Getting the Ninja going again ! - Page 5

DannoXYZ · July 4th, 2023, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob KellyIII

LOL that one doesn't work either.... LOL but that looks like the one I found too
LOL
ok I am used to doing Ounce's so do I fill the fork till it's 120MM from the top ?
....
Bob......

Yes, add original 12oz in and measure air-gap at top.
Then slowly add more until gap is 120mm.

Bob KellyIII · July 4th, 2023, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DannoXYZ

Yes, add original 12oz in and measure air-gap at top.
Then slowly add more until gap is 120mm.

Ok will do ! thanks for the help Danno !!!!!
...
Bob....

DannoXYZ · July 5th, 2023, 09:36 AM

If you don't plan on doing any off-roading, I recommend chopping 4" off springs and replacing stock spacer with 4" longer one. Actually -5mm on longer spacer since less pre-load needed for stiffer springs. So chop 4" off spring, then create new spacer of length = stock spacer length + length of spring chopped - 3/16".

For example, this spacer was made for 2" shorter aftermarket stiffer spring for heavier rider. You'll want to chop stock spring 4" and have similar results.

Bob KellyIII · July 5th, 2023, 10:52 AM

the idea of chopping the spring to make it shorter is to make it "Stiffer" right ?
I think I will pass on that because I can just change to a thicker oil if I want a stiffer ride
....yah it's not quite the same thicker oil involves the rebound both going down in compression and in rebound coming back and it's not the same as compression stiffness
but it feels almost the same on the road....
personally I like a smooth ride "soft and cushy" is the way to go for this old man ! LOL
....just changing oil thickness really changes the Ride of the bike.
adding a longer spacer will stiffen up the spring a bit... without messing with travel
in most cases. but getting the thing back together is a major P.I.T.A with a longer spacer and normal length spring !
....
I got the forks back on now so I ain't going to do anything else to them right now...
I was going to drill and tap holes so I could drain the oil out. but thought better of it
and just put them back on. I didn't want to screw anything up ! LOL
.....
Bob...

Bob KellyIII · July 6th, 2023, 02:08 PM

I took the bike off the jack a bit ago and held the front brake and bounced on the front forks.... it's fairly soft no doubt about that but I would say a little softer than average.
I'm putting it back together now to test ride it.....
it should be fine for me and the kind of riding I do ( putting around)
we shall see.... I think I will need to put heavier fork oil in the front forks though it just seems too soft !
(I should have waited for the oil I guess !)
....
Bob.....

DannoXYZ · July 6th, 2023, 06:22 PM

Well, if you end up replacing oil with thicker, might as well stiffen up spring by chopping 4" off and do drain-bolt mod at bottom of fork.

Bob KellyIII · July 6th, 2023, 07:14 PM

I may well do the bolt addition so I can change fork oil in the future but I doubt I will cut the springs.... those puppies look expensive to replace ! I'm not a racer but the bike should corner good....that's what it was built to do after all... but I think the geometry
works better in corners by compressing alot not compressing less it's gott'a dive to a certain extent to get the rake and trail back where the steering is quicker .... if you remove that you'll not get the "it steers it's self in the corner" feel ! and I really like that in this bike.... you can corner just by adding a little lean and feathering the front brake
she will turn the appropriate amount every time.... and I don't want to loose that.
and I think I would if I made the front stiffer !
I dunno I may be all wet here HAHAHA!
.....
Bob....

Bob KellyIII · July 8th, 2023, 10:10 PM

Got the Ninja all back together again but haven't ridden it yet....
just came back in from starting it and I noticed the fuel gauge is stuck again that or it is out of gas ! LOL....
and I don't think it's out because I can hear it sloshing in there !
.........now that I think about it...i don't think I plugged in the sending unit under the tank AURGH !!!!!!
,,,
just haven't had energy to go ride.... it sux getting old !
....
Bob....

