500 rear shock is shorter and basically not a good choice and neither is a SV650 shock. The newgen shock is what I have on my bike now, which has a stiffer spring, adjustable preload and is slightly longer which raises the rear of the bike. (buy a used one they are much cheaper that way) Definitely do the valves (specs are on the wiki) set them on the looser end because they wear tighter. Sync the carbs for sure. Make sure your air cleaner is cleaned and oiled. Don't worry about a torque wrench, I have never used one besides torquing lug nuts etc. Get a "feel" and that should be close enough for most things. As for the front forks a preload spacer and thicker fork oil (stock is 5w) go for 10w should be an improvement. Pack Maybe pick up 2 extra plugs and lube/adjust chain.

You better buy your buddy a drink or two after all this work! And check out a 15t front sprocket and a 42 ish rear it will make the bike cruse better on the highway with better MPG and less wear.

cokatominnesota · July 29th, 2013, 04:56 PM

lol He charges me a great hourly rate... what do you mean plug? spark plug? Yeah I actually blew out the original rear *gasp* on my "its to worn to drive anymore" drive home. I bought two new Perelli street demons, that were recommended on the ninja wiki. The tire are still looking good after 3000 miles, but you can tell I have mostly been driving in a straight line. I'll put on a new rear right before I leave. Again thanks for the tips.

P.S. Edit I'm also curious how many of you change your oil w/o the torque wrench? I didn't do it myself last time because I had just bought the bike and wanted it to be good to go when I picked it up...I'm a couple hundered overdue..should I attemps w/o torque wrench?

JohnnyBravo · July 29th, 2013, 07:58 PM

I have never used a torque wrench for an oil change on anything, i think your the first person I ever heard even bring it up.
More than a few folks around here are distance riders, just ask @Jiggles

Jiggles · July 29th, 2013, 08:03 PM

Ask me what? All you gotta do is oil the chain and change the oil. Oil change just go by feel. Tighten with as much force as you want to take it off.

Alternatively you can buy a Beamer that has 6000mi oil changes and shaft drive so no oiling the chain

Motofool · July 29th, 2013, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cokatominnesota

........P.S. Edit I'm also curious how many of you change your oil w/o the torque wrench? I didn't do it myself last time because I had just bought the bike and wanted it to be good to go when I picked it up...I'm a couple hundered overdue..should I attemps w/o torque wrench?

I recommend using a torque wrench and the specified value for any steel bolt threading into aluminum, except for spark plugs.

http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Oil_Cha...re#The_process

http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Torque_Values

http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Changin...o_avoid#Torque

JohnnyBravo · July 29th, 2013, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jiggles

Ask me what? Alternatively

A wild ride across the country. Shoulda double checked that I didn't mention you, these crazy inter webs

quarterliter · July 30th, 2013, 02:30 PM

Never used a torque wrench for oil changes, never had one leak or strip. Its all about the feel

