Greetings from just outside of Philadelphia, PA - 2001 Ninja 250 resurrection

foo_dog · July 24th, 2023, 08:38 AM

Good morning everyone -

Thank you for the forum. I'm a long time rider but first time with a sport bike.

Wife has been asking for a while about getting into riding, but never liked the bikes I had.
On a lark over the weekend checked Craigslist and found a semi-running 2001 Ninja 250 for $800, not far away being sold by my neighbor. Took the plunge. Figured for that price can't complain too much

(Also working on a 2002 Kawasaki Vulcan 750, got that one for only $600. With the new Ninja that makes 2 non-running bikes in the garage...)

Anyway where to start - Ninja has a bunch of scratches. It was previous owner's college commuter and has been down (and sliding) a few times. Will need new brake pedal, possibly new brake/clutch levers. Plastics are beat up but mostly intact. Left foot rest slightly tweaked, looks like it went down hard on that side. Tires are from 2007 (???).

Drained the gas and gave it some Seafoam treatment, got it started. Idles high, not even sure what the desired RPM should be for idle. Rear brake caliper is pretty much frozen. Random wires that don't go anywhere. Rear brake light was MacGuyver'd with some plexiglass. Battery only holding about 11.5 volts.

Started the normal stuff - drained the oil, might do coolant as well. Aiming to get it riding at least a little bit so she can practice before taking any MSF classes. And of course give me an excuse to do some test rides. Bike is really light and easy to move around, I managed to push it up my steep driveway without any issue.

Typing all this up I'm wondering if I really did get a bargain. So I come to you guys for encouragement. Hopefully hear some stories of how these bikes never die and can always come back for me. Please.

foo_dog · July 24th, 2023, 08:50 AM

https://www.ninjette.org/forums/atta...1&d=1690213677

Triple Jim · July 24th, 2023, 09:26 AM

Welcome, Brian! They're pretty darned rugged. The only real weak link I've come across is that the carbs have some really small and difficult to clean passages, and if the bike is left sitting for even a few months it may get hard to start, hard to make idle properly, and a generally run poorly. There's a page about the "secret" carb passages, and we also have a member here who is expert at restoring the carbs to factory new condition reasonably. (Ducatiman)

https://n4mwd.blogspot.com/2013/10/s...-passages.html

DannoXYZ · July 24th, 2023, 09:48 AM

Greetings & Salutations!!

Nice looking colour on bike!

Dead-end wires are accessory connections in case you want heated-gloves, seats, etc. Also set of accessory connectors in front as well.

New tyres available here in proper sizes. I really like Shinkos, works really well.

https://www.americanmototire.com/str...80-16%22%5D%5D

foo_dog · July 24th, 2023, 08:39 PM

Thank you everyone, this is encouraging. As for the carbs, I had it running with the Seafoam cycling through, hopefully its in there now doing its magic and I can avoid having to pull the carbs and mess around with that.

And good to know about the dead-end wires. Looks like previous owner also pulled the back half of the rear fender and has some wires dangling there too. Managed to find an entire rear fender/rear light assembly cheap on ebay. Just spent way too much money on ebay tonight but this model seems to have tons of support. Similar to my other bike the VN750, 20+ year run with very little changes it seems.

Just in case you haven't already seen this - https://www.pure-gas.org/
List of stations that still sell ethanol free gasoline. Whenever we visit the Lancaster area I stop by the Wawa in Gap, PA and fill up some 5 gallon jugs. Use that then year-round for lawn equipment or resurrecting old motorcycles. Doesn't seem to go bad quickly like the regular pump gas, good for these kinds of projects.

DannoXYZ · July 24th, 2023, 11:40 PM

Seafoam has large amount of isopropyl alcohol, very last thing you want to be putting into your fuel-system. Similar to ethanol crap in modern gas that absorbs water, causes separation and tonne of corrosion and clogging issues. Seafoam is snake-oil and proof that marketing works.

Instead, use PEA-based fuel-system cleaner. Works much, much better than Seafoam for cleaning:

- Red Line SI-1
- Techron Concentrate Plus
- 3M Max Strength Fuel System Cleaner #08814
- Royal Purple Max Atomizer 18000
- Gumout All-in-One (might be off list soon due to lowering amounts of PEA)

https://tipsforefficiency.com/pea-fuel-additive/
https://www.toyotanation.com/threads...ipoff.1699391/

superkain · July 25th, 2023, 07:23 AM

Concur: stay away from seafoam!

foo_dog · July 27th, 2023, 09:17 AM

Agh - that's heartbreaking to hear about SeaFoam.

They always have it up at the front counter right next to the WD40s and the bottle looks so nice.

I'll probably drain the gas again (only put a little in to test the starting) and try something else on your list there.

Still waiting on the vast trove of eBay parts to arrive. Should be fun getting this back as close as possible to OEM condition.

While I'm thinking of it - any good way to get rid of old gasoline? Township has a twice yearly hazardous waste dropoff. I've done that before but end up storing the stuff for months and months. Is evaporation (small amounts anyway) frowned upon? Outside so the fumes don't build up?

