Two Fifty Motorcycle Magazine - ISSUE #1 by Thiago Valente

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Ninja 250 Riders Club Digest

Spring 2010 v.1 n.1

In This Issue 3

Retrospective

Club News

Ride Smart

Tech Head

CONTENTS

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Member Bikes 1986 to Present Golden Rule Rally Ride Announcements Contests Harry Hurt - Life and Legacy Toolmaker’s Mirror Extensions

Ride Report

Transcontinental Ninja - Part I

Photo File

Monthly Contest Winners Post-Office Contest Entries

Skills & Thrills

R is for Racing

What the FAQ?

Gear Review

The Making of a Track Bike

AFM Round 2 Race Report: My First Race Weekend Where Can I Get a Flashing Break Light? Visor Tinting Riding in the Rain

Off Topic Ninja Notions - And Other Digressions

Close-Up: Cover Image

Letter from the Editor Welcome to the first issue of two*fifty, the quarterly digest of the Ninja 250 Rider’s Club. Like many members of the Club I was a lurker on the site long before I became a member. As a complete novice, I read, and re-read, countless FAQ articles and forum posts before I even sat on my first motorcycle. I haven’t stopped reading them since. From preparation and safety, maintenance to finances, skills to stories, it has me covered. This is entirely thanks to the dedication of the website administrators. They not only maintain an excellent site, but also insist on a high level of quality - and that is exactly what they get: an active and knowledgeable group contributing to an incredible collection of invaluable information, helping one another to understand and improve, and having a good time along the way. In short, a great club. This newsletter hopes to collect, on a regular basis, some of the best posts, articles and images for and by Club members. We hope to cover the breadth of topics that make up the club, from relaxed touring to iron-butt rallying, essential riding skills to all-out racing, basic maintenance to major modifications and everything in between. As always, we invite members to contribute or suggest articles, and to volunteer their time and talents. I would personally like to thank the great contributions we have received from members for this inaugural issue, and the on-going assistance of the Admins.

COVER Photo-mosaic created by Thiago Valente with all (754) member profile pictures. Base image taken from the profile picture of member SteveP. Spring 2010

I suppose I should also mention the main character of the newsletter, the Kawasaki Ninja 250. It will take center stage from here on. Ride On and Write On, Thiago Valente (Vanadium) © Ninja 250 Riders Club

1989

1988

1987

RETROSPECTIVE

Member Bikes 1986 - Present

1990

Kawas a k i Ni n j a E X 2 5 0

1986

Retrospective

1994 1998 2006 2010

2002

1993 1997 2005 2009

2001

1992 1996 2004 2008

2000

1995 2003 2007

1999

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1991

ÂŠ Ninja 250 Riders Club

Spring 2010

Club News Golden Rule Rally CLUB NEWS

The 2010 Golden Rule Rally is underway!

It’s time for the sixth annual Golden Rule Rally!

The Golden Rule Rally is an annual event created by Leon and Duke to celebrate the Ninja 250 community spirit by encouraging us to meet each other.

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The basic idea behind the rally is to get board members to meet each other while riding. This is rewarded by a po‑ints system. Each time you meet with someone you haven’t already met with before during the current rally period, you have just given each other a point. At the end of the rally, the person with the most points wins the rally. It’s that simple. There may be some other awards as well. Last year, we had an impressive 56 meets occur over the course of twelve months! Here is a list of those meets. ithaca00 was the winner for 2009 - with 20 meets and 39 points. Second place went to mattwood1221, with 20 meets and 28 points. Close behind, in third was Em‑ ily: teknokruncher with 8 meets and 27 points. Swoosie placed fourth, with 11 meets and 19 points. JonP finished out the top five with 15 meets and 17 points. Each year, the GRR continues to grown in both partici‑ pants, number of meets and the top scores. The bar has been set very high for 2010. Will anyone be able to top AlanS’ record 2008 score?

The awards banquet will occur later this spring in Califor‑ nia. Ithaca00 has a poll currently running in regards to its locale. The rules of the rally can be found at:

http://www.ninja250.org/profiles/grrRules.php

2010 Golden Rule Rally Meets # Location

Date

Participants

9 Santa Clarita, CA

3/08/10 andylawcc AP funkshn geekrider mattwood1221 teknokruncher

8 Austin, TX

3/06/10 JohnA

7 Palo Alto, CA

2/14/10 Craig

laurainmonterey

teknokruncher

6 Palo Alto, CA

2/14/10 Craig

laurainmonterey

rurugger

5 Palo Alto, CA

2/14/10 Craig

rurugger

JonP

4 Kai, Oahu, Hawaii 1/31/10 Mykola

KarlN

mattwood1221

teknokruncher

saha6818

3 Atlanta, GA

1/27/10 F15_in_GA

mattwood1221

2 North Hills, CA

1/09/10 AJinNoHills

bostonmichelle_in_LA

1 Bastrop, TX

1/02/10 JonP

mattwood1221

ToolMaker

2010 Golden Rule Rally Scores Rider

# Meets Score

mattwood1221

teknokruncher

andylawcc

funkshn

geekrider

JonP

Craig

JohnA

KarlN

laurainmonterey

rurugger

ToolMaker

AJinNoHills

bostonmichelle_in_LA

F15_in_GA

Mykola

saha6818

photo: brunkfordbraun

2010 GRR

Ride Announcements 2010 Deal’s Gap Ninja Meetup | June 4-6 * Where: Deal’s Gap / Bryson City, NC

* When: Friday, June 4th through Sunday June 6th, 2010 * Experience Level: all, riding in groups based on experi‑ ence and pace GRR Meet # 9 Spring 2010

Club News Contests 2010 Monthly Picture Contest

Vernal to Autumnal Equinox

2010 brings with it a new year-long contest, the 2010 monthly picture contest. For the next ten months, along with a couple of ‘special’ contests, there will be a monthly picture contest.

