New rider from Georgia!

[gilmorec61]

Hey guys, I'm Chris, and I'm 16y/o. I just bought a 2008 Kawasaki Ninja 250R-Candy Plasma Blue, a few months ago, and just last week i finally got it tagged and insured!! This thing is a blast! I found out about this site because I've had to fix a few things on my bike/ mod some things. Its all stock, besides snorkel removed, carbs shimmed, and front carbon fiber LED turn signals. If you have questions about how to do any of these, send me a message! I will probably end up posting a thread on how to do it anyways... Bought the bike used for $2000. Good deal or not? It was layed down, both fairings messed up, and a few other things ive found out that im not too happy about... Anyways, just thought I'd say hey!

[saxnbass]

Pics are 'required'. Not really, but we'll all ask for them and pressure you into posting them anyways.

[csmith12]

Welcome Chris!

[KJohnson21]

[massacremasses]

pics.

then we can judge if it was a good deal or not

welcome

[Xz1atl]

Welcome to the forum, YES ANOTHER GA NINJA

[gilmorec61]

Alright so guys, here are some pictures of the bike as you guys requested! So the damage that was done when i bought the bike include:
-Both left and right front fairings cracked, and blinkers ripped off.
-Small dent in gas tank
-LOTS of missing bolts
-The rear frame(the part that holds on the rear seat, has two bars going straight back with a "bridge" between the two that holds the rear seat down) is bent, therefore resulting in a crooked fender as shown
Anybody know how i might be able to bend it back?? Or should i just do a DIY fender eliminator to make it not look as bad?
-Other odds and ends scraped up(tips of handlebars, little bit of rear fairings, clutch and brake lever)

Now when i bought it he did include the blinkers, so i didn't have to buy them, but it was a pain in the butt trying to get them to work!! Which i can get to later. When i bought it, the guy said his wife laid it down at low speed trying to ride....Now that ive opened her up a little, i found this is definently not true. I know he took it to a drag strip at one time, because there was still marks on the windsheild with numbers that i didn't notice until i got it.
Now, MECHANICALLY, she's great! So far anyways, I've heard with the right upkeep, these engines are almost invincible! So the first thing i did with it when i bought it was give her a fresh oil and filter change. And yesterday, i changed the plugs in her, and shimmed the carb needles. Ran like a champ today in freezing weather!

So here are the stats:
Bought it for $2000 in the condition i stated above.
Had just over 7,000 miles on her when i got it.

Now my question to ya'll, DID I GET A GOOD DEAL???

[Xz1atl]

I hate to be negative, but u got a bent frame, the integrity of that bike is diminished., i wouldnt sit no one on it, and i wouldnt put a load back there, how does it handle on turns?

[gilmorec61]

It handles great, but then again ive only been riding it for two weeks now. Ive had everything off of it, and ive looked at it carefully, and the last maybe 10 inches of the bike are bent. Everything else looks fair and square. One of the bars that goes back is higher than the other, making it crooked as is.

[EthioKnight]

Firstly, welcome to the forum and the amazing world of motorcycling bruh. I don't wanna rain on your parade, but I gotta say that with all the damage you listed as sustained by the bike...my verdict is, you got screwed!
This is coming from experience...I bought my bike used, she was @ 799 miles and had been laid down on the left with some scratches to that fairing, broken signal light, broken shifter lever and a "very" dented tank but with absolutely no other damage to either the frame, the engine, or any other part (inspected by yours truly and a kawi mechanic). Now, do you care to guess how much I paid for her? $2,150! Now, like I said, I'm not gloating nor am I bragging, but with that scarily bent rear end....I'm forced to say what I said.
There's a reason why bent frames lead to bike's being shipped to the junk yard, and I wouldn't ride that ninjette if I were you, just my 2 cents.
Welcome once again and ride safe (if you decide to throw caution to the winds )
peace.

[massacremasses]

fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuk

idk dude I wouldnt have touched that.... sorry man :/


If it works for you thats good, but it just looks to sketch for me...

I got my 09 for $2500 with 3400 miles on it and it had a messed up fairing.. from being laid down.. BUT the frame is straight. Plastic damage is one thing but frame damage is serious business...

[gilmorec61]

Wow, now that my friend is a GREAT deal. The reason i snatched this one up so quick is because i had been shopping for a little while, and this came up and it looked like a great deal. At the time...
Im thinking about seeing if i cant get a used frame from a Ninja for maybe $100, and swapping it out...? Or, i know a good friend who might be able to heat her up, and bend her back the ways she's supposed to be.
From all the riding I've done on her so far, it seems like an EXTREMELY solid bike.

