Where is a good site I can get a manual from? The dealership i go to wants like almost 90 bucks for the repair manual and a supplement for my bike. I know that the ninjas have some history too them, can i just buy an older bikes repair manual? Or is there somewhere I can go to get the thing cheaper?

Also, I looked around and have been reading a lot. Is there a thread for first time bike owners, that can actually teach me about motorcycle maintenance and common things to check and repair on your bike.

 

They come up all the time on Ebay. Just be sure to use both search terms "EX500" and "Ninja 500R".
And if you're in a hurry, I'd try another dealership. Even if you live in a remote area with only one dealership, most dealerships have websites, so you can contact them via email and ask about pricing. That's how I bought my current '06 bike--it was all the way up in Santa Barbara, but they offered me a decent deal. (Dealerships down here in San Diego don't deal because the demand for bikes is supported by snuffies returning from Iraq with months of unspent pay.)
Good luck and let us know how it goes.
Peace!
-CCinC

 

Update:
The problem seems to be fixed. My room mate, of all people who knows absolutely nothing about cars or bikes fixed it.

I removed all the fairings and was checking all the wires because a lot of what I have read was this can be cause by electrical problems. So my room mate asked what I was doing and I told him. He goes, "well this ones loose" and plugged it back in.

The wire he replugged was a green wire on the right front of the bike that after following it appears if its to the coil?? There is a green and red wire that plug into it.
Voila the problem is no more.

Thanks for all of the help. Saved 80 bucks spending a couple hours of my time and avoided a well duh from the techs at the dealership thanks calamari.

While I was checking the bike over I realized that the coolant is looking pretty bad, swampy. Is there a special way to drain coolant from bikes? any different than a car? do they sell flush kits for bikes? Is there a thread, something along the lines of im a noob who knows nothing about bikes and I am attempting to do my own work so here are some guides. I went through the DIY section but didnt really find anything geared towards beginners.

 

Glad to hear it! Sometimes having a fresh perspective can make all the difference. Buy that man a beer!

To drain the coolant, simply loosen and remove the drain screw at the underside of the coolant pump which is on the right side of the engine, thus:

It's an 8mm bolt with an aluminum crush-washer, which I recommend replacing every time you remove it. You might save 80 cents by re-using the same old washer, but if you have a coolant leak, that could cause other problems, including coolant on your tires, which is slicker than owl-poo.


It might be a good idea to remove the front/upper fairing to expose the coolant system cap. It's directly underneath the left handlebar. You don't have to remove the whole gas-tank as I've done in this photo of a valve adjustment. You'll need to remove this cap to allow the coolant to flow out of the aforementioned drain.

After it's finished draining, simply reinstall the drainplug with a fresh washer (I believe it's torqued to a low number, like 9.8Nm or 12Nm.) Then slowly refill the system with coolant up at the cap beneath the left handlebar. It takes a while for the coolant to trickle down through the system and fill the radiator, so pour it slowly. It seems like I always manage to spill a little bit when doing this, which is why I prefer to remove the front-upper fairing. Keep a rag handy to wipe up any spilled coolant.

I wouldn't recommend using a flush kit because they tend to be pretty hard on the soft rubber coolant hoses, seals and other gaskets. Just change the coolant, run it for about one tankful of gas, then change it again. If it comes out especially cruddy the second time, you can change the external hoses between the engine and radiator (and between the cylinder head and coolant filling assembly):

Good luck and let us know how it goes.
Peace!
-CCinC