Also, each monthly winner will be given a $20 gift certificate to NewEnough. There will also be one or two additional year-end contest awards, to be announced later. See the Photo File section of the magazine for the latest entries and winners!

The Ninja250 Admin Team

* If you don’t have a Ninja 250 anymore, don’t despair!!! * This contest is simple, take a picture of a Ninja 250 in front of a USPS location . If you live overseas, then the local equivalent is allowable for entries. For each picture you take, you will earn one point.

So, the rules are simple ~ any active forum member (once the have an activated profile) can participate. This contest will run from the Vernal Equinox until the Autumnal Equinox, which is from the first day of spring until the first day of fall. Vernal Equinox Mar 20 2010 1:32 PM EDT

Autumnal Equinox Sep 22 2010 11:09 PM EDT Prizes:

* 1st place -- $125 gift certificate to NewEnough. * 2nd place -- $85 gift certificate to NewEnough. * 3rd place -- $65 gift certificate to NewEnough.

* 4th place -- $45 gift certificate to NewEnough. * 5th place -- $30 gift certificate to NewEnough. That’s a total of $350 we will be giving back to the active participants of the Ninja 250 rider’s club forum!

The Ninja250 Admin Team

Spring 2010

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The winning picture chosen from of each of the twelve contests will then be used to create a 2011 Ninja 250 calendar. Thumb up

Spring, the vernal equinox, arrived today which means that it’s time to start riding more regularly. So, the big‑ gest ever ‘win free stuff ’ contest is back! This is our way of giving back to the forum, by using donations from the community to the Ninja 250 forum through NewEnough. com.

The basic rules are simple, you will submit a picture that includes at least one Ninja 250. Additional rules and stipulations will be given with each contest.

post offices picture contest

CLUB NEWS

This is our way of giving back to the forum, by giving away gift certificates to NewEnough.com

Ride Smart

By Mark Hunter (Funkshn)

Harry Hurt - Life and Legacy Harry Hurt Jr. (1927-2009)

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Professor Hugh H. Hurt Jr. was a Registered Professional Engineer who founded the Head Protection Research Laboratory at the University of Southern California, then moved the lab to another location in Los Angeles and continued to lead its research after his retirement from USC in 1998. (See www.hprl.org) HPRL is well-known and respected in the field of safety, but Hurt himself is probably best known for the Hurt Report, the largest and most authoritative research on the causes of motorcycle crashes ever performed in the United States.

Photo: Todd Siegel

RIDE SMART

Harry Hurt rode motorcycles for most of his life, and he never crashed. But he knew more about motorcycle crashes than anyone else ever has.

Motorcycle Crash Site Investigation

It was an intensive study in Southern California, in 1976-77, that dispatched investigators (all of them riders themselves) to about 900 motorcycle crash sites in real time to record very detailed information about the vehicles, movements, surroundings, and involved parties. The study was requested by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) and published in 1981. The lessons learned from the Hurt Spring 2010

Report caused major changes in how motorcycle helmets were designed and regulated, and major changes in how riders were educated. You might be alive today because the training you received, or the equipment you wear, is based on the Hurt Report.

A summary of the report’s findings can be found at http://www. clarity.net/~adam/hurt-report.html. You’ll likely have some of your beliefs about motorcycle safety challenged when you read that summary. For example, speed and weather were not major causes of the crashes that were investigated.

Times have changed since that study and motorcycles today tend to be much more powerful, with significantly older people riding them, and a lot more of them wearing helmets. A new study, based at Oklahoma State University and awaiting more funding, is planned to do research as detailed as Hurt’s in today’s world of motorcycling. HPRL also recently coordinated a large-scale study of motorcycle crashes in the nation of Thailand.

David Hough, author of Proficient Motorcycling, interviewed Harry Hurt in 1999, and the results were very interesting. That interview can be found at www.soundrider.com/archive/safetyskills/harry_hurt_interview.htm

Harry Hurt believed that Shoei made excellent motorcycle helmets, and he was in a position to know. He designed his first crash helmet in the early 1950s. HPRL has tested helmets (for motorcyclists and bicyclists) since its inception, and continues to do so. Its testing has influenced the methods used for certification, particularly the most recent changes in the Snell certification methods. Helmets that bear a Snell and/or DOT sticker have met certain minimum standards, but HPRL has

more exact data about individual helperformance. always easy to act As Hurt notes on site,

mets’ It’s not on the results. the HPRL web

“Any impact test more severe than the DOT test simply requires a stronger shell and stiffer liner, which will not necessarily provide better impact attenuation in typical motorcycle accidents. In fact it can aggravate diffuse brain injury.” On that same web page Hurt goes on to praise Shoei’s consistent good test results and he singles out the VFX-W model as an excellent choice.

Harry Hurt died of a heart attack on December 1, 2009. So we’ve lost a giant in the field of motorcycle safety. If you feel, as I do, that he deserves to be remembered, his family suggests donations to two charities closely linked to Hurt: The American Heart Association (donate.americanheart.org), and

The American Motorcycle Association’s Hall of Fame (www.motorcyclemuseum.org/donors/index.asp). [250] © Ninja 250 Riders Club

Tech Head

By Jerry (Toolmaker)

Toolmaker’s Mirror Extensions TECH HEAD

I haven’t been happy with the mirror setup on the 250. Not being able to see directly behind me without moving my elbows is dangerous, I think. Twice in the last year or so I haven’t seen a motorcycle coming up behind me on a highway and passing me in my lane. Both times I had checked my mirror a moment before. I think they were in the blind spot between my elbows. Even when I pull my elbows in, I do it one side at a time, which takes more time than I think it should.