DannoXYZ · July 8th, 2023, 10:43 PM

No way, getting old is awesome!

I'm looking forward to hurling insults at anyone or pooping in my pants any time I want!!

Bob KellyIII · July 9th, 2023, 08:22 PM

I think if you do that Danno you get the title of Dirty Old Man ! and you don't want that !
all the old ladys will swarm you on the street ! LOL
Sorry, sorry I couldn't resist !
.....
anyway.... I was right ...I forgot to plug in the sending unit on the gastank ....
pulled off the side cover and there they were setting side by side not connected !
like DUH !
so I plugged them together and put the side cover back on to cover them up turned on the choke and hit the starter and it fired up before the first revolution !
.... I drove alot today so I am kind'a beat so I'll take it for a joy ride tomorrow and see how she preforms.... I have a feeling I have awakened a monster !
there is a bit of grumbling around the 4k and 5k range but that is also when it's cold as I never run it long.... so I think that will go away when she warms up from 6k up it never misses a beat or even sounds like it's strugling before it sounded like it was straining to reach the higher RPM now it doesn't sound like that so Gordons work probably is exactly what the doctor ordered ! ....
so I was setting there listening to the Ninja run and watching the gas gauge climb to full..... that is a nice feature to have on a bike....a gas gauge ! ... my XR650L doesn't have one of those ! ( frown)....
....
Bob.....

DannoXYZ · July 10th, 2023, 01:46 PM

I was using new-gen automatic petcock with my '02 pre-gen. Nice not having to flip petcock to RES when it gets low. But new owner doesn't like not having any indicators. I'll probably install new-gen fuel-level sender in tank and add bright LED light to clocks for when level gets low...

Bob KellyIII · July 10th, 2023, 03:42 PM

on my XR650L the gas tank is a after market Clark... 4.5 gal. I think ( pirty small for that gas guzzler) I think I'm only getting somewhere in the 20's for MPG !!!!!
I was thinking of just doing a clear tube along the side of the tank, all I would need is the plastic fittings or brass ones if I can find them.... I think that would be simplest and fairly easy to do.... the tank is thick plastic of some kind... I expect it is PVC plastic...
..... I've had a few bikes with the clear tube type of gas gauge and they work real good
and are bullet proof ! never ripped one out by dumping it while trail riding anyway.
....
I can't get up any enthusiasm for going for a ride today... so I am just going to go take a nap ! LOL

Bob.......

DannoXYZ · July 10th, 2023, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob KellyIII

I can't get up any enthusiasm for going for a ride today... so I am just going to go take a nap ! LOL

We have drugs for that...

Bob KellyIII · July 10th, 2023, 09:58 PM

if so I haven't seen them ! LOL
...
Bob...

Bob KellyIII · July 16th, 2023, 07:03 PM

I took the Ninja out for a quick ride yesterday, just to check how it ran....
there is no doubt it is not perfect yet.... that area around 4,000 and 5,000 RPM is problematic.... the bike seems slower on pick up from a stop than it was it doesn't miss a beat but it feels slow on acceleration as compaired to how it ran before this carb fiasco
.... it's just not the same !
even in neutral I can feel the difference...upon gassing it....like it's not spot on yet !
.... I think anyone else would say it's running like it is supposed to run.... but I know where to look and when and it's still not right... she will pull hard to 9k RPM but I didn't have the road to test more than that....
and it does not steer like it used to now.... I raised the front to try and make the bike level and it is still a tad low in front.... but the bike is not trying to turn for me anymore... I KILLED IT !!!! it rides like it's on rails very solid but unless I haing my butt off the side a long way into a turn i have to force the bike to turn now........ it almost handles as good as the XR650L now.... and that is NOT saying very much.... it handles like a refrigerator ! HAHAHAHAHA
I have no idea what to do about that..... but I think the NOSE DOWN configuration that the bike had been in sense I got it was the reason for the nimbleness !
....
ahhh well, ya win some and ya loose some !
....
Bob..................

