Aloha, all!

kkim · November 11th, 2008, 04:17 AM

New to the site. Just thought I'd post some pics of the ride.

BlueTyke · November 11th, 2008, 06:57 AM

Very nice!! Now get out there and show us some of those Hawaiian Roads (I wouldn't mind a shot or two of the locals either...

)

Alex · November 11th, 2008, 10:06 AM

Like the polished rims!

247Blackout · November 11th, 2008, 10:43 AM

Nice bike. I've always liked the license plates over there too!

kkim · November 11th, 2008, 07:30 PM

Thank you for your comments.

Sunny, you'll just have to make it out here one day to check out the locals on your own.

Just don't get off the plane when you fly from MD to cali and you'll most likely end up here. Bring sunblock and a smile... swimsuits/bikinis... optional.

Sailariel · November 14th, 2008, 09:32 AM

Kelly, How did you go about polishing those rims? I had thought of going the chromed route, but that would add a bit of unsprung weight. I notice that the centres are black. Definitely looks nice. I plan to cut my rear mudguard and relocate the turn signals on either side of the lisence plate bracket. Should be a good winter project.

kkim · November 14th, 2008, 11:27 AM

Hi Alex.

Hope Alex doesn't mind... here's a link to the process I used. Good winter project, but I used a lot of water to clean off the residue. Hope you have a nice heated garage to work in.

Link to external site

Kelly

Alex · November 14th, 2008, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kkim

Hope Alex doesn't mind... here's a link to the process I used.

Not at all! But as penance you need to recruit 3 new folks to ninjette.org.

kkim · November 14th, 2008, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex

Not at all! But as penance you need to recruit 3 new folks to ninjette.org.

damned pyramid schemes...

okay... I'll get busy.

noche_caliente · November 16th, 2008, 09:47 AM

Woo hoo! Kkim's getting busy! Recruit #1, reporting for duty

kkim · November 16th, 2008, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noche_caliente

Woo hoo! Kkim's getting busy! Recruit #1, reporting for duty

Welcome.

Good to see you over here and hope the trend will continue.

mahalo.

vonbeezy · November 17th, 2008, 10:30 PM

Well Kkim's siggy advertising worked for me

!

kkim · November 17th, 2008, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TwoHundred50R

Well Kkim's siggy advertising worked for me

!

lol... mahalo for signing up... wasn't sure if anyone would see the link in my sig.

Alex · November 18th, 2008, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TwoHundred50R

Well Kkim's siggy advertising worked for me

!

Welcome! Kkim - thanks for the sig link!

ninjabrewer · November 18th, 2008, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex

Not at all! But as penance you need to recruit 3 new folks to ninjette.org.

Here's another one. intro also.

Name is Chris, 42, am new to motorcycling, but not to cycling. I used to ride road bikes (bicycles) years ago, and believe it or not, some skills does cross over. I have a '08 Ninja 250, in the shop right now getting front wheel bearings replaced, got licensed last week and took the MSF course 2 weeks before that. I, like kkim, am located in Hawaii, but on Oahu instead of Kauai. I am in the Army, 20 yrs last month and will be retiring soon. Married 17 yrs, have 1 daughter, 16, and I currently looking for a job that will allow me and my family to stay in Hawaii at least till the little lady graduates from HS and gets started in College. I am also on the Kawiforum and Kawasakiforum as the same name. So you may see me posting there also.

As a side note, I got started in this as a way to save money on gas, and to get ready for my mid life crisis, which I am sure is around the corner somewhere.

Later

nb.

NJD022588 · November 20th, 2008, 10:55 PM

I've also been recruited by kkim.

Look forward to meeting some new people here!

kkim · November 21st, 2008, 01:22 AM

Aloha, Nick. Glad you could make it. I'm sure you'll find something interesting in here to sit down with, participate in and provide some feedback.

Mahalo for signing up.

Sailariel · November 21st, 2008, 01:40 PM

Here on the Maine coast we have a great deal of salt air--as I am sure you do in Hawaii. Spoke to my friend who does plating and he suggested getting the wheels anodized. He said that after a while the unprotected aluminum interacts with the tyre bead and begins to break down--which is why Kawa chose to powder coat their wheels. Anodizing would give the entire wheel a gray shiny finish. Green accent tape applied to the rims would really make them stand out. He also said that anodized aluminum responds well to waxing. I really like the polished and black look. I guess I`ll have to give it all some thought. The other alternative would be Chrome plating.

kkim · November 21st, 2008, 02:39 PM

Hi Alex,

When I stripped the paint from the wheels, I didn't remove the tires, so there is paint right from where the tire touches the rim.

