Ninja 250 Highway Driving/Top Speed?

[EngrNewf]

Originally Posted by sombo

Safe zone is anything under 14k.

The ninjette's engine (as are pretty much all sport bike engines) was designed for high rev's. It being at 4k is practically idle for our engine. In town I'm usually between 4-6k depending on the speed and what gear I'm in. When slowing down I usually downshift at around 5k and it's nice and smooth on deceleration at that point.

Thanks, that''s basically what I was looking for. But are those speeds right for shifting? If you're anywhere over 40 km/h you should be in 5th gear?

Also, if I break and don't use my clutch, will I stall? I've been to wary to try lol. I've heard that using the clutch to often is bad. Should you always pull in the clutch when breaking (even if your going down hill around a turn...I heard pulling the clutch in on turns is bad also)?

[Anteraan]

If you brake and don't use the clutch, you will eventually stall, yes...if you reach a low enough speed. There is a certain engine speed at which point the engine will stall. The engine will sputter and bog first, so you'll know it's coming. As the engine starts slowing toward this "bog zone", you want to downshift. Keeping the engine in its best rpm range will not only be good for the engine, but it will make you a smoother rider. For a new rider, smooth is very important from a safety standpoint. I put it right up there with aware and visible.

Also, with smoothness comes confidence. Confidence leads to relaxation, which leads to better technique, which leads to more confidence, etc.

[EngrNewf]

That's what I was wondering. If I want to keep my breaks in to go around a turn that spirals downhill I want to know what gear I should be in instead of pulling in the clutch and hoping for the best when I need gas. And Breaking before the turn is done but when you're going down hill well, you don't have much of a choice then to break through it as well.

[sombo]

In that sort of situation you actually want to use the engine to help slow you down on the down slope. Practice on judging what gear you can safely downshift to at different speeds without it having a severe deceleration. Learning that will help you figure out what gear at what speed to be in to help you maintain your speed in a down hill curve.

[JaeL]

Didn't they go over this stuff in the MS course?

[sombo]

Originally Posted by JaeL

Didn't they go over this stuff in the MS course?

Maybe she didn't take it yet? Or maybe her instructors weren't that thorough? Perhaps they did and she just forgot? Lord knows I don't remember every detail taught in the MSF course I took. I remember the majority of it that helps keep me safe.

[EngrNewf]

I didn't learn about engine breaking at all...Just to stay in gear around turns and there were no hills. Just a parking lot so it was rather easy. I asked him a couple questions about hills and he said 'there wasn't enough time to cover it today' I heard about engine breaking from a friend but it didn't really click that I should use it that way. I have no idea why I didn't think of that before, thanks!

[Anteraan]

Terri-Lynn, Sombo is dead-on about engine braking (hopefully you're not doing too much engine breaking, lol). A good general rule in this situation is that being a bit higher in the rpm range is better than being a little too low. If you have revs to work with, you can use them for engine braking or normal braking (either way, the revs will drop some), and then your engine will still be responsive when you need it to be - for exiting the corner (or that emergency lane change/acceleration to avoid an idiot).

A good way to practice engine braking is either:
a) in a parking lot, or
b) when you are slowing down for a stoplight/sign in a low traffic situation. Start out at speed, then close the throttle, and let the bike decelerate. Once the engine starts getting low in the range (but before it starts to sputter/bog), downshift. Stay off the throttle, just let the clutch out easy, and see where the revs take you and how much the bike slows. As much as you can, use your ears to judge the rpms. As you let off the clutch, the revs will rise, then start slowing again. Repeat this process until you're into 1st or 2nd gear, then stop normally.

Once you get some practice with this, you may (or may not) find yourself using just a little throttle on your downshifts to match the revs perfectly. This can make your downshifts smoother, depending on what rpm you are when you downshift, your speed, etc. Practice is the best teacher here.

[Cali619]

Terri-Lynn I dont like to explain things in technical jargon, but your bike will sing to you and eventually with more time with her/him; things like when to shift, break/engine break will become second nature...Listen and feel the bike and you will enjoy the ride a lot more.

[cifex]

Originally Posted by ScorpionNinja

Grooved concrete? does your bike kinda wave or wonder from side to side, almost like your losing control? I think that happens to me, theres a stretch of highway on I-696 here in Mi. that the roads are grooved like that. I think its done to help channel water for LESS hydroplaning for traffic, but it sure is scary at 80+MPH passing while on a slow curving turn! lol
increaseing the preload might help, have you tried it and tested it to comfirm?
I know your weight is only 135, but i would think that during highway riding that doing 70+ MPH with #1 rear shock..... if you tried #3 shock setting, you would feel maybe more Stable from the winds and such, ya know?

