Yea, I can see how that is trading one baby in for another! 
How awesome was it to have a Ducati? I one day wish to own one myself, but I’m eyeing a Multistrada.
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I’ve owned 2. The riding experience, especially with the 90 degree Desmo, is really a blast. The sound is, well I can usually tell if a Ducati is coming down the road. It is really unique among V-twins. The torque curve is very flat. And the handling is superb. As long as you keep your weight forward, you can put the front end anywhere you want. I haven’t ridden the V-4 yet. Owner experience for me was that the scheduled maintenance is very costly, but my bikes were before they lengthened the valve adjustment intervals. I’ve heard that they are much easier on the wallet now. Fit and finish are excellent. I have ridden the latest Multistrada and that would probably be the one that would agree with my back now! Fantastic bikes.
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Drop me a message when you get over in dutchyland and I’ll hook you up with a ride for the day! Got 2 Honda’s myself so there’s always that 
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Start training your left hand, then. Although I’m told they have gotten much better.
Well it helps that I am left-handed!
Don’t know about pre 2005, but Duc clutches are hydraulic and not difficult IMO.
Waiting to hear back from a dealer that is still open about an hour away on parts pricing for new pads (front nearly done, rear OK) and rotors (both grooved, front @ min spec, rear at +0.1” from min spec). Last info I saw from a Ninja 250 owner’s forum had them looking quite pricey (200-300 USD each) back in 2010. Hoping the rotors aren’t that bad now. We’ll see!
Do any of you guys know if when I dismount the rear wheel, can I “cheat” and not have to adjust the wheel alignment and tension when I reinstall it if the adjusters aren’t touched? I would of course check to make sure it’s in-spec for safety’s sake regardless.
Damn those are some pricey disks! I paid about 180 for 2 discs when I last replaced them! Consider some online shopping at the larger motorcycle retailers, they often put sets on sale, same with chain replacement kits.
Not sure how the rear wheel is aligned on a ninja 250, I own Honda’s and they use 2 sliders that you slide back and forth with a nut. But to fully remove the rear wheel for servicing you have to slide them both in so you can unseat the chain. That is probably worth considering, if you could slacken the chain enough for it to drop outward without adjusting anything then you should be okay.
You can use something to mark the adjustment and start off from there when re-fixing the rear wheel.
Is aligning it tricky on the 250? I usually consider it a minor job when servicing the tail end.
I am fairly certain it’s a near identically (function wise) system.
I was thinking that via axle removal, I would be clear to slide the wheel forward (off chain) and out - without touching the tensioner adjusters (end of the rear arm).
It’s not hard to adjust a chain and axle, so my advice is to do it and learn a little bit of bike maintenance in the meantime. Your owners manual should have instructions. Otherwise, YouTube will have a copious amount on the subject.
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And some of it is even useful. 
Wheels
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Guess so!
I already bought a clamp-on chain alignment tool, and have a Clymer service manual. Shouldn’t be too much extra hassle I guess.
Ha! That should be a disclaimer on most internet content.
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If you need any help wes just ping me a message on discord and I can talk you through it over voice if you need assistance bud
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Ah yeah it’s the same. Wheel alignment aint rocket science, and it’s useful to be able to remove the rear wheel in the field with confidence if you need to fix up any other defects!
Besides, it’s going to be a bit of a PITA getting the axle back in if the chain is slightly tensioned. You will wish for an extra pair of hands!
Yea, I guess I should prep to have to swap chain or chain & sprockets eventually.
Both at the same time!
That is also really easy, cut chain with an angle grinder. Remove rear wheel, change sprocket on the rear wheel. Same on the drive shaft though that requires a bit of proper cleaning too! Put the chain on, rivet it, and tension the chain and rear wheel!
Easy right?
Unless you fail at riveting it properly!
My OEM chain is a non-masterlink chain so an OEM swap would be a bit worse. Going new I’d like one of those fancy colored chains by EK (OEM is made by EK too) just for some extra bling haha.
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Two days, 211.9km total, same route both days. For all the straight roads, some of the country side can be rather good looking even with mediocre weather conditions. It rained this afternoon, and I was out of damp patch or dry roads. Both days qualified as an interesting adventure.
