How Many Miles On Your Ninjette?

[Suki2003]

year of bike: 2003

date purchased: 03/12

present mileage as of today: 23,905

Put 5k on over the past 3 years... man, I need to ride more. :/

[NevadaWolf]

Moving on up (down?) the poll!! 75,000 miles!

[Mike K]

Mine turned 10,000 miles on the track at NJMP on Saturday!

[allanoue]

a bit low on fuel

[NevadaWolf]

w00t w00t Go Al go!!

[cadd]

Al, did you time it just right so that when it was blinking, the photo was captured? Or are you soooooo low that the fuel gauge stops blinking completely telling you there's no hope left? LOL.

[allanoue]

Originally Posted by cadd

Al, did you time it just right so that when it was blinking, the photo was captured? Or are you soooooo low that the fuel gauge stops blinking completely telling you there's no hope left? LOL.

It was blinking but I did not try to time it. I have put 4.8 gallons in it and it never stopped blinking. I have never run out of gas with the 300... yet

[reggae5]

Just turned over 13k on my 300. So far only had to replace the rear tire.

[LittleRedNinjette]

Got to bump it up. Hit 10k yesterday.

[FrugalNinja250]

Passed 81K miles a couple of weeks ago. Lifetime riding average (I only started riding in 2009) is 1,275 miles/month. Will probably be at all 8's sometime around the end of the year.

[allanoue]

Originally Posted by FrugalNinja250

Passed 81K miles a couple of weeks ago. Lifetime riding average (I only started riding in 2009) is 1,275 miles/month. Will probably be at all 8's sometime around the end of the year.

[dcj13]

Originally Posted by allanoue

Pic of the bike? Or the odometer?

[allanoue]

Originally Posted by dcj13

Pic of the bike? Or the odometer?

all the 8s

[NevadaWolf]

Originally Posted by allanoue

all the 8s

Just for fun, include a weather report when you get the picture - ya know, "Local on the 8s".

[C-Bass]

I purchased this new 2012 250R SE last year, and it now has 2750 miles (4400 km) on the odometer -

[NevadaWolf]

So pretty!

[Fastway Racing]

I dont imagine many get to the higher mileage part of th chart

[wardie]

bought June 17, 2014 I just turned 10,000 miles on her

[NevadaWolf]

Originally Posted by Fastway Racing

I dont imagine many get to the higher mileage part of th chart

I'm working on it, only 17k until I can move up to the last realistic category. The two ding dongs who answered one light year can keep their fantasy to themselves.

[cadd]

What's your maintenance schedule like? And do you get the valves checked per the owners manual time table?

[NevadaWolf]

Me?

Oil and filter every 5000, take it to the shop for a check up every 10k. Er, valves have only been done twice since the job is so blasted expensive. They were done at 30k and 50k, had to be adjusted this most recent time. Shop got on me for skipping the one (two?) in between, I argued I was still paying off the first one so no. Wait, I think the first shop did something valve related around the 7000 mile mark, so hey three times!

When my tires die this time (got 7k remaining on the rear) I'm going to break the bike down and really get into it and clean and check and fix things. Good time as any to learn how to inspect the valves, since I'll have the engine drained and the sprocket and chain off (those need replacing after the last chain ate my sprockets). Also going to fix all my accessory wiring and clean up the poor job I did. Should remove the CA emissions thing since it's just dead weight. Hurm.

Yeah, going to clean my baby up in time for her big 100k milestone.

[wardie]

Originally Posted by cadd

What's your maintenance schedule like? And do you get the valves checked per the owners manual time table?

Buy a factory shop manual. The entire maintenance schedule from the first 600 mile inspection to when you sell her is in there.

My bike is a 2012 bought new out of crate June 17, 2014. I along with my mechanic buddy have done every single service from the 600 miler to the 6000 mile one. Pulling cams, changing shims, even replacing tensioner gasket because it said to do it.

I also changed out the coolant since I had the bike's fairings off. My bike has 15/41 and will do 95 flat out me layin' on the tank. I believe she would pull 15/43 better thus maybe crack a hundee but my highway GAS MILEAGE WOULD DECREASE.

Keep after things and the bike will last a long time. I use Wix filters buy them by the case and from my road racing experience I really love Mobil1's 4 T 10w-40 synthetic motorcycle oil. Without starting an oil debate if you have interest in why I run this oil just PM me and I'll share.

[allanoue]

One overkill and one on a budget.

Pick your comfort level.