I’ve tried a few things; the upside-down setup was the best. It allows me to see below the handlebars, and I can still see over the saddlebags I generally ride with, but I don’t like the fact that they’re about 45 degrees off horizontal, so they have a reduced width of view.

So, why does Kawasaki put them where they do? I think it’s because they’re pretty close to your line of sight; that is, you don’t have to move your eyes very far nor re-focus, and moving them farther outboard wouldn’t suit the aesthetic. In

other words; to avoid lawsuits and not look ugly. I’d trade ease of viewing access and looks for a safer setup.

The Solution My theory was that if the mirrors were horizontal and low, like the upside down setup, and perhaps a bit further out, I’d have a better field of view that wouldn’t need any extra body movements. So I built two different mounts to test. The right side uses the original mount, with a bit of hardware to hold the mirror that was swapped over from the left side further out, upside down, and more or less horizontal. The only trick for this side is that the cross bar has to be angled so that the mirror will tilt up far enough to be useful. For the left side I built a new mount that holds the mirror upside down, slightly further out from stock, and horizontal. So far I’m happy with them and see no reason to go back to the standard setup. [250]

Above: Right Side Bracket Above: The Final Setup

Below: Left Side Bracket

Below: The Parts for the Right Side

Spring 2010

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The Problem

Ride Report

By David Dennis (DDennis669)

Transcontinental Ninja - Part I RIDE REPORT

The Dream

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It’s November, 1972, just beyond my 17th birthday and the bell rings for the start of my third period Physics class. Mr. Yenior directs us to open our books for some silent reading. “Perfect” I think as I slip the December issue of Cycle magazine inside my physics text. The “Road Test” this month is a comparison of the 1973 Superbikes. A class that is emerging in a big way in 1973. “How is that relic of the 60’s, the HD Sportster, going to even stay on the same page as the brilliant new Kawasaki Z1?” I wonder. As I flip past the story about Bonneville Speed Trials on my way to the Superbikes, I see a two-page wide photo of a lone rider on an “enduro bike” blasting in the foreground of a massive mountain range on some empty, dirt road. The story headline reads “Two Yankees in Alaska”. Mr. Yenior repeats, “Let’s get started students”. No problem, I begin Frank Connor’s story, “If you think the road to Alaska is paved in six lanes of straight concrete, then guess again. It’s a hard, tough road........” For 25 years that image, and those words have remained burned into my mind. Through the lean motorcycling days of college, and the seven years that I would work in the retail motorcycling business in Michigan (includ- ing my competing in countless trials, enduro, motocross, and dirt track races).

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Through more college, a new family, and another two decades of riding and racing around the motorcycle Mecca of California, that image is still there. Even after my first Ironbutt 1000 mile ride in ‘06, I couldn’t shake it. I knew I had to go. I knew the clock would someday run out and I wasn’t going to settle for “I always wanted to ride to Alaska, but ...”.

I began researching this trip in earnest the end of that summer in ‘06. My good friend Travis, said he would go with me. DarrenO said he was going too, and we could probably put our rides together. Of course I needed a bike.

Choosing a Bike My current ride, at the time was a 1989 Honda NX650. 42,000 miles and I had just rebuilt the top end. It should make it I figure. But throughout the fall commutes, electrical problems developed and I knew I could not trust it on a journey up the legendary Alaska Highway. Having spent many happy miles on a Kawasaki KLR600 in 1984-85, I was pretty sure a new KLR650 would be the bike for me. Hours were spent searching the internet for the strengths and weakness of the KLR for this type of trip. Of course this bike was used by

many riders that had completed the trip to Prudhoe Bay, (and even more challenging trips) with praise for the all around competence of the 650.

As winter set in (as much as it does in Central California), I was beginning the internet search for a low-mileage KLR, and continuing the research for the Alaska trip, when a series of events took place that lead me to follow a much different course. Event 1:

I begin to recognize that my riding partners were not as committed, no that is not fair, not as obsessed, as I was. Travis couldn’t make the whole trip and DarrenO was going to ride north in August. I was going to have to finish this ride alone. Event 2:

I find the BluePoof blogs (bluepoof. blogs.com/motorcycle/alaska/). Written by Carolyn Bierman, a young woman who rode her Suzuki SV650 S model up the Alcan with no major incidents and a lot of fun. Not a big gnarly, dual sport, but a sport bike. She said that she rode the SV, because that was the bike she had. Event 3:

At the high school that I teach, a student, asks what kind of sport bike should he buy to learn to ride on. Of © Ninja 250 Riders Club

Ride Report

My guilt over the Ninja 250 discussion led me to research the 250. I find Evan Yeager’s report (www.theyeagergroup. com/ninja_250_BB1500_50CC.htm) of his Ironbutt Association Coast to Coast in under 50 hours ride. This guy was a rookie, but he was very well prepared. He did what no one had done, he went across the country on his 250 in under 50 hours!

All the while, my research on routes, gear, lodging, and potential problems, had gotten very serious. I began to study my copy of the Milepost every night (milepost.com). During the day I would scan Advrider.com ride reports and the Ironbutt forums religiously. I tried to focus on what goes wrong the most. Years ago, while trying to earn my AMA “A” card as an enduro rider, I got a little advice from former USA Six Days Team rider Dane Leimbach. Dane Said, “In endurance events, don’t worry so much about the fast route, just be sure to avoid the trouble spots, that is what will take you out.” I kept that in mind as I read. I read story after story of riders encountering unexpected problems. Bad weather. Not knowing the road © Ninja 250 Riders Club

It was clear to me then. I had no choice but to scour Craigslist.com for the right deal on a Ninja 250. At the end of February of 2007, I drove to Redlands, California, to pick up a 2006 Ninja 250, with 1034 miles and one minor tipover. As I hauled it south on I-5 to my home in a cold rain storm, I wondered what Atigun Pass would look like. (To be continued...) [250]

