February 14th, 2013, 01:09 PM | #1 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Kevin
Location: Diamond Bar, CA
Join Date: Feb 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Ninja 250 SE (Red/Black) Posts: 33
|
New Rider From SoCal
Hey Everyone.
New rider here. Never been on a motorcycle before until the MSF course I took 6 weeks ago. Got my license shortly after, and bought my new baby 3 weeks ago. I got it with 1000 miles on it. According to the previous owner it had been sitting in the garage for 1 1/2 years. I changed the oil and filter right away but I think it needs a new battery. It sometimes has a hard time starting after making a very short trip somewhere. After a longer ride, it starts fine the next time. The day I picked it up, I had to ride it 60 miles back home through local streets as I was rightfully scared of the freeways. Before that day I had never gone faster than 20mph on a bike. It was quite an adventure. I didn't stall it once! I have been riding it between 30 to 60 minutes almost everyday since then. I'm very happy with my Ninjette. I rode the Eliminator 125 at the course and never felt comfortable with it. As soon as I got on the Ninja, it felt great right away (the riding position, the clutch, the shifter, etc). I'll be using it mainly for joy rides, thinking of taking it up Highway 1 to SF when the weather gets warmer. |
|
February 14th, 2013, 01:40 PM | #2 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: Colin
Location: Bay Area
Join Date: Feb 2011 Motorcycle(s): '96 EX250 Posts: A lot.
|
TheTraveler! Glad to have you aboard...
__________________________________________________
Ç¥ñ頻| ßÿ Ñâ7µ®é. Äñt¡~§º¢Ïä| ßý Çhøî©è. |
|
February 14th, 2013, 02:31 PM | #3 |
ninjette.org guru
Name: Roger
Location: NorCali - East Bay
Join Date: Sep 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2013 White Ninja 300 Posts: 379
|
Haven't finished my first year of riding yet but still like to read about the new rider experience (nostalgia - but not exactly yearning to unlearn experience). Welcome!
|
|
February 14th, 2013, 02:31 PM | #4 | |
Daily Ninjette rider
Name: Hernan
Location: Florida
Join Date: Mar 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2007 Ninja 250 Posts: A lot.
MOTY - 2016, MOTM - Dec '12, Jan '14, Jan '15, May '16
|
Quote:
You can try using some choke after short trips, if there has been time for the engine to cool down much.
__________________________________________________
Motofool .................................Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly "Mankind is composed of two sorts of men — those who love and create, and those who hate and destroy. Love is the bond between men, the way to teach and the center of the world." - José Martí |
|
|
February 14th, 2013, 03:31 PM | #5 |
Riding Ruby..
Name: Stephen
Location: SoCal
Join Date: Sep 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2014 Yamaha Bolt R-Spec, 2007 Ninja 250R Posts: 392
|
welcome!
__________________________________________________
Unregistered |
|
February 14th, 2013, 07:18 PM | #6 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Kevin
Location: Diamond Bar, CA
Join Date: Feb 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Ninja 250 SE (Red/Black) Posts: 33
|
Thanks for the advice. I've tried that. It's just that I always need to give it some gas for 2-3 secs right when I start it, regardless of whether I'm using choke or not. I've seen videos of other 250s on youtube and most people only need to hit the starter switch.
|
|
February 14th, 2013, 08:10 PM | #7 |
The Corner Whisperer
Name: Chris (aka Reactor)
Location: Northern KY
Join Date: May 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2010 250 (track), 1992 250, 2006 R6 (street/track), 2008 R6 (track) Posts: Too much.
MOTY 2015, MOTM - Nov '12, Nov '13
|
Welcome Kevin!
__________________________________________________
Goal: Shake A Million Hands | Look through the corners | Track Day Prep | Closest track? | The Mid-Ohio School |
|
February 14th, 2013, 10:27 PM | #8 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: Ken
Location: Indio, CA
Join Date: Dec 2008 Motorcycle(s): '08 Kawasaki EX250 "Yoshi", '99 Kawasaki Concours "Grace", '06 Concours "Belle", '06 Yamaha YZF600R "Slick" Posts: A lot.