[NevadaWolf]

My main argument with the shop is that at 50k they wanted to replace everything. Wait, let me stress that properly... EVERYTHING All hoses, all cables, alll chains, sprockets, fluids, all bits, bobs, and doohickies.

Why? "cause by this mileage, its wearing out" How do non moving rubber hoses wear out from mileage?!

Totally uneducated belief: While some things I can see being based on miles (tires, chain, sprockets, oil, valves) there's stuff in there that I believe is based on an assumed average mileage per year. 50k may take an average of five to six years so general environment and heat cycles will degrade parts. But after only two years? How? Why? I told them no.

I've gotten to the point of replace it as it needs it, take care of it (kind of) until then. Carry spares as I learn what causes problems (which is why a spare clutch cable is now zip tied in place).

[dcj13]

They're being conservative and they want you to pay for it.

Hoses should be good for a minimum of 10 years (long after you will have replaced the bike, based on how much you ride it). Smart to decline the hose replacement at this time.

[FrugalNinja250]

I basically just fix things as they break. Valves get checked every 6k-7K. I run them loose, right at or slightly higher than the range specified, and so far the last two checks I haven't had any get tight enough to require adjustment. Looser valves means slightly less power, I'm perfectly fine with that since it's primarily a commuter that will never see the track.

Tires generally last 25-27K, I run Kenda K671s front and rear. I've had to plug them from time to time, I think I've done five or six plugs so far.

Chain and sprockets: I replace the chain when it gets frozen links, generally around 20-28K, except for that stupid fancy RK X-ring chain which had frozen links by 8K miles and was done by 12K. I Now run EK O-ring chains exclusively. Sprockets I replace as needed, generally getting 25+K from the front and more from the rear. I just went with a 15/41 last month, previous was a 15/43. The 43 wasn't significantly worn with 22K miles on it. Lube the chain every few hundred miles, just spray and wipe, no cleaning or other solvents. The lube only takes care of the roller to tooth contact point, the rollers themselves are internally lubricated behind the O-ring. Solvents or mechanical cleaning can damage those O-rings and cause the rollers to wear prematurely, IMHO.

Cables: Lube them whenever I get around to it or notice things feeling sticky. Broke two clutch cables before realizing that the nipple at the end of the cable where it sits in the hole in the lever was the problem. It has to be lubed well with a high-pressure waterproof grease so that it can rotate in the hole as the lever is used. If it gets dry and bound up it sticks, resulting in bending force being introduced into the cable strands where they seat into the nipple and eventually fatigue fracture/failure occurs. I'll lube the cable itself ever 5-10K miles but I pull the cable end and dip it in grease every oil change. Since I started doing that I haven't had any cable problems.

Carbs. Nothing. I synced them once around 30K mile ago I think. I fiddle with the idle speed every few months when the weather gets hotter or colder. I clean and oil the filter panel every oil change. I've been running E10 exclusively and have no problems. Gas mileage has varied from the mid 40's (80+MPH into a headwind uphill out of the Mississippi river valley) to 71, with the average being 55-60 in the winter to 60-65 in warmer weather.

I did lube the swingarm around 40K ago because it was sticking, and replaced the headset balls after getting hit head on around 11K miles. At some point I'll probably get around to doing a full lube on all the pivot points in the suspension.

Brakes. Ah, the bane. I've replaced the pads a lot. I prefer the OEM Kawasaki pads as they have the best initial grip. I tried some fancy pads from Bikebandit, they sucked. I now just keep an eye out for used OEM pads as they're generally cheap. I've flushed and replaced the fluid once front and rear. I'm on my second front rotor, I replaced the whole wheel since it also gave me low-mileage bearings. The rear wheel is original, the bearings have no play and make no noise so I'm good there for a while.

Miscellaneous: I've replaced the tank and bodywork twice because it's easier to repaint everything off the bike on a jig then swap everything over. It was originally the 2006 blue with silver flames, then I painted it orange, then green. Next up will be purple, I think. I'm on my 4th seat, the bike spends all day out in the sun at work and surprise, sitting on the seat when it's 16°F cracked it. Bulbs are all LED now except for the headlamp. The headlamp bulb's been replaced twice, once at 11K miles when the Toyota smashed it and once around 71K miles. Oh, and the rubber boots at the base of the turn signal assemblies, those tend to rot out around 30-40K miles. Lost a voltage regulator around 60K miles, and had a coil power wire break inside the insulation at some point, boy was that one a hard one to pin down. A few bolts have fallen off here and there, and I just discovered the upper fairing stay has broken completely in two. That's up next to reweld. Oh, and grips: I run foam grips, they eliminate vibration in my hands. They are cheap at CycleGear and I replace them every 8-10 months. It only takes a minute to replace them with a bit of compresssed air and a blow nozzle under the edge.