Surprisingly, I learned that most of my miles were to be on pavement. This was going to be a very long road ride with 500 miles of dirt road at the top. And if my bike were to come apart in a real bad way, a used bike that would be cheap enough that I could sell it for scrap and fly home. Small, light, and cheap was what I would use. My plans changed. I decided I would get a 250 Ninja. I would ride to San Diego, head east to Jacksonville Beach Florida ( completing an Ironbutt 50CC just like Evan). Turn to the

Spring 2010

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Event 4:

conditions. Riding a bike so big that they could not lift it after a fall. Carrying too much gear. Not having gear adequate for the rain and cold. Deviating from plan into problems. No mechanical skills. Service shops that were too expensive. Closed gas stations and not enough fuel range. Can’t balance bike on muddy roads. Couldn’t get along with riding partners. Mosquitos. Bears. Rain. Cold. .

course I recommend a 250 Ninja. I give him all the good reasons, and he asks why I don’t ride one then. Hmm.......

RIDE REPORT

furthest point south in the USA, Key West. Then head back to California for some bike maintenance and leg two of the journey, north to Alaska! If I could get from Key West to Prudhoe Bay in under 30 days this would be the first bike smaller than 600cc to complete the Ironbutt Ultimate Coast to Coast ride. I began to wonder if I had lost my mind, as this is not a very normal thing to do. Even in the world of motorcycling, which is still outside of the mainstream in the USA, this is not normal. First, all of us bikers know that a 250 is a starter bike, at best. Not an adventure bike. Second, it’s high revving motor will surely come apart over that many miles. Then there is the mud on a sport bike!

Photo File

Picture Contest - January 2010

PHOTO FILE 10 two*fifty Ninja Power - An Undeveloped Equestrian Community Along Lake Okeechobee with a view of the Martin Power Plant - Sunny Fla

BrianM/MnM ’s ‘08 just outside of Lander, WY - BrianM

Spring 2010

Riding in the Squamish Valley - Dizo © Ninja 250 Riders Club

Picture Contest - February 2010

Photo File

PHOTO FILE 11 two*fifty

A Cold, Wet Night at East Carolina University - Jwd0310

Carpenter’s Bluff Bridge - Emdsd © Ninja 250 Riders Club

Camping in the Everglades - Sunny Fla

Spring 2010

Photo File

Picture Contest - March 2010

PHOTO FILE 12 two*fifty The Wright Brothers Memorial commemorates Orville and Wilbur Wright’s f irst successful heavier-than-air flight on December 17, 1903 Jwd0310

The Nocona Boot Factory, TX - Emdsd

Spring 2010

Wakulla County Court House - Jfadool

Veteran’s Park, OK - M © Ninja 250 Riders Club

Post Offices Contest - Entries

Photo File

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ÂŠ Ninja 250 Riders Club

Spring 2010

Skills & Thrills

by James Fadool (jfadool)

The Making of a Track Bike SKILLS & THRILLS

The Find While scrolling through Craigslist one afternoon a $700 ex250 caught my eye. There was no picture but I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really care. I called the guy and asked if I could come by and take a look. We met and I looked at the bike.

It was dark so I tried my best to give it a good look over. The three things I saw immediatedly were: leaky gas tank; bad (stock) tires; 3 fairing cracks.

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However, with the choke all the way on it did run (although like crap). I figured that with a carb cleaning and a new gas tank I could have a good bike. I offered $300 and he said he would have to call me. Two days later he said he would take $400 so I picked up the bike.

I got home and tore the bike apart, still not knowing what I was going to do with two bikes. It was only an hour later that I realized what I could do: make a track bike!

The Prep Work After fighting with the gas tank I finally got it open, not

Spring 2010

surprisingly it was full of rust. I did find one that was kind of banged up for $50 so I grabbed that up.

Then I started to prep. I followed the FAQ almost exactly. At first I did not care that there were some cracks in the plastics, but since I wanted to try my hand at painting I decided to repair the fairings with some plastic welding and ABS cement. The plastics looked pretty good.

ÂŠ Ninja 250 Riders Club

Skills & Thrills SKILLS & THRILLS

I have loved white on the ninja since I the first time I saw one, so I figured this was my chance to have a white ninja. Three days of sanding later I was ready for primer, then more sanding, primer, sanding, and finally paint. It came out great.

I found an old Fox shock that was used for racing 10 years ago. It leaked oil but for $70 I took a gamble.

The Reassembly

I was unable to install the Fox rear shock because it was not rebuilt in time. So I went to the track on a stock ninja 250.

I did end up having to change my tires. I have been running Diablo scooters on the street so I went with the same tires for the track.

ÂŠ Ninja 250 Riders Club

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Left Suspension is where I still need to focus. On the front end I have not done anything but change the oil. I wanted to get on the track before I try changing around the springs and get gold valve emulators. See the next issue for the full track report! [250]

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I always use extra caution when installing the front fairing bolts - a punctured gas tank is not on my list of things to have. I chose not to install the lower cowl because I like the look of the bike without it. I did, however, paint it along with the other plastics.

After an oil change and a valve adjustment it was time for reassembly. It was fairly straightforward.

R is for Racing

By Ryan Saville #867 (Ithaca00)

Race Report: My First Race Weekend R is for RACING

AFM Round 2

Inf ineon Raceway April 24&25

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Friday Prep It started off really hectic for me in that I didn’t get my race bodywork until 9am Friday and still had a couple of loose ends to tie with the bike. I had planned on getting down there Friday night but was working on the bike and packing the car until nearly midnight. We left for the track at 4am Saturday morning and put my numbers on the bikes while waiting for the gate to open...