[Xz1atl]

Why not just resell it, im sure someone will buy it the same way u did

[massacremasses]

yeah dude if you can find a donor frame that would be the best. I think thats the best idea.


I was happy with the deal. Im already repainting the whole bike black anyways. A cool dude on here hooked me up with a far less rashed Right Fairing that im going to make perfect... and the whole bike will be a different color Id link my build thread but I dont wanna thread jack

anyways dude dont trip, like you said, donor frame would be the best idea but if your buddy can straighten it you can try...

[massacremasses]

Originally Posted by Xz1atl

Why not just resell it, im sure someone will buy it the same way u did

with some work he can make money on it.


I will most likely be breaking even or making money when I decide to sell my bike because it had damage and im fixing it and making it better looking than a stock bike...

[Malicious Logic]

Welcome!

On a side note: How'd you know you needed to shim the needles? or did you just do it for the hell of it?

[gilmorec61]

Yeah, that is an idea. It is definently in better condition now than it was when i bought it, so i think i could make some money off of it. Thing is, if i did sell it would I be able to find another one for around that price?? I mean like i said I'm only 16 so i dont have cash laying around everywhere. Buttt, that is an idea. If i do go with a donor frame( probably not they look like they run close to $1,000 ) it wouldnt be a bad idea just to see if bending it back would work.

[gilmorec61]

Originally Posted by Malicious Logic

Welcome!

On a side note: How'd you know you needed to shim the needles? or did you just do it for the hell of it?

I was reading online and what not that stock, these bikes come from factory lean, AND, i did remove my snorkel. The next day after i removed the snorkel, i drove to school, and it definently ran hotter, and the power in the low end was gone. Before i removed the snorkel, the low end power still wasn't too great. So yesterday i took her apart and shimmed the needles ( 2 washers) and today in freezing weather, she started up on a dime, warmed up quick, got alot more low end power (1-7k), and throttle response was better. but thats MY opinion.

[Xz1atl]

we all doing the same, this bike when i bought it had fairing scrapes n rashes, dude junked up the rear fairing trying to do his own fender eliminator, junked up the wind screen, but we r talking parts that r interchangable here so i didnt care, i changed the oil, brakes( he had damn near any brakes left on it), flushed the radiator, lubed the chain n aligned the wheel, n now its mechanically perfect. Hoping for fairings by the spring time, I just want to see if anyone has experience with those fairings online

[Malicious Logic]

Originally Posted by gilmorec61

I was reading online and what not that stock, these bikes come from factory lean, AND, i did remove my snorkel. The next day after i removed the snorkel, i drove to school, and it definently ran hotter, and the power in the low end was gone. Before i removed the snorkel, the low end power still wasn't too great. So yesterday i took her apart and shimmed the needles ( 2 washers) and today in freezing weather, she started up on a dime, warmed up quick, got alot more low end power (1-7k), and throttle response was better. but thats MY opinion.

Ah, ok. Just checking to see if you actually researched it. Some bikes benefit from it, some don't but a lot of people shim it just to say 'haha, totally shimmed the needles dude'.

[gilmorec61]

Originally Posted by Xz1atl

we all doing the same, this bike when i bought it had fairing scrapes n rashes, dude junked up the rear fairing trying to do his own fender eliminator, junked up the wind screen, but we r talking parts that r interchangable here so i didnt care, i changed the oil, brakes( he had damn near any brakes left on it), flushed the radiator, lubed the chain n aligned the wheel, n now its mechanically perfect. Hoping for fairings by the spring time, I just want to see if anyone has experience with those fairings online

Yeah man, i know what you mean. Thats the thing, when i bought it i didn't realize the frame was bent til i got home and took her apart...

Oh and, yeah, i know that there are a few people out there that say that, I'm not going to lie, it was a pretty fun project shimming those needles!!