That's about all I can think of off the top of my head.

Forgot to add: Forks started leaking around 50K miles, first one side then the other. A few months ago they finally ran out of oil and stopped leaving spots where I park.

[NevadaWolf]

Originally Posted by FrugalNinja250

Passed 81K miles a couple of weeks ago. Lifetime riding average (I only started riding in 2009) is 1,275 miles/month. Will probably be at all 8's sometime around the end of the year.

Originally Posted by allanoue

I'll jump in.

Local on the 8's

Sept 23, 2015
Wendover, NV, 68*F, clue blue sunny sky, no wind, with a light haze in the distance.

[allanoue]

Changed my vote today

[JohntheNinja]

i thought people would have had way more! mines a 2008 ninja and bought it with 9000 miles and had it about 5 months and have done almost 3000 miles. Had my old ybr 125 5 years and did 17000 on it

[dcj13]

Originally Posted by allanoue

Changed my vote today.

Originally Posted by JohntheNinja

i thought people would have had way more! mines a 2008 ninja and bought it with 9000 miles and had it about 5 months and have done almost 3000 miles. Had my old ybr 125 5 years and did 17000 on it.

Cool on both counts!

[NevadaWolf]

Soon, soon, I'll be able to change my vote into the last realistic category. BWAHAHAHA


Just curious @Alex, can you share who the other two in the 100k slot are? The 500k entries are just being silly, but hoping the other two are genuine. @Racer x is probably one of them.

[spooph]

I know @scorch is high up there as well!

NevadaWolf, you might be the first to break 100K on a NewGen!

[NevadaWolf]

Depends on what Dr. Yeager and Leon Begeman have on their bikes. Kurt Worden was talking about breaking 100k on his pregen during this year's IBR, not sure what he has on his newgen. Can't remember what Gregg and Chris have on their newgens but both of them also ride far (though I think both have a second bike to split the miles with, same with Alex).

*tries to recall who else is a member of Team 250 in the LD world*

[choneofakind]

Holy ****, Teri!

You're going to catch up to my car mileage soon. I've just passed 116,000 miles, and that's with a trip to the west coast this year. Doin' werk!

[Alex]

Originally Posted by NevadaWolf

Soon, soon, I'll be able to change my vote into the last realistic category. BWAHAHAHA


Just curious @Alex, can you share who the other two in the 100k slot are? The 500k entries are just being silly, but hoping the other two are genuine. @Racer x is probably one of them.

@Racer x and @snapshot

[subxero]

just slipped over 14k on my 2012. All commuting miles, between rain and having to drive the car when I needed to run errands I didn't get as many miles as I thought I would so far this year. Oh well

[Racer x]

The bike I have has 138000 documented miles . It was written up on 250 ninja.org by Bill Hoddinott. It's a 1988 . Everything was pretty much original except he replaced the engine twice. I still have both engines and they showed no problems. He said they began to knock at idle so he replaced them.
I investigated the engine further and found the clutch basket may have been worn.
Bill is very meticulous with his maitnance. He rides a 300 now.

I restored the 1988 using a salvage 2001 bike with very low miles. Under 1000 I think. And now it's in perfect running condition and will be made into a cafe racer soon.

[gantt]

sadly, i only put about 200 miles on mine this year. even with the allure of fitting the most awesome area p system. just got pushed to the back of the shop all year. this winter i WILL get this bike finished! it must not sit. i'll admit, the drz had a little something to do with me not having free time to finish the 250 up.

[Racer x]

Originally Posted by Racer x

The bike I have has 138000 documented miles . It was written up on 250 ninja.org by Bill Hoddinott. It's a 1988 . Everything was pretty much original except he replaced the engine twice. I still have both engines and they showed no problems. He said they began to knock at idle so he replaced them.
I investigated the engine further and found the clutch basket may have been worn.
Bill is very meticulous with his maitnance. He rides a 300 now.

I restored the 1988 using a salvage 2001 bike with very low miles. Under 1000 I think. And now it's in perfect running condition and will be made into a cafe racer soon.

This bike is for sale super cheap . Moving sale if anyone is interested

[scorch]

I sold my 08 ninja last year with 87,000 miles on it. At 74k miles it had a top end rebuild from racerx on the forum. It was a great bike and ran great when i sold it.