Ninja 300 Farkle



In addition to the installation of the LVI exhaust system and AreaP/ Fuel Moto Micro Fuel Controller, we took the opportunity to install a few accessories.

MRA Light Smoke windscreen

Most Ninja 300 owners will tell you that the plain transparent windscreen quickly looses its appeal for them. After a few days of ownership, it is unavoidable to find the screen losing its sheen and becoming dull with scratches. No matter how careful you are with your bike, this is unavoidable as the material used for the screen is not scratch resistant. I was looking for a good, durable aftermarket windscreen. I had identified Hotbodies and Puig as the leading makers of the aftermarket windscreens. Of these I was more in favour of the Puig as it looked sleek and seemed to fit the profile of the bike better.

In the meantime J D Promoto announced on their Facebook page the availability of MRA windscreens. I sent a message asking if they could arrange for light smoke windscreen for Ninja 300. They responded by mentioning that a lot of windscreens was already on its way and was expected within 15 days. About 10 days later I got a message informing me that the windscreens had arrived. Couple of days later I went a picked up the windscreen.

The installation of the windscreen is fairly simple, yet it is also awkward and requires 2 people to do it properly without any fuss. The reason it awkward is the fact that the windscreen, rear view mirrors and the number plate are all held by 2 common bolts on each side. Therefore, its better if someone is holding the rear view mirrors and the windscreen while removing and installing the complete assembly. The reason it is simple is the fact that all you need to do is remove 4 bolts and the whole windscreen assembly come off (unlike the Ninja 250 assembly).

The first thing that we did was removed the bolts as described above.




Next the new windscreen was installed.




Next the rubber beading included in the kit was attached along the edge of the windscreen and crimp fasteners included in the kit were used to lock the beading in place.






ASV C/5 Adjustable Levers

Right from day 1 owning the bike I had decided that I needed adjustable levers for better control and comfort while riding. I have small stubby fingers, which make the stock levers a bit awkward for me personally. There was no doubt in my mind about the need for adjustable levers, the only question was which make.

Pazzo, CRG, PSR, etc, are famous names in adjustable levers and many of them are used in competition racing including Moto GP. Upon consulting a friend in U.K. he pointed me in the direction of ASV Inventions. He advised me to not look any further than ASV and that I would not regret the decision to opt for the levers.
ASV levers are not easily available. Therefore, the levers needed to be ordered directly from ASV Inventions. Since the levers were not readily available, the same were prepaid for and were received a month later.

One of the unique features of the levers was the adjustability. While most levers have 6 to 8 increments, the C/5 has a range of 150 increments. The adjustments are also much finer. The levers also feature sealed bearing inserts that allow for smooth lever action and make operating them effortless.

Each lever comes in its own individual box, well packed in foam. The box also consisted of a well documented installation manual and a 5 year warranty card.




The finish of the levers is exquisite and second to none. The matt finish is simply superb and the red colour adjusting knob accentuates the quality of the levers.

The old levers were removed.




A dash of lithium grease was applied to the mounting bolt. The C/5 lever was then mounted.


The levers look amazing and just go with the white color and smoke windscreen.

Update on Leo Vince LVI full exhaust and AreaP/ Fuel Moto Micro Fuel Controller

Update on Leo Vince LVI full exhaust and AreaP/ Fuel Moto Micro Fuel Controller

One week and 500 kms have been completed. The bike starts on first attempt in the morning and runs just perfect from cold start to running temperatures. The engine temperature is noticeably less and the stock smoothness is intact. The fuelling seems to be spot on and there are no dips or surges across the power band. An indication of good fuelling is the colour of the headers which are turning into light even gold/brown colour.


This is as close to a perfect map I am going to get without dyno based runs and tuning. Impressive, considering the fact that this map has been customised with the data given in my previous posts. Hats off to Kerry Bryant, AreaP and Fuel Moto. They are truly masters in the art of creating fuel maps .

Re: Making of Kawasaki Ninja 300 San

Waiting patiently for further posts....

Re: Making of Kawasaki Ninja 300 San

Currently travelling out of the country. Will be back in couple of weeks time. Will post rest after I return.

Re: Making of Kawasaki Ninja 300 San

Hi [MENTION=26077]abhimanyu31[/MENTION]

I am interested to get similar Tank Pad. Can you get me a reliable source?

Re: Making of Kawasaki Ninja 300 San

Who would not be interested bro...

