I bought an 07 last December for $1000 for my wife. I rode it home 70 miles after buying it and fell in love. She hated it and now Ive been commuting on it for 14000 miles since December. Great bike if you don't care what people think. Can't go wrong with these bikes. Great video.
@@Evadingmoto she likes cruisers and scooters. In the last four years I have rented her 14 different bikes and she loves the Honda Reflex and Silverwing scoot. All the Burgmans. The rebel 1100 and ctx 700 dressed and the only manual transmission bike she likes is an Iron 883. Direct quote “ Babe that 883 makes me feel like a total bad arse. The sound and feel there is nothing like it.” So guess what her Christmas present is this year?
@@spacesandwhich3167 in my experience I have had other people make fun of it because its a 250 its small and looks old. To me its just smiles for miles.
As an avid motocross and sportbike rider/mechanic, I enjoy watching you fix up these machines. It was definitely a no-brainer to hit that subscribe button.
These bikes are pretty reliable and repairable. Last year me and my dad picked up a 1986 GPX 750 for 400 quid that had been sitting outside for years, everything but the front forks was rusted, faring was cracked and broken. We had to disassemble the bike with the guys we bought it from to fit it in the back of the car. It now looks brand new and runs alright.
This was my first bike (also first vehicle). It was yellow grey and cheap. Paid $1000 for it, fixed it, rode it for 6,000 miles roughly six months, finally sold it for $1500. I wasn't powerful, but gas mileage was amazing for a broke college student. Great Bike! Thank you for buying this and sharing!
I’ll go ahead and say it…great job wearing a helmet! Can’t say much for riding a strange bike for the first time over 60mph with no gloves, wearing shorts/tshirt/tennis shoes. I wish you luck my friend”love your videos…great deal!
Ohh my God! My this video is instant nostalgia!!! I have that same exact 250 ninja that I've kept in my friend's workshop and it's been forgotten for years now! I finally remembered about it and I'm going tomorrow to pick it up and restore it!! Amazing work man, and yeah those 250s are extremely fast for their size!! 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻
I had a 98 like this one in high school. They are pretty bullet proof. She could vacation at 14k rpm at 120 ish. Since you have a pipe, drill a 3/8 hole on each side of the airbox before the filter for a boost in power/better breathing...
@@jbigdangler5565 probably a prime in the middle of those two, yeah. That the trick putting it on the pri for a few seconds if it's been sitting or it's really hot outside.
I've only ridden the 250 and I can't remember but I have a different Kawasaki with the same engine as the 500. Just different cams with way less duration, and a few small mm carbs.
7:34 - If you remove the latch assembly cover, you see a ton of differential corrosion. The latch assembly needs to be disassembled and thoroughly cleaned then lubricated with a good synthetic grease.
I love this old 250. Been looking for a cheap one around me. I found this exact same one in the black and blue about a month ago for 600 near me but it sold immediately. Really cool find and I hope you keep her!
I have the blue on black 03 250 I picked her up for 800 bucks 2 yrs ago... I got hit in an intersection April 5th broke my tail bone and could hardly walk for a month the bike is a little dented as I had most of the damage repaired. Still a great motorcycle though!
@@jrh1704 I don't believe in luck my friend but i do believe my heavenly father does protect me at all times as much as he can of course... my wild side sometimes gets me in a bit of trouble though.
@@2vintage You can swap over the swing arm, shock and front end from a ninja 300 and almost have a mini restomod with 17inch wheels and slightly better suspension on the cheap.
i collect ninja 250s. they really are the most fun size bike i've ever ridden. they rev so loud it feels like you are flying. they handle the highway no problem, i can easily pass people going 80mph and speed up to 95mph quickly. they are really fast for their size, they go over 100mph easy and that is plenty fast for all of the USA.
All the locksmiths are shaking their heads @ WD-40 in the lock. NEVER use WD-40 in a lock because it attracts dirt that will gum up inside. Instead use powdered graphite to lube the key switch.
He used wd40 to clean the bike too... works great initially but there's a reason it's not marketed as a cleaner. It leaves a residue that will attract dirt to surfaces just like with the lock keyway. This guy clearly loves bikes but he really needs to study up on more general "handyman" stuff. Using WD40 as a cleaner sounds like an old wives tale (or old uncles tale in this case). "Works in a pinch" but there's better solutions and for good reasons. I also can't imagine using a moisture displacement formula on a seat material like that could be good for it in the long term, I bet it will start getting stiff and start forming cracking patterns. Only thing worse would be using WD40 on real leather...
When you were hoovering the top of the frame/airbox, you hoovered up the little rubber bung of the top of the left hand side, side panel. Go check the hoover otherwise your side panel will be loose when you put it back together, round the 18:45 mark.
@off spec British dictionary Definitions from Oxford Languages "verb" gerund or present participle: hoovering clean (something) with a vacuum cleaner. "he was hoovering the stairs" suck something up with or as if with a vacuum cleaner. "hoover up all the dust" INFORMAL consume something quickly and eagerly. "he hoovered up three slices of cake"
Yass 5gadget! Gonna rewatch YOUNG ONES tonight on DVD 45th time ( Im 53) Nothing more RANCID than a Sitting DUC 999R track bike my Race friend has let sit Idle. we Needed respirators. @off spec ^^^Rancid Is: A)having an unpleasant smell or taste usually from chemical change or decomposition B) Great Effing Usa CORE SKA PUNK band with Tim Armstrong !! Just takin the Piss Off spec! LOL Ride safe all! Dave Boulder CO USA
Nevermind the oil but most of lights work, lets turn it over. Great videos but try working on the priorities of the task at hand. seeing it happen alot. The intake would fall into the process before hand as well.
