slybonesjesse
Sport Tourer
I recall years ago on the forum people talking about the Ninja 250 as only a starter bike. A few defended it and saying their wife kept up with the Connie just fine with it. Of course it does not have no where near the acceleration, but it does the speed limit just fine. -- Anyways I just got back from 780mi on the little Ninja 250 and this is a great little bike. With a 15T counter shaft sprocket ( I don't have one yet, but its on order now ) and some accessories this is a keeper for sure. -- This is a very capable little thing. No its not going to accelerate like the Connie or even some 650cc units out now, but it hauled my fat butt over Chinook Pass, Stevens Pass and many other grades holding 60-65 and give me 60mpg while doing it.
Day 1: From Everett I-405 to Renton, 169 to Enumclaw, 410 to Chinook Pass and down to Yakima, 24/240 to Richland, US12 to Walla Walla, US12 & 127 to Lower Deadmans Road, 35mi backroads to Lower Granite Dam, cross Dam and out to Colfax, 195 & 23 to Sprague.
Day2: From Sprague, 23 to Harrington, 28 to Wenatchee, US2 to Everett.
Power: Decent enough power to haul my fat butt and gear, saddle bags, etc. Over Chinook Pass, Stevens Pass and many others. Only one time did I need to downshift coming over Stevens Pass in a headwind. Otherwise it held 60-65 with no issues over any road I took. It would take a good steep pass to bog this down even with my fat butt and all the extra gear, but I can see it happening. For the one place on Stevens it was nothing a drop to 5th didn't cure. -- Does not accelerate like the Connie or anything like that. Has adequate/normal acceleration at best. But once you get it wound up it will hold speed plenty good.
Gearing: 76 indicated is 71 actual @ 9000rpm. This seemed a bit much to me. I found that 7000-8000 was a comfortable engine speed. Many times I would try and hold 7500 ( 60 actual, 65 indicated ) and found she would creep back to 8000 ( 63 actual, 68 indicated ). That always seemed to be where it settled in and felt comfortable. In the Ninja 250 Riders Club, a popular mod is the 15T Counter shaft Sprocket and 90 Series ( versus 80 Series ) profile tires. This gives 70mph actual with 73 indicated @ 8000 rpm. This would be real nice for a trip like this, to hold 65 and 70 at the 8000 rpm sweet spot. Might need to use 5th a bit more with the taller gearing and 250 engine size, but I just dont see it as a problem. This will be a welcome change.
Handling: Even with the stock Dupflop tires, the little Ninja 250 handles real nice. She is a blast in the turns.
Mileage: I have not filled up yet, from Leavenworth to Everett. From Everett around to Leavenworth, and including the 23mi on the odo when I started I get 60.1mpg for this trip. Pretty good I suppose for hauling myself, riding gear, saddle bags, tail bag, tank bag, etc over Chinook and other passes at speed, etc. I could see this getting better with the wife on flat terrain with just riding gear, and no saddle bags or anything. Some advertise 70mpg. I think its doable with a 15T sprocket and the right conditions, 100# lighter weight rider, etc.
Comfort: Bar - Seat relationship seems fine. Seems like the Connie with the bar risers. Nothing strange to me. No back, elbow or wrist pain or anything. Seat - Pegs is for shorter people. Really feel it in the knee's. Probably worse than the Connie even stock, much less with knee savers. Its cramped. Seat.... Well lets just say its not a Rick Mayer Saddle and my butt still hurts. The little Ninja really likes to eat Ibuprofen too. Oh wait, that was me. Never mind.
Protection: This was more noticeable that I expected. The Connie of course has great protection and the Ninja 250 as that little bubble. Mine has an aftermarket shield from gti20vturbo ( any of you remember him? ). Its much better than the stock bubble but no where near the Connie. I started with the mesh jacket and the liner under it. Than as I headed over 410 I stopped and added the sweater, then later stopped and added the Frogg Togg outer shell to help stop the wind on the outside and not the inside the jacket. By the time I reached Chinook Pass I was feeling the cold. In comparison I use these 4 layers on the Connie in Montana over the Continental Divide in May with it 42, raining with no visibility and thought it worked great. On the Ninja 250 I wore those same 4 layers in much nicer weather and really could tell.
