Ninja 250 Carb issues-Seafoam maybe?

[Blue_Goose]

After getting my 250 running well again, I am having 2nd thoughts on selling it. I've been riding the heck out of it the last couple of days and actually didn't realize how much fun it was to ride. For non highway commutes it is much more fun to ride than the 600...you can actually wind through all the gears on the 250 and not have blue lights flashing behind you.

Easy to ride, will flick any which way I want it to go and sounds pretty neat at 11K rpm lol


The 600 is awesome for my commute but around town it is tough to keep it within the speed limits

Hmmmmm really enjoyed these last few days of riding


Goose

 

[wantin150]

Been reading up on the new 250R and I'm thinking about getting one. $3500 or so for a beginners bike doesn't seem too bad. If I hate it, I'm not out much. 0-60 in about 5.5 sec with a top end of about 105. I want that 50-60 mpg for my 2.5 mile ride to work! 23.5 on premium in my Matrix isn't cutting it anymore.

 

[Blue_Goose]

New Ninja 250s look great as well..new style is really sharp...If it wasn't 50 miles on the highway to work I'd take the 250 everyday...600 better suited for longer rides though



Goose

 

[PT1]

To keep it clean try 4oz of redline S-1 fuel systems cleaner in a full tank of gas. Works well on my Harley and all my other vehicles.

 

[wantin150]

Thanks! I'm getting that itch really bad. I just don't want to make a rash decision. I'm addicted to speed (velocity kind, not drug kind) but have never ridden a bike before and don't want more than I can handle. We have a baby on the way and free time will be short so I want something which will be "fast" fun.

 

[Blue_Goose]

The 250 is a great starter bike as well as still a great bike to scoot around on...so nimble compared to the CBR!

Take the MSF course..I had never ridden before and they teach you almost everything you need to know to prepare yourself for the mean streets.

I've done some boners on the 250 that would have wasted me on the 600..250 is awesome




Goose

 

[02zx9r]

i second the MSF course, i had been riding for years and took the expert class and learned some stuff i didnt know. Highly recommend it

 

[wantin150]

Well, I sat on the 250 today and it's a tad small for me. My knees were right at the to of the gas tank "curve" and I had no wiggle room. Now looking at a 600 or 650 in a GSX or Ninja. The larger bike felt better, even to this very inexperienced rider. The MSF course is a done deal. I haven't signed up for one yet but I WILL do that class before I get into anything outside of the neighborhood. Cart before the horse as I still have to get my permit and the bike. Silly to get something that "big"? Maybe. Only time will tell.

 

[TucsonDon]

600 or 650 GSX or Ninja -- just be careful. More than anything else, please start out with humble respect for those bikes. They have *awesome* power/quickness and can get out from underneath you really quickly.

Gentle, my friend ... gentle at first.

We want you to stick around and debate oil choices for your bike for years to come.

 

[Blue_Goose]

Maybe the Suzuki 650SF or the Ninja 650R...they are a bit more forgiving than a 600....don't let the 650 fool you over the 600 due to larger size...the 650's are a bit tamer....a 600 is a beast

The 650R is a very nice bike and had I not gotten a great deal on the CBR F4i I may have gone that route....

In other words I echo what Don is saying...in the MSF you more than likely will learn on a 125 or a 250 (Nighthawk, Rebel etc) The Ninja 250 was a power step up from those bikes and the 600 is a quantum leap

Not trying to lay a fear trip down, just my 43 year old cautious observations lol



Goose

 

[CaspianM]

Agree. These bikes have the potential to create regrets. Understanding these bikes take a lot of time and skill or they will surprise you when you are not ready. Just be carefull out there and don't let your over confidence dictates safety considerations. I have about 5k on my 919 (my fourth bike) and I still treat it like a wild horse.

 

[wantin150]

Well, I bought a 2007 Yamaha YZF600 RW and picked it up today. I've got to tell you folks, even though I have never ridden a bike to compare to, that power is something to be seriously RESPECTED! I cruised the neighborhood for about an hour (with an experienced rider coaching) and then tried out some country roads with him on his Harley 1200 custom. I am man enough to admit that I have ALOT of learning to do and plan on hitting an empty parking lot to hone the skills. WOW! I have never experienced anything like that. It had 5 on the OD and now has 101 with about a 40 mile trip home. All I can really say is that all of you are right. If you don't respect it, it will get you in a world of trouble very quickly. It's "easy" to go fast once you get started. It's the slow stuff that's key.

 

[TucsonDon]

Originally Posted By: wantin150
It had 5 on the OD and now has 101 with about a 40 mile trip home.

100 miles?!! Time to change the oil!

 

[TucsonDon]

Originally Posted By: CaspianM
I have about 5k on my 919 (my fourth bike) and I still treat it like a wild horse.

Everything I've read about the 919 indicates it's an awesome machine. Nobody -- and I mean nobody -- has said anything negative about the thing. It makes me wonder why Honda is discontinuing it.

 

[wantin150]

Believe me, I'm thinking about it!

 

[qwertydude]

Modern 600 bikes are NOT beginner machines, heck the GSX650F is not a beginner machine. Don't discount the 250's. You will not outgrow them, outgrowing does not mean going top speed on the freeway. You outgrow it when you consistently can ride the bike in turns to it's physical limits and can feel that the bike can no longer keep up with your inputs, that being said few people outgrow their need for smaller bikes. Especially when even with a honda rebel I could tail a lot of 600cc sport bike riders in the twisties.

 

[tweeker43]

a ninja 250 would be more than adequate for the commute you describe.

i have a couple of bikes, and the smaller suzuki dr200 is fine for riding back and forth to work. it's a single and a little buzzy, but it will hold 55~60 mph all day long if you want to. she's done just fine on several hundred mile weekend trips.

i wouldn't take the 200 on the interstate, but some guy completed an iron butt rally on a ninja 250 a few years back.

good onya for taking the msf, too.