Honestly the ninja 250 is the weirdest bike I've ever rode. The seat feels like a giant couch, the bikes werent really changed since the 80s, so much more to touch points on. On the bright side these things are extremely common and dirt cheap so that is a major plus for most beginner riders. Personally I'm not a huge fan of how you sink into the seat but honestly it just comes down to personal preference. I much prefer the stiffer seats compared to the couch-like seats. Awesome video.
@MrHJordan yeah the body was restyled but kept everything else the same for the most part. Same gauge cluster, riding position, etc. I own one lol. I enjoy the 250 for one reason.. I can beat on it without getting in trouble. My r1, ninja 1k, and r6 are unfortunately not like that.
I bought my Wife one new in 89 it was Pearl White with Red and not ugly at all with some F1 pipes and a tall smoked shield! I liked it so much I rode it more than my 750 Ninja!
@@BraydonIsGodlyAtRust He did just the opposite. See 24:30. Unless you know that red rubber cap on this bike means negative. Then you are correct and I am wrong.
I just saw this video! I have been riding mostly back country and touring with racing when younger over 30+ years now. A couple years ago I bought my son his first bike- a 2009 Kawasaki Ninja 500 a guy rode from CA to MD and traded it in for another bike. This bike is a comfortable, no frills, super easy to ride and reliable bike for a new rider on up. Geez- it starts its red line at 11 grand! It is so mellow going slow it literally chugs along yet will scream up in its super high power band and get a bit of wheel lift a 90 mph! Such a fun bike. I love riding it because it truly IS so easy and fun. A tank of gas lasts a month and it is super easy to work on. It was awesome teaching my son about carbs, exhausts, tire and suspension just like I started so long ago and with so much fun. This is a great looking 250 you have- which is a really good around town bike then up to the 500 for even touring around yet the 250 will go anywhere also!! Especially for $600!! Parts are cheap for them and they just always start and run. He is looking at other bikes now and I hope someone will enjoy this 500 as much as we have. ** Back in the 70s/early 80s a 500 and 750 were crazy fast machines!!
Cold kawasakis always sound bad until warmed up. Especially with dirty carbs on choke. Once warm they sound like heaven. New plugs, battery, carbs, lines, air filter....done.
I've noticed that quite a lot with Kawasakis, too... they sound horrible initially, but once warmed up - they roar to life and put a smile on anyone's face.
Cool looking bike. If you are gonna keep it, get new tires. Old tires are hard and not very safe as is possible loss of traction mid corner. Be safe out there.
I bought an 06 Suzuki boulevard c50 that sat for 4 years. Clean rust out of tank with vinegar for a week. Cleaned fuel pump n changed fluids. Bought new battery. Filled her up. Started right up. Paid 850. Another 150 for fluids n battery. Runs n rides great. Cleaned up real nice.
I was riding a CBR600f2 and had a friend that had a 250r. I had always thought it was just too small to be practical. Ran into him one day and he said he was selling it and that I should ride it. One quick ride and I bought it. 34 years later I still have it. Zx636 has been my main bike for 15 years but the 250r has been an absolute blast taught lots of people to ride on it girls especially when I was a single young man. Always easy to maintain and would let all my friends take it for the day or weekend. This summer a police officer came to the house asking me questions about it and wasn’t sure what he was getting to. Turns out it had been stolen out of storage and I had no idea it was gone. I had painted it a 1987 GM dark bright teal popular Camaro color back in the day. Someone call the sheriff knowing that was my bike. I have a Kx 450f engine that I have considered putting in it. Would anyone be interested in seeing and motor swap like that?
Pre-gens are awesome bikes. I own a 2002 and it's Candy Lime Green just as yours. Only difference, my wheels are charcoal and the graphics are black- white. I must say that it's the fastest 250 that I've ever had the pleasure to ride. It doesn't really go that fast on top end (100 mph on a good day). The thing just gets there so fast.
I may be picking up my own $600 ninja 250 tomorrow and I'm hyped! I've had around 40 bikes. One of them was the new style ninja 250 and I actually love the Honda cbr250r. I've owned 2 or 3 of those. I'm not looking forward to carb work, but he says it runs and has a title. For $600, that sounds good to me!
Honestly it's cheaper to buy a first gen ninja 250 with aftermarket pipes than it is just buying the exhaust or slip ons now. $600 is a crazy price for this. I love these little Ninjas! They're fun to go through the gears in the city!
I have a 2000 ninja 250 also. I dont think theyre ugly at all. Its just 90s sport bike style and theyll be classics one day. Bought mine with a bad big end bearing and a used motor was almost as cheap as a crank so i swapped the engine. Mine does 100 all day.
Love the video's, I watch all of them. I will say you give me anxiety because you wait until after you start and rev out the bike before you check the oil, air and water. With my luck I would blow up an engine if I didn't check those things first.
Sweet ride! I got my 2015 ninja 300 for $700 and I had to bring it home in pieces. She looks and rides like a brand new bike (it basically is at this point) and I love it. You scored a great deal on that 250. Fun little toy that will make you good in the turns and is good on gas. Great video
Love the channel brother! Nice to see you adventuring off into the sport bike realm. Just be careful because they are very addictive and a blast, especially when you get up in the mountains. Keep up the good content and stay safe. 👍🏻
I had one the same year but mine was the red and purple. They were quick for what it was. If I remember right it was about 36 horsepower and 18 ft/lbs and mine got around 75 to 80+ mpg. It would top out at around 107 mph. Good times.
