I previously talked about the Dynojet 2193 Jet Kit for the Kawasaki Ninja 250R a few weeks back (Link Here) and since then I have installed one had one installed and all I can say is… Wowzers!!!

Review

So, um, why exactly does the bike not come like this stock? This upgrade is night and day compared to the stock needle settings.

The bike comes from the factory jetted to meet emissions standards. Which is why I need to say the following:

“The DynoJet Kit is for Offroad use only… yadda-yadda.. Installing it might also affect your Manufacture warranty from Kawasaki… yadda - yadda.. Install at your own risk, and remember the polar ice caps are melting before you mess with emissions equipment…”

In the stock configuration, the Ninja 250R is very anemic in the low RPM range. So much so that below 5000RPM’s in first gear the engine bogs way down.. Almost as if it’s geared too tall (which we all know is NOT the case). And over 10,000 RPM’s Power drop off is drastic — Making the usable power range in stock form really only like 6k - 10k RPM range. That makes sense, since those are the RPM’s you traditionally find yourself while your cruising.

This kit comes with all the jets needed for Stock Upgrade to Aftermarket Exhausts and Intakes. So once you buy this kit, it can grow and adapt to any aftermarket upgrades you add in the future.

After installing the DynoJet Kit — Usable RPM’s change to the 3k - 12k range. The bike just comes alive and the power band smooths out making constant gear changes to keep the bike in the 6-10k range much less frequent. First gear riding when the bike is cold becomes much less unpredictable and scary, and once the bike is warm you’ll find the rev limiter quickly because the bike keeps pulling well all the way to red line.. You no longer have the noticeable drop in power to remind you to shift.

If you have been on the fence about installing this kit. Don’t walk — Run — to the nearest dealer or Dynojets website to pick one of these up.

Click Here for Additional Content and Pictures:

Loosely Translated title: Sound of tank leakage

Well, this is an interesting… It has been rumored that the whistling from the 2008 Ninja 250R comes from the vent holes getting clogged by a coating in US Spec Ninja gas tanks. This coating is supposed to be to protect the tank from the gas/ethanol mixture common in the US. ( I’m not talking about E85 — But what is commonly referred to as ‘Winter Gas’ which is now being seen year round is some parts of the US. )

So, I called some Kawasaki dealers around the US, (Yes, I get that bored…) and this is what I found out:

• Kawasaki will only replace your gas cap ONCE under warranty. So, I would wait to get this done until we find out if the cap gets redesigned before you go in for the replacement.
• Black Bikes do it the worst. Mainly due to the color causing the sun to heat the bike up faster.
• Kawasaki released an official fix for this to dealers. However, quickly told dealers to STOP doing the fix since it breaks Emissions laws in the US and is illegal to perform.

I think we’ll find out shortly as the bike becomes more popular in Europe and Asia if this is a wide spread problem on all bikes, and not just the US ones. It’s starting to seem like Kawasaki doesn’t want to pay the price to do a recall since this is not a safety issue — just an annoyance.

Looking for a quick and simple GPS unit that you can strap to your handlebars and just go? Perhaps something a little more portable than like a TomTom.. Something waterproof, rechargeable, and has the ability to upload your trips to your computer after wards… Or, perhaps you’re just looking for a simple way to verify your speed since the speedos on the Ninja 250R are about as accurate as a blind man playing lawn darts…

Well then, if you have about $125 laying around, check out the Garmin Foretrex 201. This lil guy is only 3.3″ x 1.7″ x 0.7″ and weighs in at about 3oz’s. It has a wrist strap that you can just strap it to your wrist or handle bars, or you can purchase the additional handle bar mount for about ~$15.

Unfortunately, this unit doesn’t do streets and directions - but come on - REAL MEN don’t need no stink’n directions.. The only other down side is that the antenna receiver is not a premium chip set. This unit’s update speed is about once a second with a 15 second - 1 min startup/acquisition time. But it’s more than enough for riding around town, on trips, and nice to have on and for lots of other things — Like tracking where your teenaged daughter REALLY goes on a Friday night.

Manufacture: Garmin
Product link: Link
Price: ~$125 (Refurb Units can be found for ~$100)

While cruising DennisKirk.com — I saw the Vortex Racing lowering links pop up for the 2008 Ninja 250R. Granted Vortex Racing doesn’t have any info up on their site about this part, but Dennis Kirk says that they have some In stock, so they must be shipping.

