Lighting, clutch adjustment and more

[yogurtpooh]

Hey. So I finally fixed my brake problems for now and everything feels great. This is such a super fun bike to ride. However, I still have some questions.

1) Is the bike supposed to get really warm/hot around your leg? I'm surprised by how warm it gets so quickly. I've never ridden another motorcycle like this, so I wouldn't know. The only other bike I've ridden is a 150cc single cylinder bike. It was air cooled, but it never got this hot. I also usually ride under 20 miles an hour with lots of stop and go traffic because I live in Vietnam. From time to time I'll be able to hit 40 miles an hour, but that's rare and won't last more than a few minutes. I've only managed to bring the bike up to 4th gear!! But it'll get hot after 10 minutes or so. Really warm around my knees and legs.

2) Is the bike supposed to have one headlight bulb running at all times? Somehow, my headlight is always on, and when I switch the switch up, it lights up both lights and the high beam indicator. If not, then would his hurt the bike in the long run? I don't want to deal with it much anymore unless i have to.

3) Is the clutch adjustment near stock? I don't have a good feel for how strong the clutch should be. If you can give me some pointers on if this looks like it's too tight or too loose, I would appreciate it.

[MurfNTurf]

The warmth around your legs is more than likely due to the fact that you live in a warm place. That, with the combination of riding slow and constantly starting and stopping is what is probably making it warm. The fan on your bike should eventually kick on to help cool the engine.
The headlight is perfectly normal. One light stays on whenever the bike is on and the other comes on when you flip the highbeam switch.
As for the clutch cable, it looks pretty similar to mine, you'll get used to the tension.

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by yogurtpooh

Hey. So I finally fixed my brake problems for now and everything feels great. This is such a super fun bike to ride. However, I still have some questions............

1) Normal; wear long pants rather than short ones.

2) That is a safety mandatory (in USA) feature. There is no harm to the bike or battery.

3) You cannot change the tension of the lever. The internal springs of the clutch determine that tension. That regulator is for allowing 2 mm of play between the edge of the lever and its support in normal position. That way, there is no tension in the cable and discs of the clutch. If you feel too much resistance, then the clutch cable and its pivot point in the hand lever requires lubrication.

Please, read these:
http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Adjusting_the_clutch_cable

http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Lubing_the_cables

http://www.dansmc.com/cables.htm

[cbinker]

1. you are sitting on an engine that radiates 220*F+/104*C+, things will get warm in slow moving traffic.
2.Normal, I heard something about one light helped reduce weight and costs. Most if not all regions require motorcycles have a full time running light for visibility and safety feature.
3. how does the clutch lever feel? There needs to be a little free play with the cable to ensure the clutch is fully engaged when you release the lever.

[yogurtpooh]

Thank you guys for the responses. I appreciate it.

I'm wearing jeans and it still warms my leg up to the point where it hurts.
But the temperature outside was like 90 degrees and I guess that makes sense about riding slowly. The fan did kick in. The original owner actually wired the fan to run all the time. I had it rewired back to stock, and maybe thats why I feel like its warmer.

Is the part where you can see the actual metal cable supposed to line up
with where you can see it on the back of the clutch lever itself or is it supposed to be pointed down towards the ground?

I'm coming from another bike, so I'm just getting used to the feel. My other bike has a stiffer clutch level, and from it being held in and fully released, there's way more distance to go. The ninja on the other hand, from the lever pulled in, to letting it out, there doesn't seem to be much. So I'm not shifting very smoothly, because there's not much resistance when I release the clutch compared to my old bike. Plus, when I hold the lever in on this bike, it requires more strength to keep it in. I just recently changed it, so it was lubed and all that good stuff. I've just been toying with the regulator a lot, so much that i don't know what's right... so I just wanted to bring that to as stock as possible.
I checked on pictures online and different people seem to have theirs adjusted at different settings.


like this picture for example, the screw is all the way in while I have one thread showing on mine.

and then in this picture, there's a lot of threads showing outside of the clutch lever between the regulator and the nut


So what's the stock thread amount?

[yogurtpooh]

http://youtu.be/9q4boMDOupY
i shot a video today of my clutch lever. can you please watch it and let me know if this free play is normal?

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by yogurtpooh

http://youtu.be/9q4boMDOupY
i shot a video today of my clutch lever. can you please watch it and let me know if this free play is normal?

Too much free play:

https://www.ninjette.org/forums/show...66&postcount=3

Originally Posted by yogurtpooh

Is the part where you can see the actual metal cable supposed to line up
with where you can see it on the back of the clutch lever itself or is it supposed to be pointed down towards the ground?

Pointing down avoids rain from leaking inside the cable assembly.
Regarding number of threads that get exposed, Internet pictures are all different because there is another adjuster close to the lever that enters the clutch cavity.

[cbinker]

I was going to say looks good to me, about the same i have on mine.

[BlackShinobi]

hers a pic of mine if it'll help

[yogurtpooh]

Thanks a lot for the pic and your guys replies.
My problem is that I keep popping the clutch and when I shift and gas my bike will kinda jump because there's too much free play and when I let go of the clutch lever slowly, it doesn't pull back enough. This happens more from first to third at slower speeds. Unfortunately, when I do get the clutch held in, there's too much resistance and my hand feels tired. So tightening it might not be the best idea. Any thoughts?

[yogurtpooh]

does my gear changer seem bent or protruding kind of up? The reason I'm asking is that it seems like I have to raise my foot up if I want to downshift. Shouldn't it be more inclined and leaning down? does it look normal?

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by yogurtpooh

..............The reason I'm asking is that it seems like I have to raise my foot up if I want to downshift............

You can adjust the shifter to suit your ergo:
http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/How_do_...the_shifter%3F

[yogurtpooh]

does my clutch pedal look stock though? it looks kinda bent to me, but does it look kinda high to you? are you supposed to kinda of lift the toe part of your foot up when you want to down shift? I feel like it sits higher than my brake pedal

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by yogurtpooh

does my clutch pedal look stock though? it looks kinda bent to me, but does it look kinda high to you? are you supposed to kinda of lift the toe part of your foot up when you want to down shift? I feel like it sits higher than my brake pedal

Did you mean your shifter pedal?

Mine is set lower than yours and I upshift and downshift without lifting the back of my foot from the peg.

There is no wrong or right, try different positions for each control (hands and feet) until you find the more comfortable to your body.

If you have to think while shifting gears or if the bike becomes unstable, it can be improved.

Please, read this:
http://www.sportrider.com/riding-ski...trol-tailoring