It might even be faster than that Honda 450 street legal dirt bike. Forget the name, and they're cool. But sure looks very slow. Haven't road that one.
Easily make 40ish HP and 23 ft/lb just tweaking the cam duration, carburetor jets, remapable ignition map CDI, great ruber intake, and purpose build exhaust system. Mine is a 2009 model, basically same engine top it at 130ish MPH at 8mile long stretch road with me being 225 lbs
Well done! Just needed air box vaccumed. Take this bike on a long ride 100+miles out ,fill up and come home , you need saddle time to gel/bond with it then keep it clean and maintained and itll last forever. Keep a spare rectifier and ignition coil coz those things sometimes ping at high revs. Best of Luck.
Love your channel but please wear some gloves and clothing especially on those old tyres they could easily give up on you and even at 30mph you would be a mess
Sounded like a jetski when you first fired it up. I know your good at what you do but I think you should have waited for it to hit 160 degrees before laying into it. Especially after sitting for so long. Idle is too high now. Cruise control I guess. 😇 Good video bro! She's going to really wake up when you give her good gas. Wear pants when you ride, squid. Lol
I had an ‘88 Hurricane 600 that I bought new. I loved that bike so much!! Put 12k miles on it in 3 years, then broke my back doing Moto-X and of course had to sell the bike after that. Wish I could still ride. Oh well.
It's been sitting a long time and you didn't even give it a few seconds to warm up and distribute oil before you started cranking on the throttle . Let it idle for 3mins after you shut the choke before revving ,and then just gentle revs. These are good wee bike and love being revved flat out when on a motorway. I think it'll do 120-130mph. Ideal beginner bikes for small framed people. Have fun. Edit, that's a good mate who put that your way,all working ,you didn't even need fresh fuel or new plugs! Remember "Don't bite the hand that feeds you!"
I came across your video on this ninja 250 this was my first sport bike brought back a lot memories I was 33 years old it was such a fun motorcycle to ride! I bought mine when it had 300 miles on it back in 2003 I had a 1999 I paid cash $3500 tax title and license. I rode it for a few years had a lot fun riding and making long trips on it with my friends! But in 2006 I got ran over by a drunk driver in a 3/4 Chevy truck not fun being under a truck and looking up at the driveline and laying on my back with a bunch broken bones 🦴 not a good feeling. But I just starting riding again after so many years of not riding and enjoying what I like to do is to ride motorcycles and feel free again from the nightmare of getting ran over by someone who never cared! Thanks you so much for this you did a fantastic job on the video! 👍😎🤘🙏
Yes, Had that exact same bike, same colour scheme and all. Beautiful machine; Paid $2000 for it, around 24000 ks (aprprox/ 18000 ,miles) Now ride something similar vintage, Honda CBF 250 with Delkevic system; Sounds awesome! And revs out sweet as well. Top speed a little slower than GPX Ninja but not muchly so.
I paid $390 for mines i just brought it and as my first bike i love it. I did have to clean the gas tank out and did a carb rebuild since she didnt run after that i installed a new digital battery and boom shes a runner. Great purchase
I'm about to pick up one of these, 05 all yellow 250, 7300 miles for $750. Would be my first bike and only been on mopeds and dirt bikes. Can't wait to play around with this one. It's mainly to commute to and from work in non winter months. Wish me luck 😮
The design actually comes from the earlier Kawasaki Ninja 250 from 1988 where they continue the same design into late 2007. They changed the design and title to 250R made it a more sporty look afterwards. 18k miles is a LOT of miles for a 250cc. These little bikes can be great beginner learner bikes specially around corners but often time people get bored of them quickly because of the lack of power. I mean if your just doing city communicating between home and work then it won't really bother you to much.
I love these videos. I'm from the UK and the only way you get bikes like this or old dirt bike are if they have been stolen. Then you don't get many parts in working order. They tend to burn them over here so there is no evidence. I buy small engine quad or motorised bikes because you can pick them up without being destroyed. Wish you could get barn finds over here but it's not really possible. But thanks for the videos it helps with the rebuilds.
ninja 250's are the definition of a small bike that is FUN. It needs to have the crap beat out of it to get it moving but because its so small you can keep it pinned literally everywhere and it just takes it. Whats crazy to me is that people wonder why modern bikes are so expensive to work on at a dealer. For example my modern 2017+ honda is a grand in labor hours just because of all the electronics and modern engineered over complex bits. But the ninja 250 is areguably easier to work on than a dirt bike, while being dirt cheap.
You sucked up the rubber isolator for the left side plastic with your vacuum….it was sitting on the airbox after you knocked if off with the screwdriver while taking the plastic off.
@jonnyonwheels. Sometimes, I wonder if he doesn't know, or doesn't care. Either way, I find myself yelling at the screen watching him. "Hey Joe, pull in the clutch, or the starter won't work!"
I’ve revived 3 of these 2 88’s and a 94 They’re pretty finicky but once they’re dialed in they’re bulletproof. Put a jetted muzzy 2 to 1 pipe on the 2nd 88 Kept it the longest If you’re a speed junkie like me they get boring quick. But great bike to zip around on
Hell yeah Joe this the one I’ve been asking for 😂👍🏼 I got a 2007 I’ve just finished , needs road worthy and reg now , but it’s winter here in Australia 😂
My first bike. I bought one brand new in 2007 for 3.3K out the door. Blue color. Great fun but front shock is not stiff enough and 0-60 time is a bit lagging. Also the wind blows you around on the highway. I sold it and bought a 500 in 2009 also brand new.