July 29th, 2013, 12:31 PM	#1
cokatominnesota ninjette.org member Name: Colton Location: Minnesota Join Date: Jul 2013 Motorcycle(s): Ninja 250 Posts: 11	Introduction With A Few Questions (mostly suspension) Hey posted this in the ninja 250 riders club forum...figured I would post it here as well. Hello all motorcycle rider inter-web exploring people. My name is Colton. I bought a ninja 250 with 3000 miles as my first bike a couple months ago. After the first couple hours of riding I realized that motorcycling was a thrill that I should have found a long time ago! So I have been working at a pallet factory in my home town for almost 3 years. Around christmas I had bought a ticket to burning man. Which is coming up in a couple weeks. And I have FINALLY decided I will not be returning to Minnesota once I am there. I will continue west and head towards California, to spend about a month in L.A. and then continue to Nor cal and spend the fall there. I want to do this on my ninja. So I have been doing the best I can to keep up on maintenance. And I know that I have to have my bike running top notch before I leave. I will be bringing my bike to my buddy who is a mechanic to go through things like synching the carbs, valve clearance, and anything else that is over my head. The main reason I have started this post is because I have a few questions about suspension. I have been reading wiki about upgrading the suspension to the Ex500 suspension, or the new GEN 08-13 ninja suspension. Is it worth the money to put this in before I leave? I have rode the bike fully loaded with gear, and do quite a lot of riding with a passenger, and it does fine but I do feel it could use some extra help. Am I really going to feel the difference with the upgrade? Another question I have is if I do order the new suspension what are the chances it comes with the adjusting tool? Anyways I'm pretty sure I'm just going to order it but feedback would be appreciated. I have some other questions about my front forks as well. When I bought the bike my front right fork was leaking. I bough new seal and had my buddy install them. I have put on about 3000 miles since and there was a very small amount of oil on the right fork (it could be from bug guts or whatever), and I do plan on replacing them AGAIN before I leave just to make sure. I did some reading on the wiki about the front suspension but most of it seems to be targeted towards people that are racing with them. My conclusion after reading the article was that maybe I should just consider building a spacer, perhaps a 3/4in spacer, since this could be a low cost improvement over stock. Whats really on my mind is should I upgrade my springs or anything else for all the extra weight I'm going to be having on the bike, or should I replace the fork seals leave the rest and just wing it. Another question that I have been stressed by, is if I should pack a torque wrench. In my home town its easy for me to get ahold of the ones that I need. I don't want to have to pay 100 to a mechanic to change my tire once I get there. And I don't want to pay them to change my oil. Thing is both require 2 different torque wrench. I do have the option of shipping out some tools to L.A. which is probably what I will end up doing. So anyone has any expertise on this area please let me know! And for my last question for now. I bought the alu-rack from twisted throttle. I have still not ordered a luggage compartment to put on it. I have always envisioned putting a DOUBLE helmet top case on the back. On Amazon they have a top case under the brand name "Bestern" I have also considered JC Whitney (not sure what site I should order that from). Is it a bad idea from me to go double? I have thought maybe I would like the single more, but a double would be worth the extra capacity. SO I guess let me know if you think the double will be to much, if not let me know "Bestern" or "JC Whitney" Also if you have any recommended articles that could help me prepare for this trip please point/share! Peace! Colton

July 29th, 2013, 02:56 PM	#2
JohnnyBravo Certifiable nontundrum Name: Harper Location: NC Milkshake stand Join Date: Mar 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2013 SE NINJA 300 Posts: Too much. MOTM - Sep '13, Sep '16	Hello, welcome, have fun burning the man? Most of the long distance stuff is in - Ride Reports. Like this http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=134231 __________________________________________________

July 29th, 2013, 03:20 PM	#3
alex.s wat Name: wat Location: tustin/long beach Join Date: Sep 2009 Motorcycle(s): wat Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 5 MOTM - Oct '12, Feb '14	500 and newgen front suspension is also non-adjustable. think about buying preload adjuster fork caps if you want. have fun at the burner. its been years since i've been to a real burner but i miss them. torque wrenches are for inside the engine. outside the engine you can use german torque specs have fun on your trip. go slow and take in the sights and smells. __________________________________________________

July 29th, 2013, 03:47 PM	#4
Motofool Daily Ninjette rider Name: Hernan Location: Florida Join Date: Mar 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2007 Ninja 250 Posts: A lot. MOTY - 2016, MOTM - Dec '12, Jan '14, Jan '15, May '16	Welcome to our site, Colton !!! Isn't all that too much to worry about in just two weeks? Correcting that leak and finding its cause (pitted fork surface?) will be enough for now. This is my recommended reading: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=488511 __________________________________________________ *Motofool* *.................................Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly* "Mankind is composed of two sorts of men — those who love and create, and those who hate and destroy. Love is the bond between men, the way to teach and the center of the world." - José Martí
	1 out of 1 members found this post helpful.