As for protecting the bare aluminum, your friend is right. It does take a bit more work to keep them nice and shiny, but all it takes is some aluminum wheel polish, which they sell for auto wheels, then a covering of your favorite wax to seal the air from getting to the aluminum surface. Instead of wax, I use a product called Rejex, which is used in the aircraft industry specifically designed for corrosion protection.

If you like the look, go for it... I have not regrets here.

aloha from sunny hawaii.

Sailariel · November 21st, 2008, 06:02 PM

Kelly, I thnk that I will go for the anodization and then put on the green tape. I can always, at a later date, use some two part epoxy and paint the spokes and hub black. Chrome would look great but would add unsprung weight. I am waiting for a response from my sister as to what an FI system would cost. I think that an FI system with a Power Commander module would make quite a difference. I have no data on how the European models perform.

noche_caliente · November 21st, 2008, 06:08 PM

alex, I can't say uch about the wheels or FI, but here's some data on the EFI
http://www.kawiforums.com/showthread...highlight=dyno

hopefully I'm not breaking any rules by posting the link!

HKr1 · November 21st, 2008, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex

Not at all! But as penance you need to recruit 3 new folks to ninjette.org.

Ah Ha! So thats what happened

kkim · November 21st, 2008, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HKr1

Ah Ha! So thats what happened

lol... what are you... a private detective in real life?

truth is... I found this site while surfing for new forums, really liked it and wanted to share it with people I have grown to consider friends... those that would improve it, make it a gathering place to maturely discuss topics and not tear each other down to win their point. I got that feeling from this site from the very beginning.

welcome, Kerry!

HKr1 · November 21st, 2008, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kkim

lol... what are you... a private detective in real life?

truth is... I found this site while surfing for new forums, really liked it and wanted to share it with people I have grown to consider friends... those that would improve it, make it a gathering place to maturely discuss topics and not tear each other down to win their point. I got that feeling from this site from the very beginning.

welcome, Kerry!

Hey, how did you know! Mom named me after some comic strip detective Kerry Drake. Pretty cool looking site, thanks for pointing us in this direction.

Your bike is looking really sweet after all the mods

Alex · November 21st, 2008, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noche_caliente

hopefully I'm not breaking any rules by posting the link!

Not at all!

kkim · November 21st, 2008, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex

Not at all!

Sailariel · December 11th, 2008, 06:52 PM

Kelly, Got a dumb Question. What was you rationale for lowering the front end?

kkim · December 11th, 2008, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex Allmayer Beck

Kelly, Got a dumb Question. What was you rationale for lowering the front end?

Hi Alex.. not dumb at all. It was to steepen the head angle so the bike would react/turn quicker in corners.

Sailariel · December 11th, 2008, 07:26 PM

Kelly, Thanks, makes sense--changes the geometry. I do the same thing on my custom bikes--change the fork angle to 71mm for more agility. I pefer 72mm and work my corners with a bit more countersteer. Will have to experiment with the Ninja. So far I like the handeling--as I get more used to the machine, I may decide to experiment.

kkim · December 11th, 2008, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex Allmayer Beck

Kelly, Thanks, makes sense--changes the geometry. I do the same thing on my custom bikes--change the fork angle to 71mm for more agility. I pefer 72mm and work my corners with a bit more countersteer. Will have to experiment with the Ninja. So far I like the handeling--as I get more used to the machine, I may decide to experiment.

The stock bike is set up very conservatively to appeal to the beginner rider. With the blocks up front, you can vary how much you can drop the front fork tubes which will in turn vary the head angle. I have it dropped as much as it can go right now. It worked well with the stock tires, but with the change to the bt090s, the back tire is a bit taller than the stock rear, so the head is even steeper still. I'm thinking of raising the front end back up by about 1/2 as much as it is now to experiment.

Reddoak · December 11th, 2008, 10:36 PM

Another recruit Kelly dragged kicking and screaming... Not really. I didn't kick.

To bad I'm not in Hawaii, I could park my red 250 next to yours and make Christmas cards from the pictures. Time for a bit of PS work....

kkim · December 11th, 2008, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reddoak

Another recruit Kelly dragged kicking and screaming... Not really. I didn't kick.