At my first base out in California, 😢I picked up a really nice babied, used Ninja EX 500, rode it for 3 years, lots of upgrades, ended up selling it, guy lost control on a freeway in Cali and smoked a wall his helmet saved him but the bike was totaled, sad day to see that.. for what it was it would haul ass. Never been big street bike fan, but the smaller ones are just fun to ride around. Enjoy. Like that green, mine was black and red.
12:52 same thing would happen to my ZL600 revved great but wouldnt idle. you just need to make sure your floats are set right but before that clear the passage way for the idle on the carb. if you still have issues adjusting the float to allow fuel to reach the idle will be your best shot at getting idle
Wow what a bike , hope the seller gets truth in return ,with a topping of respect,from others. Really jealous ,wish were mine ,gotta agree, the rim colour. Defo change to same green as plastics !! Possibly same for calipers !!! Maybe change the purple on plastics to black !! Sweet ride pal !!
I learned to ride on a similar Ninja 250, sweet little bikes, and you can wring its neck without getting a reckless driving charge. I feel you on the vomit green and purple though.
I got a 2007 Ninja 250 Kawasaki, I'm the third owner and nobody took care of the motorcycle. Had to order parts off of eBay and other websites. Broken fairings around the tail lights, missing chain guard, chain had never been oiled, had to order a brand new drive sprocket, ordered a used seat, a used air box and missing hardware to bolt in the used fender, order new front blinkers and rear blinkers because they were broken or missing. The last thing is to put two new tires on it this coming spring of 2023. I started ordering parts in 2021 into 2022, gradually and little by little I got to put back together, and I found most of my parts on eBay that match the color code to the motorcycle.
Bro, what a steal of a deal! Congrats on that find! Def. Gotta keep that one in the collection 👍. Now ima try and find one where I live here in Georgia. Doubt I'll find one in that condition for that price but ima definitely try! Great video man!
I bought an 07 last December for $1000 for my wife. I rode it home 70 miles after buying it and fell in love. She hated it and now Ive been commuting on it for 14000 miles since December. Great bike if you don't care what people think. Can't go wrong with these bikes. Great video.
Why did she hate it
@@Evadingmoto she likes cruisers and scooters. In the last four years I have rented her 14 different bikes and she loves the Honda Reflex and Silverwing scoot. All the Burgmans. The rebel 1100 and ctx 700 dressed and the only manual transmission bike she likes is an Iron 883. Direct quote “ Babe that 883 makes me feel like a total bad arse. The sound and feel there is nothing like it.” So guess what her Christmas present is this year?
Wdym if you don’t care what people think
@@spacesandwhich3167 in my experience I have had other people make fun of it because its a 250 its small and looks old. To me its just smiles for miles.
As an avid motocross and sportbike rider/mechanic, I enjoy watching you fix up these machines. It was definitely a no-brainer to hit that subscribe button.
The Ninja 250 is one of the top ten best bikes of all time. You can ride these on the redline all day and they nearly NEVER give up the ghost.
Lol give up the ghost. Nice biblical reference, I approve
These bikes are pretty reliable and repairable. Last year me and my dad picked up a 1986 GPX 750 for 400 quid that had been sitting outside for years, everything but the front forks was rusted, faring was cracked and broken. We had to disassemble the bike with the guys we bought it from to fit it in the back of the car. It now looks brand new and runs alright.
Great to see this bike is still relevant. This was my first bike, years ago. Great memories. Great video! 👍🏽
This was my first bike (also first vehicle). It was yellow grey and cheap. Paid $1000 for it, fixed it, rode it for 6,000 miles roughly six months, finally sold it for $1500. I wasn't powerful, but gas mileage was amazing for a broke college student. Great Bike! Thank you for buying this and sharing!
I’ll go ahead and say it…great job wearing a helmet! Can’t say much for riding a strange bike for the first time over 60mph with no gloves, wearing shorts/tshirt/tennis shoes. I wish you luck my friend”love your videos…great deal!
Ohh my God! My this video is instant nostalgia!!! I have that same exact 250 ninja that I've kept in my friend's workshop and it's been forgotten for years now! I finally remembered about it and I'm going tomorrow to pick it up and restore it!! Amazing work man, and yeah those 250s are extremely fast for their size!! 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻
You don't need to be on the road if you can't remember if you own a motorcycle ! Get you some crossword puzzles or something safe.
i have kawasaki el250.Is this same bike but in a crusier variant of ninja 250
@@stevewhyte8476 nah you're just too young lol and not enough responsibilities
@@stevewhyte8476 or not enough bikes to forget about one
Just another troll from India. They are so obvious.
I had a 98 like this one in high school. They are pretty bullet proof. She could vacation at 14k rpm at 120 ish.
Since you have a pipe, drill a 3/8 hole on each side of the airbox before the filter for a boost in power/better breathing...
Don’t lie the gas was turned off when you was first trying to start it.
These things are super reliable.
Word, Kawasakis are king starters. 👑 🤣
I believe the petcock on these only have a on and reserve.mine does anyway cause it's a pump not gravity fed.
@@jbigdangler5565 probably a prime in the middle of those two, yeah. That the trick putting it on the pri for a few seconds if it's been sitting or it's really hot outside.
I've only ridden the 250 and I can't remember but I have a different Kawasaki with the same engine as the 500. Just different cams with way less duration, and a few small mm carbs.
