Possible issue, please suggest...

[ride2rideagain]

Background. 2008 Ninja 250, now has 68xx Kms. Purchased from a previous and first owner at 40xx kms. It was well taken care of. Ran great when I bought it and was completely stock. I shimmed needles at the start of this season and added Chazzos (chinese 2wheels levers)and a Yoshi CF slip-on. Still runs perfectly fine.

However, sometimes, I get the burning rubber smell, mostly in higher RPMs of lower gears. I am assuming that now that it's cold and more slippery, it's just the tires on the pavement as I accelerate, but I am not sure. Any suggestions on what else this could be?

[94fiveohvert]

did you check to see if anything is stuck to your exhaust?

[Jiggles]

I know what the problem is! You need to buy a gun!

That's a weird issue, I ride WOT all the time and I never have a burning rubber smell. If you aren't peeling out then I don't think that the tires are the issue.

[ride2rideagain]

Thanks for the replies.

I'll check the exhaust first thing tomorrow, but the smell is not constant and only happens occasionally in lower gears when I am in high RPMs. I'll check regardless.

As for wires, I have an HID kit and a custom horn but they are well tucked, I already checked as I was worried about that. But again, if they were touching something hot, the smell would be constant, just like if there was something stuck to the pipe.

The bike is not running hot, temperature seems perfectly fine even on long rides. The only thing I can come up with is the traction being bad since the pavement is cold and slippery so at low gears, high RPMs when I take off from a stop, the tires rub a little on the pavement and cause the smell.

Keep throwing out other possibilities.

LOL @ Jiggles trying to get me to buy a gun.

[DarC]

Probably not tire slippage, most likely something rubbing so check the front tire and brake lines for contact. Check the brakes for proper engagement. Get the bike hot and hop off and use your nose to try and track it down, start with the exhaust at the cylinder head.

Also look at the heels of your shoes...just saying. If all else fails purchase said gun.

[greg737]

If it's something you can smell while riding it has to be coming from up front in the bike's fairing. I'm betting it's the amature wiring job on your ghetto HID modification (blinding everyone you pass).

[SteveL]

Unless you are making lots of smoke when you set off and you have a following wind it won’t be from the rear wheel.

Steve

[ride2rideagain]

Originally Posted by greg737

If it's something you can smell while riding it has to be coming from up front in the bike's fairing. I'm betting it's the amature wiring job on your ghetto HID modification (blinding everyone you pass).

LOL...I aimed them down but I probably am still blinding people. I can see the road better compared to stock, that works for me. Also, you haven't seen my wiring job before judging it to be amateur. But thanks for trying to help, i.e. if you were trying to help.

Rode today, smell practically went away, did smell it once or twice though on a long ride.....don't see anything near the exhaust, checked my "amateur" wiring it's all well tucked. Now it seems like it may be the shoe or something else since everyone says tires aren't it. I'll put it up on stands and rev it up to see if the smell comes and then try and track it down.

P.s thanks to all who are helping

[greg737]

Okay, seriously this time. Here's my next guess...

Maybe the HID bulb is running hotter than the original equipment bulb and it's slowly cooking something rubber up in the headlight area of the bike?

Does the HID bulb setup have a highbeam (or "bright") setting? I guess that would be the hottest situation and most likely to overheat something rubber, if that is what's happening.

Or, maybe it's just Toronto?

[DarC]

What is your front tire pressure?

[Jono]

When is the last time you showered? It might be you.

No but seriously, I don't know what it could be. If you looked around the bike and saw no issues then, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Just keep riding!

[Magz]

I'd also suggest checking the housing/seals of the headlight. Those HIDs are crazy hot compared to regular bulbs. Other than that, I just don't know. I know one of the drain hoses on mine got on the pipes and melted, so check that. It being so intermittent is definitely puzzling.

[EsrTek]

rubber gromet around the lights would be my guess too, or it could be 1 of those lil rubber pieces that is supposed to protect the inside of fairing (where it touches).. I noticed a few of those fell off 1st few times I took my fairings off.

[Mr.E]

^ could be what they said, or it also could indeed be the exhuast depending on how new it is.

As soon as I put mine on, I had a weird smell too. So after a ride I got down on all 4's and smelt my exhaust, the smell I was smelling, was the new exhaust. Eventually, it too went away. Perhaps get close to the exhaust and smell after you next ride. (Do it with the engine off... obviously.. lol.) (Also... perhaps do it at your house.... where there's not a lot of people around to judge you... Lol.). Just a suggestion. Could be your lights though too. I hear HID's heat up a lot.