To bad I'm not in Hawaii, I could park my red 250 next to yours and make Christmas cards from the pictures. Time for a bit of PS work....

Welcome, Bill! Good to see you here.

Reddoak · December 11th, 2008, 11:07 PM

Glad I could make it, other sites can be a bit.... jarring at times.

kkim · December 11th, 2008, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reddoak

Glad I could make it, other sites can be a bit.... jarring at times.

that's being kind.

Syphen · December 19th, 2008, 06:25 PM

Kelly, your bike looks awesome. I like the polished lips. Did you do it by hand? How long did it take?

kkim · December 19th, 2008, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Syphen

Kelly, your bike looks awesome. I like the polished lips. Did you do it by hand? How long did it take?

Thanks.

DIY, here... http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=10239

I suggest checking out the DIY thread we have in the new gen forum for other great "fun" projects

... http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=5586

November 11th, 2008, 06:57 AM	#2
BlueTyke So slow I'm first! Name: Sunny Location: San Jose, CA Join Date: Oct 2008 Motorcycle(s): 06 Kawasaki Ninja EX250 Posts: A lot. Blog Entries: 10	Very nice!! Now get out there and show us some of those Hawaiian Roads (I wouldn't mind a shot or two of the locals either... ) __________________________________________________ Learn from the mistakes of others, you cannot make them all yourself. Save yourself the trouble and Learn.

November 11th, 2008, 10:06 AM	#3
Alex ninjette.org dude Name: 1 guess :-) Location: SF Bay Area Join Date: Jun 2008 Motorcycle(s): '13 Ninja 300 (white, the fastest color!), '13 R1200RT, '14 CRF250L, '12 TT-R125LE Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 7	Like the polished rims! __________________________________________________ Montgomery Street Motorcycle Club / cal24.com / crf250l.org / ninjette.org ninjette.org Terms of Service Shopping for motorcycle parts or equipment? Come here first. The friendliest Ninja 250R/300/400 forum on the internet! (especially Unregistered)

November 14th, 2008, 09:32 AM	#6
Sailariel ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Alex Location: Belfast, ME Join Date: Jul 2008 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Honda NT-700-V, formerly, Green 2008 Ninja 250R Posts: A lot.	Polished rims Kelly, How did you go about polishing those rims? I had thought of going the chromed route, but that would add a bit of unsprung weight. I notice that the centres are black. Definitely looks nice. I plan to cut my rear mudguard and relocate the turn signals on either side of the lisence plate bracket. Should be a good winter project.

November 16th, 2008, 09:47 AM	#10
noche_caliente ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Kim Location: mundo de ensueño Join Date: Nov 2008 Motorcycle(s): '08 250 Posts: A lot.	Recruit, reporting for duty! Woo hoo! Kkim's getting busy! Recruit #1, reporting for duty

November 21st, 2008, 01:40 PM	#18
Sailariel ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Alex Location: Belfast, ME Join Date: Jul 2008 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Honda NT-700-V, formerly, Green 2008 Ninja 250R Posts: A lot.	Polishing Rims Here on the Maine coast we have a great deal of salt air--as I am sure you do in Hawaii. Spoke to my friend who does plating and he suggested getting the wheels anodized. He said that after a while the unprotected aluminum interacts with the tyre bead and begins to break down--which is why Kawa chose to powder coat their wheels. Anodizing would give the entire wheel a gray shiny finish. Green accent tape applied to the rims would really make them stand out. He also said that anodized aluminum responds well to waxing. I really like the polished and black look. I guess I`ll have to give it all some thought. The other alternative would be Chrome plating.

November 11th, 2008, 04:17 AM	#1
kkim Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: Too much.	Aloha, all! New to the site. Just thought I'd post some pics of the ride.

November 11th, 2008, 10:43 AM	#4
247Blackout vroom vroom Name: Jnet Location: CA Join Date: Aug 2008 Motorcycle(s): 2002 Ninja 250 Posts: 25	Nice bike. I've always liked the license plates over there too!

November 11th, 2008, 07:30 PM	#5
kkim Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: Too much.	Thank you for your comments. Sunny, you'll just have to make it out here one day to check out the locals on your own. Just don't get off the plane when you fly from MD to cali and you'll most likely end up here. Bring sunblock and a smile... swimsuits/bikinis... optional.