7:34 - If you remove the latch assembly cover, you see a ton of differential corrosion. The latch assembly needs to be disassembled and thoroughly cleaned then lubricated with a good synthetic grease.
I love this old 250. Been looking for a cheap one around me. I found this exact same one in the black and blue about a month ago for 600 near me but it sold immediately. Really cool find and I hope you keep her!
I am keeping it
I have the blue on black 03 250 I picked her up for 800 bucks 2 yrs ago...
I got hit in an intersection April 5th
broke my tail bone and could hardly walk for a month the bike is a little dented as I had most of the damage repaired. Still a great motorcycle though!
@@kirkford7968 Lucky man!! Hope you can get back to riding soon if you haven't already! That sounds awful
@@jrh1704 I don't believe in luck my friend but i do believe my heavenly father does protect me at all times as much as he can of course... my wild side sometimes gets me in a bit of trouble though.
@@2vintage You can swap over the swing arm, shock and front end from a ninja 300 and almost have a mini restomod with 17inch wheels and slightly better suspension on the cheap.
i collect ninja 250s. they really are the most fun size bike i've ever ridden. they rev so loud it feels like you are flying. they handle the highway no problem, i can easily pass people going 80mph and speed up to 95mph quickly. they are really fast for their size, they go over 100mph easy and that is plenty fast for all of the USA.
Do you think they are worth fixing up if needing a lot of work vs buying a newer bike?
i had ninja 250 1987
@@ihdandia DUDE if you can get a good condition bike for 600$ you do not ask questions, you just TAKE OUT YOUR WALLET!! These are king :P
@@motokokoto yes but how about around $1200, and needing to put maybe $1500 in it to get it tip top?
Want an 07 for parts $350
I think it's easier to figure out who hasn't owned one of these at some point vs who has.
All the locksmiths are shaking their heads @ WD-40 in the lock. NEVER use WD-40 in a lock because it attracts dirt that will gum up inside. Instead use powdered graphite to lube the key switch.
He’s sponsored by wd40
He’s a clown used wd40 on the seat also
He used wd40 to clean the bike too... works great initially but there's a reason it's not marketed as a cleaner. It leaves a residue that will attract dirt to surfaces just like with the lock keyway. This guy clearly loves bikes but he really needs to study up on more general "handyman" stuff. Using WD40 as a cleaner sounds like an old wives tale (or old uncles tale in this case). "Works in a pinch" but there's better solutions and for good reasons. I also can't imagine using a moisture displacement formula on a seat material like that could be good for it in the long term, I bet it will start getting stiff and start forming cracking patterns. Only thing worse would be using WD40 on real leather...
but yet wd40 dries up in a few weeks like it was never there, yall funny
@@waynegove73 so don’t ride the bike for 2 weeks? Nice man
When you were hoovering the top of the frame/airbox, you hoovered up the little rubber bung of the top of the left hand side, side panel. Go check the hoover otherwise your side panel will be loose when you put it back together, round the 18:45 mark.
@off spec British dictionary
Definitions from Oxford Languages
"verb"
gerund or present participle: hoovering
clean (something) with a vacuum cleaner.
"he was hoovering the stairs"
suck something up with or as if with a vacuum cleaner.
"hoover up all the dust"
INFORMAL
consume something quickly and eagerly.
"he hoovered up three slices of cake"
Yass 5gadget! Gonna rewatch YOUNG ONES tonight on DVD 45th time ( Im 53) Nothing more RANCID than a Sitting DUC 999R track bike my Race friend has let sit Idle. we Needed respirators.
@off spec ^^^Rancid Is:
A)having an unpleasant smell or taste usually from chemical change or decomposition
B) Great Effing Usa CORE SKA PUNK band with Tim Armstrong !! Just takin the Piss Off spec! LOL Ride safe all! Dave Boulder CO USA
Make sure you rev the shit out of it before it pumps oil to the top-end..... That will improve any "knocking".
It almost instantly brings oil
To the top.
Nevermind the oil but most of lights work, lets turn it over. Great videos but try working on the priorities of the task at hand. seeing it happen alot. The intake would fall into the process before hand as well.
1st street bike in 97 was an 86 Ninja 600 and it kicked ass. Still holds up today when I come across them.
Those mufflers alone covered that $600 spent!👍
Honestly the ninja 250 is the weirdest bike I've ever rode. The seat feels like a giant couch, the bikes werent really changed since the 80s, so much more to touch points on. On the bright side these things are extremely common and dirt cheap so that is a major plus for most beginner riders. Personally I'm not a huge fan of how you sink into the seat but honestly it just comes down to personal preference. I much prefer the stiffer seats compared to the couch-like seats. Awesome video.
@MrHJordan yeah the body was restyled but kept everything else the same for the most part. Same gauge cluster, riding position, etc. I own one lol. I enjoy the 250 for one reason.. I can beat on it without getting in trouble. My r1, ninja 1k, and r6 are unfortunately not like that.
I love these small cheap bikes, I’ve had a few 600s but I always turn to these because of how affordable and reliable they are
I bought my Wife one new in 89 it was Pearl White with Red and not ugly at all with some F1 pipes and a tall smoked shield! I liked it so much I rode it more than my 750 Ninja!
Great video as usual! Keep it up bro. I love all of your videos and I learn things about the bikes every time. Love from the UK! 🇬🇧
It’s nice to see a change up from the off-road stuff, always liked the older kawasakis
Always do the positive terminal first. Then the negative when installing battery To remove, do the negative first.