Waiting for more update...

Installation of Spiegler Stainless Steel Brake Lines

Installation of Spiegler Stainless Steel Brake LinesSpiegler Brake LinesSpiegler Performance Parts - Why Spiegler Brake Lines?.


I went ahead and ordered red lines with red banjo and banjo nuts. I thought that red would look great with my white Ninja 300 (though my sister will beg to differ; she calls me Jughead for my liking for blues and reds ).


I received the lines recently and was looking forward to installing the same. I was also looking forward to upgrading the brake oil by switching over DOT 5.1. I asked Vikram of Motozone if he could source the same. Vikram tried to source the DOT 5.1. oil, however the same is not readily available and needs to be ordered. After 2 frustrating weeks where we even got in touch with the official Motul distributors we took the decision to go for DOT 4 oil and change over to DOT 5.1 as soon as it becomes available (we have ordered it and expect to received within a month).


Incidentally, Spiegler recommends Motul brake fluid for its lines.


Installation


As is always the case, Vikram called me on a Friday afternoon to inform me that I could bring the bike and lines and he would take care of all the other things. He ordered the Motul DOT 4 fluid. In addition to the brake fluid, he ordered couple of cans of Motul Carburetor Cleaner to clean all the brake parts and internals. According to Vikram in absence of dedicated Brake Cleaner, the Carburetor Cleaner is best of cleaning all the internal components brake system. He is absolutely against use of solvents like petrol, kerosene, etc., as in his experience these solvents distort the rubber parts. He also informed me that he intended to dismantle the whole brake system and clean it before putting it all together.


Motul DOT 3 & 4 fully synthetic brake fluid.


Motul Carbu Clean


Vikram started the dismantling by removing the front brake system. He first removed the caliper from its mounting. The brake pads were removed.



I would like to comment on the brake pads at this point. Many people have complained about the quality of brake pads and how they wear out abnormally fast. My bike has completed 3,000 kms and the pads were nearing the end of their service life. The maximum that these pads could last were 500 kms more. So yes, there is a problem with these pads. They do seem to have a very short life span. Surprising as the make is Nissin and not some cheap second rate company.

Once the pads were out, Vikram pumped the brake lever to push the caliper pistons out.



Once the pistons were out of the caliper, Vikram cleaned them with the carb spray.


After spraying and cleaning the pistons, they were dried with fresh clean tissue paper and then warped in clean tissue paper and put aside in a box to move on to the next step.


After cleaning the pistons, Vikram remounted the caliper on the fork. This allows for easier dismantling of the brake line. He loosened the brake line and removed the bleed nipple.



The brake line was loosened from the master cylinder side.


The master cylinder and oil reservoir were removed from the handle bar.


The cap was removed from the oil reservoir and residual oil was drained out.


The piston was removed from the master cylinder and cleaned with carb spray.



The master cylinder and oil reservoir were cleaned and dried.


The calliper was cleaned with the carb spray.


The master cylinder was reassembled.


The calliper was reassembled.


Spiegler line was installed.


DOT 4 oil was poured into the oil reservoir and the brake was bled.


Vikram noted the remarkable easy with which the oil flowed from top to the brake calliper and bleed nipple. The Teflon lining does help the hydraulic fluid flow smoothly. Once the front brake was completed, the procedure was repeated for the rear brake.





Once again thanks to Vikram of Motozone Pune, Mumbai, for making the whole experience a painless one. Motozone has taken really good care of my Ninja .

Driven Racing D3 Grips: Limited Edition Candy Red.

This week's mod was installing Driven Racing D3 Grips: Limited Edition Candy Red.





----consecutive posts auto-merged-----

Installation of Exhaust Wraps on Ninja 300Installation
The installation was pretty straightforward. The exhaust was completely dismounted to enable easier installation. Over here I would like to note that when we uninstalled the exhaust system we were very surprised to see how clean the system was. There was almost no hint of any carbon deposits and the system is almost as clean as the day it was first installed. I have completed 1,000 kms on system and state of the exhaust is an indicator of the spot on fueling of the AreaP/ Fuel Moto Fuel Controller. Unfortunately, I have not taken any photographs of the same.






Initial Impression

Re: Driven Racing D3 Grips: Limited Edition Candy Red.