Blog Entries: 3
|
__________________________________________________
< ATGATT > Sweat you can wipe off, Road rash you can't. HEY!! Unregistered!! Does your bike have a name? |
|
February 14th, 2013, 10:37 PM | #9 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: S
Location: CA/MA, usually
Join Date: Nov 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2012 Ninja 250R, 2007 Ninja 650R, 2001 F650 Dakar Posts: A lot.
|
Welcome Kevin!
|
|
February 14th, 2013, 10:57 PM | #10 |
ninjette.org guru
Name: Martin
Location: California
Join Date: Jun 2012 Motorcycle(s): 250r Posts: 291
|
Welcome! Good thing you or the PO had the decency to take off the FUGLY tribal stickers that come on the SE
|
|
February 15th, 2013, 02:49 PM | #11 |
ninjette.org sage
Name: Brian
Location: Orange County, CA
Join Date: Apr 2012 Motorcycle(s): '12 ninja 250r Posts: 762
|
Welcome! |
|
February 16th, 2013, 03:53 PM | #12 |
ninjette.org sage
Name: Sarah
Location: NYC
Join Date: Aug 2012 Motorcycle(s): Silver 2005 Ninja 250 - Available for free mustache rides. Posts: 842
|
! Good looking bike.
__________________________________________________
https://www.facebook.com/BlueShootsYou | http://blueshootsyou.com |
|
February 22nd, 2013, 08:02 PM | #13 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: Rick
Location: Alexandria, Louisiana
Join Date: Jan 2009 Motorcycle(s): 05 Blue Ninja 250 Posts: Too much.
MOTY - 2017, MOTM - Jan '19, Oct '16, May '14
|
Hello and welcome.
|
|
February 28th, 2013, 08:45 AM | #14 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Mike
Location: Eastern LI, NY
Join Date: Jan 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Kawasaki Ninja 250R Posts: 166
|
Welcome
Congrats on your license and your new ninja! |
|
March 1st, 2013, 12:04 AM | #15 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Garry
Location: Los Angeles
Join Date: Feb 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2014 Ninja 300 ABS, 2013 Ninja 300 ABS (RIP), 2015 FZ-09 (sold) Posts: 78
|
Welcome! As Mike has mentioned, the SE looks way cleaner without those tribal stickers. Maybe I'll see you around when I start riding
|
|
March 1st, 2013, 07:32 PM | #16 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Kevin
Location: Diamond Bar, CA
Join Date: Feb 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Ninja 250 SE (Red/Black) Posts: 33
|
Thanks to all for the warm welcome. The tribal stickers were not on the bike when I got it. I would have gotten rid of them anyways I changed the battery this morning and it starts much smoother now.
|
|
March 1st, 2013, 07:37 PM | #17 |
The Violet Vixen
Name: Yakaru
Location: Issaquah, WA & Las Vegas, NV
Join Date: Jun 2012 Motorcycle(s): Perigee (250), Hotaru (250), Saturn (300), Pearl (300), Zero (S1000RR), Chibi (Z125), Xellos ('18 HP4R) Posts: A lot.
MOTM - Jun '16
|
battery change is definitely a good idea; so good on you for that one.
Re: the choke -- a carb cleaning/tuning might be good to do later, but even with SoCal weather it's a touch cold -- wait for the days to be in the 70-80s range and she should start up a bit more smoothly without the choke. On my bike the first half of the choke did nothing -- so it felt like you had to put a 'lot' of choke on before it would start, but usually I was effectively only choking 25% or so (wasn't trying to be super accurate, just engage it a bit more than half way -- I kind of had a 'feel' for it) on winter mornings in Vegas or LA. Do you know if the gas it had while stored had stabilizer? If not you might need to have her checked over for issues from Ethanol sitting in the tank. |
|
March 14th, 2013, 03:30 PM | #18 | |
ninjette.org member
Name: Kevin
Location: Diamond Bar, CA
Join Date: Feb 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Ninja 250 SE (Red/Black) Posts: 33
|
Quote:
Thanks for the tip on the choke. I always thought that it was more like a on/off switch, didn't know you could adjust it. The 1st half of my choke doesn't do anything either, and if I open it all the way, it goes up to 5000-6000 RPM, but if I set it at around 65%, it idles at a nice 1800-2000 RPM. I usually set it to that and start riding right away, after a few minutes I shut the choke off and it's good the rest of the way. If I stop later for a short period, I can start it back up without the choke. Next up, do some chain adjustment and lubrication, buy and install Shogun frame sliders, and chop of the tail |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
New rider from SoCal! | ninjagirl01 | New Members | 11 | November 18th, 2012 10:19 AM |
New rider in socal | aigochamaloh | New Members | 13 | September 27th, 2012 08:38 PM |
New Socal Rider here | isikkest | New Members | 10 | February 4th, 2011 10:50 AM |
New (Soon-To-Be) Rider in SoCal | K-Dag | New Members | 16 | February 19th, 2010 06:34 AM |
New rider here from SoCal | B2FiNiTY | New Members | 20 | May 2nd, 2009 12:38 PM |
|
|