What Did You Do to Your Ninjette Today ??

[HoneyBadgerRy]

Turned it over until the battery was dead.

[JohnnyBravo]

That sucks... Why'd ya do it?

[HoneyBadgerRy]

Trouble shooting the bike. Still haven't gotten anywhere. Leaning forwards a fuel delivery problem.

[BDfromBC]

Lost it yesterday, some low life scum stole my bike from my gated parking lot, sandwiched between the steel fence and my car, they scratched my door up on my car, after cutting through a full row of grapes in the vineyard to make a way around the fence... Fricking pathetic. So heart broken, the ninjette was my baby...

[Z1R rider]

What a bummer!! Hopefully it will show up with only all the gas used.

[BDfromBC]

Originally Posted by Z1R rider

What a bummer!! Hopefully it will show up with only all the gas used.

Fingers are crossed so hard they are turning purple

[CaliGrrl]

Oh, no, that sucks all the way around. I hope you find her soon and in reasonable condition.

[HoneyBadgerRy]

Insurance covers theft right? I'd hope my bike is f***ing totaled when returned to me. Beats having a scratched up bike with broken locks.

[Dave Wolfe]

Installed trailer hitch on car (so i can trailer bike to track day)

Last week did new front pads and flushed brake fluids front and back as it was 7 yrs old.

Next up is safety wire for front caliper bolts and kickstand switch bypass plug.

[VaFish]

Sucks having a bike stolen. I had one stolen 30 years ago, cops recovered it a few weeks later, got it fixed up and it was stolen again a few weeks after I got it back. Never saw it again.

Today I tore the bike back apart and re-checked my valve adjustment I did a couple weeks ago. It was making a ticking noise I didn't like. One valve was too tight and two were too loose.

Took it out for a little ride, first day without rain in the last 17. Then I pulled out my son's bike, it wouldn't start, battery dead, put it on the charger and pulled out the cafe racer for a quick spin before dinner.

[Ghostt]

Originally Posted by Dave Wolfe

Installed trailer hitch on car (so i can trailer bike to track day)

Last week did new front pads and flushed brake fluids front and back as it was 7 yrs old.

Next up is safety wire for front caliper bolts and kickstand switch bypass plug.

I really hope you cleaned and serviced the calipers as well, 7 years on the same fluid

[Dave Wolfe]

Originally Posted by Ghostt

I really hope you cleaned and serviced the calipers as well, 7 years on the same fluid

I've got that planned for after my track day along with a braided brake line. Thats really the last maintenance item i plan to do to the bike. Ive already done tires, fork seals, coolant change, fixed a few things previous owner mucked up, oil n filter, and a few other odds and ends. Its almost to the point of being caught up on deferred maintenance.

[Ghostt]

Originally Posted by Dave Wolfe

I've got that planned for after my track day along with a braided brake line. Thats really the last maintenance item i plan to do to the bike. Ive already done tires, fork seals, coolant change, fixed a few things previous owner mucked up, oil n filter, and a few other odds and ends. Its almost to the point of being caught up on deferred maintenance.

So let me get this right, your saving a major safety item for last? And your taking it to the track as well first?

I'm not being a smartass but I'd think the brakes would be a priority, considering you have only one for the front, which does almost all the braking, especially under hard braking.

Servicing the calipers isn't hard, it's fairly easy, doesn't require a lot of time, and if your seals, and pistons are good , it doesn't cost anything besides some brake fluid.

Something to think about is not only your safety, but your fellow riders on the track. In the end, the final decision is your of course.

My write-up on the subject,

I recommend that every time you change your pads, you service the calipers, he's my write-up to help you out. It should fix your initial problem, and keep your calipers in top working order.

For those of you whom are scratching their heads, here you go,*


Front Caliper Service (also rear as well)

Many folks have posted here with a Varity of front brake problems.

*Many of which are attributable to the lack of proper maintenance.

*Here’s how you can always have a brake like when your bike was new.

A short list of the problems and the causes.

Soft lever or lever goes to the bar.

The usual cause is the pistons are pushed too far back into the caliper by a flexing a warped, coned, disc.

*Using up too much piston travel before the disc is pinched.

Juddering in sync with wheel rotation.

The disc is worn, and its thickness varies. *This causes the caliper to “sink” into the thin part and when the thick part comes around, it gets wedged into a smaller space causing a tightening of the brake. Then the tight spot passes through and it like the brake is released. Then repeat, repeat.

