Hello, about to restore my 86 ninja

Timeforamiller · September 11th, 2024, 08:08 PM

Hello everybody! Glad to be here, I hope you find my new project interesting! So first things first, my first ever motorcycle was a fairly beat up 1986 Ninja 250. The original ninja 250 (in the states at least). I picked it up for $700 when I was 19 years old. I knew nothing about bikes except that I was into motovlogs and me and my buddies all wanted sport bikes. Well, I rode it maybe just a few times around my neighborhood, and wrecked it. (Wasn’t injured and the bike just took some scrapes, broken mirrors and turn signals.) I actually have an old YouTube video of the damage up still. Anyway, eventually it died on me and we couldn’t figure it out cause we knew nothing about what we were doing

well, it languished in my friends garage, slowly getting more and more incorrectly “worked on” for a year or so, then I sold it to another friend for $200. Flash forward 11 years, and it’s in another friend’s garage even more disassembled. In the meantime Ive had dual sports, and now ride a beautiful 2000 HD sportster, that I actually now am capable of maintaining, at least much more so than I was at 19.
Now, I have the opportunity to buy back my original ninja as a project from that same buddy I sold it too. So I am. I’m getting it back basically as a roller and 2 engines, with the rest in boxes. I plan to do a fairly faithful restoration with some personal touches, and end up with a serviceable and safe motorcycle. It will be a nice addition to my stable as my first ever bike. The original engine we found to have basically blown a couple years back, so my friend bought another engine from an 88-07 model and it’s currently mostly swapped in. I also have the original engine, which I will use for parts and maybe eventually rebuild completely, but that’s a later project. I’m hoping to share this project with you folks and also will need this community’s resources and help along the way!
Wish me luck!

CTarna · September 11th, 2024, 08:28 PM

Timeforamiller! Glad you found us...

Triple Jim · September 12th, 2024, 05:12 AM

Welcome Courtland! We'll be looking forward to following your progress.

Snake · September 17th, 2024, 04:00 PM

Hello and welcome!

September 11th, 2024, 08:08 PM	#1
Timeforamiller ninjette.org newbie Name: Courtland Location: Harrison, TN Join Date: Sep 2024 Motorcycle(s): 2000 Harley Davidson Sportster 883, 1986 Kawasaki Ninja 250R Posts: 4	Hello, about to restore my 86 ninja Hello everybody! Glad to be here, I hope you find my new project interesting! So first things first, my first ever motorcycle was a fairly beat up 1986 Ninja 250. The original ninja 250 (in the states at least). I picked it up for $700 when I was 19 years old. I knew nothing about bikes except that I was into motovlogs and me and my buddies all wanted sport bikes. Well, I rode it maybe just a few times around my neighborhood, and wrecked it. (Wasn’t injured and the bike just took some scrapes, broken mirrors and turn signals.) I actually have an old YouTube video of the damage up still. Anyway, eventually it died on me and we couldn’t figure it out cause we knew nothing about what we were doing well, it languished in my friends garage, slowly getting more and more incorrectly “worked on” for a year or so, then I sold it to another friend for $200. Flash forward 11 years, and it’s in another friend’s garage even more disassembled. In the meantime Ive had dual sports, and now ride a beautiful 2000 HD sportster, that I actually now am capable of maintaining, at least much more so than I was at 19. Now, I have the opportunity to buy back my original ninja as a project from that same buddy I sold it too. So I am. I’m getting it back basically as a roller and 2 engines, with the rest in boxes. I plan to do a fairly faithful restoration with some personal touches, and end up with a serviceable and safe motorcycle. It will be a nice addition to my stable as my first ever bike. The original engine we found to have basically blown a couple years back, so my friend bought another engine from an 88-07 model and it’s currently mostly swapped in. I also have the original engine, which I will use for parts and maybe eventually rebuild completely, but that’s a later project. I’m hoping to share this project with you folks and also will need this community’s resources and help along the way! Wish me luck!

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September 11th, 2024, 08:28 PM	#2
CTarna Ghost... Name: . Location: . Join Date: Jan 2017 Motorcycle(s): . Posts: A lot. MOTM - Oct '17	Timeforamiller! Glad you found us...

September 12th, 2024, 05:12 AM	#3
Triple Jim Guy Who Enjoys Riding Name: Jim Location: North Carolina Join Date: Jul 2016 Motorcycle(s): Ninja 250 Posts: A lot. MOTM - Oct '18, Aug '17, Aug '16	Welcome Courtland! We'll be looking forward to following your progress.

September 17th, 2024, 04:00 PM	#4
Snake ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Rick Location: Alexandria, Louisiana Join Date: Jan 2009 Motorcycle(s): 05 Blue Ninja 250 Posts: Too much. MOTY - 2017, MOTM - Jan '19, Oct '16, May '14	Hello and welcome!