Looking at a Ninja 250..

[Triple Jim]

Originally Posted by MikeCL

... I have a feeling it’s a zener diode .

Not a zener, just two ordinary silicon diodes to isolate the two signal sources. They're probably 1N400X, where X is an integer from 1 to 7, indicating a voltage rating of 50 to 1,000. You can get 100 of them from Mouser, and with shipping they'll still be under $19.

I'm confused though... I assumed you already had the motorcycle, since you've been working on things like a gas tank and petcock, and have bought some other parts.

[MikeCL]

Originally Posted by Triple Jim

Not a zener, just two ordinary silicon diodes to isolate the two signal sources. They're probably 1N400X, where X is an integer from 1 to 7, indicating a voltage rating of 50 to 1,000. You can get 100 of them from Mouser, and with shipping they'll still be under $19.

I'm confused though... I assumed you already had the motorcycle, since you've been working on things like a gas tank and petcock, and have bought some other parts.

The tank was because of the rust the petcock was already an issue with all the RTV around the lower part of the supply. As far as the motorcycle the plan is it spend a few hours per day mostly checking over things. I've rebuilt my whole Subaru Ej255 motor in my bedroom lol lapped the valves and changed about 5 shim buckets at about $25 each.. new pistons.. dry weight as around 366 lbs

The bike should pretty easy

[Triple Jim]

So the gas tank and petcock are for the Subaru engine?

[MikeCL]

Originally Posted by Triple Jim

So the gas tank and petcock are for the Subaru engine?

No it’s for the bike I was just saying how I’m not a stranger for doing large projects

[MikeCL]

Finally the tank fuel cap bolts came in today I picked gold

[MikeCL]

How many rear fender eliminator kits are still for the pre gens?

Lol this is what happens when you order and still half asleep

[MikeCL]

Crap the upper fairing got cracked in transit, changed the windscreen to a darker shade.

[thedrewski86]

Originally Posted by MikeCL

How many rear fender eliminator kits are still for the pre gens?

I honestly don't know of any, and I think it's because Kawasaki already did it for you. The turn signal bulbs come out and fit right into the side lights on the stock rear brake panel. Even the license plate light mounts up when you knock the little red plastic blank out under the brake light! I just got some clear plastic from an old CD case and glued it in to seal everything. I wrote about this years ago when I first discovered it: here

[MikeCL]

Originally Posted by thedrewski86

I honestly don't know of any, and I think it's because Kawasaki already did it for you. The turn signal bulbs come out and fit right into the side lights on the stock rear brake panel. Even the license plate light mounts up when you knock the little red plastic blank out under the brake light! I just got some clear plastic from an old CD case and glued it in to seal everything. I wrote about this years ago when I first discovered it: here

I know about the side lights for the rear brake light.. the one I got from ebay it looks like someone did it before (already has the bulb holders in) but I don't think I'm going to use it for turn signals I've seen or heard some talk about the flush mount turn signals can also be used in the rear as well? I don't have much of a visual aid to help me with that part but I think they might of still had the rear fender on?

[MikeCL]

Getting a different bike the seller pretty much sold it without letting me know or he had second thoughts.

I’m headed down to check out another bike now pretty much set on getting it but going to check over some stuff.. I know some weird stuff is he changed the headlight to a led clone from a e-bike.. I’m going to switch back to the stock light .. I’m not sure if the fairing stay is intact I’d have to check.

I do need to run and get a ramp.. great day to rain.. definitely need new tires looks like someone did or tried to do a lot of burnouts.

Bike needs a battery which I ordered but not in a rush for that.. If I’m up to it I will wire the rear taillight to have all three working. At some point I will do a compression tester and the carbs maybe week after next will be taken off.

I brought the cyclepedia service manual for the ex250 I almost finished the whole thing but it’s been super helpful and will be a great asset

[Triple Jim]

The time to do a compression test is before you buy it.

[MikeCL]

Sorry it was a long drive and the weather is getting nasty the key is the original I gotta figure out what’s up with the fairing stay it’s likely removed but the gas tank is clean a few of these I’m going to end up selling.

[MikeCL]

Some photos this was $400 the other bike was $300.. and only had 523 miles on it this one around 17k

I’ll get around to it when work slows down a bit I noticed the gas tank bracket are they all missing that bolt?

[thedrewski86]

Honestly, that looks like a good little project there. Good find. I think it's better than the one you were looking at before, and it's blue so your new fairings will look good on it!