Yesterday, I was riding along the return portion of my trip behind a GMC Sierra when he began to slow down for seemingly no reason - no turn signal and then began to pull off the road right before an intersection. A bit strange, but as I prepared to continue my journey with a clear road ahead, I got to see why he was pulling off - three guys were standing in the middle of this intersection (photo from Google streetview) having a bit of a scruff. I then stopped and pulled off the road in front of the truck as it was not clear to proceed.
For reference, North is to the right of this image. I was pulled off the road on the shoulder just before the curb behind where the pickup is in this image, with the Sierra behind me. There was a car stopped on the North side of the intersection, southbound. Oncoming traffic had stopped where these conveniently captured vehicles approaching the camera are. The three guys had parked their sedan facing the wrong way on the shoulder on the south-west (far left) corner of the intersection.
Having no clue what was going on, but this clearly being unsafe situation plus ya know…COVID, it was appropriate to be calling the cops. My phone was fully stored in my bag though, on a charger hooked up to the bike and getting off the bike to retrieve it didn’t seem like a wise choice as an exposed person. Looking around nobody seemed to alarmed, and the Sierra driver had whipped out his phone to start recording. Eventually some vehicles chose to proceed, and so did I once the way was clear and the guys took their scruff off to the shoulder.
Carrying on I debated pulling off to make the call, but got to can that idea as a cruiser came flying up the other way, lights on - with a second in tow no more than a couple hundred meters behind. Wondering if I’ll ever find the video on Facebook or something.
Today, riding the same route I get to the general area out on the country road and all the traffic lights are out. I approach a three-way intersection not far from the above image with high caution as on approach I see a guy blaze through without stopping (our laws state that no lights = all way stop). Debating grabbing the phone again… Proceeding along I am heading east and now at the next intersection west of yesterday’s incident when I come across what I believe is the source of the problem.
If you look center-left background, there is a house with a white garage door. Immediately right, that pole (which is closer than the house to the camera) was knocked well over leaning into the field. A cruiser and fire truck were on scene. Continuing east, I encountered an ambulance, two more fire trucks and another cruiser rushing to the scene. On my return trip, passing by they had the road section closed off, a third cruiser (if not more), and a tow truck on scene. Can only imagine what actually happened there.
Drive safe - it’s not the time to be taking a trip to the hospital or prison!
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Ok, I’ll be the heretic about making bikes winter ready. I do this:
- fill tank
- drive bike into shed
- close fuel valve
- put bike on main stand
- pat the bike on the tank and say “goodbye for a few months”
- put a tarp over it
After winter:
- remove tarp
- remove cobwebs
- turn the rear wheel a bit before starting, move everything that moves basically, which includes checking if the wheels turn freely and shifting into all gears. I imagine that helps getting the oil everywhere it has to be. Also set fuel valve to on, to reserve, back to on, that kind of stuff.
- choke to full
- ignition! Craaaank! (Usually takes 10 seconds or so then the engine starts)
- let it run in idle a few minutes
- test if the throttle works
- ride it a few km, monitor gauges
So far it has always worked. But then: it doesn’t get too cold here in recent years, my shed is relatively warm and dry which is an advantage of course, and my bike has a main stand, which helps because the bike doesn’t stand on its wheels.
Also: It is a Honda.
My first little ride this year was 35km, more to come soon, I need to but a new helmet… and boots. And probably some pants as well as those seem to magically shrink in the closet, I’m sure y’all know that effect, too.
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Just blame COVID - it’s the universal excuse for needing new clothes regardless of the direction the scale went! Good to hear you got some k’s on the board!
The double oil change thing I think is a bit daft.
I prefer to change it out in the fall (which so far has been close to a due change anyway each time) and then just go in the spring. It’s still clean oil…
As well I have to throw in some fuel stabilizer just to be safe on a near empty tank just before filling it. Never seen my gas (even that which is sitting in the snowblower or gas can which gets no treatment) deteriorate - but saw it in my buddy’s dad’s bike which sat for a few years in a shed. Sludge… no thanks.
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