Bob KellyIII · July 18th, 2023, 04:38 AM

I did notice that the front forks worked better than they had in the past.....
the "invisible bump" got me again on Hoy Road but it wasn't half as bad as it had been ...and I was clipping it off doing about 40mph that would have jared my teeth loose before. so the ATF in the front forks seems to work on for a soft ride !
....
I had the front forks all the way up into the handle bar rizers as far as I could get them to go .... about 1.5" I think.... I loosened the tripple trees and used a pair of welding vice-grips to press the forks down, sense it was only on it's side stand with weight on the front wheel.... what worked real good ! it pressed them both down one at a time
and got the tops of the forks at 1/4" above the tripple tree on both sides.
I am thinking that with the lowering of the rear on the bike the rake and trail are all off but before the fork repair it only set nose down slightly.... which is about where it sits now after lowering the forks ! which is weird....I am thinking that they must have had too much or too little fork oil in them to begin with... which would account for the stiff front end I think.... but sense the seals were leaking it needed checked out....
now I wish I left it alone because it just doesn't turn the corner for you anymore...
so my question is, do your bikes turn for you or was mine the exception rather than the rule ? the slightest bit of lean makes the front wheel turn before,... now it takes alot of lean to get that response. but I actually think that is the way it is supposed to be !
( I'll have to learn how to ride it all over again!)(at least in the twistys !)
.....
I am considering dropping the forks again back to the lowest I can get it as it handled alot better that way.... it will be Nose down though... so I dunno....
....
Bob.....

DannoXYZ · July 18th, 2023, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob KellyIII

so my question is, do your bikes turn for you or was mine the exception rather than the rule ? the slightest bit of lean makes the front wheel turn before,... now it takes alot of lean to get that response. but I actually think that is the way it is supposed to be !
( I'll have to learn how to ride it all over again!)(at least in the twistys !)
.....
I am considering dropping the forks again back to the lowest I can get it as it handled alot better that way.... it will be Nose down though... so I dunno....
....
Bob.....

Did you adjust bearing-preload on headset?

Having front-end lower does make bike turn-in tiny bit more responsive. But not really that noticeable. I have to pull out stopwatch to really see difference on track.

As test, get 2nd bike and make only this change. Have someone put one bike at factory height and 2nd bike with lowered front-end. Put a box over top of triple-tee so you can't see which one is which. Then do test rides.

July 5th, 2023, 10:52 AM	#164
Bob KellyIII Retired motorcycle Mc. Name: Robert Location: Weed, California. Join Date: Jul 2021 Motorcycle(s): 2012 Kawasaki Ninja 250R, 2021 CSC TT250, 1977 Triumph Bonneville 750cc,2001 Honda XR650L. Posts: A lot.	the idea of chopping the spring to make it shorter is to make it "Stiffer" right ? I think I will pass on that because I can just change to a thicker oil if I want a stiffer ride ....yah it's not quite the same thicker oil involves the rebound both going down in compression and in rebound coming back and it's not the same as compression stiffness but it feels almost the same on the road.... personally I like a smooth ride "soft and cushy" is the way to go for this old man ! LOL ....just changing oil thickness really changes the Ride of the bike. adding a longer spacer will stiffen up the spring a bit... without messing with travel in most cases. but getting the thing back together is a major P.I.T.A with a longer spacer and normal length spring ! .... I got the forks back on now so I ain't going to do anything else to them right now... I was going to drill and tap holes so I could drain the oil out. but thought better of it and just put them back on. I didn't want to screw anything up ! LOL ..... Bob... __________________________________________________ Its too late when you've gone too far !

