August 14th, 2015, 06:03 AM | #1 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Chris
Location: Knoxville Tennessee
Join Date: Feb 2012 Motorcycle(s): Road star bagger, KZ400 bobber, kz305 cafe racer, '94 ninja 250 cafe project, vfr750 Posts: 17
|
Start of new Project- Budget Cafe Build
So its been a while since I've been on here. But I couldn't stay away from the draw of the little 250s. So now I'm back into the ninjette world. I have this problem that I can't leave anything stock, so my most recent project is going under the knife. Building a cafe racer (nothing original, I know, lot of these being built). I've built a few other cafes in the past but they've all been vintage bikes- CB750, KZ400, KZ550, KZ305 (still a work in progress).
I've wanted to build one out of a modern bike; a budget 250 sounds like great place to start. Back-story: I picked up a pair of 2007 Ninja 250s. Both were low miles bike, and both parked in late 2008, no keys on either, not running, one had been laid down lightly. After beginning to tear into them to see what I actually had I developed my plan- rebuild the nicer of the two and sell it to fund the second as a project. So new tires, forks rebuilt, tank sealed, fluids changed, plgs, carbs rebuilt, lots of elbow grease, etc the first was finished and sold. Current Build: Now its time to start the fun one- The cafe (still waiting on a name for this one) Mechanics squared away: forks rebuilt, new tires, chain, bearing repacked, brakes flushed, coolant flush, plugs, filter, carbs cleaned/ jetted/ synced, etc. Test drive. then strip it back down to start modifications. I'll get more pics as it moves along but here is very rough mock-up to get idea of where we are going. On a side note- I'm selling all the extras off this build to fund it (I'll post in for sale section, I just don't have high enough post count yet). Selling: seat (x2), all fairings (main and front fender cracked), tail light, grab bar, headlight, seat latch, helmet lock, mirrors |
1 out of 1 members found this post helpful. |
August 14th, 2015, 06:51 AM | #2 |
The Corner Whisperer
Name: Chris (aka Reactor)
Location: Northern KY
Join Date: May 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2010 250 (track), 1992 250, 2006 R6 (street/track), 2008 R6 (track) Posts: Too much.
MOTY 2015, MOTM - Nov '12, Nov '13
|
__________________________________________________
Goal: Shake A Million Hands | Look through the corners | Track Day Prep | Closest track? | The Mid-Ohio School |
|
August 14th, 2015, 06:56 AM | #3 |
Fighting Texas Aggie '05
Name: Neil
Location: Hutto, TX
Join Date: Feb 2009 Motorcycle(s): '07 ZX6R, '08 Versys, '09 250R Track, '93 F2/F3 Track Posts: A lot.
|
Lets see some of those KZs
__________________________________________________
Keep it rubber side down and enjoy the ride Get healthy - Get Fit - Change Your Life Click Here Or PM Me To Find More - Advocare |
|
August 14th, 2015, 08:14 AM | #4 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Chris
Location: Knoxville Tennessee
Join Date: Feb 2012 Motorcycle(s): Road star bagger, KZ400 bobber, kz305 cafe racer, '94 ninja 250 cafe project, vfr750 Posts: 17
|
Starting point: last ran in 1987
Finished: Starting point: last ran in 1982 (its an '82 model- 26 miles on it! A tree fell on it and was deemed total loss but somehow stayed together) Still a ways to go but alive and running (with single carb conversion) |
|
August 14th, 2015, 08:27 AM | #5 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Nicolas
Location: Montreal, Canada
Join Date: Sep 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2 Ninja 250r, Tl1000s and ZX7r Posts: 31
|
|
|
September 7th, 2015, 04:19 PM | #6 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Chris
Location: Knoxville Tennessee
Join Date: Feb 2012 Motorcycle(s): Road star bagger, KZ400 bobber, kz305 cafe racer, '94 ninja 250 cafe project, vfr750 Posts: 17
|
Haven't made as much progress as I'd like (too many house projects and painting a buddies car); but I'm moving forward.
Frame modified for straighter backbone Then started fabrication of new seat and frame (still very early/rough in pics) And modifying side covers And removing tanks indentations Also installed LED round headlight and built the foam part of seat but no pics yet. Next big hurdle is gauge cluster- I want to keep stock gauges since show accurate mileage (2k) but need different housing and mounts. Still some more bodywork to do and get it ready for paint. Also thinking about adding some different mufflers- I've used sportster take-off on other projects. They are cheap and flow well for this small a bike. |
|
September 7th, 2015, 07:29 PM | #7 |
ChocolateMilk Addict
Name: Maurice
Location: McDonough
Join Date: Mar 2015 Motorcycle(s): '05 EX-250 "Kallie" 85 KLT 110 ATC "Murdock" Posts: 329
|
|
|
September 9th, 2015, 02:25 PM | #8 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Chris
Location: Knoxville Tennessee
Join Date: Feb 2012 Motorcycle(s): Road star bagger, KZ400 bobber, kz305 cafe racer, '94 ninja 250 cafe project, vfr750 Posts: 17
|
Seat finished. Still need some bodywork but basic lines are there.
and headlight |
|
September 9th, 2015, 03:32 PM | #9 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Bill
Location: Waynesville, NC
Join Date: Dec 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2007 EX250 black. Previously Suzuki DR650, Suz SV650, Honda Hawk GT, Yam XT225, BMW F650 Posts: 23
|
How did you fill in the front faring indentations in the tank?
