So it looks like I may take a job in Mammoth CA in November, so I priced shipping the bike and found it will cost between $550 and $750. So I figure take the money for me to get out there(fly, Amtrak, bus) and use it to ride out (coast to coast). The bike is an '88 250 Eliminator that had 13,350mi when I bought it, and now has 17,580mi. in roughly 4 months. The bike is bone stock, and been ultra reliable (except for 2 clutch cables), and having just switched to synthetic oil, it runs smoother, quietier and gas mileage is up 15% after 2 fill ups. So #1 How crazy is it to think I can ride from Washington PA (just outside of Pittsburgh) to Cali. on a 250? #2 Other than a tune up and fresh fluids, what are the things I should do to prep for such a long ride. I've got fresh skins, new rear brakes, a new Xring chain, and new fork seals and fluid, all less than 2000mi. ago. #3 I figure on 5 to 7 days riding to get there, stopping for gas every 100mi or so. My longest day of riding so far has been a 350mi day, with the longest strech being about 65mi so does anyone have advice on long distance riding. #4 Considering the mileage of the bike and the distance to be traveled, is it smarter to sell the bike and put the money toward getting out there and saving for the leftover 650 Ninja I had planned on buying come spring.
Thanks
PS If I do ride, I'll get a +1 front sproket (the shop kept the chain a bit long with this mod in mind, so I won't need to buy another) for lower revs and better mileage.

 

A long distance November ride. So weather changes may play a big part in rider comfort, so prepare.

The only issue I can see with the EL is the higher 75mph hwy speeds while going west. Otherwise, it sounds like you have everything covered in maintenance and should have a nice week trip over.

I say, enjoy the ride over

 

Do it brother! Keep up with the maintenance on the road and dress warm. might want to plan your trip through warmer areas, and learn the range of your tank before you go so you can plan your fuel stops. Take pics on the way so we can live vicariously.

 

Thanks guys, If I do the ride, I was thinking of going 70 West out to the I5 in CA, then north to where I have to head back east. As for range, my tank is 2.8 gal with .8 gal as reserve, so I have 2 gal useable. Before the synthetic change, I would fill up at 104 miles (4 days round trip to work) and it would usualy take 1.85 to 1.88 gal. Around 55mpg. Now same mileage it takes about 1.71 to 1.73 gal, or around 60mpg. I do have a known speedometer error, at 55 mph indicated, actual speed is 48 mph, at 65 indicated I'm running 55 mph, so the indicated mileage in higher than the actual mileage, so planning fuel stops takes a bit more planning for longer runs. When I got the new chain, I talked to the shop about a sproket change, so they kept it a bit long for a front sproket change. Going from a 14 to a 15 tooth front will drop the final drive from 3.14 to 2.93. The bike is already tunned for better low and midrange over the 250 Ninja (different timing, slightly smaller carbs, and a different primary drive ratio from the factory) so I'm not worried about loosing bottom end, and swapping back would be easy. I'll have part 1 of the interview done by the end of the week, and should know by the end of the month if I have the job. Thanks again for the advice.
PS Can you tell I'm a planner.

 

Might want to get one of those clip-on throttle lock "cruise control" jobbies. I've never used one, but wished I had one on some of my longer interstate runs. Beats holding the throttle with your left hand when you can't feel your right hand anymore......
(Don't know why people look at me strange when I do that.)

 

You can use the reserve as well if you need to, so you should have about 2.5 useable before the engine dies. You can also get a small gas can and strap it to the back if you are really concerned, but I've never needed one. The fuel stops are a great time for a break anyway, enjoy them.

 

Also Posted in the 250 Ninja Forum : I'm looking for someone who has gone +1 or +2 on the front sproket on a 250 Ninja, as there is not a 250 Eliminator page, I thought I'd ask here. Here is the known differences. The EL250 came with slightly smaller carbs, revised cam timing, and a different primary drive, all to increase low and midrange power. Book top speed is listed as 86.5 mph and at 55 mph on the highway (15 min each way to and from work), the bike is almost screaming. Stock sprokets on the EL250 is 14/44 (3.14 final) vs. 14/45 (3.21 final) on the 250 Ninja. I had planned to go up one already and the shop kept my new chain a little long for this. Now for the reasoning, I may take a job in CA and I'd rather spend the bike shipping money on a ride out, 2 lanes are nice, but not coast to coast. So if anyone has done this swap, let me know how it went, if you went up 1 or 2, and the rpm drop and fuel mileage change. I'm not to worried about loosing lower end so much as keeping up with 70+ mph traffic. I'm going to buy the +1 next week anyway and get it put on, just want to know what I'm in for.

 

That is similar to going down 4 in the back. So you may not have good torque to get out of the way of an object without going down 4 gears to get in the meat of the powerband. Try it out and let us know.

 

So I got the +1 front sproket (JT Sprokets), and was going to do it my self, but on my bike the exahust has to come off. So I had the shop do it today before work. On the ride from the shop to work all I could say was WOW what a difference!!!! As noted before, the EL 250 differs from the Ninja 250 in that it is tuned for better low and midrange "power". The biggest difference being a lower primary drive ratio, limiting top speed to around 86mph. The bike doesn't have a tach. (ordered / in transit) so last Sunday I did "parking lot base line testing", using light posts for distance markers. So my results are based on that, plus about 1400mi or so of riding to work 5-6 days a week on the highway (about 12.5mi each way). This is what I figured with the stock sprocket. 1st gear is good for 14mph, 2nd-23mph, 3rd-30mph, 4th-46mph. This is speedo indicated (known error). On the highway at 65 indicated (56 actual as per PSP radar gun), the bike feels like it's pushing the engines limits, but roll on is strong up to 80 and then it hits the wall, but it's SCREEMING!! After work tonight went back to the lot and got in 2 runs (one each way) before security asked me to stop and come back on Sunday when no one was around (nice guy too). Here's what I got. 1st-23mph, 2nd-32mph, 3rd-40mph, and 4th-59mph. Basically before 1-3 was good for making noise. Most importantly distance to speed was less (same speed less distance), and speed at distance traveled was greater (trap speed?). On the highway playing it by ear (literally) to get the same "noise" in 6th as at 65mph / stock, I had to run almost 80mph / +1 (both indicated), in 5th I had to run a hair over 65 with the +1 to equal 6th with the stock sprocket, and roll on is still strong and I quit before the bike did (traffic and high speeds) On surface streets near the shop and my home, I had to look at the speedo to notice I was speeding. Overall the swap was more than worth it, it appears the bike accelerates faster and now 1st-3rd are much more usable and highway riding is relaxed. When I get the tach on I'll post rpm numbers. And the tach install WILL be it a DYI with pics.

 

right on, congrats on the progress