Going naked, concerns?

[Solunatic]

I like naked bikes.

My ninja has sort of become a beater bike. Mechanically it's perfect and I intend to keep it that way, but I've low sided it screwing around in parking lots, I've dropped it more than once, and my brother has backed into it with his car. I kinda just treat it like a toy. Therefore, I have become much less attached to it's resale value (low) and since I've been wanting to go naked for two years and i keep having to stop myself from buying up CL project bikes I think it's time to start the process. Especially since I've read this thread:http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showt...ght=lightening about 100 times and can't stop drooling. This is pretty much how I've wanted it to look since I bought it so i'll probably be going a similar direction, but still retain the cargo hooks and seat latch.

I will throw it on the ground again though, and I know this.

Will it take more "real" damage with the fairings off? As in to engine components and such? At low speeds doing parking lot drills I see this being less of an issue, but at track speeds I can just picture shredding my clutch cover and denting the crap out of my tank. I have a spare stator cover already, If I go this route should I just add tank and clutch cover to the list of spares handy? Scratching doesn't bother me as they're already scratched, I'm really only concerned with functionality, how tough are the case covers?

As far as low speed I have read that adding frame sliders isn't really an option as it'll just damage the frame more, but are there any other ways to mitigate the damage from a drop at <10 mph? I can't weld very well, but may be able to get a friend to do some for me. Any ideas?

[Lychee]

A quick search on some stunter forums resulted in recommendations for meeting and greeting with someone that can bend and weld pipes and have them create a custom cage. Perhaps an exhaust maker?

Why would you be a track speeds with a crash cage on it? Like the center stand, the cage will interfere with your ability to lean. I think at track speeds, crashed is crashed and the cage won't help you much. It may even cause you to crash. At low speeds, since it seems your bike is already damaged, I wouldn't worry about more damage, it is cheap and replaceable. Beat on it!

Here, have a hammer.

[Solunatic]

Originally Posted by Lychee

Why would you be a track speeds with a crash cage on it? Like the center stand, the cage will interfere with your ability to lean. I think at track speeds, crashed is crashed and the cage won't help you much. It may even cause you to crash. At low speeds, since it seems your bike is already damaged, I wouldn't worry about more damage, it is cheap and replaceable. Beat on it!

Here, have a hammer.

I think i was looking for a magic solution that was just like frame sliders but that wasn't... frame... sliders. A cage isn't really what I was looking for. i definitely am not a "stunter" I'm just abusive lol.

The fairings are in surprisingly good shape for how much I've not taken care of them. I sometimes take cones to empty parking lots and make little tracks... like the msf course but faster, and REALLY cheap as far as track time goes I also take the bike down fire roads and stuff and so it's been tipped over there, but the main damage is just some scratches and a busted out blinker mount.

[quicklooker]

Per the Ninja 250 Wiki:

"First, the EX250's frame is protected by plastic fairings. No part of the frame is exposed, and the engine does not protrude, so there is nothing to protect!"

It implies the frame is protected by the fairings. Not sure how much damage they could prevent , though. If it's enough to damage the frame I'm sure it would destroy a fairing into dust.

[Lychee]

Originally Posted by Solunatic

I think i was looking for a magic solution that was just like frame sliders but that wasn't... frame... sliders. A cage isn't really what I was looking for. i definitely am not a "stunter" I'm just abusive lol.

Don't have to be a stunter to use their equipment and/or knowledge.

[Solunatic]

Well yes, but part of my motivation for the nakedness is shedding excess weight. less for performance gains, more for my unexplained desire to remove excess weight. There's just something elegant about stripped down utilitarian things. Back to the magic solution thing, I was looking for something relatively light that would still save my tank in an off.

[tc.young]

i had mine naked for a while, mostly because i didn't have the correct fasteners. The first big problem was that all my ignition wires were showing that would make it easier to steal. wind wasn't that bad, it hits your whole body instead of just your head. other then that, it looks a bit ulgy and riding in the rain would suck a bit more but its not bad. i would only do it if you have to though but some say once you go naked you won't go back

[Solunatic]

i had mine naked for a little while too, due to laziness, and I actually prefer the wind. The stock screen sends the air to all the wrong places for me. I never had any issues in the rain, but it's definitely colder. I didn't like the unfinished look of the stock headlight and everything so i put them back on.