Day 1: From Everett I-405 to Renton, 169 to Enumclaw, 410 to Chinook Pass and down to Yakima, 24/240 to Richland, US12 to Walla Walla, US12 & 127 to Lower Deadmans Road, 35mi backroads to Lower Granite Dam, cross Dam and out to Colfax, 195 & 23 to Sprague.
Day2: From Sprague, 23 to Harrington, 28 to Wenatchee, US2 to Everett.
Power: Decent enough power to haul my fat butt and gear, saddle bags, etc. Over Chinook Pass, Stevens Pass and many others. Only one time did I need to downshift coming over Stevens Pass in a headwind. Otherwise it held 60-65 with no issues over any road I took. It would take a good steep pass to bog this down even with my fat butt and all the extra gear, but I can see it happening. For the one place on Stevens it was nothing a drop to 5th didn't cure. -- Does not accelerate like the Connie or anything like that. Has adequate/normal acceleration at best. But once you get it wound up it will hold speed plenty good.
Gearing: 76 indicated is 71 actual @ 9000rpm. This seemed a bit much to me. I found that 7000-8000 was a comfortable engine speed. Many times I would try and hold 7500 ( 60 actual, 65 indicated ) and found she would creep back to 8000 ( 63 actual, 68 indicated ). That always seemed to be where it settled in and felt comfortable. In the Ninja 250 Riders Club, a popular mod is the 15T Counter shaft Sprocket and 90 Series ( versus 80 Series ) profile tires. This gives 70mph actual with 73 indicated @ 8000 rpm. This would be real nice for a trip like this, to hold 65 and 70 at the 8000 rpm sweet spot. Might need to use 5th a bit more with the taller gearing and 250 engine size, but I just dont see it as a problem. This will be a welcome change.
Handling: Even with the stock Dupflop tires, the little Ninja 250 handles real nice. She is a blast in the turns.
Mileage: I have not filled up yet, from Leavenworth to Everett. From Everett around to Leavenworth, and including the 23mi on the odo when I started I get 60.1mpg for this trip. Pretty good I suppose for hauling myself, riding gear, saddle bags, tail bag, tank bag, etc over Chinook and other passes at speed, etc. I could see this getting better with the wife on flat terrain with just riding gear, and no saddle bags or anything. Some advertise 70mpg. I think its doable with a 15T sprocket and the right conditions, 100# lighter weight rider, etc.
Comfort: Bar - Seat relationship seems fine. Seems like the Connie with the bar risers. Nothing strange to me. No back, elbow or wrist pain or anything. Seat - Pegs is for shorter people. Really feel it in the knee's. Probably worse than the Connie even stock, much less with knee savers. Its cramped. Seat.... Well lets just say its not a Rick Mayer Saddle and my butt still hurts. The little Ninja really likes to eat Ibuprofen too. Oh wait, that was me. Never mind.
Protection: This was more noticeable that I expected. The Connie of course has great protection and the Ninja 250 as that little bubble. Mine has an aftermarket shield from gti20vturbo ( any of you remember him? ). Its much better than the stock bubble but no where near the Connie. I started with the mesh jacket and the liner under it. Than as I headed over 410 I stopped and added the sweater, then later stopped and added the Frogg Togg outer shell to help stop the wind on the outside and not the inside the jacket. By the time I reached Chinook Pass I was feeling the cold. In comparison I use these 4 layers on the Connie in Montana over the Continental Divide in May with it 42, raining with no visibility and thought it worked great. On the Ninja 250 I wore those same 4 layers in much nicer weather and really could tell.