He did
@@BraydonIsGodlyAtRust He did just the opposite. See 24:30. Unless you know that red rubber cap on this bike means negative. Then you are correct and I am wrong.
judging by the comments, nobody knows who Eddie Lawson is !?! I think that paint scheme is one of the most beautiful ever produced!!!!!
I sure do, but I'm an old fart. lol
@@micksterboone4517 Me too!
Don't rev cold. Use 303 Aerospace on the unpainted plastics and rubber. Never armor all or wd-40.
I just saw this video! I have been riding mostly back country and touring with racing when younger over 30+ years now. A couple years ago I bought my son his first bike- a 2009 Kawasaki Ninja 500 a guy rode from CA to MD and traded it in for another bike. This bike is a comfortable, no frills, super easy to ride and reliable bike for a new rider on up. Geez- it starts its red line at 11 grand! It is so mellow going slow it literally chugs along yet will scream up in its super high power band and get a bit of wheel lift a 90 mph! Such a fun bike. I love riding it because it truly IS so easy and fun. A tank of gas lasts a month and it is super easy to work on. It was awesome teaching my son about carbs, exhausts, tire and suspension just like I started so long ago and with so much fun. This is a great looking 250 you have- which is a really good around town bike then up to the 500 for even touring around yet the 250 will go anywhere also!! Especially for $600!! Parts are cheap for them and they just always start and run.
He is looking at other bikes now and I hope someone will enjoy this 500 as much as we have. ** Back in the 70s/early 80s a 500 and 750 were crazy fast machines!!
Cold kawasakis always sound bad until warmed up. Especially with dirty carbs on choke. Once warm they sound like heaven. New plugs, battery, carbs, lines, air filter....done.
I've noticed that quite a lot with Kawasakis, too... they sound horrible initially, but once warmed up - they roar to life and put a smile on anyone's face.
Cool looking bike. If you are gonna keep it, get new tires. Old tires are hard and not very safe as is possible loss of traction mid corner. Be safe out there.
POV you actually watch this man’s videos
I bought an 06 Suzuki boulevard c50 that sat for 4 years. Clean rust out of tank with vinegar for a week. Cleaned fuel pump n changed fluids. Bought new battery. Filled her up. Started right up. Paid 850. Another 150 for fluids n battery. Runs n rides great. Cleaned up real nice.
I was riding a CBR600f2 and had a friend that had a 250r. I had always thought it was just too small to be practical. Ran into him one day and he said he was selling it and that I should ride it. One quick ride and I bought it. 34 years later I still have it. Zx636 has been my main bike for 15 years but the 250r has been an absolute blast taught lots of people to ride on it girls especially when I was a single young man. Always easy to maintain and would let all my friends take it for the day or weekend. This summer a police officer came to the house asking me questions about it and wasn’t sure what he was getting to. Turns out it had been stolen out of storage and I had no idea it was gone. I had painted it a 1987 GM dark bright teal popular Camaro color back in the day. Someone call the sheriff knowing that was my bike.
I have a Kx 450f engine that I have considered putting in it.
Would anyone be interested in seeing and motor swap like that?
I think it looks wicked. I love loud colors and boxy lines of old sport bikes
Best mods I did on my '04 was going up one tooth on the front sprocket and a K&N 2586. Great bikes!!
Pre-gens are awesome bikes. I own a 2002 and it's Candy Lime Green just as yours. Only difference, my wheels are charcoal and the graphics are black- white. I must say that it's the fastest 250 that I've ever had the pleasure to ride. It doesn't really go that fast on top end (100 mph on a good day). The thing just gets there so fast.
How about checking the oil before you try starting it.
Buddy, he knows what he is doing😂
@@zachstory2529 he doesn't always do it, that's why I even said anything. I still support him.
@@jmudd5449 oh ok, I thought you were trying to hate or sum
@@zachstory2529 definitely not hating. I think he does great just trying to help.
@@jmudd5449 yeah for sure, I’m glad you like his content too
If you wanna feel the full acceleration of the bike than shift right before revlimiter because it makes all its power up top
Indeed, those things are crazy animals uptop and easily tamed in low RPMs!
These bikes are dogs, they literally top out at 105mph and 0-60 is 7 seconds. Cmon theres atvs that will easily out accelerate this thing
Peak HP is about 11.5k rpms. The power band is 8-11k, red line is 14k and no rev limiter, unless you count valve float and destruction
I may be picking up my own $600 ninja 250 tomorrow and I'm hyped! I've had around 40 bikes. One of them was the new style ninja 250 and I actually love the Honda cbr250r. I've owned 2 or 3 of those. I'm not looking forward to carb work, but he says it runs and has a title. For $600, that sounds good to me!
Honestly it's cheaper to buy a first gen ninja 250 with aftermarket pipes than it is just buying the exhaust or slip ons now. $600 is a crazy price for this. I love these little Ninjas! They're fun to go through the gears in the city!
I have a 2000 ninja 250 also. I dont think theyre ugly at all. Its just 90s sport bike style and theyll be classics one day. Bought mine with a bad big end bearing and a used motor was almost as cheap as a crank so i swapped the engine. Mine does 100 all day.
@Danbeater i dont think you can know that for sure unless youve travelled to the future
Wd on the seat, that could be a slippery situation...😆😆😆
Love the video's, I watch all of them. I will say you give me anxiety because you wait until after you start and rev out the bike before you check the oil, air and water. With my luck I would blow up an engine if I didn't check those things first.
