Ninja 250R/500R

[FzrRider]

its a 500 and im also in florida (very hot right now )

[Redline]

Silly question (maybe) but are the 250R and 500R rims (post-94) the same size?

[FzrRider]

also to add to my oil ? i had....someone suggested taking out the silencers in the stock exhaust. is that possible with out hurting or having to mess with the carb? also if i do buy an aftermarket exhaust is it hard to put the jet kit in the carb and is there anything else i have to do to make it right?

[pizzarro]

Originally Posted by Redline

Silly question (maybe) but are the 250R and 500R rims (post-94) the same size?

I believe 94+ 500 rims are 17" and all 250 rims are 16".
JJ

[dbastian]

Is there an uploadable manual that describes the oil change process for my wife? Also, she dropped the bike yesterday (at a stand still) and I noticed that there are some oil drops under the bike now. Should I start tightening bolts? Which ones? he bike hasn't fallen hard, it just starts and she lays it down (sort of).
Any help would be appreciated.

[dbastian]

ALSO..Sorry. Now that it fell down a few times, when the bike is in first gear, and the clutch is pulled all the way in, the bike still wants to move forward a little. Like the clutch isn't fully disengaged. Any thoughts?
Thanks again.

[Redline]

Originally Posted by dbastian

ALSO..Sorry. Now that it fell down a few times, when the bike is in first gear, and the clutch is pulled all the way in, the bike still wants to move forward a little. Like the clutch isn't fully disengaged. Any thoughts?
Thanks again.

My 500 does that too, I wondered about that. But if I adjust the clutch lever enough to take that mostly out, it slips a lot. Just a quirk of Kawasaki trannys?

[CuppaJava]

dbastian - Does it creep like that all the time, or only at start up? It's pretty common when you first start the bike. Next time you start it, pull the clutch in and hold it in for a minute or so before you put in gear. If it doesn't do it, then it's normal. It's got a "wet" (oil bathed) clutch, and it creeps until the oil gets between the plates.

Have Fun,
Tom

[Wuiken]

I need a favor from you guys. I'm new to this...period! I want to get a bike and spend less than $10,000.00. I've never rode before, just thought about it for years until now. I'm 240lbs and solid (I've seen really BIG guys on Ninjas so I'm no where near their size), 5' 6" and I don't know where to start. Can you guys give me some tips on getting a good starter bike? How much it costs and How to get a license.

Thanks

[Redline]

Originally Posted by CuppaJava

dbastian - Does it creep like that all the time, or only at start up? It's pretty common when you first start the bike. Next time you start it, pull the clutch in and hold it in for a minute or so before you put in gear. If it doesn't do it, then it's normal. It's got a "wet" (oil bathed) clutch, and it creeps until the oil gets between the plates.

Have Fun,
Tom

Mine creeps all the time, warm or cold. The clutch always grabs fine, no sense of slippage even after an all day stop and go ride. I wonder if it's just my ancient gearbox......

[ultraspank]

Originally Posted by Wuiken

I need a favor from you guys. I'm new to this...period! I want to get a bike and spend less than $10,000.00. I've never rode before, just thought about it for years until now. I'm 240lbs and solid (I've seen really BIG guys on Ninjas so I'm no where near their size), 5' 6" and I don't know where to start. Can you guys give me some tips on getting a good starter bike? How much it costs and How to get a license.

Thanks

Start by taking the MSF course.
Then goto the dealership and sit on a few bikes to see how you like the feel, Im pretty sure you'll love the 500, sit on that and you'll be stuck for life

[FzrRider]

ok i have a ?. mabe someone can help. my ninja has 31,000 miles on it. synthetic oil was never used on it. i was going to put it in there the next time around but i was told never start putting synthetic in a bike with that many miles. is that true? and if so where can i find non synthetic oil for it?

[Redline]

Originally Posted by Airforce7704

ok i have a ?. mabe someone can help. my ninja has 31,000 miles on it. synthetic oil was never used on it. i was going to put it in there the next time around but i was told never start putting synthetic in a bike with that many miles. is that true? and if so where can i find non synthetic oil for it?

That's an old wives tail , reserved for classic cars with old style fabric seals that already had poor oil control. Unless your bike was horribly neglected and the oil burnt and run way over change mileage several times, it should be fine. I bought my 91 Berreta GT at 185,000 miles, and started using synthetic when I bought it to no ill effect. It had 265,000 when I finally gave it away....

EDIT: you can buy dino oil from the dealer. I've read about others using regular car oil, 10W40 and 20W50, but I can't verify the results, so I don't suggest you do that.

[Down2Ride]

I have a 2005 EX500 and have had it since March. I agree that this is the best beginner bike for any rider. New riders often get 600 or bigger and those bike are just out of control. Specially when you are getting into the newer ones. My 500 is fast and if you put a single pipe (go Muzzy) on it and do a jet kit that sucker really gets on it. Alot of girls and guys I know who bought a 600 this year and it is there first bike are not learning enough on it. With the speed and the out of control ness I strongly believe that I will learn alot more with in a year then they will. Yes the 500 is alot heavier but if do your pipe and take the smog **** off you bike can be 30lbs lighter. My 500 is so light and gets on it and when I take off from a light and punch it my tire comes up. Riding the GSXR600 and then getting on my bike OMG. The intimidation and the beefiness of the 600 is unreal. If I don't know how to ride very well or just have dirt bike experience and you get on a 600 for your first bike, Your probably going to learn less with in a years time as if you were to buy a 500. I love to ride and ride all the time. In a year or two when I feel like I can lean my bike over in a turn at decent speeds and feel like I know what I am doing then I will get a bigger bike. I think everyone who rides should do a track day. It not only helps you now your limits but you get to know your bike alot better. You know how far you can lean your bike and it gives you alot more confidence. So next year all the dumba@#%& who got there 600 for there beginner bike watch out here comes the EX500 Ninja Girl to mop you up because I took the time to learn on my bike instead of worrying how fast my bike goes or how well and fast it goes at the track.

