Issues on my recently bought Ninja 250

[basementmt]

Hi guys, I've just introduced myself in the Newbie thread and i'm posting my first question re my recently bought Ninja 250.

As a background remark, I do not have much experience on bikes, been riding a BMW F650 during my riding lessons for the past 3 months and now that I passed my unrestricted licence, I've bought myself a second hand green Ninja 250 mainly for daily commute.

Since I've owned this Ninja I've been extremely unlucky to find my Ninja dropped twice in 2 months, in my first accident I was parked in a parking space when a lady reversed into my bike, I was lucky enough that the alarm went on and she didn't flee the scene, as I result of this accident I ended up with a broken left fairing, bent left handlebar and some other cosmetic damages. I didn't yet fix these but plan to do so as soon as her insurance gives me the go ahead to repair.

Unfortunately yesterday after work I found what looks like mud on the right handlebar and mirrors, I'm thinking that someone might have dropped my bike and put it up again as if nothing happened. I inspected the bike closely but I could not find any other damages except for the mud and scratches on the handlebar and mirror.

Damage from what I think was a second drop





Oddly enough, the left handlebar is now touching with the tank (it was already almost touching as a result of the first drop). You can see the difference between left handlebar and right handlebar in the pictures below:

Difference between left and right handlebar to the tank







This leads me up to my big question, now keep in mind I do not have much experience on bikes so it might be it's just my sensation, but I'm feeling that on some instances the bike is going straight but I feel like tipping over from the bike, it feels like I have to struggle to keep on the seat.

I get this feeling on occasions and fear instantly kicks in. I did not experience any of this on the BMW F650 and I am thinking it might be that my body position is incorrect, I am putting too much pressure on the handlebars (I am aware of this) or the road is a little bit inclined from left to right or the other way round which gives the sensation that I am tipping over but still keep going straight.

What is your opinion about this? do you think a bent handlebar or any of the above options can result in such case? To be totally honest when I bought the bike (since I also didn't yet had a licence) my friend tested it out and told me it looks like a good bike but the dent handlebar could have already been there and my friend didn't notice.

Sorry for the long question, but I wanted to give as much information as possible.

Looking forward for your input

[Ghostt]

Simple and easy fixes, your bar inserts are bent, find a good used pair, New they are about $50.00 USD each.

Your other problem might be as easy as the forks are out of alignment, this is easily fixed with the following instructions which I will provide below,

It often happens that a little bump (or a large one) knocks the front fork out of alignment. This can often be noticed by a off center fender or odd handling. Here's how to straighten them.

Tools required: Wrenches to loosen the triple clamp pinch bolts and the front Axel bolts.
a Flat piece of metal or glass about 3 inches wide and long enough to span the forks.

First check if you need to do this. Lay the metal plate across the bar chrome part of the fork tubes, and rock it across corner like a chair with a short leg. If it rocks your forks are Tweaked. If it lays flat without much movement (less than a 1/16") your done.

OK the forks are Tweaked.

With the bike on the center stand and the front wheel propped off the ground. Loosen all
the Triple clam pinch bolts, the top center cap nut. and the Axel and the Axel pinch bolts. Don't remove any of them just get them loose.

Check if your fork tube are bent by twisting them in the triples. they should turn freely. if they move a little then bind they might be bent.

Now rock the tubes as above, Hold the front wheel with your knees and twist the bars till the plate Don't rock.

Now gradually tighten all the bolts a little at a time as you keep checking the "Rocker" till all are properly torqued.

Your done, your front end will love you for it.

Think about the forks being parallel to each other. The three inch plate would lay across them in contact all along two 3" lines and the plate woul be solid or not rock.

Now make the forks not parallel.(tweaked) Now the plate can only be in contact with 1 fork along the 3" line the other fork will be only in point contact. Untill you push it down on that side (rock it) which will make the otherside come up. Like a 4 legged chair with a short leg.

It rocks, therefore Rocker is a good discriptive word

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by basementmt

This leads me up to my big question, now keep in mind I do not have much experience on bikes so it might be it's just my sensation, but I'm feeling that on some instances the bike is going straight but I feel like tipping over from the bike, it feels like I have to struggle to keep on the seat.

I get this feeling on occasions and fear instantly kicks in. I did not experience any of this on the BMW F650 and I am thinking it might be that my body position is incorrect, I am putting too much pressure on the handlebars (I am aware of this) or the road is a little bit inclined from left to right or the other way round which gives the sensation that I am tipping over but still keep going straight.

What is your opinion about this? do you think a bent handlebar or any of the above options can result in such case? To be totally honest when I bought the bike (since I also didn't yet had a licence) my friend tested it out and told me it looks like a good bike but the dent handlebar could have already been there and my friend didn't notice.

Looking forward for your input

Bummer that someone takes your bike and does stuff without your knowledge. Mud doesn't just jump up on mirrors or bar ends.

A bent bar may initiate an unbalanced feeling on strongly cambered surfaces and could be amplified by being tight on the bars, being a relatively new rider is also not in your favor. Try replacing the bar first and taking a test ride before missing with the fork alignment.

Good thing is, replacing the clutch side bar is easier than the throttle side. The worst part is going to be getting the bar end off.

[Ghostt]

Originally Posted by csmith12

Bummer that someone takes your bike and does stuff without your knowledge. Mud doesn't just jump up on mirrors or bar ends.