[Lychee]

Originally Posted by Solunatic

Well yes, but part of my motivation for the nakedness is shedding excess weight. less for performance gains, more for my unexplained desire to remove excess weight. There's just something elegant about stripped down utilitarian things. Back to the magic solution thing, I was looking for something relatively light that would still save my tank in an off.

A crash cage will add some weight. Barring that, frame sliders and bar ends would save your gas tank in most falls. Some of the impact may be transferred to the frame. Is your frame or your gas tank the thing you want to protect? You cannot have both 100% protected. In a fall, something has to take the damage.

Maybe a cost analysis is in order:

new gas tank =$200
paint job = $150 ??
vs.
custom made cage = ???
vs.
frame slider = ???
vs.
new frame = $200
registration = big ass headache
vs.
new rat bike = ???

[Solunatic]

I guess i'm more concerned about the tank, the frame is unlikely to take damage in the situations where i see myself most likely to be damaging something. My concern for the frame mainly stems from the theoretical frame sliders transferring too much force and tweaking the frame, as I remembered this being discussed in my research on frame sliders when i bought the bike.

Although really, I don't know where i'd put said theoretical frame sliders.

[quicklooker]

Originally Posted by Solunatic

I guess i'm more concerned about the tank, the frame is unlikely to take damage in the situations where i see myself most likely to be damaging something. My concern for the frame mainly stems from the theoretical frame sliders transferring too much force and tweaking the frame, as I remembered this being discussed in my research on frame sliders when i bought the bike.

Although really, I don't know where i'd put said theoretical frame sliders.

Forget about frame sliders, they're no good on the Ninjas.

Maybe put some kind of hard shell around the tank? Carbonfibre somethingoranother?

[Chicagobob]

Well, I haven't dropped my bike since we took off all the fairings, but it seems to me that the following apply:

The engine is narrower than the cans, pegs and bars, so the engine would be unlikely to hit the ground in a mild drop. If you fall harder than that, you have bigger problems to worry about.

Even with full fairings, the bars hit the ground first, and the bars and levers bend easily, and a bent bar usually hits the tank, which is made of very thin steel, so this usually causes a dent right in the upper crease of the tank. The same thing will happen without fairings, so it seems unlikely that the fairings provide much protection to the tank. They may help protect the radiator, though.

With less bodywork, there are fewer things to replace if you drop the bike.

Removing the fairings doesn't affect the bike's waterproofing or theft resistance, other than the usual water fling caused by the absence of a rear fender.

Anyhow, good luck with your build. I like the Ninja a whole lot better without that 30 or so pounds.

[Solunatic]

You bring up a good point about the bars being the first point of impact.

Speaking of water fling, how big is the difference without the fender? I ride year round and was thinking i may want to just carve down the fender a bit without actually removing it, but i've never ridden a fenderless bike before. Does it really soak your back or is it just mildly wetter?

I imagine a 10% reduction in sprung weight is pretty nice! I'm 5'10" 135 and work to keep that weight on so removing weight from my bike is my only option in that area.

[Chicagobob]

Originally Posted by Solunatic

You bring up a good point about the bars being the first point of impact.

Speaking of water fling, how big is the difference without the fender? I ride year round and was thinking i may want to just carve down the fender a bit without actually removing it, but i've never ridden a fenderless bike before. Does it really soak your back or is it just mildly wetter?

I imagine a 10% reduction in sprung weight is pretty nice! I'm 5'10" 135 and work to keep that weight on so removing weight from my bike is my only option in that area.

It doesn't soak your back, but it gets the back of the seat and the turn signals wet and dirty. The license plate acts like a minimal fender.

I've considered adding a Ducati Monster-style rear fender (maybe made from a dirt bike front fender) to extend farther than the license plate, but it's not a big enough issue to warrant spending any money on, at least at my house.

[Solunatic]

Well since I own a hose i think i can deal with a dirty seat and turn signals Although i think i still may want a minimal fender for fire road fun. i like the dirt bike fender idea, could probably find a CL one for super cheap. Or hell, my neighbors garage may have one for free.