Cupped, coned, or warped disc.

Unfortunately this is a common problem with EX’s the cause is the disc is stretched in the center due to being rigidly bolted to the wheel. *The huge force of braking is transmitted to the wheel through the webbed center of the disc which gets stretched and becomes larger than the space it occupies in the center of the disc. This causes the center to push to the side trying to find room for itself.

*Resulting is a cone shaped disc.

Soft lever 2

The caliper has pistons only on one side, so as the pads wear the caliper must shift sideways apply even pressure on both sides of the disc.

*To allow this the caliper floats on two pins. *If these pins get dry (no grease) dirty or bent. The caliper won’t center itself and bends the disc to wherever it is.

This take up lever travel and when released pushes the pistons further back than necessary.

*If not fixed will eventually destroy the disc (warp it).


Ok how to prevent all of the above.

When new pad time comes around, resist the temptation to just pop in new one and go.

*Every time you must do these things.

Remove caliper disassemble and clean it.

Clean and re grease the sliding pins.

Polish the caliper pistons to remove dirt. If you just push the pistons back into the caliper leaks will result. Or binding.

Tools required:
12 mm socket
8mm open end wrench
3” or bigger C clamp
a supply of new bake fluid.
wire brush and or steel wool.

Remove the caliper from the fork leg but leave the brake line on.

Remove the old pads and the mounting frame (the sliding pins)

Remove the cover from the Master Cylinder on the Handel bar.

Attach the C clamp to one of the pistons but don’t squeeze it. *Pump the lever on the bar slowly to push out the other piston almost all the way. *Put the C clamp on that piston and push out the other one.

Remove both pistons by hand.

Remove all the rubber part from the caliper, the seals are in the grooves in the caliper and dull pointed thingy will get them out easy.

Disconnect the caliper from the brake line.

Soak all the rubber parts in new clean brake fluid * ONLY!!!!! * Rub them with you fingers till as clean as new.

The caliper can be cleaned with a wire brush or even a Moto tool for the internal grooves, NOW’s the time to paint it if you wish.

Polish the pistons till they are smooth and shinny. They are chrome plated. If any of the plating is chipped or damaged below the dust cap groove. *Replace it.

The master cylinder is the subject of another write up and we’ll assume it in good working order here.

If you suspect your disc is bad, your bets bet is to replace it with an after market one fro EBC or Galpher.

*Don’t remove the disc unless you intend to replace it. *It will assume a new shape if it is * stressed and will not be flat again. You can try to check its condition by placing a straight edge across the face of the pad swept area looking for any distortion.

Re assembly

Take the nice clean rubber seals and install them into the caliper then the Dust covers.
Wet all the rubber with new clean brake fluid and partially fill the caliper with new fluid.

Push the pistons though the dust seals and into the caliper body until the dust covers snap into the grooves.

Fill the MC with new fluid and pump the lever while holding the Line above the MC till clean fluid flows.

Connect the line to the caliper while holding it above the MC.

Pump the lever with the bleeder valve open till fluid flow from the bleeder.

*Hold the caliper so that the bleeder is the highest point.

Close the bleeder and pump more fluid into the caliper but don’t push the pistons all the way out.

Then squeeze the pistons all the way back in and install the new pads.

Re grease the slider pins and assemble the dust seals and re mount the caliper on the forks but leave the bolts loose.

Now clamp the caliper to the disc with the brake lever.

Look at the space between the fork lugs and the caliper, clamp and release a few times as you tighten the bolts by hand. It one lug touches much before the other the odds are you mounting bracket is bent. You can straighten it.

*After you get it the best you can. Some shim washers made from alum can stock can be fitted to the loose side.*

** *What we are doing here is trying to minimize the bedd in time and gets the best pad life.


Ok with everything tight you should be through, Notice we don’t need to bleed the brakes, but if you screwed up in any of the above steps, you might do that here.

Be careful to Bedd in the new pads gently.

*Too much pressure too soon will burn the pad material as only a small area will be gripping at first. You also won’t have full braking power till the pads are fully familiar with the disc

I also recommend flush and fill with new brake fluid, also I'd go with 5.1DOT.

No matter what kind of brake fluid you choose, always periodically flush and fill with new fluid.

This is the one I use



https://m.motul.com/ca/en-us/product...-1-brake-fluid



Also inspect the brake lines, replace is needed, http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Stainle..._lines_upgrade

Venhill Introduction
Greetings everyone!

