MistahT's two project EX250s

[MistahT]

Well first let me formally introduce myself. My name's Matthew and I'm a music teacher who wishes he was an autoshop teacher. Spent over 10 years wrenching and now been riding a few. I've been poking around this forum a few months. Let me give you a VERY BRIEF look at the bikes I've had, and then on to my two project Ninja 250s.

A few years ago I got a broken 50cc Honda Ruckus and ended up swapping a 150cc engine, painting, and doing lots of custom work. Loved the looks buzzing by at 65mph



Then I got my first motorcycle, a 1991 Suzuki GS500



What about Ninjas? Glad you asked. I got my wife a 250 when she got her motorcycle license, and truth be told, sometimes I prefer riding it to my FZ. It had some issues and came in purple/orange/silver... yuck! I asked her what color she wanted, so I painted it white and just put it back together.


(our two bikes together)


The same weekend I picked up a Ninja 250 for myself. As one project ends, another begins!! Unfortunately, the key broke off in the gas cap a few months ago and a buyer before me destroyed the ignition wiring trying to hot wire to see if it runs. It's been rattle canned to death in lots of different colors you can see at the edges... everything from blue, to green, black, and camo.....

My plan, make a little street fighter. No fairing, round headlight, and paint the bellypan, tank, and whatever's left a nice metallic blue. Would love to do something fancy to the tail that isn't just fairings or no fairings, maybe swap for a CBR tail or something, but we'll see about that.

First step has to be get it running!!

[csmith12]

nice! Subbed to watch the progress.

[MistahT]

Made some progress tonight. I got a triple tree with ignition, key, and gas cap from ebay and it just came in. So I tore the front end down. I found something good and something bad. The bad thing was the ignition piece is held on by rivets, but the good news was that I wouldn't need to fix the wire splices! The splices were between the cylinder and plug, so just plug the new one in!

Getting the seat off was a huge pain without a key to the seat lock, but I managed. Then found out the battery wiggled around and probably would have come out if we actually tried to go for a ride. It was secured with a little duct tape. I pulled it out and put it on my trickle charger.








I got the triple and bars back on. I put the new gas cap on but something is interfering with the hinge. It's late, dark, and I have a sinus infection. Going to bed. Getting up early to work on it some more and go for a group ride.

[MistahT]

And by the way, THIS is the color we're planning for the bike

[Yasko]

This will be fun to watch. I'm thinking of going cafe raser with my bike.

[Racer x]

Welcome to the fun. I am in Baltimore . Let me know if you need any help.

[MistahT]

Originally Posted by Racer x

Welcome to the fun. I am in Baltimore . Let me know if you need any help.

If this thing doesn't run today, I might take you up on that.

If you're reading this, one of my friends is leaving Towson in a couple hours on his Ninja 500. A few of us are riding/working in the garage today. We're probably going to Battley Cycle for the Blessing of the Bikes around 1pm, and then either riding out to Laurel to checkout Heyser and Cycle Gear or heading out into Damascus and Frederick areas. Got a family thing at 5pm so probably done around 4pm.
matthewtilkens@gmail.com

[JanqeD]

This is real cool, I'll be following your progress for sure. I am also knew but welcome none the less 100+ posts you sir are a fast burner lol. I'll see ya around!

[MistahT]

Originally Posted by JanqeD

This is real cool, I'll be following your progress for sure. I am also knew but welcome none the less 100+ posts you sir are a fast burner lol. I'll see ya around!

Yeah, I'm active! I love to learn, share, and help others... that's the teacher in me coming out.

[JanqeD]

I am a avid fan of DIY and helping people as well with my previous experiences.

[MistahT]

PROGRESS!!

My trickle charger said the battery is good and charged, but we soon realized that was a lie... needs a new one. No matter, jumper pack on it worked fine, good spark, easy to turn over. The bike runs for a little bit on starting fluid, but we can't get it to run on gas. Even with fresh gas and some seafoam, we can't get it to stay running.

Guess I gotta clean the carbs. Damn. I hate carbs.....

[MistahT]

More progress, kind of.... please help.....

So after about 4 hours in the garage today working on the new 250, here's what I discovered.

1. I've never had carb screws so tight. Even after clamping down on it with my vice one wouldn't move. Cut a huge slit into it with a dremel and after about 30 minutes got it to finally budge. Unfortunately, the jets were almost just as tight. I snapped off two pieces of one of the main jets trying to get it out! Jets looked clean, I cleaned them anyway.

2. I stripped down Christine's pregen and saw the hoses were incorrectly routed on the new project. Rerouted them and it wouldn't start. Added some starting fluid and it ran!! With full choke it ran, then the rpms jumped WAY up, so I pulled some choke off and it died. There's a fine line between dead and stratosphere and it won't sit at a decent rpm. However, it would restart without starting fluid for a while. After about 6 starts, it wouldn't go anymore.