July 6th, 2023, 02:08 PM	#165
Bob KellyIII Retired motorcycle Mc. Name: Robert Location: Weed, California. Join Date: Jul 2021 Motorcycle(s): 2012 Kawasaki Ninja 250R, 2021 CSC TT250, 1977 Triumph Bonneville 750cc,2001 Honda XR650L. Posts: A lot.	I took the bike off the jack a bit ago and held the front brake and bounced on the front forks.... it's fairly soft no doubt about that but I would say a little softer than average. I'm putting it back together now to test ride it..... it should be fine for me and the kind of riding I do ( putting around) we shall see.... I think I will need to put heavier fork oil in the front forks though it just seems too soft ! (I should have waited for the oil I guess !) .... Bob..... __________________________________________________ Its too late when you've gone too far !

July 6th, 2023, 07:14 PM	#167
Bob KellyIII Retired motorcycle Mc. Name: Robert Location: Weed, California. Join Date: Jul 2021 Motorcycle(s): 2012 Kawasaki Ninja 250R, 2021 CSC TT250, 1977 Triumph Bonneville 750cc,2001 Honda XR650L. Posts: A lot.	I may well do the bolt addition so I can change fork oil in the future but I doubt I will cut the springs.... those puppies look expensive to replace ! I'm not a racer but the bike should corner good....that's what it was built to do after all... but I think the geometry works better in corners by compressing alot not compressing less it's gott'a dive to a certain extent to get the rake and trail back where the steering is quicker .... if you remove that you'll not get the "it steers it's self in the corner" feel ! and I really like that in this bike.... you can corner just by adding a little lean and feathering the front brake she will turn the appropriate amount every time.... and I don't want to loose that. and I think I would if I made the front stiffer ! I dunno I may be all wet here HAHAHA! ..... Bob.... __________________________________________________ Its too late when you've gone too far !
	1 out of 1 members found this post helpful.

July 8th, 2023, 10:10 PM	#168
Bob KellyIII Retired motorcycle Mc. Name: Robert Location: Weed, California. Join Date: Jul 2021 Motorcycle(s): 2012 Kawasaki Ninja 250R, 2021 CSC TT250, 1977 Triumph Bonneville 750cc,2001 Honda XR650L. Posts: A lot.	Got the Ninja all back together again but haven't ridden it yet.... just came back in from starting it and I noticed the fuel gauge is stuck again that or it is out of gas ! LOL.... and I don't think it's out because I can hear it sloshing in there ! .........now that I think about it...i don't think I plugged in the sending unit under the tank AURGH !!!!!! ,,, just haven't had energy to go ride.... it sux getting old ! .... Bob.... __________________________________________________ Its too late when you've gone too far !

July 9th, 2023, 08:22 PM	#170
Bob KellyIII Retired motorcycle Mc. Name: Robert Location: Weed, California. Join Date: Jul 2021 Motorcycle(s): 2012 Kawasaki Ninja 250R, 2021 CSC TT250, 1977 Triumph Bonneville 750cc,2001 Honda XR650L. Posts: A lot.	I think if you do that Danno you get the title of Dirty Old Man ! and you don't want that ! all the old ladys will swarm you on the street ! LOL Sorry, sorry I couldn't resist ! ..... anyway.... I was right ...I forgot to plug in the sending unit on the gastank .... pulled off the side cover and there they were setting side by side not connected ! like DUH ! so I plugged them together and put the side cover back on to cover them up turned on the choke and hit the starter and it fired up before the first revolution ! .... I drove alot today so I am kind'a beat so I'll take it for a joy ride tomorrow and see how she preforms.... I have a feeling I have awakened a monster ! there is a bit of grumbling around the 4k and 5k range but that is also when it's cold as I never run it long.... so I think that will go away when she warms up from 6k up it never misses a beat or even sounds like it's strugling before it sounded like it was straining to reach the higher RPM now it doesn't sound like that so Gordons work probably is exactly what the doctor ordered ! .... so I was setting there listening to the Ninja run and watching the gas gauge climb to full..... that is a nice feature to have on a bike....a gas gauge ! ... my XR650L doesn't have one of those ! ( frown).... .... Bob..... __________________________________________________ Its too late when you've gone too far !