I wanted to take a moment to introduce you to Venhill...

Venhill manufactures some of the highest quality brake lines and cables you can get. We've been in business since 1971 and currently offer a full range of brake lines for the Ninja 250, first and second generations.

Our website, venhillusa.com, is setup to take orders for any year Ninja 250 as well as many other bikes. You can pick your bike and then customize your kits as you wish. We offer many different colors of hose as well as different finishes and materials for hardware. All of these options can be selected during the purchase process, so you'll be sure to get exactly what you want. You can even add length to hoses if needed.

To get an idea of our reputation, have a look at our eBay feedback.

If you have any questions or comments about Venhill products or brake lines or cables in general, please share them. I'm happy to be a resource for general information about brake lines and cables as well. Technical questions are welcome!

Please take a look at our website and let us know what you think. We just recently did a complete makeover and are interested in feedback. (venhillusa.com)

Have a great day and stay safe,

Chris
Venhill USA

For the detail oriented out there, some interesting things you might want to know about Venhill and our products:

Our factory is ISO 9001-2000 approved, which basically means we have the ability to consistently produce quality products. To qualify for ISO approval your factory and quality control mechanisms are evaluated as to whether your "good" products happen by chance, or if they are a result of good quality control.

All of our hoses are built to DOT/TUV spec and have been certified as such. We submitted hoses to the TUV (German DOT) for testing and only by passing are we allowed to use the TUV symbol on our hoses. Every hose we sell is built to these specifications, even if it is for track or offroad use only. It just makes for a higher quality product.

All of our hoses are hydraulically crimped, not hand crimped, and leak/pressure tested in a water bath. Yes, we immerse every hose we build in a water bath and pressurize it to check for leaks and to verify integrity of the crimps.

Venhill's hose core is authentic DuPont Teflon which is more expensive than generic "PTFE" but is stronger with a smoother inner bore. This is surrounded by 96 strands of braided marine grade stainless wire. 96 strands is more dense than some other braided line brands and the marine grade alloy is a stronger metal, which reduces expansion, the reason rubber hoses feel "spongy". Finally, we coat the braid with a UV-resistant PVC, extruded on during manufacture. This protects the hose as well as body and paint work.

Our hose design uses free-floating swivels, which allow you to loosely install everything before the hoses are tightened into place. This ensures the hose is not forced into a twist or kink when the banjo bolts are tightened. If you're worried about leaks, don't be. Our swivels work on the same premise as every threaded connection on a car or truck.

As you can see, we're sort of obsessed with quality and safety. We look at it this way: If we're asking you to put our brake lines on your bike, you're trusting us with the integrity of your brakes. That's a serious concept and we refuse to compromise when it comes to the integrity of your brakes.

I have these stainless steel lines on my Ninjette, and so far, some good, I recommend getting the stainless steel banjo bolts, I noticed my chrome ones have started to rust slightly, a good excuse for me to upgrade to titanium

On my 91 EX500 I have Spiegler, in orange to match that bike.

So you have made the decision that your OEM rubber lines need to be changed.

So why choose Spiegler Brake Lines?

A: Strength

That’s the short answer. But it doesn’t tell the whole story.

Spiegler Brake Lines strength comes from our innovation and research, materials and construction, knowledge and experience, service and support.

At Spiegler, we believe that the more you know about what we put into our products, the better you’ll be able to answer that question yourself.


That’s the short version; now let’s cover this topic more in depth.

Most OEM manufacturer recommend that you replace your rubber brake lines every 2 to 3 years. Why do the OEM’s recommend this? Over time OEM rubber lines deteriorate rapidly due to expansion and UV damage. This leads to increased braking distances and possible failure.

At Spiegler, our brake lines are made of only the finest materials available.

Outside casings are made of tightly woven stainless steel braiding that exceeds our competitors
The inside is made with DuPont’s PTFE-Teflon which eliminates expansion and adds durability
Crimp sleeves are made from stainless steel; competitors are using mostly carbon steel
Unique patented adjustable banjo fittings eliminate line twist during installation.
30% weight savings in comparison to other stainless steel braided brake lines
DOT approved
Lifetime warranty
117 color combinations possible which allows customers to personalize their bikes
We can build your lines to any specifications for custom applications
All brake line kits come ready for install

For more information on why you should choose Spiegler Brake Lines, you can view the following pages for a more detailed look into Spiegler brake lines.