Saturday Practice Saturday practice had me riding my new 2008 Ninja 250 and forsaking my ‘94 to the scrap heap. The new bike feels really good. The sessions were going alright for having ridden Infineon once, in 2009, on the old bike and for a

Spring 2010

couple sessions in the rain for the NRS event over Easter.

My times were hovering around the 2:20 mark with a best of 2:18 and I was a bit anxious to make the 2:20 cutoff for 250 Production during the Clubman race.

Clubman Race During the race, I was having a rough go of it and I wasn’t able to string together a good lap. Coming across the start/finish line the white flag was waving for me but the guy with the checkered flag was creeping up behind him. That meant the race winner was hot on my tail and as soon as my front wheel crossed the line the checkered was waved.

I still had a lap to go and I wasn’t going to let up just because of that guy so I kept the throttle open and focused on the upcoming turn. Turn 1 at Infineon changes during the race, on the starting lap it’s opened up to allow for the 70 bikes make it through safely but after that it’s

closed down to a very narrow, 90* left hand turn. Coming out of this turn for the last time I saw a rider that appeared to be coming out of the hot pits for a warm-up lap. I was a bit disconcerted, yelling in my helmet that I was still racing and this further enforced that I was having a crappy race. Through the rest of that lap I was pissed off. Here was this guy on a cool down lap, waving to the spectators and corner workers and getting in my way. The really sad part is that he wasn’t in my way, on his cool down lap he was still faster than me. I finished the lap and my cool down lap and came into the pits dejected.

My “mentor”, Lisa Kinberger, had told me the key to the Clubman race was to have fun and finish. I finished but I did not have fun. I was really humbled by that race and even questioned my being there. My pit crew was there to congratulate me, even though I felt no congratulations were in order. They let me know that my times were in the 2:21-2:23 range. As I was taking off my gear Lisa came up to me and asked “What happened in that last lap? There was a couple second difference.” Oh ****, was that last lap that much worse than the others? I started to explain what happened with the other rider then Lisa broke the news that I had recorded a

Race Report: My First Race Weekend

The Big Race

The rest of that day was a little bittersweet but I had good people around me and they cheered me up.

Sunday Morning Sunday morning practice felt really good and I was trying a few new things. My times were still in the 2:20 range with a best of 2:19. Not what I had expected having felt that good but I still had high spirits. Lisa gave me another mantra to think about for this race, being different that the Clubman race on Saturday: “Go fast, take chances”. I was still thinking of having fun though... Come race time I was nervous, less than the Clubman race the day before but it still took a bit of effort to “organize the butterflies”. What was really cool was gridding up with the same instructors that I’ve ridden with during trackdays with Z2 and PTT. These are the same people that I look up to and come to for advice so being a “peer” for a couple

Sad indeed but I was happy having done so well in the production race. The other sad news is that, because of the red flag and the dropped last lap, I finished last. Apparently the pass I One of the key things that I had been made on the front straight had been working with Lisa on was throttle posi- just after the start line and therefore tion at a few sections of the track, priwas not counted. Even if the race marily coming out of Turn 4 through hadn’t been cancelled, according to the the exit of Turn 6. I had worked on rules, I wouldn’t have been able to use them in practice and noticed a big difmy race time to qualify for 250SB; all ference so I used them during the race qualification times must be recorded too with good results.5/7/2010 Going through Results 5/7/2010 Production April 24-25, 2… Results - 250 Production April 24-25, 2… in a- 250clubman race. Turn 6 I had been on 5/7/2010 and off the Results 5/7/2010 - 250 Production April 24-25, 2… Results - 250 Production April 24-25, 2… No matter what, I had a great weekthrottle to help control line but the 250 in Production 250 Production end and it was awesome having family April 24-25, 2010 @ Infineon Raceway April 24-25, 2010 @ Infineon Raceway race, Lisa’s voice popped into250 myProduction head 250 Production friends there! Official Results - Raceand 3, Wave 2 Official out Results - Race I3,can’t Wave 2wait until 24-25, on 2010 @ Infineon Raceway April 24-25, 2010 @ Infineon Raceway “Go fast, take chances” and April I rolled 250 Production - April 24-25, 2010 @ 250 Infineon Production Raceway 24-25, 2010 @ Infineon Raceway 3!! - April [250] Results - RaceRound 3, Wave 2 Official Results - Race 3, Wave 2 the throttle even more.Pos NumberOfficial Best Best Season Sponsors Points Season Sponsors Make Lic Name PosPoints Number Lic Name Lap @ 250 Lap @ Infineon Raceway 250 Production - April 24-25, 2010 Infineon Production Raceway - April 24-25, 2010

