Ninja 250R/500R

[CTRider]

Walmart sells those nets in either the auto section or the sporting goods section. and they're only like 4 dollars I use my net for a lot of things (like bringing food home from work )

Up around here we usually get stuff like that in a wonderous place called "Ocean State Job Lot." The place is about as trashy as you can get, but stuff like that is sold at rock bottom prices, if you can stand some goofy labeling. They get a lot of closouts and items that can't be sold in normal retail due to labeling issues. For example, I got a little pry bar for removing wall trim for $0.79 because the English and Spanish safety warnings were both in English. Since I don't speak a whole lot of Spanish, it was perfect for me. Other things like bungie cords, tie downs and name brand tools get sold there cheap simply because they're the wrong color.

[r409z]

do you fill them to the psi of stock sizes or the max load of your wider tires....
I checked my air pressure today and my rear 150/60/17 was about 42 (max pressure printed on the tire) and the front 120/70/17 was almost 40. I know stock, i had 32 in the front and about 35 in the back. What psi do all of you with wider tires fill to?

[Redline]

Dude. I'm almost as sorry for your wallet's health as I am for your grammar (not that the two are remotely related.) Congratulations at least for knowing how to save money, (if little else.)

[Daekar]

Oh don't let Chris get you down... he didn't mean to hurt your feelings I'm sure.

As far as Walmart goes, they are a few things:
1) One of the biggest firms in the world, with gross income surpassing the GNP of some countries
2) One of the most ruthless firms in the world. Everyone has heard the story of the SuperWalmart putting all the mom&pop kind of stores out of business, but you don't hear about Walmart going to suppliers and saying "We want to buy 1000 widgets and we're going to buy them for $0.04 each... we don't care if it takes you $0.05 to make them.. if you don't like it we'll go somewhere else."
3) Still one of the cheapest places around...

Love them or hate them, Walmart is here to stay..

[CTRider]

2) One of the most ruthless firms in the world. Everyone has heard the story of the SuperWalmart putting all the mom&pop kind of stores out of business, but you don't hear about Walmart going to suppliers and saying "We want to buy 1000 widgets and we're going to buy them for $0.04 each... we don't care if it takes you $0.05 to make them.. if you don't like it we'll go somewhere else."

Not to continue to derail this thread by talking about Walmart, but one cae where this is a good thing is what they plan to do with the music industry - they plan to insist on buying CDs for a low enough wholesale price that they can resell all albums for $10 or less. If others stores latch onto that deal, that's good for everyone.

I still go to small hardware stores for hard to find items, I eat at small diners and used to frequent a local book store (before they packed it in, mostly due to the inability to afford a visible location). However, when it comes to mass-produced items like CDs and DVDs, it's all fair in price wars.

As far as securing a second helmet, I'd trust a cargo net more than some other solutions I've seen out there. If, however, there's really only one other person that frequents my back seat, I'd rather they hang onto the helmet at their place. Of course, that strategy with a girlfriend can be messy if you have a messy break up and she either a) decides not to return it or b) returns it with some modification.

Now, if we're talking taking the kid to school and picking him/her up later, you're going to have to transport it. Aside from the fact that helmets don't fit in the average locker, the potential for the helmet being dropped on a hard floor is pretty high, as well.

Sport bikes tend to be the most problematic as they don't really have a good mounting location for gear (other than using the tie-downs under the seat). A BMW or Goldwing touring bike, on the other hand, has a nice nest of a back seat where a helmet could safely and easily be stowed with the above mentioned cargo net. In a lot of cases, you're better off carrying it in a backpack or similar type of bag.

Just my thoughts on the subject.

[SnookayDCC]

do they sell frame sliders for a 1994 ninja ex500

[r409z]

do they sell frame sliders for a 1994 ninja ex500

these are the only ones that i know of unless you rig something
http://brgracing.com/ex500Sliders.html

[grendal]

What are the approximate 0-60 acceleration, 1/4 mile times for a Ninja 250 and a Ninja 500 and estimate how much slower they'd be with two average riders (rider + passenger) or 1 heavy rider.... I haven't a clue. I'm a newb.