[MikeCL]

Originally Posted by thedrewski86

Honestly, that looks like a good little project there. Good find. I think it's better than the one you were looking at before, and it's blue so your new fairings will look good on it!

I’m so exhausted I went to pick up the bike right after work.. so I’ve been up since 1:30am got off at like 1:35pm it took 2 hours to get to upstate NY and then 2 hours back… and I can’t sleep Not only is it raining here (snow where I picked the bike up from) I had to push the bike in mud lol.

The battery is like dead.. I can’t even charge it

[MikeCL]

Originally Posted by thedrewski86

Honestly, that looks like a good little project there. Good find. I think it's better than the one you were looking at before, and it's blue so your new fairings will look good on it!

I might need some help the gauge bracket is it just one large part or two? I’m going to have to check out the parts list.

[thedrewski86]

The new lithium ion batteries are really awesome if you feel like investing a little $$. Be sure to check to see that the charging system is healthy once you get a solid 12v pumping.
Yeah, that partzilla site has saved me when it comes to sorting out parts. You'll get it there, pushing it through the snow was the easy part, lol!

[MikeCL]

Originally Posted by thedrewski86

The new lithium ion batteries are really awesome if you feel like investing a little $$. Be sure to check to see that the charging system is healthy once you get a solid 12v pumping.
Yeah, that partzilla site has saved me when it comes to sorting out parts. You'll get it there, pushing it through the snow was the easy part, lol!

I’m so happy they had the cyclepedia on kindle I finally looked at the whole thing but now skipping around looking at other areas now.

Also those lithium ion batteries what’s great about them? I will make sure I check the charging system as well I have a few bolts coming in tomorrow from babbits for the battery I ordered the mighty max YTX7-BS

The good thing in the key is the original but would probably best to get a replacement.. the tank inside is very clean I won’t put the tank I got on until I do the full rust removal.

How hard is it to mount the tires on the bike? I know I gave up on doing my car tires but it seems a bike isn’t as bad?

[thedrewski86]

Tires are very easy. I use those Motion Pro tire spoons (2 or 3 makes for an easy job) and some rim protectors. I lube with light detergent water in a spray bottle, but others don't recommend that. I forget why, ymmv.
If you already got a battery just go with it. The li-ion is light and has a jump feature but that's just extra. 12v is the main thing and your new battery has that.

[Triple Jim]

Real tire mounting lube won't corrode rims. Detergents may or may not, depending on the specifics. I've used straight Dawn dish detergent with no odd results, but now I use the real thing... that brown stuff that looks like grease. It really is slippery stuff.

You need to break the bead, which isn't always easy, then you need to remove the old tire, clean up the sealing surface of the rim, possibly change the valve, mount the new tire with the colored dot in the right place for balance, and with it rotating as the arrows show, then check the mounted tire-wheel for balance and add weights as necessary.

[MikeCL]

Originally Posted by Triple Jim

Real tire mounting lube won't corrode rims. Detergents may or may not, depending on the specifics. I've used straight Dawn dish detergent with no odd results, but now I use the real thing... that brown stuff that looks like grease. It really is slippery stuff.

You need to break the bead, which isn't always easy, then you need to remove the old tire, clean up the sealing surface of the rim, possibly change the valve, mount the new tire with the colored dot in the right place for balance, and with it rotating as the arrows show, then check the mounted tire-wheel for balance and add weights as necessary.

I see the tire mounting lube seems to come in large 3 lb containers lol a bit too much for me but I see they have some in a squeeze bottle.

Originally Posted by thedrewski86

Tires are very easy. I use those Motion Pro tire spoons (2 or 3 makes for an easy job) and some rim protectors. I lube with light detergent water in a spray bottle, but others don't recommend that. I forget why, ymmv.
If you already got a battery just go with it. The li-ion is light and has a jump feature but that's just extra. 12v is the main thing and your new battery has that.

Yeah I saw some tire change kits on Amazon.. I used to have a valve stem change kit but I lost it.. but I would always change a valve stem on a tire change. As far as the battery it sucks having to wait but should be here on Wed. I also see those Li-ion have a higher CCA

[MikeCL]

Some other pictures looks like it has a fender eliminator already.. anyone know about those rear turn signals? What bulb do they use? I’ve seen them on eBay but non say the bulb type.

That's a aftermarket clutch lever It's broken on the end but it still works the clutch but I rather change it and the front brake.