I believe this happens on all bikes. Refer to Simon & Garfunkel - The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy).

[cifex]

On a car, not using engine breaking for going down a big mountain will warp your rotors and burn through brakes pretty quick (This includes automatics, thats what 3,2,1 are for). Not sure how the heat dissipation is on a bike.

[sombo]

Well for starters the heat dissipation on bikes is vastly better thanks to the rotors being completely out in the open with 100% of the wind flowing over them. That alone is a major advantage over cars. Also we have vastly less mass to put stress on the brakes creating less heat. You'll find that the rotors on modern cars even when taken care of properly and not pushed too hard don't last very long anymore (a few thousand miles if you're lucky). However, on a bike if properly taken care of, the rotors seem to last dang near forever (at least compared to car rotors lol).

Secondly, she wanted to know about slowing down/maintaining speed on a downhill curve. Now, in MSF they showed how bad it is to use your brakes in that sort of situation. Because your traction is reduced in a curve due to the lean of the bike, it is unsafe to use your brakes. If you accidentally brake too much you will cause the tires to brake free while in a lean (very bad for you and bike). This however does not apply to cars which don't lean and don't have reduced traction in downhill curves (like highway off ramps) and can safely apply brakes at that time. When in a turn and the need to brake comes up you should straighten the bike and apply the brakes.

Hope I'm not boring anyone to death and making sense to people.

[EngrNewf]

They sure didn't teach us that here...and we have a LOT of hills

[Anteraan]

Terri-Lynn, time to batten down the hatches. Bill is coming your way. I'm sure I speak for a lot of people when I say, "be safe."

[KJohnson21]

Originally Posted by ninjabrewer

Preload is set at 1



I'm 5'7" and around 135, increasing the preload will help?
As for the roads, side roads are ok, but the freeways are grooved concrete. They seem rougher than any I have been on, one road was so rough I couldn't read the speedometer. But from your description, they don't compare to Michigan.

nb

I didn't think that I had a suggestion for this until yesterday when we were on a rough stretch of freeway and I did my usual thing. I adjust my posture so that instead of having most of my weight on the seat, I put most of my weight on the pegs. So, instead of just sitting on my duff, taking whatever punishment the road is dishing out, I go into a crouch where a lot of the abuse is absorbed by my legs. I don't actually raise myself off of the seat (unless the road is really rough), I just adjust how my weight is being carried. It's kind of like having an extra set of springs that you can "switch on" when you need to. Of course, since it's a much more active stance, it can get too tiring to use continually on long runs, that would depend on conditioning, but it's effective for isolating yourself from harsh bumps, etc.

[EngrNewf]

So I've been 'engine breaking' but what if you're on a really steep hill that's turning? That's a little rough to be engine breaking isn't it?

[rockNroll]

Originally Posted by EngrNewf

So I've been 'engine breaking' but what if you're on a really steep hill that's turning? That's a little rough to be engine breaking isn't it?

It's fine to be engine braking while turning and going down a steep hill. You did your braking with the brakes before you entered the turn and now you can let the engine continue to help reduce your speed into the corner.

[ninjabrewer]

Originally Posted by KJohnson21

I didn't think that I had a suggestion for this until yesterday when we were on a rough stretch of freeway and I did my usual thing. I adjust my posture so that instead of having most of my weight on the seat, I put most of my weight on the pegs. So, instead of just sitting on my duff, taking whatever punishment the road is dishing out, I go into a crouch where a lot of the abuse is absorbed by my legs. I don't actually raise myself off of the seat (unless the road is really rough), I just adjust how my weight is being carried. It's kind of like having an extra set of springs that you can "switch on" when you need to. Of course, since it's a much more active stance, it can get too tiring to use continually on long runs, that would depend on conditioning, but it's effective for isolating yourself from harsh bumps, etc.

hmm, will have to try that.

nb

[EngrNewf]

Originally Posted by Anteraan

Terri-Lynn, time to batten down the hatches. Bill is coming your way. I'm sure I speak for a lot of people when I say, "be safe."

Haha you're silly. By the time hurricanes get here it's usually a gust of wind and some rain. It was really disappointing.

Originally Posted by rockNroll

It's fine to be engine braking while turning and going down a steep hill. You did your braking with the brakes before you entered the turn and now you can let the engine continue to help reduce your speed into the corner.

I don't think you realize the extent of these hills...Breaking 'into' the long steep spiraling mountain of death doesn't really do much for me in the end other then make my engine really mad when I tell it to break for me.