Brembo Marchesini Wheels and Metzeler Sportec M5 Interact

F = MA or Force = Mass times Acceleration

Quite simply put, Acceleration is produced when a Force acts on a Mass (Object). The greater the Mass of the Object, the greater Force required to Accelerate the Object.

The above-mentioned law is the fundamental pillar on which all performance upgrades are based. This law is inviolable in this universe (may be different in a parallel universe but then no one has gone to a parallel universe to confirm it ).

Considering the above law there are essentially only two choices to increasing acceleration i.e. increase the force applied or decrease the mass of the object.

Brembo Marchesini WheelsMetzeler Sportec M5 InteractInstallation of Brembo Marchesini Wheels and Metzeler Sportec M5 Interact
A wheel being weighed.

Reduction of un-sprung mass is not without its cons. By reducing the un-sprung mass we have upset the rebound settings of the suspension as tuned by Kawasaki engineers. On a superbike this change is fairly easy to correct due to the availability of fully adjustable suspensions. However, the Ninja 300 does not have adjustable suspension and thus it is now fait accompli that we will have to upgrade the suspension. We have identified the after-market suspension components and will be doing the changes in near future.


Front Wheel


Brembo Logo on spoke


Rear Wheel


Note the hollow hub...Drastic weight reduction


The finished bike


Rear


Front

Ride On Tire Protection System.

The final thing that needed to be done was to balance the tyres. I have used Ride On TPS on my bikes for the past couple of years and have been very happy with the performance. Inserting the solution is 2 minutes job literally and a drive of 3 to 4 kilometers coats the tyres with the solution and balances them without any fuss. Once the process is completed, the tyres are balanced for their lifetime. The solution is so effective that the metal counter weights on your wheels can be removed without any adverse effect.


Ride On TPS



Acknowledgements:
Once again thanks to Vikram and Vijay of Motozone Pune, Mumbai for their brilliant work.
Also thanks to @satyenpoojary for pointing me in the direction of Ride On TPS. Its been one of the best tips I ever got.

Re: Making of Kawasaki Ninja 300 San

Hi , i am hooked to your thread and really like the cutomizing that you have done.
If you don't mind can you also share the cost involved in these upgrades.
Thanks



Ride or die

Rizoma Garffio LED Indicator lights

Rizoma Garffio LED Indicator lights

This weekend's addition to the Ninja was a bit of farkle. Rizoma Garffio LED Indicator lights not only look stunning, but also provide clear and intense light for turn indication. The indicators comprise of housing made of aluminium with clear lens and SMD based LED. Made in Italy, each indicator comes in individual box with a sponge cut out packing and is accompanied with 2 sets of resistors and a instruction manual.

The installation of these indicators is not blot on. It required making of mounting plates. As I wanted to use the stock connectors and did not want any cutting and splicing of the wiring, fresh connectors were sourced, the wires were soldered and the assembly was shrink warped with PVC sleeves. Thanks to Vikram of Motozone, Pune, for taking the effort and time to do the job exactly as I required it to be done. It is in no small part due to Vikram's efforts that the whole experience was so painless.

Re: Rizoma Garffio LED Indicator lights

Great Stuff, love reading all the installation, keep them coming...

^nd



Once we took a look at the rear sprocket, the scope of work was dramatically increased. Instead of just installing the rear sprocket we decided to replace and renew the entire drive train. To get maximum benefit we decided to a new chain and front sprocket.

Vikram of Motozone sourced a Vortex 14 teeth Stainless Steel front sprocket. For the chain we decided to use Rolon X ring chain.



We started to work by removing the rear wheel. The current rear sprocket is made out of mild steel. It weighs more than 500 gms whereas the Renthal sprocket is about 100 gms. This was change was going to reduce another 400 gms of un-sprung weight from the machine.

Changing the chain and sprockets requires a lot of patience, as the swing arm needs to be removed in order to facilitate the removal and installation of the chain.

The first impressions after the change are dramatic. Now the torque is well spread out across the range and the bike is once again extremely smooth and streetable.


The mild steel sprocket.


Renthal sprocket being installed on the wheel. A perfect fit.


Front stock sprocket. Note the speedo sensor that picks its signal from the front sprocket nut.


Rolon X ring chain.


Vortex Stainless Steel front sprocket 14 teeth. Note the gunk that gets collected below the front sprocket with regular lubing.


The gunk being cleaned thoroughly before final assembly.


Front sprocket and chain ready for final assembly.


Rear Sprocket and chain ready for final assembly.