[Triple Jim]

I see that someone drilled out the four rivets at the end of the muffler to make it louder. Mine was like that when I got it, and it sounded like a lawn mower. I tapped the holes and put button head stainless bolts in them and it's much improved. Yours seems to have some extra hammer and chisel damage though.

[MikeCL]

Originally Posted by Triple Jim

I see that someone drilled out the four rivets at the end of the muffler to make it louder. Mine was like that when I got it, and it sounded like a lawn mower. I tapped the holes and put button head stainless bolts in them and it's much improved. Yours seems to have some extra hammer and chisel damage though.

Do any slip-on’s fit? I assume the stuff from the new gen 250 or 300 won’t fit? I did see a muzzy 2-1 for sale.

[Triple Jim]

Originally Posted by MikeCL

I did see a muzzy 2-1 for sale.

I'm sure you can find a slip-on or a Muzzy if you want to make it even louder than it is now.

[thedrewski86]

I probably wouldn't worry about the mufflers until I put on new tires �� those look old! I scored some good stock cans off a fellow ninjette member when I replaced my yoshis; they should be easy and cheap to replace.

[MikeCL]

Yeah I think I’m going to get the Shinko SR740/741 tires

[MikeCL]

So I'm about to crimp the rear taillights that I got in from Ebay (they came with the sockets already) So I was wondering why they had electrical tape wrapped on the wires so they had the High and low connected wont that make it be used as a turn signal?

[MikeCL]

I'm trying to figure out this cowling stay... Oh ok I saw on ninja250.org So the headlight and the gauge are on the same bracket, It was hard to figure that out from the parts diagram listing.

Ok I figured it out.. now I've seen a few on ebay like this but I noticed the backside on the gauge (speedo area) is broken is it common for the plastic to get that brittle?

[MikeCL]

The flush mount turn signals came in finally I changed it to LED’s and blinded myself lol looks good but pretty tight I heard people had issues with the housing cracking. I won’t use the 3rd wire so now the white/black is negative and the red is positive at least for full brightness.

New battery came in today as well it came fully charged

I was reading over the cyclepedia I have to add some more bolts to the order list definitely need to order the upper fairing stay so I can mount the gauge correctly and I need to get a headlight and lower fairing for the radiator area we will see how that part goes.

[MikeCL]

Ahh Dropped the nut for the new battery on the left side somewhere near the coolant bottle and now I can’t find it lol.. I’m going to have a few bits of parts up for sale I have OCD I can’t do the color difference with the two shades of blue so I’m buying another rear end this is the one that matches my front fairing which came from the same bike. And has a tail but I’m sure I’m going to strip it..

I ordered mirrors And I ordered the cheapest ex250 gauge so I can rip the back housing off of it.. seems like they are pretty brittle.. I have a decent sized hole on the one on the bike I got this for $30 since someone spray painted it all red???

Ordered the front stay and the tool kit.

Not sure why the lower belly pan fairing is so expensive like almost $100 just for shipping as well.

Also going to fix the fairing with the crack with ABS cement and going to put a steel mesh and melt the plastic over it to help with the bond

[Triple Jim]

Originally Posted by MikeCL

A
Not sure why the lower belly pan fairing is so expensive like almost $100 just for shipping as well.

You mean the little chin fairing?

[MikeCL]

Originally Posted by Triple Jim

You mean the little chin fairing?

Yeah that

[MikeCL]

Hey the rear sprocket should it have play forward and backwards? This chain is shot I already have a replacement chain.

[thedrewski86]

You mean like play in the cush drive?

[Triple Jim]

I probably have one. My '05 was dark blue with an orange stripe originally, so I don't know if you'd need to paint it. If you want, I'll see if it's on the shelf. I'm sure we can agree on a price that's better than the one you saw on eBay.

[MikeCL]

Originally Posted by Triple Jim

I probably have one. My '05 was dark blue with an orange stripe originally, so I don't know if you'd need to paint it. If you want, I'll see if it's on the shelf. I'm sure we can agree on a price that's better than the one you saw on eBay.

Yeah let me know it’s crazy on eBay for the pre-gens

[MikeCL]

Yeah so I’m moving the area where I’m going to work on it so it looks like my clutch will need to be adjusted not sure but maybe the clutch is a little sticky I’m going to change the oil today since it’s going to be in the upper 50’s today.

I think the brake and clutch leavers from the 300 will fit the 250?

[MikeCL]

Here is a video I did last night

https://youtu.be/djLQSo-voOc

[MikeCL]

Originally Posted by thedrewski86

You mean like play in the cush drive?

Yes you can see it in my video