Kawasaki Ninja 250 - New Thread, 12/2008

[BigBikeBKK]

Bought it fitted by Highsidetours (Graham) on Bira track for 9,400,- Baht this is the recommended track / road tire. Simon installed the same kit and the first thing you notice is the smooth riding after, all the small bumps disappear due to softer compound, incredible grip and the bike is way more stable in crosswind etc. Another thing worth while mentioning these tires are noticeably much lighter than the stock plastic ones. The stock I just refer to as teflon tires...

A bit expensive as you can get the BT 090's for a tad over 7000 baht, but I am very pleased with them and just the relaxed riding after when you can thrust the tires is worth it. Not fun to sit tensed up riding, just waiting for the next slide...

Cheers Bard

Bard - How are the Pirelli's in the rain? Heh heh- when't the last time it rained?!

Can someone deliver the tires to be in Bangkok (like this week?)!! Give Graham a call: 08 9119 0000 or 08 1150 1520

I really want to get some new rubber for my bike before I kill myself. Whoa there Jim! Just remember the limitations of the IRC's and don't push them too hard and you'll be just fine. I put nearly 11,000km on mine and rode them edge to edge without mishap and I thought they were "ok" except on wet or damp where they REALLY suck. No question new tires will improve your handling and confidence big time and are probably the single best "upgrade" you can make to the Ninja 250R.

Happy Trails!

Edited January 26, 2009 by BigBikeBKK

[thaicbr]

Don't forget the Bridgestone bt090's are available as well in a rear 140 section which would probably be better for all round riding while still giving fuc_king excellent grip.

Allan

[Bard]

Bought it fitted by Highsidetours (Graham) on Bira track for 9,400,- Baht this is the recommended track / road tire. Simon installed the same kit and the first thing you notice is the smooth riding after, all the small bumps disappear due to softer compound, incredible grip and the bike is way more stable in crosswind etc. Another thing worth while mentioning these tires are noticeably much lighter than the stock plastic ones. The stock I just refer to as teflon tires...

A bit expensive as you can get the BT 090's for a tad over 7000 baht, but I am very pleased with them and just the relaxed riding after when you can thrust the tires is worth it. Not fun to sit tensed up riding, just waiting for the next slide...

Cheers Bard

Bard - How are the Pirelli's in the rain? Can someone deliver the tires to be in Bangkok (like this week?)!!

I really want to get some new rubber for my bike before I kill myself.

See most guys has updated with numbers and all for Graham,

To be honest the Pirelli's is amazing they grip so good it's a dream to ride them, tried them wet as I put a load of water on my test area and went for it and dude they stick like glue. The tires are so sticky you have to try to believe it. I love them, another thing is they are way lighter than the stock teflon tires, and when you ride on the road they are so much smoother, all the small bumps in the road gets absorbed by the softer compound. This is THE best upgrade you can ever do on the Ninja without any doubt.

Best thing you can do is just call Graham, super nice guy his price is below the others as well so you save some dosh on them. Just tell him you want the same setup as Bard and Simon, and he can definitely ship them but then again why not put it for the weekend for Pattaya bike week, get new tires fitted at Bira in 10 minutes by Graham who also fixes the suspension and all the over tightened bolts for you at the same time for free. Then enjoy the bike week...

Cheers Bard

[BigBikeBKK]

Here's a very good review of the Pirelli Diablo tires:

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/545/119/Moto...res-Review.aspx

And since my bike is Diablo Black I guess I have to get matching tires

[Ithailian]

Thanks for the feedback guys! I have to admit, after reading the FZ6 and ER6N treads, you all have me thinking about getting a new BIKE instead of just new tires.

[Bard]

There you go mate, like all of us figured out after a while with the Ninja we wanted more power and speed, however to be honest the Ninja must be one of the best bikes I've ever ridden in dense traffic, I love it there. The reason why I upgraded was my own mistake I started to run the track again and it was an obsession several years back and now I just cannot stop myself I have to go and have much more fun, plus I like touring so I went for the allrounder who takes both interests. I will be in severe pain when my Ninjette leaves me she has been an outstanding mistress and given me a load of fun, she was also my comeback to bikes and truly my comeback to life again so I really feel extremely down to let her go, wish I could keep her too... But bloody wife is not playing her happy and let me live part so there you go, luckily it went to Allan so it stays in the family, or the Secret Soi Riders.

Cheers Bard

[Bard]

Since there been some posts previously regarding high flow air filters K&N has released and stocked this one for the Ninja K&N Product Information for KA-2508 not 100% sure if it's carbed version or not, but I can make a guess it would fit both models.