When it comes to safety items like brakes, when in doubt, throw them out, it's your safety in your hands, and is cheaper than a visit to the ER.

Buy quality pads,I personally recommend EBC brand either the HH, or the Extreme HH.

Full floating rotor or wave, replace the OEM rubber line with a stainless steel braided brake line, cheaper than replacing them with OEM.

On my 500 I have Spiegler line

http://www.spieglerusa.com/brakes/cy...line-kits.html

On my Ninja 250 i went with Venhill

http://www.venhillusa.com/products.html

With all that, it will stop on a dime, and leave you nine cents in change.

look here http://ebcbrakes.com/products/motorcycle/

And also read this, http://www.ex-500.com/wiki/index.php...otors_and_Pads

That should answer any questions you might have.

[tgold]

Repaired the carbon fiber canister for the Area P exhaust. I had a bunch of 1-2 ply sheets of cured carbon fiber that I bought cheap off ebay. I sanded the surface of the pipe and the glossy side of the sheets that I wanted to use and then I mixed up a batch of West Systems epoxy, slathered some on the damaged area on the pipe, and wrapped three separate sheets around the canister. Then I put three hose clamps around the whole thing and left it to cure.
We'll see how it looks when I get home tonight.

[ninjabeesh]

Installed a gear indicator and shift light, both from ebay. Think it looks cheese? I don't care, I like it anyways

[toEleven]

Originally Posted by ninjabeesh

Installed a gear indicator and shift light, both from ebay. Think it looks cheese? I don't care, I like it anyways

Looks as good as any indicator I've seen. I'd be happy with that one if I felt the need for one at all.

[ninjabeesh]

Originally Posted by toEleven

Looks as good as any indicator I've seen. I'd be happy with that one if I felt the need for one at all.

Thank you!! Can't believe I had to take off the front and side fairings to do it lol, did you see the shift light? It's huge! Lol but cheap from ebay I kinda don't mind the look of it, that's what I thought people might think looks cheesy lols

[lizardywizard]

Baby's first oil change. Nice to see that clean clear oil in the window, and she sounds great.

Oh no... so sorry to hear about your loss @BDfromBC. Do update us on how that's going.

[mgentz]

Finished installing the cylinder head

[Ghostt]

I reset the sag on the forks, seems to be better, and it's about right now.

In other news the weird mysterious noise is gone after I replaced the CCT, so I guess that was it.

All's well here.

[MyTriggaz]

This week i replaced the brake pads with some Kevlar pads. Cleaned up the calipers. They feel so much better.

Did a diy rear fender eliminator.

Also washed her up nice and good.

Then i installed some led strip's under the rear fairing for some additional brake lighting.

[Ghostt]

Originally Posted by MyTriggaz

This week i replaced the brake pads with some Kevlar pads. Cleaned up the calipers. They feel so much better.

Did a diy rear fender eliminator.

Also washed her up nice and good.

Then i installed some led strip's under the rear fairing for some additional brake lighting.

[lizardywizard]

Nothing except clean and check the tire pressure... because I was about to go for a ride when I saw one of the bolts holding on the shifter/left footpeg arrangement was gone.

The other was severely loose. I know it must've been that the shop didn't tighten them enough after replacing the shifter. I'd take off the passenger footpeg and use the bolt from that but apparently they're fixed in there with some heat-reactive compound.

The shop said they'd have the bolt in on Wednesday. My DMV test was going to be Wednesday. I guess I'm rescheduling... unless someone within a few hours drive of me (Orange County) has a spare footpeg bracket bolt. Seriously, I'll drive to pick it up.

(pinging @CaliGrrl, @jonuhhthinn, @erbarry88 just in case)

[Ghostt]

Originally Posted by lizardywizard

Nothing except clean and check the tire pressure... because I was about to go for a ride when I saw one of the bolts holding on the shifter/left footpeg arrangement was gone.

The other was severely loose. I know it must've been that the shop didn't tighten them enough after replacing the shifter. I'd take off the passenger footpeg and use the bolt from that but apparently they're fixed in there with some heat-reactive compound.

The shop said they'd have the bolt in on Wednesday. My DMV test was going to be Wednesday. I guess I'm rescheduling... unless someone within a couple hours drive of me (Orange County) has a spare footpeg bracket bolt. Seriously, I'll drive to pick it up.