200 E KORENKO, 01:59.410 KORENKO, - Pirelli - Motowheels 01:59.410 - Leo52 Vince - 100 Munson 2009 - Pirelli - Motowheels - Leo Vince - Munson 1 1 52200 100 E Best Towards the end of the was able Best Season Sponsors Sponsors Make Posrace NumberI Lic Name PosPoints Number Lic Name Kawasaki KIRK KIRK Pump Services -Lap WoodcraftPoints - Galfer Season Pump Services - Woodcraft - Galfer Lap Rattlers Rock Racing - Shogun - B and J Rattlers Rock Racing - Shogun - B and J 200 E KORENKO, - Pirelli -- Motowheels 01:59.410 - Leo52 Vince - 100 Munson Towing 2009 - Pirelli -- Motowheels - Leo Vince - Munson to make a pass on the 1front straight as 01:59.4101 52200 100 E KORENKO, Towing Kawasaki KIRK KIRK Pump Services - Woodcraft - Galfer Pump Services - Woodcraft - Galfer 129 E BARTLOW, 01:59.347 BARTLOW, 01:59.347 45 - B and 86 J 2008 2 2 45129 86 E Rattlers Rock Racing - Shogun Rattlers Rock Racing - Shogun - B and J the rider in front of me (#880) bobbled BRIAN BRIAN Kawasaki Towing Towing 603 NC it RUNDALL*****, 02:01.040 39129 603 86 59 E NC BARTLOW, RUNDALL*****, 02:01.040 45 39 59 2010 3 I129 3 45 E BARTLOW, 01:59.347 -01:59.347 86 2008 -2 2 coming out of Turn 11. made to WESLEY WESLEY Kawasaki BRIAN BRIAN Kawasaki 793 and N carried WEAVER*****, 02:01.040 02:02.270 34603 793 59 59 NC N RUNDALL*****, WEAVER*****, 02:02.270 - Oggy39 34 performance 59 2010 4 39 603 NC RUNDALL*****, -- Racer 13 - Sunline 02:01.040 59 2010 -- Racer 13 - Sunline - Oggy performance 3 Turn 1 just in front of34 him CHARLES C.J. CHARLES Tag MetalsC.J. - Six Six One Tag Kawasaki Metals - Six Six One WESLEY WESLEY Kawasaki that lead for the rest of45 the On 893 race. E MC KINNEY, 02:02.304 893 64 E MC -- Z2 KINNEY, Trackdays -02:02.270 02:02.304 Raceready Motorsports 64 2008 -- Z2 Trackdays - Raceready 5 29 793 N WEAVER*****, 02:02.270 34793 59 N WEAVER*****, Racer 13 - Sunline - Oggy29 34 performance 59 - 2010 Racer 13 - Sunline - Oggy Motorsports performance- 4 MARK MARK Catalyst Reaction Suspension Tuning Catalyst Kawasaki Reaction Suspension Tuning CHARLES C.J. CHARLES Tag MetalsC.J. - Six Six One Tag Kawasaki Metals - Six Six One Hogs Breath Barber Shop, Dublin - Bel-Ray Hogs Breath Barber Shop, Dublin - Bel-Ray the next lap I caught up to the next 893 E MC KINNEY, 02:02.304 MC - Z2 KINNEY, -02:02.304 Raceready 29 Motorsports 64 2008 - Z2 -Trackdays - Raceready Motorsports 5 5 29893 64 E Oils -Trackdays Helimot Leathers - Worldwide Signs, Oils Helimot Leathers - Worldwide Signs, MARK MARK Catalyst Reaction Suspension Tuning Catalyst Kawasaki Reaction Suspension Tuning Livermore Livermore rider (#713) coming out 88of Turn 6 and 02:03.833 2488 54 E KINBERGER, Hogs Breath Barber Shop, Dublin - Bel-Ray Hogs Breath Barber Shop, Dublin - Bel-Ray E KINBERGER, 02:03.833 24 54 2008 6 6 Oils - Helimot Leathers - Worldwide Signs, Oils - Helimot Leathers - Worldwide Signs, LISA Kawasaki Livermore Livermore made the pass on the drag strip LISA only to 13 E GARY 02:03.833 02:06.516 2088 13 20 E GARY 02:03.833 02:06.516 24 20 20 2009 7 7 24 88 E JAEHNE, KINBERGER, 54 E JAEHNE, KINBERGER, -54 2008 -6 6 S. S. Kawasaki have him pass me back on the brakes LISA LISA Kawasaki 676 N JAEHNE, BROWN, RICKY 676 27 N JAEHNE, BROWN, -RICKY 27 2010 -8 8 17 13 E GARY 02:07.952 02:06.516 2013 20 E GARY 02:07.952 02:06.516 17 20 20 2009 7 7 coming into Turn 7. I knew thatS. I’d Kawasaki S. Kawasaki 278 E 02:08.164 14278 27 E Track Time 02:08.164 14 27 2009 9 9 676 N HARRIS, BROWN, CRAIG 676 27 N HARRIS, BROWN, -- PacificCRAIG RICKY 02:07.952 17 27 2010 -- Pacific Track Time 8 8 17 be able to pass again pretty soon so IRICKY 02:07.952 Kawasaki Kawasaki 383 E SEYL, DAVID A 02:08.747 12 383 12 E SEYL, DAVID A 02:08.747 12 12 2010 10 10 278I was E HARRIS, CRAIG 02:08.164 HARRIS, - PacificCRAIG Track Time 02:08.164 14 27 2009 -- Pacific Track Time 9 9 14278 27 E wasn’t too upset. Actually happy Kawasaki Kawasaki N GRIESSHABER, GRIESSHABER, -10 2008 -11 11 383 it up E SEYL, DAVID A 02:09.643 02:08.747 12739 383 10 12 N E SEYL, DAVID A 02:09.643 02:08.747 10 12 12 2010 10 739 10 10 to have been able to “dice” a little. JORDAN JORDAN Kawasaki Kawasaki 713 N as WETTERAU, 02:11.497 8 739 713 10 12 N N GRIESSHABER, WETTERAU, 02:11.497 10 8 12 2005 12 10 My joy was short lived1112 though the 739 N GRIESSHABER, 02:09.643 -02:09.643 10 2008 -11 ROBERT ROBERT Kawasaki JORDAN JORDAN Kawasaki black flag was waving 1213in 713 TurnEN8 AZAR, so DAN the 02:11.497 118 02:11.140 6 713 118 12 6 E DAN Occupational 02:11.140 Medicine 6 - Fremont 6 2000 13 8 WETTERAU, N AZAR, WETTERAU, -- Alliance 02:11.497 8 12 2005 -- Alliance Occupational Medicine - Fremont 12 Honda Kawasaki - Michelin Honda Kawasaki Kawasaki - Michelin ROBERT ROBERT Kawasaki race was over. 854 NC GRICE, NICK 02:11.001 4 854 4 NC GRICE, NICK 02:11.001 4 4 2009 -- Alliance Occupational Medicine - Fremont 14 14 E AZAR, DAN 02:11.140 AZAR, - Alliance DAN Occupational 02:11.140 Medicine 6 - Fremont 6 2000 13 118 13 6 118 6 E KREMLICK, T.J. 02:08.519 15 15 854 GRICE, NICK 02:11.001 4 786 854 14 786 14 2 Coming back to the pits I wasNNCECNC 1 880 16 786in that N MATTHEWS, KREMLICK, T.J. 02:08.519 786 STATIC! I really had 1615fun880 race 15 2 ZACKARY and wanted more. When I gotNC my 02:09.9821716 01 867 SAVILLE, RYAN 17 880 NCback, MATTHEWS, 880 16 867 ZACKARY

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2:17 on that lap! I was so happy; I qualified for the production race!!!

