Bettysmith's Help Thread

[bettysmith]

So, I have a few issues, and I'm sure I'll encounter more along my journey of 250 ownership so I figured I would create a thread to encompass these. If you need any more information from me please just ask and I'll do my best to supply it.

Year: 2010
Make: ex250
Mods
_Carb
__Shimmed needles with 2 washers each
_Intake
__Removed Snorkle


Issue 1: Rear end is out of alignment.
_Bike has pulled to the right from the store. Tightened the chain and attempted to adjust this today to little success. I'm sure it's just more adjustment that needs to be made, but I would like a little clarity in which way to adjust the wheel.
_As it's pulling to the right, I should have to tighten the brake side swing arm adjustment nut therefore actually moving that side away from the bike, correct? Or am I backwards? It side with a greater gap was the chain side.
_I had used the string method to take measurement and they appeared to me (before tightening the axle nut and the lock nuts) to be aligned properly. ~2mm of difference between each side from string to certain spot on wheel. Did simply tightening the axle nut move my adjustments that much, or was there other cause for fault here?

Issue 2: I'm running either rich or lean
_I removed my snorkel and shimmed my carburetor needles each with 2 washers. I have yet to check the spark plugs to get a more definitive answer.
_When holding steady throttle on flat road it seems to lurch ever so slightly.
_It seems to lack power under 6k rpm. I understand that these bikes rev high, and generate most power from 9k up, but it almost seems that my power curve is far from linear. This is with not WOT inputs.
_It seems my gas mileage is poor. I still need to take an accurate reading. Will do next time I fill up.
_I'm getting either after fire or back fire. It happens mostly, from what I can tell, during deceleration during lower rpm. My best guess is that it is after fire.

Issue 3:

[Alex]

For this first issue, tightening up the axle nut can sometimes tweak the alignment a bit compared to when things were loose. The string method can let you confirm how things are sitting after they are all buttoned up, and the quick and dirty method of carefully counting the remaining threads on each side of the axle adjuster bolts does a pretty good job as well.

The ultimate "chain adjustment and rear wheel alignment" thread is linked below, read it through the end and you'll have a good idea of the process.

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=13833

[greatwhiteninja]

ive never had much of a issue aligning the rear tire.. line the marks up equally on both sides, tighten the adjusters down, tighten the axle nuts.. everything SHOULD be straight .

as for the carb issues, 2 shims with just the snorkel removed should run fine.. do you still have stock filter, stock exhaust?

[Alex]

Originally Posted by greatwhiteninja

ive never had much of a issue aligning the rear tire.. line the marks up equally on both sides, tighten the adjusters down, tighten the axle nuts.. everything SHOULD be straight .

Which marks are you referring to, the ones on the side of the swingarm that go around the axle nut? If so - don't place too much reliance on them; they are highly variable and not nearly accurate enough to align the tire by on the ninjette.

[Cuongism]

Those alignment marks have been off on all my bikes. Thread counting has been more accurate when checked with strings.

[kamikaze]

i use a caliper to measure. i go from the inside of the metal block that the adjuster rod is attached to to the back of the swingarm, and make sure to get it to within a couple tenths of a mm