A very special thanks to Vikram and Vijay of Motozone, Pune for the efforts taken by them to source the parts.

Re: Making of Kawasaki Ninja 300 San

Damn cool stuff, dude. You're doing an amazing job on Ninja san.. Helmets off..

Sent from the deep reaches of hell

Re: Making of Kawasaki Ninja 300 San

Installation of Scottoiler chain oiling system

The one common complaint of all motorcyclists around the world is the hassle and routine of cleaning and lubricating their bike’s chain. It has be the most dirty and crappy part of all the their bike maintenance routine. I have personally come across motorcyclists who have based their choice of bikes on the basis of what the final drive train of their bike is i.e. shaft drive or belt drive, because they don’t want to deal with cleaning and lubing a chain.

What most people tend to forget or discount is the fact that the final drive is what makes it possible for our bikes to move. Without a final drive train, the bike may as well be a pushbike. Yet we tend not to pay it the attention that we pay to the engine or any other part of the bike. We think and discuss about what oil is the best for the engine, what air filter to use, which spark plug to use, etc, but chains and sprockets are only given a passing thought. Even when group of motorcyclists meet, it is more likely that engines will be discussed than the final drive train.

The only time that most of us give the drive train any thought is when the chain becomes slack or it starts making noise.

Many people complain that their gear shifts are notchy, many complain that they don’t get proper fuel efficiency and many complain that their bikes don’t perform as well as their friends does, many still complain about their bike not being smooth where as the neighbor’s is. Most people start looking at various factors (admittedly valid reasons) like air filter, AFR, tyre pressure, clutch adjustment, etc., only in the passing is the word ‘chain’ mentioned.

In addition to the above problems most people complain that the chains and sprockets wear out abnormally fast after the first 3,000 to 4,000 kms of running.

Would it surprise you if I told you that chains and sprockets have as much role to play in the above problems, as any other factor has to play? Many a times, the problem may be just that, a chain that has not been lubed properly which in turn leads to friction between the dry ‘O’ and links. Once the ‘O’ cracks and losses integrity, it lets in dirt and grime, which destroy the chain and this, leads to creation abnormal pressure point in the sprocket. These abnormal pressure points lead to wearing of the sprockets.

When chains are discussed, it’s normally about which chain is superior, the ‘O’ ring, the ‘X’ ring or the ‘Z’ ring. To an extent the bike makers and the chain makers are to be blamed for the obsession for such discussions as they provide either very basic information such as recommended cleaning period and what chain lube and cleaner should be used to misleading advertisements that harp about how one chain is superior to its competitors.

In my quest for performance I started looking for ways in which to reduce friction and increase the amount of useable power available at the rear wheel. The surprising road that it took me down was sprockets and chains. My last post was about installation of the Renthal rear sprocket, Vortex front sprocket and a Rolon X ring chain. The gearing change allowed for better use of the power. However, there was one crucial aspect that we still need to address; how to ensure that the chain and sprockets deliver optimum power all the time?

While researching this aspect, a friend in U.K. pointed me in the direction of Scottoiler chain oiling systems. He was emphatic about the benefits of the new Scottoiler eSystem and asked me to consider it seriously.

We all know in some part of our mind that a dry chain degrades performance. But the question is just how much of degradation it is? According to Scottoiler, the friction between a dry ‘O’ ring and the links can covert up to 2 Kilowatts (2.6 hp) of power to heat. A look at dyno runs provided by Scottoiler proves to be a very interesting read. The dyno runs done with a GSXR 1000 show a difference of 10 bhp at the rear wheel between a lubed and a dry chain. For additional study take a look at the more detailed pdf http://www.webbikeworld.com/t2/bmw-s...est-graphs.pdf.





In addition to the performance, there are additional benefits of the system:

1. It claims to increase chain and sprocket life by up to 7 times.

2. It eliminates the need to clean the chain frequently. The oil from the system washes away the dirt and grime.

3. Its hands down more economical to use than traditional chain lubes and cleaners. The accurate metering system ensures that the chain optimally lubed. 60 ml (capacity of reservoir) of oil last for 4,500 kms.

4. Its cleaner that traditional chain lubes. Traditional chain lubes are tacky to ensure that lube sticks to the chain. However, over time the lube collects dirt and gets flung on to the rear wheel. All of us know that cleaning the rear wheel of grime and dirt is a major headache and is very messy.