[massacremasses]

yeah I just got a slip on so apparently I need to shim the needles in mine :/ They have DIY but I hate taking engine stuff apart when idk what im doing.. lol

Everyone keeps talking about removing the snorkel but idk what that even is.. lol

edit* NVM looks hella easy

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showt...moving+snorkel

[gilmorec61]

Originally Posted by massacremasses

yeah I just got a slip on so apparently I need to shim the needles in mine :/ They have DIY but I hate taking engine stuff apart when idk what im doing.. lol

Everyone keeps talking about removing the snorkel but idk what that even is.. lol

edit* NVM looks hella easy

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showt...moving+snorkel

Yeah man, i feel you on taking engine stuff apart! But trust me, it isnt that hard to do. The HARDEST thing to do is taking off the fairings and tank. And hey if you want me to i can guide you step by step on here, just for a little more confidence on your end. I did it pretty quick and easily with no problems. Just be PATIENT and dont get MAD at it if anything does go wrong.

[nickjpass]

to Ninjette!!!!

Sorry about the cycle.

[massacremasses]

Originally Posted by gilmorec61

Yeah man, i feel you on taking engine stuff apart! But trust me, it isnt that hard to do. The HARDEST thing to do is taking off the fairings and tank. And hey if you want me to i can guide you step by step on here, just for a little more confidence on your end. I did it pretty quick and easily with no problems. Just be PATIENT and dont get MAD at it if anything does go wrong.

got that part covered



the whole bike is getting a make over, gonna finish prepping and hopefully get primer on this weekend. We just started back up to 50 hours at work and my stuff is all at my grandpas cause he has a barn where I can work on it. so i pretty much only can work on it on the weekends...

I have a build thread if you wanna check it out.

[94fiveohvert]

if it's the last 10" then pull the rear apart and straighten it out...

[gilmorec61]

Its NAKED!!!

haha, yeah, well to tell you the truth, YOU GOT THE HARD PART DONE WITH!! And honestly, the shimming won't take longer than an hour to do, as long as you already have the washers and what not. Even if you have no experience. Now, before you do start tearing it apart, you've probably read that people have been stripping the screws on the tops of the carbs. Two tools that will eliminate that problem is a stubby screw driver( one that is maybe 2" long total) and vise grips. Twist away, and put pressure down, and you'll have em off in no time!


And yeah, sometime when i'm free, i'm going to take all the fairings off and take a look at the frame to make sure thats the only place shes bent, and do exactly that.

[massacremasses]

ah yeah that was hella easy... putting it back together.. or remembering how it goes back together I should say... well that may be more difficult.. hahaha

[Klondike1020]

If you heat it to bend it back it will be weaker and easier to bend in the future
It shouldn't be a problem just make sure you remove all the body work and carefully inspect the frame and suspension for cracks Or stress issues. If it went down hard enough to twist it like that you want to be certain engine mounts frame and suspension haven't been compromised.
If you find any other issues then consider another frame.

You got a ok deal on your bike considering you are able and willing to fix it.
I buy damaged and Jerry rigged bikes because I like the affordability and challenge .

ComgratS on the new bike

[Nemesis]

So long as the major frame, the frame holding the engine isn't cracked/bent, it's fine. The tail piece is called the subframe and normally are not welded to the main frame but to save costs Kawi welded to the main frame.

Having a bent subframe does not affect handling issues. It's perfectly fine to leave it as is but to be on the safe side I'd take the bike to a frame specialist and have him/her examine if the main frame is in alignment. If there was damage on both sides of the bike with a bent subframe that typically means the bike flip-flopped/highsided.

As for what you paid...yeah, you overpaid but that's said and done now. Live & learn. Now go get your bike fixed and enjoy it.

[gilmorec61]

Yeah, well thank you guys for all your advice! Its going to be a while til i do get to taking it apart and looking at it but for now I'm going to ride it as is. This is my FIRST bike and DEFINENTLY not my last, and what if i did lay it down? Well its already damaged, so I wont be losing anything if i did, so i think i did okay.

Again, thanks for your guys' input!

[Snake]

Hello and welcome.

[CZroe]

When I took my MSF course right here in the OP's own city, they implied that "Jacob's Law" prevented 16-year-olds from getting a motorcycle license in GA.

We've already talked via PMl, but: Welcome, local!

[250rr]

Welcome, my friend.

[gilmorec61]

When I took my MSF course right here in the OP's own city, they implied that "Jacob's Law" prevented 16-year-olds from getting a motorcycle license in GA.

We've already talked via PMl, but: Welcome, local!

Hmmm, never heard anything of that! And i dont have my license, only my permit, but i will get my license in Agust when i turn 17. But thanks

[ally99]

Hi neighbor! Hubby and I ride and live in Athens.