What's it take to jump a Ninja?

[MrAtom]

I found a road that goes up and down, and I wondered if I could jump my bike off of it. I hit one of these going 90mph after a few tries at slower speeds. I came close to leaving the ground, but I didn't. I know I've got 150+ pounds on a supermoto, less torque, etc. But what'll it take to get a Ninja to leave the ground?

[csmith12]

Oh dear... Not sure I should say anything.

You can get two wheeled air on a 250, it just takes commitment to the cause. Crest + ample speed = air. There is an old crappy quality vid of me doing it floating around somewhere here.

In hindsight... and for gods sake, gear up to the max and get a spotter or two to ensure nothing is on the other side of the crest.

If you're as safe as you can be about such things and you have the skill foundation, I can support your efforts. Otherwise, stop now while you're ahead.

[Alex]

Be charming?

[MrAtom]

Originally Posted by csmith12

Oh dear... Not sure I should say anything.

You can get two wheeled air on a 250, it just takes commitment to the cause. Crest + ample speed = air. There is an old crappy quality vid of me doing it floating around somewhere here.

In hindsight... and for gods sake, gear up to the max and get a spotter or two to ensure nothing is on the other side of the crest.

If you're as safe as you can be about such things and you have the skill foundation, I can support your efforts. Otherwise, stop now while you're ahead.

The little jump I tried was at the bottom of a hill, so there was only about a half a second that I couldn't see what was after it. If I couldn't see passed it, I wouldn't have tried it. And I was definitely wearing all my gear. I'm dumb for trying this, for sure, but I figure if I'm gonna do something dumb, I should at least be smart about it

I know where some off-road jumps are, and the terrain isn't so aggressive that it would be too hard to get the Ninja out there. I'll try that :-)

[cadd]

You can jump any bike. Landing it may be an issue though. Go to 0:50 for the jump.

Link to original page on YouTube.

[corksil]

Well now. This thread has my attention.

I have caught two wheel air a few times. It takes a lot of speed, and that's about all I can say. I don't advocate it. Slow speed, then pick up the pace. Pick a line, stick with it.

Coil up your legs and get your butt off the seat, as you crest the peak, let the bike come up under you -- don't try to pogo stick yourself into the air as the violent jerk on the bars will make you unstable.

Kinda along the lines of... don't try to jump the bike -- but let it jump under you and relax onto it as it leaves the ground.

Tires on the ground = control. Tires airborne = you better be pointed in the right direction because there is not much correction that can take place once you're airborne.

If you are gonna try and jump the grand canyon like evil kineival -- maybe you should get something a little bigger than a 250.

[Singh2jz]

marbles

[Ghostt]

Get a dirt bike, problem solved.

[cbinker]

you could tip it over kick hit, hit it with a bat...why do you want to jump it? did it dis you?

[MrAtom]

Originally Posted by Ghostt

Get a dirt bike, problem solved.

I know it's not the right machine for the job, but there are some people on here trying to turbo their ninjas, and I don't see you discouraging them

Thanks for all the helpful advice so far.

[adouglas]

Originally Posted by MrAtom

I'm dumb for trying this, for sure, but....

Second best male epitaph, right after "Hey, watch this!"

[N-m]

To paraphrase the book Joey, "throttle and the b$&@ to use them."

Dropping a gear before the ramp will help if you don't let off the gas. Of course, down here beer and a buddy with video does as well.

You are responsible for your own actions.

[cadd]

And third to....."here, hold my beer..."

[crazymadbastard]

Originally Posted by MrAtom

I figure if I'm gonna do something dumb, I should at least be smart about it

Wiser words were never spoken, some Yoda sh!t right there.

[rojoracing53]

Well since your in CA just head out to willow springs raceway. If you head down the front strait and don't bother braking into turn one and instead just go strait off into the dirt heading toward the end of turn two you'll find a jump out there. The jump only a small 3' lip but there a big hole on the other side so bike don't make it across the course and go head on into bikes exiting turn two. You'll want to be at full speed on the little ninja when you hit the dirt because the gap you have to clear has to be close to 30'. As soon as you hit the dirt lock up the rear brake to start scrubbing speed but more importantly it transfers your weight forward. just before you hit the lip of the jump release the rear brake and go wide open on the throttle to transfer your weight to the rear and give you the needed front wheel lift so you don't land to nose heavy on the other side. Make sure you keep the throttle pinned the whole time your in the air for a nice dramatic effect. When you land make sure you use your legs to absorb as much of the impact as possible because you don't have much suspension travel on these sport bikes. As soon as you bake on the ground get back on the rear brake hard so you don't go head on into traffic because that would be bad. Once your down to about 5 mph turn the bike hard right and merge onto the course when it's clear and proceed to finish your lap.

I know it's sound difficult and there have been many riders who have broken their necks and backs trying the turn one jump but I assure you it is doable. I've preformed the feat twice, once on a RS125 and once on a R1 and both time landed it cleanly. I'm not sure anyone else has ever cleared the turn one jump besides me but it would be cool you hear of someone else who's done it.

[JohnnyBravo]

Easiest most fail proof way to jump most anything is a ramp... Put a ramp on one side of your 250, get a 50 and jump the Ninjette! Problem solved

[alex.s]

ima try to figure this out for you but it'll probs be wrong so take it with a grain of sand or whatever

you're fighting gravity, 9.8m/s2. so you need to overcome that in the up vector. so we're looking for a minimum of 10m/s2 accel upwards. i'm gonna ignore suspension for now because that gets complicated. if we really make things simple, lets say the ramp is 10meters tall, and completely flat at the end, the length would need to be "one second long" at whatever speed you want to take the ramp at. lets say 90mph... or in the correct units, 145kph. that's 145000meters per hour, or about 40meters per second. so if you took the 10m tall by 40 meter long ramp -> remember rise over run? 10/40 = a 25% grade, or about a 15* angle at 90mph in order to catch some air... also, the heavier the body, the larger moment of inertia, which means you will maintain your velocity more. since force = mass/acceleration... so doing it on a light weight dirt bike, versus a heavier sport bike... you will actually have a slower drop off in the heavier vehicle since its a higher mass.... provided the ramp is long enough to truly give you a good +10m/s/s

[subxero]

it is not that difficult if you can find the right place but since it typically takes a decent amount of speed, if you don't land correctly on the front and or put to much input into the bars the front will get out of shape real quick and turn into a tank slapper before you know what happened.

Find a decent spot on a road that has almost like a ramp, press with your legs into the base of the "ramp" to preload the suspension and pop with the bike a little as it leaves the ramp, stay on the throttle to keep the front from diving, then rev it a bit to get the rear to touch down first as landing with more weight on the front with the ninja can only lead to bad things

i jump dirtbikes all the time and have jumped the ninja a few, and every time i jump the ninja i tell myself i won't do it again, i got a bad wobble the last time.

[Aufitt]

All it takes is a GoPro, and lots of beer.

[alex.s]

Originally Posted by subxero

stay on the throttle to keep the front from diving, then rev it a bit to get the rear to touch down first

this is actually how space ships control rotation for fine movements (they use thrusters for coarse movements). they have 3 rotating weight wheels that they speed up or slow down to rotate on each axis. usually its called a reaction control system, or reaction wheels. "each action has an equal and opposite reaction" so rotating one thing one way makes the other stuff rotate the other way. ie- more gas, front wheel up. less gas, front wheel down. the more you know.

[corksil]

Ya'll n!ggas are a buncha dang fine scientists up in this b!tch.