[EngrNewf]

Images found on google

I can't find any pics of the steep ones I was on a couple days ago. I'll try to get out and take some pics. I wish I could find some of the crazy ones but google isn't working for me right now

[Anteraan]

Originally Posted by EngrNewf

Haha you're silly. By the time hurricanes get here it's usually a gust of wind and some rain. It was really disappointing.

I see. I heard that it had weakened. At the time I wrote that, however, the Weather Channel was talking about 60-70 mph winds for your area, hence the message. Oh well, I've been accused of being silly before (and will again).

Originally Posted by EngrNewf

I don't think you realize the extent of these hills...Breaking 'into' the long steep spiraling mountain of death doesn't really do much for me in the end other then make my engine really mad when I tell it to break for me.

I'm jealous over your roads. They look like a blast to ride on! Being in Indianapolis, I'm twisty/scenery/terrain deprived.

On the way down that mountain of death, if the engine's revs are climbing, then the engine is definitely doing significant braking for you. When negotiating switchbacks, look for spots along the way where you can stand the bike up and go straight for even a second or two, and use your brakes then. That should get the engine out of the "mad" range for a few moments. Then, release the brake and set up for the next corner, where the revs will climb again, and look for your next braking opportunity. It becomes a cycle, and eventually you'll get a rhythm for each mountain. When you get that rhythm, it's like a dance. The bike becomes your partner, and each mountain forces its own unique choreography.

[rockNroll]

Originally Posted by EngrNewf

I don't think you realize the extent of these hills...Breaking 'into' the long steep spiraling mountain of death doesn't really do much for me in the end other then make my engine really mad when I tell it to break for me.

You can engine brake the whoooooooole way down, your engine won't mind... honest

Practice these hills... Start at the top in say...oh, 2nd gear and just let the bike's engine hold you back the whole way down. Then.. maybe try it in 3rd gear.. you'll descend a bit faster.. then 4th.. etc. You'll get a feel of how fast your bike will let you go down the hill in a particular gear. Use whatever gear you need, that will keep the bike's speed down to a speed you find comfortable. You'll also find it's OK to drag a little front brake to assist the engine braking while going a spiral - down hill. Light pressure, not "stopping" pressure on the brake lever.

If your hill is 10 miles long... you can use that engine to help keep your speed down (engine braking) the entire distance... bikes like that kind of stuff

[Greg_E]

You also need to consider weight transfer and how the engine works against the tires with engine breaking, especially down hill. Going down hill your rear tire has less traction because the weight is shifted forwards from the hill. Breaking shifts more weight forwards. High RPMs (like from a low gear) will cause the engine to provide a lot of breaking force which will probably overwhelm the rear tire traction, same goes for the rear brake.

What it really comes down to is that you need practice to find the place where you start losing traction at either end. Until that time make sure you don't go into any corners too hot, especially downhill. If you are picking up speed while engine breaking, probably best to lightly use the front break, if you panic grab the front or back break you will most likely end up sliding down the road. Pretty much any sport bike with decent tires will slide a lot before the thing just lays down, it is not like walking on ice where suddenly all traction is gone. If it feels like it is pushing (sliding out of the corner) you can normally cut it a little sharper, stand it up a little and brake hard then flop it back down into the corner. Repeat as needed. The road is wide and the bike is small so you really have a lot of room unless you have already let yourself drift to the outside of the corner.

Also hang you body off the inside of the bike, the shift in weight will normally let you stand the bike up a little more to get extra traction for braking. Lowers your center of gravity and gets more parts out in the air which will also help slow you down in a panic situation. Knee sliders and racing boots with sliders will make you more comfortable doing this as you will no longer worry about hitting you knee on the ground, even if you do not intend to even try to put a knee on the ground it just feels safer knowing there is protection for your knee. Yeah I know I sound like a squid, but try it on some flat high speed corners and tell me the bike doesn't go around them more willingly with a knee stuck down and half you body weight hanging low over the side. The seat on the 08 and 09 is made for this, that's why it is wide and flat. Same goes for the sculpting of the tank, the inside of you thigh should be tight against the tank to help hold you on the bike.

It starts coming down to this, if you want to be a really confident rider, lots of practice, read a few books, and if possible take a racing school. The safety courses are good for the basics, but they just can not handle the majority of issues, especially when few actually go out on the roads and ride during the schools. We host several of these at the college where I work and those poor people never even get to take the bikes around the campus roads, it's all done in a parking lot. The first time most of them hit the real roads is after they get their license and that is certainly the wrong time to do so (in my opinion).