3. Touch the throttle any and the bike immediately dies. Sounds like the first scooter I got. Culprit was clogged jets, but I just went through and cleaned an already clean carb (with the exception on one slightly grimy pilot).

Still, I feel like this bike is one or two easy fixes away from being road worthy... I just don't know enough to diagnose and fix this on my own.

Help? Ideas?

[MistahT]

I feel like the issue is not so much fuel delivery as vacuum. I've searched these boards but there's so much information it's hard to pick out the piece I need... a needle in a haystack.

Is there a way to check if I have the proper vacuum?

Also, anyone have clear pictures of hose routing? My repair manual only had bits and pieces. I feel like my hoses aren't in the right places...

[Racer x]

Pilot jets are clogged

[MistahT]

Originally Posted by Racer x

Pilot jets are clogged

I just cleaned them out. You think so??

[Racer x]

Are they clear all the way through? Did you use gum cutter with the little red hose (and glasses ) to check the circui to make sure it is clean?

If it idles and dies when you touch the throttle . Or if you can fev it but it hangs at 3500 rpm before dying. Then it is in the pilot circuit. There are air bleeds also.

When alcohol in gasoline attracts moisture. It corrodes the brass jets. Some times they need to be drilled or replaced to clear them

[MistahT]

I trust you X. I might not have time to get it apart again today, but then definitely tomorrow. Is the "circuit" the path from the jet to the combustion chamber?

[sharky nrk]

Welcome, the white one turned out great, looking forward to your project

[Racer x]

Yes The carb has passages that flow fuel through the different jets and the fuel comes into the carb bore at different locations depending on the position of the throttle plate. When you remove the jet and spray into the hole the jet came out of. You should see the gum cutter flow through the carb.

[MistahT]

X, you're the man!! When we finally meet the first beer is on me! After cleaning (again) it ran. It was the passages. Took it a little bit to get the idle more dialed in.

The beast is ALIVE!!!! Now I gotta find the right color paint, order some tires, a battery, and a round headlight. I don't know if I can get it painted, inspected, finished, and street legal for the car show on the 21st, but I'm not going to rush it.

I'm so excited!

[MistahT]

DAMMIT!!!!!

So yesterday the bike idled and took throttle inputs. Today, even after a few minutes of idling to warm up, it would immediately die on throttle input. Also, there is a VERY fine line on the choke between a slow chug which becomes a stall, and high rev.

Ideas guys? After a third clean I might just take it to a shop. What about changing out these supposed "stage 2" jets for stock jets? Would it be better to leave the stage 2 jets since I don't have a factory airbox and rather like the sound it has now?

[Racer x]

Can you bring it to me? Or just the carbs. I have all the jets and parts. I would be glad to go over it. I do t charge anything.

[MistahT]

Originally Posted by Racer x

Can you bring it to me? Or just the carbs. I have all the jets and parts. I would be glad to go over it. I do t charge anything.

No time this weekend, but maybe next. However, I do think I can find some time to try and clean them again. I didn't blow out with compressed air and apparently missed that tiny brass tube next to the jets.

X, if/when I bring you my carbs, I'll also bring a pizza

[Racer x]

Sounds good.

[MistahT]

HAHA!! Laughing at myself so hard.... bikes usually require 4 things. Fuel, air, spark, and compression. When there isn't enough gas in the tank, it won't run.

FIXED IT

Took it around the block. It's tuned horribly, but it runs! That's good enough for me to start sanding and getting some primer down. The gas tank has some nasty dents in it though that I'm just now noticing. Bondo and I aren't friends but I don't just want to paint it. Bondo probably wouldn't look worse than it does right now. We'll see what happens tomorrow.

[choneofakind]

Subscribed. I want to see where you take this one

[MistahT]

I took some pieces I may or may not use and painted with my new metallic rustoleum. Wow, this stuff is nice. The pictures don't do it justice. Also a note, I need to spray the rustoleum more than twice as far back than I'm used to and move faster. It comes out thicker, faster, or both.

It's REALLY glossy until it starts to dry. Unfortunately, the gloss tames down some, but the can says they have a clear coat.... might need to try it. Also, I love the last two shots because you can see the sprocket on my wall pretty clearly in the fender. Other pieces are totally dry, but the fender is about halfway to dry if you're gauging the gloss.





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[insomniaticnotw]

That's a fantastic rattle can job.

[Racer x]

Wet sand it very carefully then clear coat it. Make sure the clear is the same type of paint.

[MistahT]

Originally Posted by Racer x

Wet sand it very carefully then clear coat it. Make sure the clear is the same type of paint.

Thinking about just buffing before clear. Tried it with a few pieces on my wife's bike and looks almost identical to the ones I wet sanded. I know when I wet sanded her bike I cut some edges a little too close and the paint got thin.