Sweet ride! I got my 2015 ninja 300 for $700 and I had to bring it home in pieces. She looks and rides like a brand new bike (it basically is at this point) and I love it. You scored a great deal on that 250. Fun little toy that will make you good in the turns and is good on gas. Great video
Love the channel brother! Nice to see you adventuring off into the sport bike realm. Just be careful because they are very addictive and a blast, especially when you get up in the mountains. Keep up the good content and stay safe. 👍🏻
Wohooo! Ninja 250! Extremely easy bike to work on and learn the basics of carbs and just engine work in general
I had one the same year but mine was the red and purple. They were quick for what it was. If I remember right it was about 36 horsepower and 18 ft/lbs and mine got around 75 to 80+ mpg. It would top out at around 107 mph. Good times.
It might even be faster than that Honda 450 street legal dirt bike. Forget the name, and they're cool. But sure looks very slow. Haven't road that one.
Easily make 40ish HP and 23 ft/lb just tweaking the cam duration, carburetor jets, remapable ignition map CDI, great ruber intake, and purpose build exhaust system.
Mine is a 2009 model, basically same engine top it at 130ish MPH at 8mile long stretch road with me being 225 lbs
@@kevinghifari2330 how bruh where tf do you get parts
@@kevinghifari2330 Dyno graph? What cams/how tweaked duration, which intake? How much ignition advance?
Well done! Just needed air box vaccumed. Take this bike on a long ride 100+miles out ,fill up and come home , you need saddle time to gel/bond with it then keep it clean and maintained and itll last forever. Keep a spare rectifier and ignition coil coz those things sometimes ping at high revs. Best of Luck.
Love your channel but please wear some gloves and clothing especially on those old tyres they could easily give up on you and even at 30mph you would be a mess
Worried about rod knock but revs it to the moon right after cold starting it
Take the bowls off both carbs and check the float valve. The jets are usually the issue. I have a 500R. Fun bike to ride when I'm sick of my Harley
Sounded like a jetski when you first fired it up. I know your good at what you do but I think you should have waited for it to hit 160 degrees before laying into it. Especially after sitting for so long.
Idle is too high now. Cruise control I guess. 😇
Good video bro! She's going to really wake up when you give her good gas. Wear pants when you ride, squid. Lol
Just bought one of these recently, mine had 14 miles on it, basically new. Love it
I have an 07 ninja with 3k miles lol. It’s funny you get the same bikes I’ve had and you make perfect videos about em
I had an ‘88 Hurricane 600 that I bought new. I loved that bike so much!! Put 12k miles on it in 3 years, then broke my back doing Moto-X and of course had to sell the bike after that. Wish I could still ride. Oh well.
I see your back to this whole it's been sitting forever routine two years is not that long bud..
It's been sitting a long time and you didn't even give it a few seconds to warm up and distribute oil before you started cranking on the throttle . Let it idle for 3mins after you shut the choke before revving ,and then just gentle revs. These are good wee bike and love being revved flat out when on a motorway. I think it'll do 120-130mph. Ideal beginner bikes for small framed people. Have fun.
Edit, that's a good mate who put that your way,all working ,you didn't even need fresh fuel or new plugs! Remember "Don't bite the hand that feeds you!"
I came across your video on this ninja 250 this was my first sport bike brought back a lot memories I was 33 years old it was such a fun motorcycle to ride! I bought mine when it had 300 miles on it back in 2003 I had a 1999 I paid cash $3500 tax title and license. I rode it for a few years had a lot fun riding and making long trips on it with my friends! But in 2006 I got ran over by a drunk driver in a 3/4 Chevy truck not fun being under a truck and looking up at the driveline and laying on my back with a bunch broken bones 🦴 not a good feeling. But I just starting riding again after so many years of not riding and enjoying what I like to do is to ride motorcycles and feel free again from the nightmare of getting ran over by someone who never cared! Thanks you so much for this you did a fantastic job on the video! 👍😎🤘🙏
Yes, Had that exact same bike, same colour scheme and all. Beautiful machine; Paid $2000 for it, around 24000 ks (aprprox/ 18000 ,miles)
Now ride something similar vintage, Honda CBF 250 with Delkevic system; Sounds awesome! And revs out sweet as well. Top speed a little slower than GPX Ninja but not muchly so.
I paid $390 for mines i just brought it and as my first bike i love it. I did have to clean the gas tank out and did a carb rebuild since she didnt run after that i installed a new digital battery and boom shes a runner. Great purchase
I'm about to pick up one of these, 05 all yellow 250, 7300 miles for $750. Would be my first bike and only been on mopeds and dirt bikes. Can't wait to play around with this one. It's mainly to commute to and from work in non winter months. Wish me luck 😮
The design actually comes from the earlier Kawasaki Ninja 250 from 1988 where they continue the same design into late 2007. They changed the design and title to 250R made it a more sporty look afterwards. 18k miles is a LOT of miles for a 250cc. These little bikes can be great beginner learner bikes specially around corners but often time people get bored of them quickly because of the lack of power. I mean if your just doing city communicating between home and work then it won't really bother you to much.
Nah I see 250s with 70k miles every day .
I have a 125 with 60k and an 250 with 80k. Never missed a beat
What’s wrong with a water hose and some soap and a wash mit lol Just scratching rubbing dirt in paint
I learned to ride on a bike exactly like this! What a wonderful memory to see it again.
does the center stand bring back memories? wish they made bikes with those again
A very comfortable daily commuter and also great economy. Well done it was an excellent buy.