Hearing the times I ran off trying to get into the 250 Superbike race but, because of the red flag race, they dropped the last lap. 250SB has a cutoff of 2:09 at Infineon.

I got a great start and was up to mid pack going into Turn 2, or at least that’s what I remember. I know that I was next to Craig Harris (#278) heading up the hill. I stayed with the pack through to about Turn 9 but was slipping back at each of the heavy breaking corners (4,7,9) as that is my Achilles heel right now. What really had me smiling in my helmet was the fact that there were riders around me, from my own class. I would pull on some and then lose them under braking but I was having fun.

pit crew and some friends were waiting for me with congratulations. It was only then did I realize the extent of the congratulations. My first lap (from a standing start) was a 2:16. The next lap was a 2:14, then 2:11, 2:10 and the last lap was a 2:09!! That’s a whopping eight seconds off my previous best race time!

R is for RACING

minutes at the start was neat. I took my starting position at the back of the pack of 18 riders with only one rider behind me.

867

NC SAVILLE, RYAN 02:09.982 17 0 867

Kawasaki Honda Kawasaki Kawasaki - Michelin -

Honda Kawasaki - Michelin -

8 4

N -T.J. 02:08.519 NC KREMLICK, GRICE, NICK 02:11.001 2 4

8 4

1 8

NC MATTHEWS, 1 N KREMLICK, -T.J. 02:08.519 2 ZACKARY

1 8

2009 1990 -Kawasaki Honda

NC SAVILLE, -RYAN 02:09.982 0 NC MATTHEWS, 1 ZACKARY

2008 -2009 Kawasaki Kawasaki

NC SAVILLE, RYAN 02:09.982 0

1990 -2009 Honda Kawasaki

2008 Kawasaki

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What the FAQ ?

You’ve got 250 questions, we’ve got 250 answers.

WHAT THE FAQ? 18 two*fifty

Where Can I Get a Flashing Brake Light? Manufacturers 1. Kisan makes a product called the tailBlazer, which will make your brake flash on and off when you stop. It works in much the same way as a headlight modulator. For the EX250, you want model #100HD, which plugs into your wiring harness, or the #10W-D, which is a replacement bulb with a built-in modulator. It’s plug-n-play, but you have to use their replacement bulbs. 2. Another option is the Signal Dynamics Brake Light Signal Module. It’s considerably cheaper than the Kisan, but has some assembly required, whereas the Kisan is a five-minute plug & play. Wiring instructions are quite simple, and are included on their web site. If space is an issue, then go with the Kisan. The Signal Dynamics units are 3x the size of the Kisan unit. The Signal Dynamics Wig Wag module is made for two brake lights, which is possible if the owner installs extra brake lights in the pods. This model has two modes available: Flash sequence followed by a steady Spring 2010

brake light, or a repeating flash sequence. If you want to restart the flashing it’s merely a flick of the fingers away. 3. Comagination sells brake light and headlight modulators. These can be configured in several different ways. 4. You can put Hyper-Lites (LED modules with flasher) in the extra pods. They’re very effective, plus they give you extra running and brake lights if your incandescent center bulb goes bye-bye. $80 or so shipped. Get the generic dual-function model (for running and brake lights). They may not be as easy to install as the Kisan, but they’re cheaper and provide a number of additional benefits. For installation in the two spare pods, it’s recommended to undo the two bolts holding the rear taillight on the bike, and install the Hyper-Lites with the light assembly off the bike. It’s a very clean installation; you can hardly tell it’s there until the extra lights come on. Check the FAQ pages in Brakes, and in Electrical & Lighting, for more ideas on how to make the rear of your motorcycle more visible.

What the FAQ ? Installation

The modulator has two wires that won’t be used. Add heat shrink and/or crimp connectors to them and seal them from the weather.

If the ones you get don’t have this, find some separately. Follow the Signal Dynamics directions to connect the wires.

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This unit works just like the Kisan unit, at 1/3 the price. The trade-off is that the Signal Dynamics unit is about three times as big. The 250 has ample room for the larger Signal Dynamics unit, while space is more of a premium on the 650R, shown here with the Kisan unit.

Next, add connectors to the three wires which will be used. These connectors come with heat shrink tubing pre-installed.

The connections are slightly different, depending on how you want the lights to flash. Use the wiring schematic if you need help. What you really need to know is that, on the EX250, the blue wire goes to the brake light, the red wire is the running (tail) light, and the black/yellow is ground (always). Use doublesided 3M tape, zip ties, or something similar to mount the modulator, in this case on the right side of the rear fender.

WHAT THE FAQ?

This report covers the installation of a Signal Dynamics Back Off Module. For this installation, the modulator was installed on the wiring harness (front) side of the rear light assembly molex connector. This was due to the location chosen for the unit, and also so the taillight assembly could retain plug-andplay removal.

