Every MPG improver for the little 250 ninja
 

Hey guys, I have a 250 ninja, And gas is no longer pocket change like it used to be. I drive further, and it is getting more expensive. Also, I would like to be able to afford a few road trips on my spare money. Please, let me know every little thing to improve my gas mileage!

I know stuff like:
sprockets
lowering
double bubble wind screen
full sunthetic oil

but, I want every thing possible, please, help me out!

Mike

How about pumping up your tires to the max that you are comfortable with (within the tires max rating)?

Stay tucked in, knees pulled in, chest down on the tank. After you get rolling in first, try shifting with your left hand, it's easier when you are tucked down.

Kill the engine whenever feasible - coasting to a stop, at red lights, etc. Make sure your battery is up to multiple restarts.

Wear tight fitting clothes, nothing should be flapping in the breeze.

Good Luck, Ride safe.

Lose some weight?

stay under 7000 rpm?

stay out of 1st gear.

How about working on the aerodynamics of your bike.

Things like flush mount, or shorter stems on your turn signals. Shortening the rear fender flap (they look like an air brake back there). Lowering the bike is another options that will help reduce the frontal area a little bit. My Ninja 500 is a lot like yours, and I currently am trying to see how much of a difference removing the lower fairing makes... won't have any idea till I fill again. I am also considering putting on clipon bars to help me tuck easier, I believe you can get them for the 250 also.

Mr_C

Aside from basic riding position and throttle control (accelerate lightly, pull in clutch down long hills, coast to stop lights, etc.) if you want to get technical and become more intimate with the workings of your bike, try using smaller fuel delivery jets and/or a different carburetor needle. I can't seem to find a way to attach a carburetor tuning graph showing what change has the most effect at each throttle setting, but if you want better fuel economy at slower speeds (like if all your riding is just around town with little throttle usage) then put in a smaller slow jet. To improve mid range economy, put in a larger jet needle, and if you want to boost economy at WOT, then put in a smaller main jet. Be advised however that going too lean will kill your engine with excessive heat.

The best course is to try one such adjustment and then run your bike on a dyno equipped with a wide band oxygen sensor (air/fuel meter). Optimum safe high performance WOT A/F ratio is between 12.5 and 13.5. Anything over 14.5 is excessively lean and risks stressing/overheating your combustion chamber.

On an unrelated note, what's the deal with logging in on this site? If I leave the site for even a few minutes, the damn thing logs me out. It gets rather obnoxious after logging in 4 times in the last hour.

Keep the chain well lubed.. if you really want to reduce the rolling resistance.. use thinner chain lube, but that's likely to require constant lubing.

i dont have that problem at all. i am always logged in even when i restart my computer. what browser are you using?

I think that swapping in a bigger front sprocket and/or smaller rear sprocket will give you the best mpg increase for the lowest cost.

The smaller rear would be cheaper than a larger front sprocket because you wouldn't have to buy a new chain (just take a few links out of the chain you are using now)

Try to get some sprockets and chain links in prime numbers, for example 17/41 and 113 link combination, in theory, that would extend your chain/spprocket lifespan.

180 lbs with no fat to loose, so thats not an option. I will get sprockets to keep the RPM's down.


thanks for the replies guys. I am not new to tuning, just new to tuning for gas mileage. It already runs lean, I put a new exhaust on it, and it got a little better gas mileage after that. I am going to get the flush mount signals now, since I like the look of them over stock anyhow :)
here is my list today, of things I am getting and/or have already got:
chain lube(already have, will lube it up!)
flush mount signals(will order off ebay)

I am working on the other things, I will keep you guys updated when I get my results! thanks!!

Changing the sprocket IS a good way to boost mpg's, but if your real goal is to save money, then some changes that result in boosted mpg's aren't going to offset the cost of making those changes. For instance, I don't think buying a new rear sprocket will make a big enough improvement in fuel economy to give a return greater than what you spent on the sprocket, but if you are due for a chain and sprocket change (always change them both at the same time, always), then definitely go for the "more economical" one.

The EX250 will take up to a 15th front sprocket. That combined with the 41th rear will allow you to keep the stock 520-106 chain size. It could go down to a 39th rear, but the chain would have to go down to a 520-104, I think.