That’s a cool little bike right there! Perfect beginner bike! Other than the turbo busa, which as we all know is THE perfect beginner bike ;)
😀
Love the colors/scheme. Classic early 2000s
A bike like that would NOT go for 600 where in the town where I live....especially running. Dude you got a hell of a deal on it!
him: I personally think it really ugly
also him: Imma keep it
love you man keep it up with the great work
I love these videos. I'm from the UK and the only way you get bikes like this or old dirt bike are if they have been stolen. Then you don't get many parts in working order. They tend to burn them over here so there is no evidence. I buy small engine quad or motorised bikes because you can pick them up without being destroyed. Wish you could get barn finds over here but it's not really possible. But thanks for the videos it helps with the rebuilds.
ninja 250's are the definition of a small bike that is FUN. It needs to have the crap beat out of it to get it moving but because its so small you can keep it pinned literally everywhere and it just takes it.
Whats crazy to me is that people wonder why modern bikes are so expensive to work on at a dealer. For example my modern 2017+ honda is a grand in labor hours just because of all the electronics and modern engineered over complex bits. But the ninja 250 is areguably easier to work on than a dirt bike, while being dirt cheap.
You sucked up the rubber isolator for the left side plastic with your vacuum….it was sitting on the airbox after you knocked if off with the screwdriver while taking the plastic off.
@jonnyonwheels. Sometimes, I wonder if he doesn't know, or doesn't care. Either way, I find myself yelling at the screen watching him. "Hey Joe, pull in the clutch, or the starter won't work!"
@@dannyjamison8337 yeah, at least he figured that part out quickly.
I’ve revived 3 of these 2 88’s and a 94
They’re pretty finicky but once they’re dialed in they’re bulletproof.
Put a jetted muzzy 2 to 1 pipe on the 2nd 88
Kept it the longest
If you’re a speed junkie like me they get boring quick. But great bike to zip around on
Hell yeah Joe this the one I’ve been asking for 😂👍🏼 I got a 2007 I’ve just finished , needs road worthy and reg now , but it’s winter here in Australia 😂
My first bike. I bought one brand new in 2007 for 3.3K out the door. Blue color. Great fun but front shock is not stiff enough and 0-60 time is a bit lagging. Also the wind blows you around on the highway. I sold it and bought a 500 in 2009 also brand new.
Don't care what people think. This bike is a keeper. 14,000 rpm 6sp.
I love these little Ninjas, I still own my 98 250, great bikes once you fix a few small OEM problems
Man u always find the awsome deals! I enjoyed this video alot, you got a steal on that bike!
The tickover seems to take a while to settle back down, I would possibly suggest a carb balancing to get it running spot on
At my first base out in California, 😢I picked up a really nice babied, used Ninja EX 500, rode it for 3 years, lots of upgrades, ended up selling it, guy lost control on a freeway in Cali and smoked a wall his helmet saved him but the bike was totaled, sad day to see that.. for what it was it would haul ass. Never been big street bike fan, but the smaller ones are just fun to ride around. Enjoy. Like that green, mine was black and red.
Probably would be wise to change the oil since it’s been sitting before revving the piss out of it right after starting it
12:52 same thing would happen to my ZL600 revved great but wouldnt idle. you just need to make sure your floats are set right but before that clear the passage way for the idle on the carb. if you still have issues adjusting the float to allow fuel to reach the idle will be your best shot at getting idle
Keep the good work love u from saudi arabia
My first bike was a 2011 Ninja 250. I'm pretty sure I had more fun on it than I do my Z900 or 636.
Did you recover the rubber grommet from the hoover for the side fairing ?
Wow what a bike , hope the seller gets truth in return ,with a topping of respect,from others.
Really jealous ,wish were mine ,gotta agree, the rim colour. Defo change to same green as plastics !! Possibly same for calipers !!! Maybe change the purple on plastics to black !! Sweet ride pal !!
Sounds really good with the Yoshi's, always had a soft spot for 250 twins, my 2nd bike was a Z250.
600 dollars, that’s a steal, wish I could find bikes at that price. Great video again 👍
Did you really not know that the clutch lever has a starter cutout switch on it, or were you just joking? Great little bike for the price!
Calm down mj
Lemme try to start this thing not knowing what's in the tank and not checking oil 👍
Gotta love it when people bounce or hit the rev limiter not even five seconds after starting something. Send it!
I have exactly the same knocking sound coming out from mine !! I going to do exactly the same steps you did in here !!
I learned to ride on a similar Ninja 250, sweet little bikes, and you can wring its neck without getting a reckless driving charge. I feel you on the vomit green and purple though.
I live in Bali and I see allot of these around. Even older 2 stroke ones.
I think she's a beautiful little bike, I'm amazed at the price you got her for, well done.
So smooth for a 250 what a great buy. I bet it gets good mileage. Its very impressive.
I got a 2007 Ninja 250 Kawasaki, I'm the third owner and nobody took care of the motorcycle. Had to order parts off of eBay and other websites.
Broken fairings around the tail lights, missing chain guard, chain had never been oiled, had to order a brand new drive sprocket, ordered a used seat, a used air box and missing hardware to bolt in the used fender, order new front blinkers and rear blinkers because they were broken or missing. The last thing is to put two new tires on it this coming spring of 2023.
I started ordering parts in 2021 into 2022, gradually and little by little I got to put back together, and I found most of my parts on eBay that match the color code to the motorcycle.
I’m excited to see you to inch your way into street bikes Joe 🤙🏼
Bro, what a steal of a deal! Congrats on that find! Def. Gotta keep that one in the collection 👍. Now ima try and find one where I live here in Georgia. Doubt I'll find one in that condition for that price but ima definitely try! Great video man!