It's a M8X20mm Allen head socket bolt, most Ace hardware stores carry metric fasteners, just take one with you match the treads.

I replaced almost all fasteners on mine with stainless steel, something to keep in mind.

[lizardywizard]

Originally Posted by Ghostt

It's a M8X20mm Allen head socket bolt, most Ace hardware stores carry metric fasteners, just take one with you match the treads.

I replaced almost all fasteners on mine with stainless steel, something to keep in mind.

Thank you, you're a lifesaver!

[Ghostt]

Originally Posted by lizardywizard

Thank you, you're a lifesaver!

I think the thread is 1.25, but I'm not 100% sure, bring one with you just to be safe.

[RacinNinja]

Contacted my Dunlop tire rep for the races. Think I might put a set of Alpha 13's on it and see how they do this coming weekend.

[Ducati999]

Finally got the 250 ready for the Wife to ride at Palmer. I added air to the tires, checked all the fluids and gave her (the bike not the wife) an nice run through the local back roads. I had started the bike a week or 2 ago but there was a little hesitation right off idle. All gone now and she really pulls great for a 26-27 HP bike! So much fun! Now I need to get the Gear Indicator installed and remove the blinkers and mirrors for the Memorial day track event!

[sharky nrk]

Cleaned her up really well.

[ZeroGravity360]

Fixed the turn signal AGAIN because I dropped it. Also, she is getting a new tail light module put it tonight

[lizardywizard]

Learned to change the lower fairing (the left one was seriously cracked, so I bought a replacement on eBay - I don't mind scratches, but having a fairing cracked right where the engine is seems a bit much), and to unfasten those darn "quick rivets"!

Also replaced that darn bolt - @Ghostt, I noticed you said you replaced all your bolts. What's the advantage in replacing them? I'd have thought the OEM ones would be most suited to the motorcycle...

[crazymadbastard]

A bunch of stuff:
Rebuilt front zx600 front master, front/ rear master brackets, pics at my cafe build thread vvvvv ; )

[toEleven]

Originally Posted by lizardywizard

I'd have thought the OEM ones would be most suited to the motorcycle...

I leave Ghostt to give their personal reasons for switching, but whenever you ponder the suitability of OEM components remember that this is a budget bike. Budget bike means budget components. Everything the OEM supplied is adequate, but adequate is a pretty low bar to set.

[Ghostt]

Originally Posted by lizardywizard

Learned to change the lower fairing (the left one was seriously cracked, so I bought a replacement on eBay - I don't mind scratches, but having a fairing cracked right where the engine is seems a bit much), and to unfasten those darn "quick rivets"!

Also replaced that darn bolt - @Ghostt, I noticed you said you replaced all your bolts. What's the advantage in replacing them? I'd have thought the OEM ones would be most suited to the motorcycle...

Stainless steel is better than OEM, doesn't rust, Allen heads, plus it looks a lot better too. I've also used some titanium as well on certain parts.

You can find the fairing kits on eBay, the other I had to do myself, fortunately my local hardware store has them in stock

[mgentz]

Originally Posted by Ghostt

Stainless steel is better than OEM, doesn't rust, Allen heads, plus it looks a lot better too. I've also used some titanium as well on certain parts.

You can find the fairing kits on eBay, the other I had to do myself, fortunately my local hardware store has them in stock

have you tried bikebolts.com or pro-bolt.com?

[mgentz]

Looked at her and longingly wondered when my next break-in ride will be!

....yea that's right....she's running again!

[Ghostt]

Originally Posted by mgentz

have you tried bikebolts.com or pro-bolt.com?

I have some Pro-Bolt items, like the clutch perch adjuster, and bleader caps, but honestly it's cheaper just to buy a box of them, as most of them are the same anyway, and never hurts to have a few spares.

[ZeroGravity360]

Popped an unexpected wheelie last night, rookie mistake, it was not fun.. LOL~!

[tgold]

Originally Posted by RacinNinja

Contacted my Dunlop tire rep for the races. Think I might put a set of Alpha 13's on it and see how they do this coming weekend.

I'd be interested in your impression of the A13's. Since I found that there's no contingency for Bridgestone, my choice of tires has opened up.

[lizardywizard]

Originally Posted by ZeroGravity360

Popped an unexpected wheelie last night, rookie mistake, it was not fun.. LOL~!

Oh hell! What happened exactly?

I've never done that, if it happened I'd be terrified