July 5th, 2023, 09:36 AM	#163
DannoXYZ ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: AKA JacRyann Location: Mesa, AZ Join Date: Dec 2011 Motorcycle(s): CB125T CBR250R-MC19 CBR250RR-MC22 NSR350R-MC21 VF500F CBR600RR SFV650 VFR750F R1M ST1300PA Valkyrie-F6C Posts: A lot. MOTY - 2018, MOTM - Nov '17	If you don't plan on doing any off-roading, I recommend chopping 4" off springs and replacing stock spacer with 4" longer one. Actually -5mm on longer spacer since less pre-load needed for stiffer springs. So chop 4" off spring, then create new spacer of length = stock spacer length + length of spring chopped - 3/16". For example, this spacer was made for 2" shorter aftermarket stiffer spring for heavier rider. You'll want to chop stock spring 4" and have similar results.

July 6th, 2023, 06:22 PM	#166
DannoXYZ ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: AKA JacRyann Location: Mesa, AZ Join Date: Dec 2011 Motorcycle(s): CB125T CBR250R-MC19 CBR250RR-MC22 NSR350R-MC21 VF500F CBR600RR SFV650 VFR750F R1M ST1300PA Valkyrie-F6C Posts: A lot. MOTY - 2018, MOTM - Nov '17	Well, if you end up replacing oil with thicker, might as well stiffen up spring by chopping 4" off and do drain-bolt mod at bottom of fork.

July 8th, 2023, 10:43 PM	#169
DannoXYZ ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: AKA JacRyann Location: Mesa, AZ Join Date: Dec 2011 Motorcycle(s): CB125T CBR250R-MC19 CBR250RR-MC22 NSR350R-MC21 VF500F CBR600RR SFV650 VFR750F R1M ST1300PA Valkyrie-F6C Posts: A lot. MOTY - 2018, MOTM - Nov '17	No way, getting old is awesome! I'm looking forward to hurling insults at anyone or pooping in my pants any time I want!!

July 10th, 2023, 01:46 PM	#171
DannoXYZ ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: AKA JacRyann Location: Mesa, AZ Join Date: Dec 2011 Motorcycle(s): CB125T CBR250R-MC19 CBR250RR-MC22 NSR350R-MC21 VF500F CBR600RR SFV650 VFR750F R1M ST1300PA Valkyrie-F6C Posts: A lot. MOTY - 2018, MOTM - Nov '17	I was using new-gen automatic petcock with my '02 pre-gen. Nice not having to flip petcock to RES when it gets low. But new owner doesn't like not having any indicators. I'll probably install new-gen fuel-level sender in tank and add bright LED light to clocks for when level gets low...

July 10th, 2023, 03:42 PM	#172
Bob KellyIII Retired motorcycle Mc. Name: Robert Location: Weed, California. Join Date: Jul 2021 Motorcycle(s): 2012 Kawasaki Ninja 250R, 2021 CSC TT250, 1977 Triumph Bonneville 750cc,2001 Honda XR650L. Posts: A lot.	on my XR650L the gas tank is a after market Clark... 4.5 gal. I think ( pirty small for that gas guzzler) I think I'm only getting somewhere in the 20's for MPG !!!!! I was thinking of just doing a clear tube along the side of the tank, all I would need is the plastic fittings or brass ones if I can find them.... I think that would be simplest and fairly easy to do.... the tank is thick plastic of some kind... I expect it is PVC plastic... ..... I've had a few bikes with the clear tube type of gas gauge and they work real good and are bullet proof ! never ripped one out by dumping it while trail riding anyway. .... I can't get up any enthusiasm for going for a ride today... so I am just going to go take a nap ! LOL Bob....... __________________________________________________ Its too late when you've gone too far !

