100mpg on a Ninja 250

[kawboyCAFE]

traded my vulcan 500 for a new ninja 250 the other day. have filled it up once, and it came out to 71 MPG. i have been easy on it because of the break in period. maybe after it is broke in, we can have a little MPG competition? ya'll will win, but it will still be fun.

[thomasj223]

I have heard a few things about the 08+ Ninja 250:

-A little more low end torque, which might allow you to get better economy when in this range

-Lower mpg, but the bike is supposed to be more responsive "around town"

The biggest "bang for your buck" mod for better economy would probably be a front and rear sprocket change. The 08+ probably has different clearances and might not fit the same number of teeth on the front the older models do, make sure you verify. I think you can just throw a 39 on the back, not sure.

Some downsides to the new model:

-The Canadian ninja 250 is fuel injected! Why not the US spec?
-No Centerstand

So strange to see a fuel gauge on a motorcycle...

My 3 tank average is about 90 mpg right now and I am not hypermiling. I like to open the throttle a little from time to time. The biggest difference for me was the radical sprocket change for much lower cruising rpms.

[kawboyCAFE]

i just got some new sprockets for mine ordered a few days ago. i do wish it had a centerstand. i am glad it is carburated, i hate fuel injection. carbs are easier to work on, and easier to tune. maybe i will try to build some kind of centerstand for it, dont know. anyway, my new sprockets are 15/42, that way i dont have to shorten my chain.

[thomasj223]

Originally Posted by kawboyCAFE

i just got some new sprockets for mine ordered qa few days ago. i do wish it had a centerstand. i am glad it is carburated, i hate fuel injection. carbs are easier to work on, and easier to tune. maybe i will try to build some kind of centerstand for it, dont know. anyway, my new sprockets are 15/42, that way i dont have to shorten my chain.

That sounds like a pretty good setup, I am curious to know what kind of gas mileage you get! Also, do you have any experience with the older Ninja 250? Can you comment on any other changes or differences in engine operating characteristics?

[kawboyCAFE]

last night i installed the 42t rear sprocket (did not have to shorten chain), 1 inch bar risers, and 2 inch rear lowering links. i am going to wait about installing the 15t front sprocket to see how good i like the 14/42 setup first. if i like it i may just save my 15t front sprocket until my next chain and then try the 15/45 setup for comparison. i have a feeling that the difference between 14/42 and 15/45 will be nonexistent, especially since the ratios are exactly identical at 3.00, but we will see.

i have never had the older ninja for comparison, but i bet the mechanics are pretty similar, atleast the engine. the cams are different, and maybe the carb settings, but thats about it. but from everything i have read, the older ninja 250s are ultra-reliable, and super-efficient. or atleast they are when people aren't trying to ride them into the ground. but the new ninja 250s should be just as reliable, i would think.

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by kawboyCAFE

have a feeling that the difference between 14/42 and 15/45 will be nonexistent, especially since the ratios are exactly identical at 3.00, but we will see.

As the ratios are identical, you won't see a difference.
Your chain should last longer on the 15/45 though.

[kawboyCAFE]

i think i will keep it at the 14/42 setup. it seems to work out real good. little lower RPMs, and the gears can run out a little longer. seeing as how i changed the rear sprocket with only 225 miles on the back, it is still in brand new shape. next time all i will have to buy will be a chain, since i already have the new 15t front sprocket. i like this new setup alot, and honestly i cant tell any difference it the take off. i am not a racer anyway, if i wanted something that was super fast, i would have bought a 600cc or bigger. alot of people just dont get that. they see a 250, and they start asking why did i get such a small bike. but not all people are looking to break land speed records, and neither am i. my new ninja 250 is small, fun, light, and i tell them it would whip their larger bikes butt in the twisties. thats my kind of riding anyway, canyon carving.

[sendler]

You may want to also post your mpg at fuelly to to help the Ninja numbers over there which are not that great compared to the new Honda CBR250R.
Kawasaki Ninja 250R MPG Reports | Fuelly.
.
I believe the CBR250R will smash the 100 mpg barrier with nothing more than a gearing change and hypermiler as a rider. Too bad they are in very short supply.

[dcb]

Fuelly might not be the best reference point for the two bikes, the cbr250r being new and all, but the fuel injection on the honda has to help matters.

[sendler]

Originally Posted by dcb

the fuel injection on the honda has to help matters.

It also has 25% less piston crown area (source of heat energy loss) being a single and the cam tuning is also more efficient with more torque at lower rpms. The trade off is top speed and acelleration but what hypermiler cares about that as long as the bike can easily ride 80 mph if need be. The CBR250R could be the new go to freeway ready mileage vehicle for ecomodders. Too bad I can't even sit on one yet as they are in very short supply. Shrouded scooters can do some amazing numbers but I believe the Honda will easily top 100 mpg and can still mix it up with the big trucks on a commute which no 200 mpg scooter can dream of.