July 29th, 2013, 04:02 PM	#5
cokatominnesota ninjette.org member Name: Colton Location: Minnesota Join Date: Jul 2013 Motorcycle(s): Ninja 250 Posts: 11	Thanks for the feedback working on ordering the stuff for the front forks now! and I will also give that a read!

July 29th, 2013, 04:38 PM	#6
quarterliter ninjette.org guru Name: Kevin Location: Madison Join Date: Apr 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2004 Ninja 250 Posts: 465	Alright Colton. First make sure you start off with a fresh oil change. I recommend rotella 15w40 it doesnt shear down to a lower viscosity like the T6 5w40(make sure to get a new oil filter WIX is good). Also are these stock tires on the bike(dunlops)? The originals are garbage, pirelli offers a good selection. I went with the MT75s and have been very happy with them so far. They are soft and wear out fairly quickly but offer excellent grip. If you want a touring tire check out the ninja250.org and look at the wiki. The EX500 rear shock is shorter and basically not a good choice and neither is a SV650 shock. The newgen shock is what I have on my bike now, which has a stiffer spring, adjustable preload and is slightly longer which raises the rear of the bike. (buy a used one they are much cheaper that way) Definitely do the valves (specs are on the wiki) set them on the looser end because they wear tighter. Sync the carbs for sure. Make sure your air cleaner is cleaned and oiled. Don't worry about a torque wrench, I have never used one besides torquing lug nuts etc. Get a "feel" and that should be close enough for most things. As for the front forks a preload spacer and thicker fork oil (stock is 5w) go for 10w should be an improvement. Pack Maybe pick up 2 extra plugs and lube/adjust chain. You better buy your buddy a drink or two after all this work! And check out a 15t front sprocket and a 42 ish rear it will make the bike cruse better on the highway with better MPG and less wear.

July 29th, 2013, 04:56 PM	#7
cokatominnesota ninjette.org member Name: Colton Location: Minnesota Join Date: Jul 2013 Motorcycle(s): Ninja 250 Posts: 11	lol He charges me a great hourly rate... what do you mean plug? spark plug? Yeah I actually blew out the original rear gasp on my "its to worn to drive anymore" drive home. I bought two new Perelli street demons, that were recommended on the ninja wiki. The tire are still looking good after 3000 miles, but you can tell I have mostly been driving in a straight line. I'll put on a new rear right before I leave. Again thanks for the tips. P.S. Edit I'm also curious how many of you change your oil w/o the torque wrench? I didn't do it myself last time because I had just bought the bike and wanted it to be good to go when I picked it up...I'm a couple hundered overdue..should I attemps w/o torque wrench?

July 29th, 2013, 07:58 PM	#8
JohnnyBravo Certifiable nontundrum Name: Harper Location: NC Milkshake stand Join Date: Mar 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2013 SE NINJA 300 Posts: Too much. MOTM - Sep '13, Sep '16	I have never used a torque wrench for an oil change on anything, i think your the first person I ever heard even bring it up. More than a few folks around here are distance riders, just ask @Jiggles __________________________________________________

July 29th, 2013, 08:03 PM	#9
Jiggles Jigglin' your Jiglets Name: Sean Location: San Jose, Ca Join Date: Jun 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2009 K1300S, 2013 Ninja 300, 2011 Ninja 250R, Faster than Unregistered's ninjette Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 1 MOTM - Apr '13	Ask me what? All you gotta do is oil the chain and change the oil. Oil change just go by feel. Tighten with as much force as you want to take it off. Alternatively you can buy a Beamer that has 6000mi oil changes and shaft drive so no oiling the chain __________________________________________________ If the Ninja 250 doesn't have enough power for you, then you don't know how to ride it. AFM #676 Supersports are for n00bs

July 30th, 2013, 02:30 PM	#12
quarterliter ninjette.org guru Name: Kevin Location: Madison Join Date: Apr 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2004 Ninja 250 Posts: 465	Never used a torque wrench for oil changes, never had one leak or strip. Its all about the feel

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