July 10th, 2023, 09:58 PM	#174
Bob KellyIII Retired motorcycle Mc. Name: Robert Location: Weed, California. Join Date: Jul 2021 Motorcycle(s): 2012 Kawasaki Ninja 250R, 2021 CSC TT250, 1977 Triumph Bonneville 750cc,2001 Honda XR650L. Posts: A lot.	if so I haven't seen them ! LOL ... Bob... __________________________________________________ Its too late when you've gone too far !

July 16th, 2023, 07:03 PM	#175
Bob KellyIII Retired motorcycle Mc. Name: Robert Location: Weed, California. Join Date: Jul 2021 Motorcycle(s): 2012 Kawasaki Ninja 250R, 2021 CSC TT250, 1977 Triumph Bonneville 750cc,2001 Honda XR650L. Posts: A lot.	I took the Ninja out for a quick ride yesterday, just to check how it ran.... there is no doubt it is not perfect yet.... that area around 4,000 and 5,000 RPM is problematic.... the bike seems slower on pick up from a stop than it was it doesn't miss a beat but it feels slow on acceleration as compaired to how it ran before this carb fiasco .... it's just not the same ! even in neutral I can feel the difference...upon gassing it....like it's not spot on yet ! .... I think anyone else would say it's running like it is supposed to run.... but I know where to look and when and it's still not right... she will pull hard to 9k RPM but I didn't have the road to test more than that.... and it does not steer like it used to now.... I raised the front to try and make the bike level and it is still a tad low in front.... but the bike is not trying to turn for me anymore... I KILLED IT !!!! it rides like it's on rails very solid but unless I haing my butt off the side a long way into a turn i have to force the bike to turn now........ it almost handles as good as the XR650L now.... and that is NOT saying very much.... it handles like a refrigerator ! HAHAHAHAHA I have no idea what to do about that..... but I think the NOSE DOWN configuration that the bike had been in sense I got it was the reason for the nimbleness ! .... ahhh well, ya win some and ya loose some ! .... Bob.................. __________________________________________________ Its too late when you've gone too far !

July 18th, 2023, 04:38 AM	#176
Bob KellyIII Retired motorcycle Mc. Name: Robert Location: Weed, California. Join Date: Jul 2021 Motorcycle(s): 2012 Kawasaki Ninja 250R, 2021 CSC TT250, 1977 Triumph Bonneville 750cc,2001 Honda XR650L. Posts: A lot.	I did notice that the front forks worked better than they had in the past..... the "invisible bump" got me again on Hoy Road but it wasn't half as bad as it had been ...and I was clipping it off doing about 40mph that would have jared my teeth loose before. so the ATF in the front forks seems to work on for a soft ride ! .... I had the front forks all the way up into the handle bar rizers as far as I could get them to go .... about 1.5" I think.... I loosened the tripple trees and used a pair of welding vice-grips to press the forks down, sense it was only on it's side stand with weight on the front wheel.... what worked real good ! it pressed them both down one at a time and got the tops of the forks at 1/4" above the tripple tree on both sides. I am thinking that with the lowering of the rear on the bike the rake and trail are all off but before the fork repair it only set nose down slightly.... which is about where it sits now after lowering the forks ! which is weird....I am thinking that they must have had too much or too little fork oil in them to begin with... which would account for the stiff front end I think.... but sense the seals were leaking it needed checked out.... now I wish I left it alone because it just doesn't turn the corner for you anymore... so my question is, do your bikes turn for you or was mine the exception rather than the rule ? the slightest bit of lean makes the front wheel turn before,... now it takes alot of lean to get that response. but I actually think that is the way it is supposed to be ! ( I'll have to learn how to ride it all over again!)(at least in the twistys !) ..... I am considering dropping the forks again back to the lowest I can get it as it handled alot better that way.... it will be Nose down though... so I dunno.... .... Bob..... __________________________________________________ Its too late when you've gone too far !