[r409z]

Last summer I tried to make a seat cowl out of wire mesh and bondo. To make a long story short it didnt work out so well. Last night I was bored, so I went to walmart and got some fiberglass resin, cloth, bondo, posterboard, cardboard, and a glue gun. I cut a semicircle out of cardboard and used hot glue to make the posterboard take the shape of it. I set it on the seat (which was covered with a bag), and taped it around to get the shape of a cowl. I put the fiberglass cloth around that and put the resin on. I still have to put bondo on it and lots and lots and lots of sanding. I also need to figure out how to secure it on. I was thinging velco straps under the seat, any suggestions? I also took off the grab bar and cut off the handle and am in the processing of sanding that smooth so it doenst look the cowl doesnt look so strange with a grab bar. Here is a picture of just the resin over my "paper" cowl. It is in my dark basement and taken with my phone, so its not the greatest. I will definately post pics of the finished product when done.

[gasisontheright]

Just bought a 93 EX500 on e-bay and am going to pick it up on Sunday. Its been sitting for a few years and doesnt run, but did run when parked. It was stolen and then dropped off on the curb when they were done with it. What all should I start out with when getting it back running? I know I need a new battery, flush tank and cooling system, oil change and plugs. Should I go ahead and rebuild the carbs, or try and just clean them? Anything else I need to do, and where is the best place for parts, aftermarket and OEM?

[NinjaGirl]

Originally Posted by Wuiken

I need a favor from you guys. I'm new to this...period! I want to get a bike and spend less than $10,000.00. I've never rode before, just thought about it for years until now. I'm 240lbs and solid (I've seen really BIG guys on Ninjas so I'm no where near their size), 5' 6" and I don't know where to start. Can you guys give me some tips on getting a good starter bike? How much it costs and How to get a license.

Thanks

Ya, take the MSF class then buy my bike!!!

[Green Knight]

Originally Posted by Down2Ride

I have a 2005 EX500 and have had it since March. I agree that this is the best beginner bike for any rider. New riders often get 600 or bigger and those bike are just out of control. Specially when you are getting into the newer ones. My 500 is fast and if you put a single pipe (go Muzzy) on it and do a jet kit that sucker really gets on it. Alot of girls and guys I know who bought a 600 this year and it is there first bike are not learning enough on it. With the speed and the out of control ness I strongly believe that I will learn alot more with in a year then they will. Yes the 500 is alot heavier but if do your pipe and take the smog **** off you bike can be 30lbs lighter. My 500 is so light and gets on it and when I take off from a light and punch it my tire comes up. Riding the GSXR600 and then getting on my bike OMG. The intimidation and the beefiness of the 600 is unreal. If I don't know how to ride very well or just have dirt bike experience and you get on a 600 for your first bike, Your probably going to learn less with in a years time as if you were to buy a 500. I love to ride and ride all the time. In a year or two when I feel like I can lean my bike over in a turn at decent speeds and feel like I know what I am doing then I will get a bigger bike. I think everyone who rides should do a track day. It not only helps you now your limits but you get to know your bike alot better. You know how far you can lean your bike and it gives you alot more confidence. So next year all the dumba@#%& who got there 600 for there beginner bike watch out here comes the EX500 Ninja Girl to mop you up because I took the time to learn on my bike instead of worrying how fast my bike goes or how well and fast it goes at the track.

99% of the time I'd agree with you. I would go so far to call people names who start on a 600 or larger. IMO it all depends on the frame of mind of the person. I've seen kids get on a 600 and with almost no riding experiance go to a track day school and do pretty well. I've also seen kids get a brand new 600 and look like (and still do) panzies taking any corner. The difference between those two is professional instruction and schooling. The reason someone can pick up a 600 who has almost no riding experiance and do half way decent at the track (half way decent being keeping the bike on both wheels and not getting run over by the faster guys, no nessasarly setting any lap records) is that they havn't picked up any bad habits they need to fix. Its a lot easyer to work with someone who is willing to listen to everything you said and try it out than with someone who already has their own ideas about how it should be done.

A 250 or a 500 isn't a magical fix to developing bad habits either. No matter what bike you pick to start on you still need education to do it right. The reason why the statisics look so skewed is because someone who buys a 600 larger bike is most likely not so safety minded as a person buying a 250 or 500. The person buying the smaller bike has most likely taken a safety course or sometime or plans to. Now I'm not telling everyone to go out and buy a 600 or larger bike to start with either. I saying that in order to be a good rider you need instruction, not a limited power plant.

[MegMadness]

Hey everyone... obviously i just found this forum and am interested in getting more involved in it.
First off, let me introduce myself. I am a 16 year old who lives in Kansas and up until now, have had no hope of being able to get a bike until I was 18 due to insurance and such. I finally found out (after tons of phone calls and returned messages) that I can get a decent insurance rate even with my young age. After researching all of my options, I settled (and then fell in love with) the Ninja250R. I have checked out yamaha's, honda's and even looked into importing an aprillia from England (can't... to expensive) and am set on getting the ninja.
Anyway, I am due for bike classes on July 8, 9 and 10. (my parents insist) and I am very excited about it. I even plan to go buy my bike on the 11th. That is if everything else works out. So here I have ended up and have tons of info to share and gain from everyone. Thanks for taking the time to read!
~Meg

[flashpoint]

Hey evey body, I just found this forum and i thought it might be interesting to talk to some fellow ex500 owners and see what they have to say about these awesome bikes.

here are a couple links to some pictures of my bike.

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/inde...20050617205909

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/inde...20050617210733