What are the essential mods and accessories?

[efoo]

For those of you that have changed sprocket size, what are the pros and cons to it? it sounds like it may increase accel but there must be some trade-off for switching gear size too. Are there decreases in mpg or top speed? let me know thanks!

[efoo]

Originally Posted by Larkin Spur

Dont ask us! make your own decision on whats right for you. your old enough to ride a motorcycle, you dont need our opinion on things only you can figure out on your own.
I am a 5'0" 100 lb female that has been riding my 250 for less than a month. I have made all my own decisions about my bike and its modifications based on whats right for me. Theres no reason why you cant do the same!

I 100% agree that making your own decisions is important, but getting other opinions and using tools like this forum to learn about everything is just as important. Learn from everyone, Follow no one

[live_to_ride]

Originally Posted by Rory_L

Getting back to riding after several years, I find this forum very useful. That's why I asked the questions . . .

That's good. Asking for ppl's person experience isn't wrong and IMO does not define you as indecisive. I don't understand Larkin Spurs comment to you. At all! Except reveal her inexperience? Mabe?

[Aufitt]

Originally Posted by Empty Sea

Aufitt.. For street use, would you recommend changing the sprocket or the exhaust, assuming you only had the budget for one of the two and assuming you aim to keep the bike for a bit? I'm getting the impression from this thread and a few others that the sprocket is the way to go.

Hard question, You HAVE to change the zorst, stock zorst is Ghey and weighs a tonne but after 7 days (at one circuit) here is some figures-

started out doing 85+ and got it down to high 82's after a few months.
So that proves that nothing beats rider improvements

Sprocket is $25, non Oring chain $50,
82.60 secs down to 82.26 but i'll put that down to dampish day and on the road the advantages would be far greater.
it sure felt quicker by a mile, top speed went from 128 to 132kph.

The homemade footpeg brackets were a massive improvement,
82.26 down to 80.79 in one day. (dont have to hold corners so long and better lines = faster exits
Top speed went to over 140kph (Speedo indicated 168 at a glance, still way off redline in 6th but you dont get time to look)
That proves its all in the corners.

I dont think any faster is possible for me on the Nugget.

Next test is (Unfamiliar bike that I didnt set up) Ninja 250 on Pirelli (Corsa's) vs cbr250 on Bridgestone (003's).
'Theoretical best is 79.94 (adding the best split times)

It might be slower because it a yukky green Kawasaki.
but the Ninjette forum guys will want to know the results


As for Essential mods-
Rider training
Rider training
Rider training.
... broken record.

[lewiCBR250R]

Originally Posted by Dietly

I'm sure other people have already said this, but: frame sliders are the best 100$ you can spend on your motorcycle. It only takes 1 minor drop to crack your fairing and ruin it. And do you know how much it costs to replace a fairing? A lot. A lot more than 100$ usually.

And if you have an accident (god forbid) they can save your frame from getting bent, your handlebars from getting bent, they will save your plastic, and stop damage to the crank case.

Yeah, get frame sliders.

main side fairing will cost you $20 brand new oem actually...

also, sliders can wreck your frame and also cause your bike to flip and do more damage than good. For stationary drops they will be ok besides costing more than replacing fairings, but anything involving speed don't guarantee your bike will not have damage caused as a result of having frame sliders

[Rory_L]

Originally Posted by lewiCBR250R

main side fairing will cost you $20 brand new oem actually...

also, sliders can wreck your frame and also cause your bike to flip and do more damage than good. For stationary drops they will be ok besides costing more than replacing fairings, but anything involving speed don't guarantee your bike will not have damage caused as a result of having frame sliders

Now you see, that is something very interesting. You would think something that is commonly refered to as a 'Frame Protector' would do just that. You would also think something that is refered to as a 'slider' would afford such protection in the case of , well, a slide.
This brings up a related issue: Has anyone had their frame (or know, first-hand) of someone having their frame ruined by having frame sliders installed?

[lewiCBR250R]

Originally Posted by Rory_L

Now you see, that is something very interesting. You would think something that is commonly refered to as a 'Frame Protector' would do just that. You would also think something that is refered to as a 'slider' would afford such protection in the case of , well, a slide.
This brings up a related issue: Has anyone had their frame (or know, first-hand) of someone having their frame ruined by having frame sliders installed?

there's a reason why race bikes don't use sliders...

if you do a google search for it you will see some stories about those things happening

[Rory_L]

Originally Posted by lewiCBR250R

there's a reason why race bikes don't use sliders...

if you do a google search for it you will see some stories about those things happening

I see what you mean. Apparently, all sliders are not the same. Where they place on the frame is everything to their effectiveness.

I don't know the exact mechanics of anybody's accident (let alone the one I'm potentially going to have). I'm reading a range of results on crashes with frame sliders.

Something I asked early on was why don't the bikes already come with these designed in to them (would be more effective if they were a true part of the frame rather than some bolt on appendage). The only one Ive seen specced with frame 'protectors' is the Triumph street triple.

[RedSpade]

honestly i wouldn't mod too much on this ride unless you plan on keeping it for a long time--and this is from someone who's modded it a bit already
I've invested in a 2 brother's carbon fiber slip on because I couldn't stand it sounding like my lawnmower. to my surprise it dropped 10bl of weight and i've noticed a significant upgrade in throttle response....and of course it looks and sounds amazing =P the other superficial mod i did right away was get a fender eliminator kit--it makes the 250 look frumpy with all that junk hanging off it's ass.
frame sliders are nice but only really good when u drop the bike at low speeds in a parking lot/driveway. I still opted to put them on because it's my first bike and i'm learning, but honestly they don't do much. you'll still bend your lever and bust off your mirror. i actually dropped the bike on my extremely steep driveway a week after i got it and nothing happened but a slightly bent break lever--which i still ride on. so the sliders are pretty much a peace of mind type of thing cuz when you go down in a turn it's gonna tear the bike up no matter what.
everything else is cosmetic and probably not really worth it unless you got your heart set on it. performance mods?--just get good and go up to a 600 impo.
like other people mentioned, i would invest in a track day, if you can't swing that then you can do a weekend motorcycle course with your local MSF, they cover different learning capabilities. and def invest in some leather gear, you won't be sorry.

[Kyle M3]

I was thinking along the lines of fender eliminator, exhaust, frame sliders, etc... Then, last night I found a police forum (didn't even know such a thing existed) with a thread from 2007 about what draws an officer's attention to a bike. Most of the mods mentioned minus the frame sliders are a "hey, look at me!" no, no.

Now, this is only a 250 and lord knows I won't intentionally cause any trouble. However, in the event that something unintentional should occur, I certainly don't want to be drawing attention to myself.

So... Framesliders...