[Chicagobob]

My daughter is out of town, so I've been riding her bike to work - a blast, plus 70 mpg and free parking.

Oh, and I blacked out the exhaust brackets and the front fender mounts:

[beren]

One of tbemain concerns, other than cold, is chaffing.

[FvnnyL3tt3r1ng]

I run a naked bike and the main downsides I've noticed are the ugly headlight/handlebar/gas tank tabs sticking out, noticeable increase in drag, reduced top speed, and better chance of burning your leg on the engine (wearing shorts). The increase in wind drag is kind of a bummer because of the already low torque/hp of these bikes.

[Chicagobob]

Umm, shorts?

[FvnnyL3tt3r1ng]

Originally Posted by Chicagobob

Umm, shorts?

Props to those that wear long pants in this south FL weather!

[Solunatic]

Originally Posted by beren

One of tbemain concerns, other than cold, is chaffing.

That's why i keep my bike properly lubricated

[Lychee]

Originally Posted by Solunatic

You bring up a good point about the bars being the first point of impact.

You could raise the bars using spacers. Suspension geometry doesn't change. Ergos will.

[Solunatic]

I actually kind of like the wind drag, it's not bad until around 70-75, so it's a physical reminder that if i'm not just cruising I should be tucked anyways.

As far as bars go, i'd be going the other direction with lowered risers or clip ons.

may have snagged a trailtech vapor on another forum and thinking about picking up a couple exhaust cans to futz with and make shorty exhausts out of- they'll only cost me a case of beer for two sets of cans!

[JohnnyBravo]

If ya look good with no clothes on, feel free to run wild!

[FvnnyL3tt3r1ng]

Originally Posted by Solunatic

I actually kind of like the wind drag, it's not bad until around 70-75, so it's a physical reminder that if i'm not just cruising I should be tucked anyways.

As far as bars go, i'd be going the other direction with lowered risers or clip ons.

may have snagged a trailtech vapor on another forum and thinking about picking up a couple exhaust cans to futz with and make shorty exhausts out of- they'll only cost me a case of beer for two sets of cans!

The trailtech seems to hate hot weather. The lights for turn signals/neutral seem to jump around for me for some reason as well....... I haven't completely hooked it up yet but I would look into other gauges in the meantime. I really like the analog tach/digital speedo combo gauges I've seen on some peoples' bikes.

[Chicagobob]

Originally Posted by FvnnyL3tt3r1ng

The trailtech seems to hate hot weather. The lights for turn signals/neutral seem to jump around for me for some reason as well....... I haven't completely hooked it up yet but I would look into other gauges in the meantime. I really like the analog tach/digital speedo combo gauges I've seen on some peoples' bikes.

The Trailtech doesn't have turn signal or a neutral light. Those are part of the bike's circuits, which are separate from the computer. They're simple light bulbs, so it's hard to see how they would malfunction, unless wired incorrectly. I've been using the TT Vapor for years with no issues relating to the gauge lights.

If you try to use LEDs for things like the turn signal indicator light, I could see where you would have problems, due to polarity issues.

[FvnnyL3tt3r1ng]

Originally Posted by Chicagobob

The Trailtech doesn't have turn signal or a neutral light. Those are part of the bike's circuits, which are separate from the computer. They simple light bulbs, so it's hard to see how they would malfunction, unless wired incorrectly. I've been using the TT Vapor for years with no issues relating to the gauge lights.

If you try to use LEDs for things like the turn signal indicator light, I could see where you would have problems, due to polarity issues.

Yeah in theory this shouldnt be happening but what's crazy is that it is happening. Mine also resets when I hit high rpms and it flicks on and off. I haven't wired it into the battery though so maybe there is still hope. Otherwise I may have to get a refund and go w/ another gauge

[brenthedtke83]

Where did you find the headlight for this mod, and how much did you spend? was it difficult to wire in?

[Chicagobob]

Originally Posted by brenthedtke83

Where did you find the headlight for this mod, and how much did you spend? was it difficult to wire in?

Headlight, mounting brackets and turn signals are from Speedmotoco.com. It's a good-quality headlight - all steel with a good lens and H-4 bulb.

Similar parts are available from many other sources.