Thanks,

Michael

[Daekar]

i don't know quarter mile times, but the 250R is 5.4s to 60, and the 500R is 4.0s to 60. Two up on the 250R is doable but don't expect to accelerate very fast compared to with just one. The 500R is much better two up - you'll have no problem carving corners with a buddy on the back.

[Green Knight]

Most sites I look at stop listing performance numbers at the 600s so I couldn't tell ya.

[grendal]

Most sites I look at stop listing performance numbers at the 600s so I couldn't tell ya.

Hence the reason I posted this in the 500/250 sticky thread.

-Michael

[NinjaGirl]

Would like to get a blinking rear light for my 500.
The kits seem kinda spendy, could I replace the red cover with clear and get a red bulb and wire it to blink when braking????
Thanks

[CTRider]

Would like to get a blinking rear light for my 500.
The kits seem kinda spendy, could I replace the red cover with clear and get a red bulb and wire it to blink when braking????
Thanks

I've often wondered why bikes don't take a cue from some of the traffic lights that have a little white strobe in the middle of the red light. It wouldn't have to be very bright to grab attention to the fact the brake light is on. If it works for the traffic lights in front of firehouses and schools, it should certainly be adaptable for bikes. At least two people I know nearly had a car run right up their back tire when they came up behind them as the traffic light turned green.

[Daekar]

NinjaGirl: I don't know about getting a clear lens for the brakelight, but I do have some TailBlazers from:

http://www.kisantech.com/kisanWeb3/tailBlazer.htm

They were one of the first mods that I did to my bike, right after the FIAMM Highway Blaster horn. I ride quite frequently with a friend in a car behind me (cause I just can't take EVERYBODY on the back ) and I have asked several times if the blinking was effective - everyone has given me a resounding "yes" answer. I know it makes me feel safer! I also got the SignalMinder from that same website, and I love it... when everybody else looks silly riding down the road with a blinker going (Harleys especially..) mine automatically cancels - AND it also gives you rear running lights! They make you much more visible and gives the cars behind you a sense of scale, because there are three moving points of light. Check the rules in your area, I had to replace my back bulbs with red-colored bulbs.

[NinjaGirl]

NinjaGirl: I don't know about getting a clear lens for the brakelight, but I do have some TailBlazers from:

http://www.kisantech.com/kisanWeb3/tailBlazer.htm

They were one of the first mods that I did to my bike, right after the FIAMM Highway Blaster horn. I ride quite frequently with a friend in a car behind me (cause I just can't take EVERYBODY on the back ) and I have asked several times if the blinking was effective - everyone has given me a resounding "yes" answer. I know it makes me feel safer! I also got the SignalMinder from that same website, and I love it... when everybody else looks silly riding down the road with a blinker going (Harleys especially..) mine automatically cancels - AND it also gives you rear running lights! They make you much more visible and gives the cars behind you a sense of scale, because there are three moving points of light. Check the rules in your area, I had to replace my back bulbs with red-colored bulbs.

Very cool!! Thanks!!!

[Calamarichris]

Hence the reason I posted this in the 500/250 sticky thread.
-Michael

Ahoy Michael.
This roster is a few years old, from Motorcycle Consumer News. It doesn't have the 250, but you may be pleased to note that the 500R came in ahead of all Harleys, save the Porsche V-rod.

[JTpaintball70]

but.... a gold wing has a better time?

[Calamarichris]

With 1800cc (that's far more than three times the 500's displacement) and >30mpg, yes. I'd still rather take my 500 to a track day or on a twisty road than a Goldwing.

[JTpaintball70]

good point And I should know that cause I was playing tag on a deserted backroad with a goldwing and he took it up faster than i could.

[grendal]

Dang, the Ninja 500 smokes the excrament out of the Suzuki GS500. I thought they were closer than that! Seems like the 500 has darn good performance for a "cheap" bike.

-Michael

P.S.
A Goldwing is an old-man motorcycle. What's the point, really? So ya wanna cruise the highway? Buy a Cadillac. Motorcycles aren't supposed to be rolling living rooms.