Triple Jim · July 27th, 2023, 09:30 AM

I don't understand how Seafoam got so popular, especially since any real sea foam I've seen hasn't been something that made me think "I need to put this in my gas tank."

CaliGrrl · July 27th, 2023, 01:49 PM

We had gas that was so old it was yellow. We put tin foil into a metal pan and set it one fire in the driveway. It wasn't much, maybe a cup, so that seemed the best way to get rid of it. Nowhere around here would take it.

Another time, it was old but not so bad, so we put it in the car gas tank. Has enough capacity that it will dilute the bad, and not cause much trouble.

DannoXYZ · July 27th, 2023, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foo_dog

While I'm thinking of it - any good way to get rid of old gasoline? Township has a twice yearly hazardous waste dropoff. I've done that before but end up storing the stuff for months and months. Is evaporation (small amounts anyway) frowned upon? Outside so the fumes don't build up?

I just put it in sealed can for use in lawnmower, generator, etc. Seems to clog those less than motos. It's letting it get in contact with air+moisture that causes it to absorb moisture and start separating. Use some fuel-stabilizer like Stabil-360 for storage.

foo_dog · November 30th, 2023, 04:18 PM

Here I am months and months later finally getting back to the bike. Had to deal with some family issues. Working in the garage can be healing.

I think I let everything sit too long. Put in a new battery, finished the oil change (including the strainer which was full of assembly gunk), starts up and idles fine. But stalls out whenever applying throttle. Thinking idle passage is fine but the jets might not be. Dreading this but I guess this means pulling the carbs and cleaning them out? Would it be worth it to get an ultrasonic cleaning at a motorcycle shop? Or clean out the passages by hand? (guitar strings?).

Guess while I have them off should do a full renew with one of those rebuild kits.

Triple Jim · December 1st, 2023, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foo_dog

Guess while I have them off should do a full renew with one of those rebuild kits.

Whatever you do, don't use the jets or needle from a kit.

July 24th, 2023, 08:38 AM	#1
foo_dog ninjette.org newbie Name: Brian Location: Glenside, PA Join Date: Jul 2023 Motorcycle(s): 2002 Kawasaki VN750, 2001 Kawasaki Ninja 250 Posts: 8	Greetings from just outside of Philadelphia, PA - 2001 Ninja 250 resurrection Good morning everyone - Thank you for the forum. I'm a long time rider but first time with a sport bike. Wife has been asking for a while about getting into riding, but never liked the bikes I had. On a lark over the weekend checked Craigslist and found a semi-running 2001 Ninja 250 for $800, not far away being sold by my neighbor. Took the plunge. Figured for that price can't complain too much (Also working on a 2002 Kawasaki Vulcan 750, got that one for only $600. With the new Ninja that makes 2 non-running bikes in the garage...) Anyway where to start - Ninja has a bunch of scratches. It was previous owner's college commuter and has been down (and sliding) a few times. Will need new brake pedal, possibly new brake/clutch levers. Plastics are beat up but mostly intact. Left foot rest slightly tweaked, looks like it went down hard on that side. Tires are from 2007 (???). Drained the gas and gave it some Seafoam treatment, got it started. Idles high, not even sure what the desired RPM should be for idle. Rear brake caliper is pretty much frozen. Random wires that don't go anywhere. Rear brake light was MacGuyver'd with some plexiglass. Battery only holding about 11.5 volts. Started the normal stuff - drained the oil, might do coolant as well. Aiming to get it riding at least a little bit so she can practice before taking any MSF classes. And of course give me an excuse to do some test rides. Bike is really light and easy to move around, I managed to push it up my steep driveway without any issue. Typing all this up I'm wondering if I really did get a bargain. So I come to you guys for encouragement. Hopefully hear some stories of how these bikes never die and can always come back for me. Please.

July 24th, 2023, 11:40 PM	#6
DannoXYZ ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: AKA JacRyann Location: Mesa, AZ Join Date: Dec 2011 Motorcycle(s): CB125T CBR250R-MC19 CBR250RR-MC22 NSR350R-MC21 VF500F CBR600RR SFV650 VFR750F R1M ST1300PA Valkyrie-F6C Posts: A lot. MOTY - 2018, MOTM - Nov '17	Seafoam has large amount of isopropyl alcohol, very last thing you want to be putting into your fuel-system. Similar to ethanol crap in modern gas that absorbs water, causes separation and tonne of corrosion and clogging issues. Seafoam is snake-oil and proof that marketing works. Instead, use PEA-based fuel-system cleaner. Works much, much better than Seafoam for cleaning: - Red Line SI-1 - Techron Concentrate Plus - 3M Max Strength Fuel System Cleaner #08814 - Royal Purple Max Atomizer 18000 - Gumout All-in-One (might be off list soon due to lowering amounts of PEA) https://tipsforefficiency.com/pea-fuel-additive/ https://www.toyotanation.com/threads...ipoff.1699391/
	1 out of 1 members found this post helpful.