Cheers Bard

[NinjaGladiator]

Done some cosmetics, plus cut the exhaust down. Dunno how the dynno will read, but I can now hit the red-line in top gear where as I couldn't b4, the OM although I know it's way-out is now touching 175 whre-as b4 it krept over the 170 just. I don't know if it was necessary but I read somewhere u should, disconnect the battery after altering the end-can so the ECU would remap itself on start up. If this is a load of <deleted>, it took two-mins so nothing ventured-nothing gained.

New rear rubber is my next goal, however these IRCs aint that bad, they need about 30 mins to warm up but once they are there! Me and the misses plus luggage all the way over them mountains to Chiang Mai (800km) from UT, nothing unsettled her. Hey you couldn't do that on a 150cbr could u!!!

Left

Right

[BigBikeBKK]

Lookin' good NinjaGladiator!

I was all set to do the same mod on my Ninjette but then I sold it... Personally I would have made the can even shorter, but that's just me

Did you make it into a glass pack? How much louder is the exhaust now? If you could post a video on youtube that'd be awesome!

Sorry we missed you at the Chiang Mai Bike Week, but honestly it was kind of a let down so we headed off to the Golden Triangle early.

Will you be going to the Udon Thani Bike Week? Hope to see you there!

Happy Trails,

Tony

[NinjaGladiator]

Kind of seems every big city is gonna have a bike week! A bike week should be a special, one-off. Imagine UK having a motorshow every month in some city or other, just wouldn't be the same.

I think CMBW was a flop, harley steals the show, and if you're not into driving with your feet stuck out in front of you, you just don't fit in, but I'd never been to CM so that's another city notched up, plus the drive was some of the best scenic twisties I had ever driven, and I'm from the foot hills of the Brecon beacons National Park (that's in Wales if you didn't know) so they must have been good.

I will try and get a vid onto youtube of the shortened exhaust revving up.

Personally - totally by-passing the Catalytic converter was a bit too noisy so I rejoined some pipe back on to divert 50% (rough estimate) of the gases back through the catalyst, I would say it is on par with my mates yoshi, but i think it sounds sweeter and more geniune when revved. I think I'll do a vid with them both together so we all have something to compare.

[Bard]

I can promise you when you change the IRC out for some decent rubber you will conclude with the IRC suck big time, plus if you do the 150/60-17 rear you get 182 when you hit redline in 6th which is pretty cool for that bike.

Cool can mod, like the graphics as well. We might be a gang going tour de Thailand in March and we might pop by UT on the way back from North, would be nice to crash into you up there, we obviously need the guiding to some biker friendly places in the evening as well

Cheers Bard

[engrin]

I had a look at the website but I couldn't find a price for the Ninja. How much are they and do they finance? Can put 50k down and perhaps pay 5k a month would that swing?

[thaicbr]

Engrin. Looking at an old price list then that would certainly do it. i presume you have a work permit etc. if not you have to put it in a Thai's name.

I'm not sure but i think the price went up a little so you might need more. just give the Rama9 showroom a call tmorro if ya in Bangkok. Mitayon if in Pattaya or Chaing Mai uummm not sure

Allan

[NinjaGladiator]

Check out my place if your looking for a place to stay while passing through Udon - www.englishmansretreat.com

All bikers most definately welcome, even have anchor chains in bike park, or I'll garage for those hyper-security type.

Bart did I meet you at Kwaka dealers the day I picked my bike up??

[thaicbr]

Glyn gotta say your place is bloody marvellous mate. I have book marked and will contact ya if i'm ever in Udon. well done. Allan

ps Ya girlfriend/wife is hot as well.

[Bard]

Check out my place if your looking for a place to stay while passing through Udon - www.englishmansretreat.com

All bikers most definately welcome, even have anchor chains in bike park, or I'll garage for those hyper-security type.

Bart did I meet you at Kwaka dealers the day I picked my bike up??

Wow great place, that is marked up as the place to crash for trips up there thanks for that tip.

I don't think I meet any Ninja buyers when I picked mine up, my bike was #1 picked up at Mitoyon Pattaya, think you got your bike from Bangkok before me to be honest.

Cheers

[BigBikeBKK]

Wow, do we get everything in the pictures???

Tasty!

[dave_boo]

For those wanting to slam their bikes, ###### has a setup to drop the front end. Combine it with rear lowering links to sorta maintain the factory's lines....

[NinjaGladiator]

Yes it is a nice microwave, but I've since taken it out of the house and is not included in the sale

[NinjaGladiator]

Back on topic!

