Tank slapper - again... getting pretty ****** off now..

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omnivore said:
Head bearings
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My bet is on this.

I Bet is lose as hell, Ninja 250's are known for this.

OP sit on the bike while parked and push the steering up and down compressing your front forks, if you feel any play or a "tak" noise there might be your problem. Get the bearing changed or at least tightened by someone that knows what they are doing.
 
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omnivore said:
Head bearings
Wheel bearings
Twisted forks/triples
weird tire wear
Faulty tire


...just to name a few
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again... this. Proper check for head bearing wear is to firmly grasp fork bottoms with bike upright, and feel for any play in trees while moving forks back and forth
 
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So I took a ride down to Milton today to chill out with Adrian at Ace Moto Tech - he looked the bike up and down and found a variety of issues - issues at the triple tree, random fairing bolts falling off loose, issues with the chain - it was pretty much dragging on the ground and needed MAJOR adjustment, evidence that the front suspension was tampered with etc.

Adrian's gonna set it all straight this week when I swap in my Pirelli's. Thanks for all the advice... turns out I'm not just another stupid noob and that I've just been nursing a bike with a major set-up issue.... still a stupid noob though...
 
e90 said:
issues with the chain - it was pretty much dragging on the ground and needed MAJOR adjustment, evidence that the front suspension was tampered with etc.
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Glad you figured out the bikes problem. How is the chain being really loose an indication that the front suspension was tampered with??
 
Scudzo_2 said:
Glad you figured out the bikes problem. How is the chain being really loose an indication that the front suspension was tampered with??
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I think he means that a lot of issues were discovered and that someone butchered the bike
 
bboySushi said:
How do you not notice the chain dragging on the floor lol
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I did notice it - that's why I took the bike in to get it looked at.. It's literally not dragging on the floor, but it's definitely very loose and you can feel the slack.

And yes - there were other issues above and beyond the chain.
 
Well, if you have problems seeing and adjusting a loose chain, I say keep your fingers off the bike and bring it to a mechanic very often.
This stuff is just dangerous.
It took you this long to see that the chain was loose????????????????????
 
The chain got loose gradually over the last few months. I'll keep an eye on it more often moving forward.
 
e90 said:
The chain got loose gradually over the last few months. I'll keep an eye on it more often moving forward.
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If it's that stretched out make sure you check for tight links, the chain might need replacing.

199167d1272156405-kinked-chain-img_2179_0015.jpg


After you park your bike look along the bottom run of chain for links like that ^^
 
According to Ted at Rosey Toes, chains get loose if you don't lube them often enough. I'd have to go in on my Ninja 250 pretty much every month to get it tighten up.... something about that bike - chain just gets loose all the time.

Edit: I ended up changing the chain eventually, and it was the best mod I ever done on the bike. It felt and sounded smooth like a butter and mpg got better too.
 
Are you one of those guys that just gets on the bike and ride until something goes seriously wrong? How long have you owned the bike? When was the last time you checked the chain for slack?
Learn a thing or two about maintaining your bike, chain adjustment is not a big job, there are videos out there that will show you how to do it properly. As "bleed_blue" mentioned, check/replace the chain and sprockets if necessary. It's one of those things that are cheap/easy to replace/maintain and if you neglect to do so you can reap harmful consequences.
 
omnivore said:
Head bearings
Wheel bearings
Twisted forks/triples
weird tire wear
Faulty tire




...just to name a few
Click to expand...
only post that matters in this thread ^^^^
 
Ugur Dinch said:
According to Ted at Rosey Toes, chains get loose if you don't lube them often enough. I'd have to go in on my Ninja 250 pretty much every month to get it tighten up.... something about that bike - chain just gets loose all the time.

Edit: I ended up changing the chain eventually, and it was the best mod I ever done on the bike. It felt and sounded smooth like a butter and mpg got better too.
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Chains get loose on all bikes. Chains stretch, they require adjustment. Some chains will stretch faster than others, but there is no chain that will be the same length for its entire service life.
 
bobjohnson said:
Chains get loose on all bikes. Chains stretch, they require adjustment. Some chains will stretch faster than others, but there is no chain that will be the same length for its entire service life.
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Mechanics chime in, but chains don't stretch, right? It's the pins/holes that wear allowing the links to relax, lengthening the chain as a result. That's why O and X rings chains have a lionger service life--they seal in lubricant to reduce wear on the pins.

Maybe the 250 ninjas still use older roller chains (unsealed pins) which wear/lengthen faster, especially without proper maintenance. They do need slack though, to account for suspension travel.
 
yes its the pins and holes wearing, but its called chain stretch. Easier to say chain stretch than " my pins and holes have elongated and thusly required an adjustment", kind of like "my tire has equilized pressures with the ambient atmosphere" "oh, you have a flat?"

OP , tank slappers in bikes 30yrs ago happened a bit, there are almost no designs in the last decade that have this happen unless something is wrong with the bike.. Getting pitched off into the rhubarb patch never ends well. You've made friends with a good mechanic, get regular checkups.
 
Lots of good advice was already given, in the previous thread. Coles Notes: Get a steering damper and go easier on the throttle.
 
Flywheel said:
Mechanics chime in, but chains don't stretch, right? It's the pins/holes that wear allowing the links to relax, lengthening the chain as a result. That's why O and X rings chains have a lionger service life--they seal in lubricant to reduce wear on the pins.

Maybe the 250 ninjas still use older roller chains (unsealed pins) which wear/lengthen faster, especially without proper maintenance. They do need slack though, to account for suspension travel.
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AFAIK, there is no suspension travel on the Ninja 250.
 
Flywheel said:
Mechanics chime in, but chains don't stretch, right? It's the pins/holes that wear allowing the links to relax, lengthening the chain as a result. That's why O and X rings chains have a lionger service life--they seal in lubricant to reduce wear on the pins.

Maybe the 250 ninjas still use older roller chains (unsealed pins) which wear/lengthen faster, especially without proper maintenance. They do need slack though, to account for suspension travel.
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Let me guess, you were the kid who always had to correct the teacher?

Ugur Dinch said:
AFAIK, there is no suspension travel on the Ninja 250.
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The swingarm most definitely moves on a Ninja 250.
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