November 14th, 2008, 11:27 AM	#7
kkim Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: Too much.	Hi Alex. Hope Alex doesn't mind... here's a link to the process I used. Good winter project, but I used a lot of water to clean off the residue. Hope you have a nice heated garage to work in. Link to external site Kelly

November 17th, 2008, 10:30 PM	#12
vonbeezy Professional Newb Name: Hunter Location: Richmond, VA Join Date: Nov 2008 Motorcycle(s): 08' Lime Ninja 250r :) Posts: 34	Well Kkim's siggy advertising worked for me !

November 20th, 2008, 10:55 PM	#16
NJD022588 ============ Name: Nick Location: Occoquan, VA Join Date: Nov 2008 Motorcycle(s): '09 Ninja 250R Posts: 518	I've also been recruited by kkim. Look forward to meeting some new people here!

November 21st, 2008, 01:22 AM	#17
kkim Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: Too much.	Aloha, Nick. Glad you could make it. I'm sure you'll find something interesting in here to sit down with, participate in and provide some feedback. Mahalo for signing up.

November 21st, 2008, 02:39 PM	#19
kkim Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: Too much.	Hi Alex, When I stripped the paint from the wheels, I didn't remove the tires, so there is paint right from where the tire touches the rim. As for protecting the bare aluminum, your friend is right. It does take a bit more work to keep them nice and shiny, but all it takes is some aluminum wheel polish, which they sell for auto wheels, then a covering of your favorite wax to seal the air from getting to the aluminum surface. Instead of wax, I use a product called Rejex, which is used in the aircraft industry specifically designed for corrosion protection. If you like the look, go for it... I have not regrets here. aloha from sunny hawaii.

November 21st, 2008, 06:02 PM	#20
Sailariel ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Alex Location: Belfast, ME Join Date: Jul 2008 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Honda NT-700-V, formerly, Green 2008 Ninja 250R Posts: A lot.	Kelly, I thnk that I will go for the anodization and then put on the green tape. I can always, at a later date, use some two part epoxy and paint the spokes and hub black. Chrome would look great but would add unsprung weight. I am waiting for a response from my sister as to what an FI system would cost. I think that an FI system with a Power Commander module would make quite a difference. I have no data on how the European models perform.

November 21st, 2008, 06:08 PM	#21
noche_caliente ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Kim Location: mundo de ensueño Join Date: Nov 2008 Motorcycle(s): '08 250 Posts: A lot.	alex, I can't say uch about the wheels or FI, but here's some data on the EFI http://www.kawiforums.com/showthread...highlight=dyno hopefully I'm not breaking any rules by posting the link!

December 11th, 2008, 06:52 PM	#27
Sailariel ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Alex Location: Belfast, ME Join Date: Jul 2008 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Honda NT-700-V, formerly, Green 2008 Ninja 250R Posts: A lot.	Kelly, Got a dumb Question. What was you rationale for lowering the front end?

December 11th, 2008, 07:26 PM	#29
Sailariel ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Alex Location: Belfast, ME Join Date: Jul 2008 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Honda NT-700-V, formerly, Green 2008 Ninja 250R Posts: A lot.	Kelly, Thanks, makes sense--changes the geometry. I do the same thing on my custom bikes--change the fork angle to 71mm for more agility. I pefer 72mm and work my corners with a bit more countersteer. Will have to experiment with the Ninja. So far I like the handeling--as I get more used to the machine, I may decide to experiment.

December 11th, 2008, 10:36 PM	#31
Reddoak ninjette.org guru Name: Bill Location: Orlando Join Date: Dec 2008 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Ninja 250r - Traded for 2009 ER-6N Posts: 424	Aloha Kelly! Another recruit Kelly dragged kicking and screaming... Not really. I didn't kick. To bad I'm not in Hawaii, I could park my red 250 next to yours and make Christmas cards from the pictures. Time for a bit of PS work....

December 11th, 2008, 11:07 PM	#33
Reddoak ninjette.org guru Name: Bill Location: Orlando Join Date: Dec 2008 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Ninja 250r - Traded for 2009 ER-6N Posts: 424	Glad I could make it, other sites can be a bit.... jarring at times.

December 19th, 2008, 06:25 PM	#35
Syphen Some weird Canuck! Name: Greg Location: Ontario - Canada Join Date: Dec 2008 Motorcycle(s): '92 CBR250RR "Babyblade", 2008 Ninja 250R, 2001 CBR600F4i Posts: 209	Kelly, your bike looks awesome. I like the polished lips. Did you do it by hand? How long did it take?

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