July 27th, 2023, 01:49 PM	#10
CaliGrrl ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Kerry Location: Ventura, CA Join Date: Jan 2016 Motorcycle(s): Ninja650 Posts: A lot. MOTM - Apr '18, Apr '17, Apr '16	We had gas that was so old it was yellow. We put tin foil into a metal pan and set it one fire in the driveway. It wasn't much, maybe a cup, so that seemed the best way to get rid of it. Nowhere around here would take it. Another time, it was old but not so bad, so we put it in the car gas tank. Has enough capacity that it will dilute the bad, and not cause much trouble.
	1 out of 1 members found this post helpful.

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July 24th, 2023, 09:26 AM	#3
Triple Jim Guy Who Enjoys Riding Name: Jim Location: North Carolina Join Date: Jul 2016 Motorcycle(s): Ninja 250 Posts: A lot. MOTM - Oct '18, Aug '17, Aug '16	Welcome, Brian! They're pretty darned rugged. The only real weak link I've come across is that the carbs have some really small and difficult to clean passages, and if the bike is left sitting for even a few months it may get hard to start, hard to make idle properly, and a generally run poorly. There's a page about the "secret" carb passages, and we also have a member here who is expert at restoring the carbs to factory new condition reasonably. (Ducatiman) https://n4mwd.blogspot.com/2013/10/s...-passages.html

July 24th, 2023, 09:48 AM	#4
DannoXYZ ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: AKA JacRyann Location: Mesa, AZ Join Date: Dec 2011 Motorcycle(s): CB125T CBR250R-MC19 CBR250RR-MC22 NSR350R-MC21 VF500F CBR600RR SFV650 VFR750F R1M ST1300PA Valkyrie-F6C Posts: A lot. MOTY - 2018, MOTM - Nov '17	Greetings & Salutations!! Nice looking colour on bike! Dead-end wires are accessory connections in case you want heated-gloves, seats, etc. Also set of accessory connectors in front as well. New tyres available here in proper sizes. I really like Shinkos, works really well. https://www.americanmototire.com/str...80-16%22%5D%5D

July 24th, 2023, 08:39 PM	#5
foo_dog ninjette.org newbie Name: Brian Location: Glenside, PA Join Date: Jul 2023 Motorcycle(s): 2002 Kawasaki VN750, 2001 Kawasaki Ninja 250 Posts: 8	Thank you everyone, this is encouraging. As for the carbs, I had it running with the Seafoam cycling through, hopefully its in there now doing its magic and I can avoid having to pull the carbs and mess around with that. And good to know about the dead-end wires. Looks like previous owner also pulled the back half of the rear fender and has some wires dangling there too. Managed to find an entire rear fender/rear light assembly cheap on ebay. Just spent way too much money on ebay tonight but this model seems to have tons of support. Similar to my other bike the VN750, 20+ year run with very little changes it seems. Just in case you haven't already seen this - https://www.pure-gas.org/ List of stations that still sell ethanol free gasoline. Whenever we visit the Lancaster area I stop by the Wawa in Gap, PA and fill up some 5 gallon jugs. Use that then year-round for lawn equipment or resurrecting old motorcycles. Doesn't seem to go bad quickly like the regular pump gas, good for these kinds of projects.

July 25th, 2023, 07:23 AM	#7
superkain ninjette.org member Name: Super Location: NC Join Date: Feb 2009 Motorcycle(s): k6 GSX-R 750, 2008 Ninja 250R Posts: 27	Concur: stay away from seafoam!

July 27th, 2023, 09:17 AM	#8
foo_dog ninjette.org newbie Name: Brian Location: Glenside, PA Join Date: Jul 2023 Motorcycle(s): 2002 Kawasaki VN750, 2001 Kawasaki Ninja 250 Posts: 8	Agh - that's heartbreaking to hear about SeaFoam. They always have it up at the front counter right next to the WD40s and the bottle looks so nice. I'll probably drain the gas again (only put a little in to test the starting) and try something else on your list there. Still waiting on the vast trove of eBay parts to arrive. Should be fun getting this back as close as possible to OEM condition. While I'm thinking of it - any good way to get rid of old gasoline? Township has a twice yearly hazardous waste dropoff. I've done that before but end up storing the stuff for months and months. Is evaporation (small amounts anyway) frowned upon? Outside so the fumes don't build up?

November 30th, 2023, 04:18 PM	#12
foo_dog ninjette.org newbie Name: Brian Location: Glenside, PA Join Date: Jul 2023 Motorcycle(s): 2002 Kawasaki VN750, 2001 Kawasaki Ninja 250 Posts: 8	Here I am months and months later finally getting back to the bike. Had to deal with some family issues. Working in the garage can be healing. I think I let everything sit too long. Put in a new battery, finished the oil change (including the strainer which was full of assembly gunk), starts up and idles fine. But stalls out whenever applying throttle. Thinking idle passage is fine but the jets might not be. Dreading this but I guess this means pulling the carbs and cleaning them out? Would it be worth it to get an ultrasonic cleaning at a motorcycle shop? Or clean out the passages by hand? (guitar strings?). Guess while I have them off should do a full renew with one of those rebuild kits.