The above mentioned benefits made it worthwhile to go for it. Therefore, a Scottoiler eSystem was ordered.

When the Scottoiler system was received, I immediately saw a potential problem. The system consisted of a digital console, which needs to be mounted in place easily reachable. The digital console consisted of a 3-axis accelerometer, which senses how much oil should be dispensed. It also displays the rate of oil dispensation, ambient temperature, time, oil level in reservoir and the G forces. The console has 2 big buttons to help operate the unit even with gloves on.
The potential problem that I foresaw was the habit of people here to fiddle around and destroy things, which don’t belong to them. Some may feel offended by this statement, but it is a fact that I have personally experienced, there is a streak of meanness and jealousy in people who take sadistic pleasure in destroying things that belong to others. Leaving the bike unattended with the display console mounted was akin to showing red to a ranging bull.

I asked Vikram of Motozone, Pune, if he could make a casing for the console. Vikram very graciously agreed to make the casing. The results of Vikram’s efforts have exceeded my expectations. He created the casing using aluminum with a polycarbonate front and 2 rubberized buttons. The complete casing is waterproof, tamper resistant and completely functional.

The eSystem box consist of the digital console, oil reservoir, 250 ml bottle of oil lubricant (you have a choice of blue (regular) and red (high temperature) oil), harnesses, nozzle with pipe, and various fixtures for mounting options. The kit is quite self-contained and ordinarily would not require any thing extra for installation.


Scottoiler eSystem – California Superbike School approved. MCN Product of the Year 2009.


eSystem digital console in the aluminum casing. 100% water proof and temper resistant.


60ml eSystem oil reservoir with a electro magnetic piston to dispense accurate amount of oil.


250ml high temperature oil. One bottle will last 18,000 kms!

eSystem reservoir being filled.

Oil reservoir bottle sits in the glove box next to the tool kit.

eSystem being primed.

Oil filling the entire piping during system priming.



Oil dispensing nozzle.

Pipe routing. Note that the system priming is completed and the pipe is completely filled with oil.

Display console in regular display mode.

300 kms/ One week ride review

300 kms and one week have given a better understanding about the Scottoiler system. To answer all queries in one line: It works exactly as advertised. The system’s 3 axis accelerometer is sensitive enough that it will wake up only when the engine is started and the bike is in motion. While waiting in traffic, the system sensing that there is no motion goes to sleep only to awake immediately upon moving 5 meters. The current threshold for oil dispensing is set at 60 kmph (it can be adjusted to higher or lower threshold), therefore lubrication begins only after the bike reaches and passes 60 kmph. The current oil dispensing rate is set at 60 seconds for 1 drop of oil, this again can be increased or decreased in units of 10 seconds.

Ordinarily, after 300 kms of running, one would see some amount of grime collected on the chain. Thus far the chain is remarkably clean. The chain and the sprocket are well lubricated and show remarkably reduced rolling resistance. This difference is felt perceptibly when the bike is on the move. Gearshifts are positive and butter smooth, there is remarkable absence of vibration on the foot pegs.

This is one of the most remarkable and best investments I have made and will be a must do addition on all my future bikes.

Note: BMW and KTM officially endorse Scottoiler for their bikes.

Thanks to Vikram of Motozone, Pune for the fantastic job of making the casing and also doing a great job on installation of the system.

Monsoon Experience.

I have now completed almost 4,000 kms with the Scottoiler system which includes about 750 kms in monsoon. The benefits of the system are quite apparent. I do not need to clean the chain and lube it every 500 kms (more frequently in the monsoon). I also do not have to clean the rear wheel and swing arm as frequently. With the chain lube, there would always be a thick coating of dirt and slime on the rear wheel rim after some riding due to the tacky nature of chain lubes. This would be even worst in the monsoons. Now there is only a thin layer of oil and grime, that can be wiped away with mild soap and water. Even after heavy rains on last week when the bike was left standing outside in the rain, the chain has enough lubrication on it not to allow any rust to develop on the chain.

Also since the installation, I have not adjusted the chain even once. The chain tension is the same as it was during installation. It runs like a new chain, is smooth and chain noise is virtually non existent.

8,000 Kms Experience

Just crossed 8,000 kms with the Scottoiler. The chain is still as good as new. Have not had to make any adjustments till date. Bike still rolls as freely as it did on the day the chain was installed. Sprockets are also as good as new, show no signs of wear till date.