[Racer x]

Why I said careful. One cut and it is start over time. I don't sand the edge. I wet sand up to the edge then just chicken out. After it is all done in the main fields. I lightly rub it all down with a scotch bright.

[MistahT]

Not only will it run up the block and back, we're starting to put it together. The tank has some dents, but for right now we want to get it looking mostly together and rideable. Only two coats of Rustoleum so we can go back later, sand it down, hopefully find someone who can bondo, and repaint the tank while adding some extra coats to everything else.

Gonna order some tires tonight. Was gonna for Shinkos, but for the extra $10 I'm gonna grab the Kendas.

Anyway, add a round headlight, CBR600rr tail, clip ons, and different exhaust - that's basically how I envisioned it. Well, the bellypan and front fender looked more aggresive in my head. I'll see what I can do with a dremel......

[Racer x]

Great. Can't wait to see it

[MistahT]

Headlight came in. I thought at first I wanted it crazy low, or at least as low as possible, even maybe down on the fender. Mocking it up, I realized how stupid it looked. I tried a low position, then pushed the light as high as it could fit. I like the high position a lot!

LOW







HIGH





and Kenda 671s and my CBR600rr tail should be in the mail soon. >: )


The only issue I'm seeing now is the speedo cable won't reach except to the bottom of the light. I was hoping to use the stock cluster to pass inspection, but it looks like I'm gonna have to find a gauge sooner than later.

[Racer x]

Get a Koso dash. Then you won't need the big cable. You can even use the rear wheel if you want. Plus it is fun to play with.

[MistahT]

Originally Posted by Racer x

Get a Koso dash. Then you won't need the big cable. You can even use the rear wheel if you want. Plus it is fun to play with.

Thought Koso were about $100 but now all I see it more like $300. There's a knock off around $50 my friends like, but think I'd prefer the Vapor. Sure its not real easy to see tach, but how important is it? Also, I can hide the Vapor between the clip ons. Bank account is under $100 right. Few days of ramen. Come on pay day!! Daddy needs bike parts!!

[MistahT]

Did a little work last night. I realized the edges of the bellypan weren't perfect and I could see inside of it, so I hit the inside with some semi-flat high-temp black and then did the re-painted edges with the blue. Came out very nice. The slight reflection off the black paint inside tricks the eye into thinking it's all blue

[ pictures I took didn't turn out well, imagine one is here. there you go! ]


The wheels are pulled. Tires should be here in a couple days, then I need to find a shop to mount and balance on the cheap. Ram Cycles is good for that, but they aren't opening at their new location for like 2 more weeks!



And then there's the Bowser helmet. Picked up a cheap HJC Modular from craigslist. In July a bunch of us are going to one of those indoor 65mph gokart racing places.... but we're all going as Mario Kart characters! I gotta get a Bowser backpack, paint an old white shirt to look like his belly, and gonna paint this helmet like his face. I'm a horrible artist though, so let's hope it works out.

I plasti-dipped it black to have a blank canvas... but opening and closing the modular started ripping the dip. Oh well, it looked good at first. Maybe I'll spray my Scorpion flat black, it looked really cool!

[Racer x]

Koso makes a bunch of different stuff. I guess I ment. Get a digital dash and loose the cable.

[CZroe]

Originally Posted by MistahT

Did a little work last night. I realized the edges of the bellypan weren't perfect and I could see inside of it, so I hit the inside with some semi-flat high-temp black and then did the re-painted edges with the blue. Came out very nice. The slight reflection off the black paint inside tricks the eye into thinking it's all blue

[ pictures I took didn't turn out well, imagine one is here. there you go! ]


The wheels are pulled. Tires should be here in a couple days, then I need to find a shop to mount and balance on the cheap. Ram Cycles is good for that, but they aren't opening at their new location for like 2 more weeks!

And then there's the Bowser helmet. Picked up a cheap HJC Modular from craigslist. In July a bunch of us are going to one of those indoor 65mph gokart racing places.... but we're all going as Mario Kart characters! I gotta get a Bowser backpack, paint an old white shirt to look like his belly, and gonna paint this helmet like his face. I'm a horrible artist though, so let's hope it works out.

I plasti-dipped it black to have a blank canvas... but opening and closing the modular started ripping the dip. Oh well, it looked good at first. Maybe I'll spray my Scorpion flat black, it looked really cool!

Love the Mario Kart idea! My buddies and I play classic Mario Kart 64 Battle Mode almost every weekend.

I'm still hoping to make my blue bike Blue Falcon-themed with corny Captain Falcon gear from F-Zero.

[MistahT]

Tires came in. The shop I wanna take them to hasn't reopened yet, $35 a wheel for mount and balance. The other shop in the area is $65 a wheel. I don't need them mounted that bad I can throw $60 in the garbage. Anyone have a lookup in Maryland? I did rip the wheel weights off to paint, so I'll need new weights.

Looking very hard at the Vapor guage. Worried it won't be easy to see revs on the road in sunlight.