A bent bar may initiate an unbalanced feeling and could be amplified by being tight on the bars. Being a relatively new rider is also not in your favor. Try replacing the bar first and taking a test ride before missing with the fork alignment.

Good thing is, replacing the clutch side bar is easier than the throttle side. The worst part is going to be getting the bar end off.

Very excellent points, if your going to remove the bar ends, use the proper size tool, but before you do that, heat up the screw to soften the red Loc-Tite Kawasaki used to hold those in.

[basementmt]

Originally Posted by Ghostt

Simple and easy fixes, your bar inserts are bent, find a good used pair, New they are about $50.00 USD.

Your other problem might be as easy as the forks are out of alignment, this is easily fixed with the following instructions which I will provide below,

Thanks for your input Ghostt, sounds pretty easy.

The good thing is that the left handlebar, together with the left fairing and some other cosmetic things is going to be replaced by the lady's insurance as soon as I have the go ahead to proceed. She accepted the fault so in that regard I am covered.

The other good thing is that I will not be doing the repairs myself so if something is odd, such as also having the forks mis-aligned as you suggested, the agent should be able to notice and let me know.

Hopefully this will fix this weird sensation as it is also effecting my confidence on the road.

[Ghostt]

Originally Posted by basementmt

Thanks for your input Ghostt, sounds pretty easy.

The good thing is that the left handlebar, together with the left fairing and some other cosmetic things is going to be replaced by the lady's insurance as soon as I have the go ahead to proceed. She accepted the fault so in that regard I am covered.

The other good thing is that I will not be doing the repairs myself so if something is odd, such as also having the forks mis-aligned as you suggested, the agent should be able to notice and let me know.

Hopefully this will fix this weird sensation as it is also effecting my confidence on the road.

I wouldn't count on the agents, at least in the states anyway.

Good luck, be sure to let us know how it all turns out.

[basementmt]

Originally Posted by csmith12

Bummer that someone takes your bike and does stuff without your knowledge. Mud doesn't just jump up on mirrors or bar ends.

A bent bar may initiate an unbalanced feeling on strongly cambered surfaces and could be amplified by being tight on the bars, being a relatively new rider is also not in your favor. Try replacing the bar first and taking a test ride before missing with the fork alignment.

Good thing is, replacing the clutch side bar is easier than the throttle side. The worst part is going to be getting the bar end off.

To be honest I couldn't figure out exactly what happened cause the first thing I noticed was that the mirror was out of place. But as you said mud doesn't all of a sudden jump on the mirrors

I guess it is bound to happen if the bike is sitting on the road. Strangely and luckily enough, that is the only damage I could see, giving that on that side the bike also has the stock silencer I thought it was going to be pretty bad.

By the way, being the most densely populated country in Europe together with a high number of cars sooner or later it is very likely that someone (unfortunately) will drop it again.

[basementmt]

Originally Posted by Ghostt

I wouldn't count on the agents, at least in the states anyway.

Good luck, be sure to let us know how it all turns out.

Will definitely let you know, thanks for your help

[Ghostt]

Np, after looking closer at your picture, that left bar is most definitely bent big time, the right one as well, but just a little bit compared to the left one.

To be sure take a straight edge, a ruler will do, hold it on top, line it up with the center of the bar up by the riser, then look at it, it should line up with the center of the grip, and bar end.

The picture I posted shows where they bent at, close to the riser, this is just the design of the bars themselves, and almost always bent at the point.

[basementmt]

Originally Posted by Ghostt

Np, after looking closer at your picture, that left bar is most definitely bent big time, the right one as well, but just a little bit compared to the left one.

To be sure take a straight edge, a ruler will do, hold it on top, line it up with the center of the bar up by the riser, then look at it, it should line up with the center of the grip, and bar end.

The picture I posted shows where they bent at, close to the riser, this is just the design of the bars themselves, and almost always bent at the point.

Actually looking at some other Ninja's it is evident both bars are bent. And newbie me thought it was some kind of Kawasaki design

As it turns out, the second drop wasn't just a mirror and a bar-end.

[Ghostt]

Originally Posted by basementmt

Actually looking at some other Ninja's it is evident both bars are bent. And newbie me thought it was some kind of Kawasaki design

As it turns out, the second drop wasn't just a mirror and a bar-end.

Unfortunately if the bar ends take a decent hit, the bars will bend, as I said it's the design of the bars being hollow, only way around it is either don't drop it, or have a machine shop make you a set made out of solid round bar, iron, etc... No soft metals like aluminum etc....

If you have a friend at a machine shop your set, I've personally done this and just used old front wheel drive axles, which had bad CV joints, so they were free, just my time on a lathe.

Too bad you overseas, the shipping cost of me making you set, and shipping them would not be worth it. Add to the fact I've done this on a pre-gen model, and I'm sure the bar is different on the new gens, so I would need one to make sure it's made correctly.

[csmith12]

[Ghostt]

Originally Posted by csmith12

Damn Skippy!!!!!

We gotta hook up sometime this season for sure.

[basementmt]

Hi guys, quick update re my issues... I picked up my bike a week ago and everything seems fine. The left handle is fixed and the whole experience feels better so probably that was the issue as you rightly suggested.

The only drawback is that the newly replaced left panel is brighter green than the rest of the bike, probably due to a bit of fadings on the old panels but I can live with that.

Thank you all for your input

[Ghostt]

Awesome, I love a happy ending glad it all worked out for you.