So I have two Q's for those who are OCD with cleaning like I am:

when you clean the air filter element (should I say airbox foam pad) what do you use? I curently have been using iso alcohol, despite the manuals warning of using a low-flash point solvent. But, I was wondering more specifically if anyone uses just soapy water to let it sit and get all the oil and junk out. Any and all comments help.

Next, I wondered if any of those w/ a ninja 250 or 500 who ride with the lower fascia off notice a sort of scoring or burning on the front part of the exhaust pipe. I noticed it shortly after riding with that fascia off and am not sure if the differential temperature and greater cooling causes damage to it all. Mostly, I just wanna know if the "blackening" is common to this bike.

I also was wondering if anyone has a suggestion as to why my chain goes loose very quickly after tightening. I figure it's some bad clutching habit of letting out too fast I have at freeway speed but, I just dunno. (90% of my miles are on the freeway 70 mph).

 

They do not want you to use a high flash point cleaner because when you reinstall your filter if some of it remains on the filter it will be introduced into the combustion chamber and possible cause harm by adding more explosive power than just the air and gas. Not good.

Soapy water works great. Or get aftermarket K&N or BM both are good.

The darkening of your pipe could be just normal bluing, I am not sure by your description though. Is it actually black soot leaking out of one of the connections? Is there a lot of soot in the end of your pipe? Post a pic if you can.

Check and make sure that your properly tightening the adjustment screww and the locking nut on your rear. My chain stays adjusted good with normal ridding.

Ride safe bro.

 

Yeah, I would just love to get a K&N, but its just too much for me right now.

But I just went ahead with soap and water and it worked like a charm.
The locknut is probably the problem, I recently found a torque wrench and adjusted correctly and had no problem since...

On the blackening, there's not any particles or soot, the bike runs fine, it's just that its actually as you described it "normal bluing". I just am not familiar with how much its supposed to alter color.

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*First attempt at embedding pics on this forum, if it's messed up or not there I apologize in advance.

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[IMG]local://upfiles/529/51FBBEF7F725486DABABB15A17AA1850.jpg[/IMG]

 

I would say that your pipes are fine. I have a 500 that does not have a lower fairing and as far as I know, it has never had one. My pipes are fine. As for my chain, I have no problems with it, I haven't had to adjust it yet.

 

Soap and water much safer.

That looks like normal bluing to me. No worries there bro.

Good pics.

 

looks like normal blueing to me on your pipes. Trust me I've seen a lot of blueing in my days in the navy. Especialy on our engines we use.

 

Thanks ya'll for the input. I just love the versatility of having both the sport look and the naked bike look, but it seemed weird to me that stainless would blue more AFTER where it gets the hottest. just shows my experience.

And outta curiosity...is the crosspipe that connects the two exhaust pipes just extra structural support or do exhaust gases actually flow through there? it doesn't make much sense if the latter is true for scavenging purposes, but the only way to find out would be to whip out a saw...

 

To your statement of the navy, are you familiar with the supply ship Sirius?

 

no I've never hear of her. I've be stations in VA, CA and Fl, and back to VA this summer. Back to my old stomping grounds lol. But I'll have some company this time.

 

I was jus curious. I go to school at Texas A&M Galveston & we have recently acquired the Sirius as a training vessel. It was just a check to see how small the world really is.