For those of you wondering: Lowering links are mainly used for lowering bikes for shorter riders, but are also common by racers to lower the center of gravity of the bike.

Details

• Lower high-performance sportbikes for a lower center of gravity
• Improves rider’s handling confidence
• Ground is easier to reach for shorter riders
• Multiple height adjustments on most lowering links to handle your individual needs
• Include holes for adjusting ride height as shown in chart (Hole 1=2″; this means Hole 1 lowers the bike 2″)

Price: ~$150 USD
Where to buy: Denniskirk.com

Starting to see some neat artists renders floating around the internet for the Ninja. Don’t be fooled tho, this is not an official Kawasaki sketch, it’s clearly a Photochop.. Either way — Some neat part ideas on there. Perhaps the aftermarket will embrace some of them.

Click on the image for full size.

Here is a nice quick test ride video from Barcelona Spain. Very interesting to see the streets There compared to most major cities in the US. Bikes like the Ninja 250R Have to be a blast in cities/towns like this.

(Just be happy this isn’t a Dragon video… or else you’d have 500 comments on it yelling “OVER THE LINE!!!!!” )

I have heard these things called a million different things… Fairing protectors, crash bobbins, wuss rods, crash protectors, noob tubes, crash kits, and/or frame sliders… But, no matter what you call them, they all do the same thing — Protect your bike and bodywork from damage from a drop, fall, tip over, and other ‘minor’ damage situations.

Even the most seasoned riders have brain farts and drop a bike. For a 100$ it’s cheap insurance to protect your fairings from the bondo man and the spray booth. And even if you have 100% confidence that you’ll never drop your bike, remember that last time you saw someone whip into your parking spot thinking it was empty - coming inches from your bike? Well sooner or later, they won’t stop - So it’s also cheap insurance from the idiots of the world.

Remember: Even those these are  commonly called “Crash Kits”  — They offer YOU no protection in a crash. And, only offer your bike protection in the basic incidents.

Manufacture: Shogun
Price: $75 - $125
Where to buy: Link

While I was over at the Ventura website looking at the Lugagge Racks I also noticed that they released a nifty lil light guard for the 2Fiddy… This is a great lil piece of insurance for only $34. Considering the price of a new headlight assembly, that is darn cheap. (If you’re new to riding, wait until you have a rock hits your helmet or bike… Wounds their cheap, headlights — They cost lost of money ) Even worse, Imagine that rock hitting your headlight at night and blowing it out. Yup, then you’re Really screwed.

Part Number: 162
Description: Light-Guard
Manufacture: Ventura
Cost: $34
Link: Here

Finally, after about 2-3 Weeks of waiting, Kawasaki got their act together and fixed their accessories pages (Before they said ‘Permission denied’).

Unfortunately they didn’t bring out any good go-fast goodies, but they did add Ninja logo’d bike covers for the 250R. Granted these are generic covers for Ninja’s they do look pretty sharp.

Available in 2 styles being “Deluxe” and “Dust Cover” they MSRP at $169.95 and $99.95 respectively.

Deluxe Cover - Part Number: K99995-843A
Constructed of water resistant polyester and a unique shielded vent system that allows built-up moisture to vent. Features a reinforced grommet at the bottom hem which allows the cover to be locked to the bike for added security. • Heat resistant panels in the exhaust area • Over sized fit allows for easy installation and removal.

Dust Cover - Part Number: K99995-867
Innovative DustStop™ material. Soft, lightweight and durable • Offered two styles, full length or half coverage • Perfect for indoor or carport use • Not heat or water resistant

Link

This is a great sound clip / video for the Yoshimura Full carbon Exhaust for the 2008 Ninja 250R. Right about 1:10 is where the nice WOT drive by is, and it is clearly leaps and bounds above the stocker’s sound (or lack of).. And, I’m pretty impressed, it’s not as obnoxious as some of the other exhausts on the market.

So far (and yes, I own one, so I’m a lil biased) — In my opinion, this is the best look / sound / performance mixture out there. But keep in mind it’s $200-$300 more than most of the competition…