Here's a youtube link if you wanna here what the bike sounds like, I will do another with my mates yoshi fitted, and have the two revving along side each other, then it'll be easier to compare the noise

[engrin]

Second hand Ninja wanted!!! Please PM with details ASAP

[NinjaGladiator]

There was one up or sale on thaivisa the other week, a guy called Tony from Jomtien, less than 100 clicks on the clock, don't know if it's still available, do a search on the classifieds here.

[BigBikeBKK]

Tony in Jomtien already sold his Ninja- I met the guy who bought it at the Kawasaki Big Bike shop in Bangkok last week. Mine sold the day after I listed it... Seems the little Ninja 250R remains in high demand. Wicked fun bike- I loved mine and was sorry to let her go.

[Ithailian]

Since many of the posters on this thread have graduated on to bigger bikes, I though I'd add a little something for the remaining Ninjette affecianados out there. I'm just back from the Bangkok-Udon-Loei-Petchabun-Prachinburi-Bangkok 1700km 3-day rideathon with a group of bikes 3x to 4x the displacement of the 250R. Add one rather big rider (me) another 10kg in luggage, and you might ask how would the Ninjette do?

Synopsis:

- 75% of the time the roads were straight enough to really fly and keeping pace with the big boys required 100% throttle ... I'm talking full-open-to-the-stop 11K RPM, for hours on end. The Ninjette, she was screamin' but I think she liked it . She could hold a good 150kph at 10K RPM and push up to 165kph @ 11.5K RPM when I was into full tuck position. The other guys were like one-hand on the throttle relaxed with those big bikes.

- 25% of the time we were in the twisties. This is where the Ninjette could really hold her own. With the new Pirelli Sport Demons I felt no instability or slippage at all. Only my skill (or lack thereof) was going to be blame for a screw up. I felt really good keeping the pace in the mountains.

- The Seat - dam_n, my ass is going hurt for a week. That seat is not made for touring. After new tires, probably the most important investment is a new seat. If I could buy a new ass, I'd need one.

- Biggest Weakness - Passing at highway speeds ... Making a pass at 120+ requires a lot of pre-planning. The big bikes can twist and ZOOM ... the Ninjette, well, she makes a hel_l of a lot of noise but dosen't have the legs for that.

Verdict:

The Ninjette reminds me of a cool little brother who wants to do everything his big brothers can, the girls think he's so cute, and mostly the lil'bro can pull off hangin' with the older crowd. That said, all kids must grow up, and I'm waiting for the ER6-F. That should be just about perfect.

Edited February 9, 2009 by Ithailian

[BigBikeBKK]

LOL Jim- hope your ass grows back my man- you weren't the only one with a sore rear- we rode over 1200km in 3 days and I'm feeling it too And as hard as the seat is on the Ninja 250R, have you ever sat on Anthony "Numb Butt" R1's bike? OUCH!

I loved touring on my Ninjette, and if you ride her often enough you do get used to the saddle- honest!

And your assessment of her skills and weaknesses is spot on. That little 250 just loves to play up around redline. Get her on a tight twisty road and bigger bikes are hard pressed to keep up with the light and nimble Ninja 250R.

You also forget to mention that the Ninja 250R is a serious chick magnet!

(Hope I don't get you in trouble with the missus- does she read ThaiVisa much?)

Happy Trails and Wishing your a$$ a Speedy Recovery!

Tony

[Ithailian]

You forgot to mention that 'chick' left a big wet spot on my seat. I really wish you took a picture of that like I asked you to...

[BigBikeBKK]

You forgot to mention that 'chick' left a big wet spot on my seat. I really wish you took a picture of that like I asked you to...

OMG Jim!

Ok, so now I know for sure that your missus does NOT read these posts!

So- it should be safe to post this one, eh?

Sorry for not getting a pic of the wet spot... I'll make sure I get it NEXT TIME!!!

[Ithailian]

The sad thing is I was trying to do my best "Flee the Scene" move and those girls accosted me and tried to steal my bike!

I don't think my sweetie would see any humor in this ... if she sees it ... well, I'm holding you accountable amigo.

[BigBikeBKK]

The sad thing is I was trying to do my best "Flee the Scene" move and those girls accosted me and tried to steal my bike!

I don't think my sweetie would see any humor in this ... if she sees it ... well, I'm holding you accountable amigo.

Fear not Jim!

I can put my mad photoshop skills to work and save the day!

Happy Trails!!!

Tony

[thaicbr]

Hi everyone that's still interested in the 'little' Ninja 250. this company now have rearsets available in Thailand.

http://www.club517superbike.com/home_TH.html

see pictures bottom of the page.

Allan