[Iceydeath]

Originally Posted by EngrNewf

Does anyone ride their bike on the highway? I haven't had mine very long and haven't taken it out in any heavy traffic but the idea was to drive to school with it, and that involves a short highway drive. I was just looking at some videos on youtube that said the top speed runs from about 100 mph. That would be hard on the engine though yes? What speed do you find comfortable on the ninja 250?

I tend to run at about 90 mph on the freeway @10k rpm or so
Posted via Mobile Device

[cochraneap]

i'm 6'5" 200, so my top speed is only 90mph. i think i've gotten it to maybe 92 or 93 a couple times.

[Cochese]

I'm not exactly svelte at 230lbs/6'3"... my top speed (indicated) is 100 mph with a modified bike.

-Full exhaust (little backpressure)
-FP Stage III jetting
-Open K&N intake
-Dynotuning

I'm sure it would go much faster if I ate less.

[illrational]

i maintain 70mph with around 8k roms but i hit 100 on straight away flat no problem and have gotten it to about 105-110 on flat road. I have to agree though that the wind is teh major issue which is y 150 60 17 / 120 60 17 here i come.

[illrational]

There is art to engine braking im just finding out because i would abruptly close throttle and have a jerk but now i ease it down and have found that i dont even have to end up closing it at all to slow down to where i would now consider the throttle G spot (it exits fellas) similar to the friction zone.That spots makes for some great riding and some great bike responses.

[Snake]

I usualy ride 100+ miles at a time at highway speeds with no problems. Just be sure to check and change your oil regularly.

[bdavison]

I regularly ride the I-75 interstate in Georgia.

Most of the other vehicles are in the 70-90mph range. Ive never had a problem keeping up with, or passing those vehicles. Now obviously, you wont be passing them at warp speed, but it will pass them about as easily as a car would.

The ninja will run comfortably up the interstate all day in the 70-80mph range with no problems. I try to keep it under 90mph, just because of all the cops....but I have had it wrapped out at 105mph before on a back road.

To put it simply....the ninja 250R has no problems on the interstate, and will run it all day long. Your butt will wear out before the bike will.


Edit: Oh, and my bike is bone stock...NO mods. Im 6'3" and 185lbs.

[bdavison]

Oh and as far as prolonged downhill braking with the ninja250R.
You can warp the disks...but you will likely experience brake fade long before that happens. You can mitigate this by switching to a DOT4 brake setup which will take the higher brake caliper temps much better. But its still best to let the engine do the braking for the most part....

[EngrNewf]

Top speed: 175km/h

[Courteau]

50KM of highway everyday at 120 km/h im 180lbs
no problem at all except strong wind is a pain sometime

[sombo]

Originally Posted by drsketch

maybe you didnt break in your engine properly, or maybe being taller gives you more wind drag...

I am 236lb @ 5'10-11' and drive mine @ 100 daily.

Now is that your indicated speed or your corrected speed? If it's your indicated speed take about 10% (or 10mph) off for you corrected speed of 90mph.

Also remember to take into account climate, temp, elevation, and such info as this also has significant effect on the performance of a vehicle. This is especially true of carburetted vehicles.

[toast]

I know the spedometer is optimistic, so I have no idea the fastest I've ever gone. It was slightly above 140km/h. I routinely travel at just over 120km/h on my commute - although I just discovered the awesome back roads, so I can avoid the gong show of Hwy 1 around Langley/Abbotsford

I'm not all about how fast I can go anyways. I'm fine with being one of the slowest bikes in the pack.

[EngrNewf]

Originally Posted by toast

I'm not all about how fast I can go anyways. I'm fine with being one of the slowest bikes in the pack.

Ditto! I was just curious on the performance. I'd rather a twisty any day over highway speeds.

[tiburonsita]

Originally Posted by EngrNewf

what about riding normally on the street? Is it normaal for rpms to be past 4? What's my safe zone here?

Maybe thinking of it this way will help... you'll be changing gears once you hit about 7-9 if you continue to accelerate.

[toast]

Originally Posted by EngrNewf

Ditto! I was just curious on the performance. I'd rather a twisty any day over highway speeds.

Exactly...but it is neat to see how fast some of these guys & girls are!

[jonthechron]

Went to Quebec City from Montreal and I was doing about 140KM/h on average. 275 KM non-stop. RPM was about 12,000-13,000

[eddiekay]

I'm 185 before I pee in the morning but I got it just over 100 this saturday. Tires 29/29 and a big windscreen, full tuck.
Think I lost a bit with sprocket swap but she purrs @ 80 for hours and i've run over 90 for maybe 40 miles. It is an amazing bike.