__________________________________________________
Bill Price Waynesville, NC Old, slightly big guy who likes small bikes |
|
September 9th, 2015, 05:21 PM | #10 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Walt
Location: Northern California
Join Date: Jul 2015 Motorcycle(s): 07 Ninja 01 Sportster Posts: 56
|
That's some serious bodywork. Well done.
|
|
September 10th, 2015, 11:32 AM | #11 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Chris
Location: Knoxville Tennessee
Join Date: Feb 2012 Motorcycle(s): Road star bagger, KZ400 bobber, kz305 cafe racer, '94 ninja 250 cafe project, vfr750 Posts: 17
|
|
|
September 10th, 2015, 06:46 PM | #12 |
I'm crazy,your excuse is?
Name: Winston
Location: Connecticut
Join Date: May 2013 Motorcycle(s): 250 2007 ninja Posts: A lot.
|
looking good there!
I am a fan of cutting these motos up. |
|
February 8th, 2016, 04:46 PM | #13 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Greg
Location: SoCal
Join Date: Oct 2013 Motorcycle(s): None yet Posts: 12
|
can't wait to see how those side panels turn out.
|
|
October 12th, 2018, 04:42 AM | #14 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Chris
Location: Knoxville Tennessee
Join Date: Feb 2012 Motorcycle(s): Road star bagger, KZ400 bobber, kz305 cafe racer, '94 ninja 250 cafe project, vfr750 Posts: 17
|
So took me a while but I finally finished the cafe racer. I've been riding it all season and doing few little tweaks along the way. Here is where it stands now.
|
1 out of 1 members found this post helpful. |
October 12th, 2018, 06:14 AM | #15 |
ninjette.org guru
Name: Hector
Location: SoCal
Join Date: Sep 2018 Motorcycle(s): 2007 Ninja 250 Posts: 272
|
Looks terrific! The tank came out perfect. Nice fender chop, too.
Can I ask you how you went about the stock gauges? I'm about to start my project and also want to use the stock ones. Would love some insight. Thanks for sharing
__________________________________________________
When you see me, it's already too late. |
|
October 12th, 2018, 04:29 PM | #16 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Chris
Location: Knoxville Tennessee
Join Date: Feb 2012 Motorcycle(s): Road star bagger, KZ400 bobber, kz305 cafe racer, '94 ninja 250 cafe project, vfr750 Posts: 17
|
Thanks.
The fender is actually a metal one of an old Suzuki I had laying around, chopped down and mounted to stock ninja fender brace- redrilled for new fender. The gauge cluster are gs550 gauges that I gutted for the housing and lenses. I used 3 inch PVC to make up flange for the ninja gauges to sit on at the correct depth from lenses. I added the LED lights to backlight gauges and LED indicators for factory ninja warning lights. Took some tweaking to get right but worked out pretty well. Hardest part was keeping the lenses clean on the inside while I assembled them. |
|
October 12th, 2018, 06:04 PM | #17 |
ninjette.org guru
Name: C
Location: Hawaii
Join Date: May 2011 Motorcycle(s): 250 Posts: 472
|
Turned out great.
__________________________________________________
"It ended up being the loose nut behind the wheel" |
|
October 12th, 2018, 08:40 PM | #18 |
Participant
Name: Dave
Location: South of Seattle
Join Date: Oct 2012 Motorcycle(s): '94 K75 std Posts: Too much.
MOTM - Aug '15
|
Really cool!
|
|
October 13th, 2018, 07:22 AM | #19 | |
ninjette.org guru
Name: Hector
Location: SoCal
Join Date: Sep 2018 Motorcycle(s): 2007 Ninja 250 Posts: 272
|
Quote:
__________________________________________________
When you see me, it's already too late. |
|
|
January 13th, 2019, 06:10 PM | #20 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Dave
Location: Pittsburgh
Join Date: Jan 2019 Motorcycle(s): Honda cx650, 2005 ninja 250 Posts: 45
|
First love the build, I’m heavily modifying my bike and I know this is an older post (hope to still get some questions answered), but are those HD Sportster mufflers? Straight bolt on? Sound better? Performance about the same? Thanks
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Soonerbillz Low Budget Track Build | soonerbillz | Ninjettes At Speed | 166 | August 5th, 2016 10:43 AM |
Track Day - Budget Build | Artie | 1986 - 2007 Ninja 250R Tech Talk | 19 | September 3rd, 2015 01:28 PM |
My Cafe Racer Build | girlracer | 1986 - 2007 Ninja 250R Farkles | 17 | December 2nd, 2014 08:14 AM |
99 Ex 250 project Cafe/streetfighter, The build thread. | cerberusrex25 | 1986 - 2007 Ninja 250R Tech Talk | 260 | June 14th, 2014 04:27 PM |
[hell for leather] - This is how you build a low-budget Moto2 racer | Ninjette Newsbot | Motorcycling News | 0 | November 12th, 2010 11:20 AM |
Thread Tools | |
|
|