Gear Review

By Mike Dougherty (geekonabike) edited by Bokonon

Helmet Sunblocker VS. Fog City Speed Tint GEAR REVIEW 20 two*fifty

Visor Tinting Here are some options for tinting the top part of your helmet’s visor, in case you don’t want to go the way of wearing sunglasses or of a replacement smoke/mirrored visor.

The big advantage of these products is that with them you don’t need sunglasses, and you can always have a clear view of the road, without tint, any time you want. It may sometimes take tilting your head a little to get the tint between your eyes and the sun, though you’ll usually want to look under it to watch the road.

The two items under discussion are the Helmet Sunblocker from Aerostich and the Fog City Speed Tint, available at CycleGear. They look very much alike but differ in the installation procedure. Costs are similar, in the $11-$15 range. They both have a separate style for Arai visors.

Application Both stick to the inside of the helmet visor, so they don’t get goobered from flying crud. However, the Helmet Sunblocker is applied by using slightly soapy water to wet it, then sticking it into position and letting it dry there. The initial wetness lets you move it around a bit until you have the position you want. This is an advantage, as you don’t have to get it right the first time. They claim you can also remove it by re-wetting it, so it can be re-used, and indeed transferred from visor to visor, which is good if you go through two or three visors for a helmet before tossing it. You can also leave it in place for years without it budging. This involves some care when Spring 2010

cleaning the inside of the visor.

The Speed Tint has a lip of adhesive along its top. You apply it by finding it and the visor’s center (left-right wise), poking it on there, then seeing how it lines up on the sides. You can then peel it off if necessary and adjust it by basically redoing the process. It’s not too bad to peel off, but we all have good and bad days for removing tape-like things. Don’t cut your nails too short right before doing this. You have to make sure you don’t get the Speed Tint on upside-down. The clue is that the part with the extra adhesive goo glares somewhat in the light. It lights up the top of the tint strip. Watch where the helmet’s seal hits; it’s probably not a good idea to have it contact the top of this tint strip. The Speed Tint’s adhesive does let you peel it off and reposition it at first, but there’s some indication that it is not really “re-usable” after several hours or so of setting. It is also somewhat sticky throughout its entire area, but there’s a definite strip of extra adhesive along the top.

Visibility The Sunblocker is a lighter tint, though still fairly dark. Since it goes on with wet, soapy stuff, you can look through it and see basically what’s in front of you, but stuff is a little distorted. You’re not going to read street signs easily, but you should be able to see the cow on the side of the road and the car in front. You should probably only look right through it if you’re riding straight into a low sun and the street itself is all glare. Since there is no concentrated adhesive goo, the edges of the Sunblocker don’t really light up. For the Speed Tint, the vision through it is much less dis-

Gear Review

Design shape

From the outside of the helmet, the Speed Tint has that mirror-y tint some sunglasses have and would hide the rider’s

Alternative You can get a roll of Gila Static Cling window tint #JS248 from an auto parts store. It’s meant to go in place on the top edge of the inside of a car windshield, but you can cut a strip to fit inside your visor. It holds up fine over time and isn’t affected when you clean the visor.

To fit it, put the helmet on and stick a piece on the outside, adjusting it up and down until it’s where you want it. Take the visor off and cut another piece to fit on the inside, aligned with the first piece on the outside. Then trim the edge of the cling film even with the visor edge. Remove the outside piece and save for later. That strip will do a dozen+ visors and cost less than $12. [250]

Riding in the Rain About a week ago I decided to not check the weather online but did the whole step out the front door thing before work. (Yea go figure the one day I did this.)

Now they aren’t that great when it gets too far below 38 degrees, but held up great in the rain.

My TourMaster Calibur Pants stayed the same as the gloves, wet on the outVery pretty day just about 60 degrees side and dry on the inside. These pants and clear skies but when night came it are also great for cold weather rides I was around 38 degrees and steady rain. think my legs are usually the warmest Well after a 56.5 mile ride home in 38 part on me, plus the removable liner degree weather and a steady downpour is great for those in between seasonal here is a list of my gear and how it days. fared for me: The Xelement Leather Jacket, one I had on a pair of TourMaster Calibur Pants, Xelement Leather winter jacket, Dry Tech insulated water proof leather gloves, Nitro Touring Boots, and a KBC full face. My hands were dry and warm. The Dry Tech Gloves were soaked on the outside but very dry on the inside. © Ninja 250 Riders Club

of my personal favorites in my gear stash, fared just the same as the gloves and the pants. This jacket is great for winter, at 34 degrees I had a long sleeve shirt and two sweat shirts under it and stayed warm.

Gear Review By Billy (himorroid) days, there is no armor on them just leather riding boots. After the 56 mile ride home my feet were just a little damp. This is not a ring the sock out, just a mild dampness. They are supposed to be waterproof but after 56 miles in a steady pour I guess something was bound to get through some part of my gear. I hope I never have to test the KBC Helmet for review.

Well hope this is helpful, I wanted to let everyone know just in case they might be looking into any of this gear. Be safe...... [250]

Now for my Nitro Touring Boots. These boots are great on those cold

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The Sunblocker does that a little, but leaves a larger gap on the sides and along the top edge as you move to the sides as well. In a sense the Sunblocker plays it safer by not trying to cover all the way to the sides, where the Speed Tint leaves only about an inch on the left or right side of the view-through part of the visor. With its darker tint, the Speed Tint might block more peripheral vision, and on the test HJC shield it only left about an inch or so clear visor at the bottom sides (that’s how far down it dips).

As for preference, the Helmet Sunblocker is good for those who like a dark, but not obstructing, tint. If you like more coverage and a very dark but clearer tint, the Speed Tint could work for you.

Both obviously had some thought put into their shapes, but the designers came to different conclusions, at least for HJC visors. The Speed Tint’s shape seems to be a stronger attempt to have the edges more closely conform to the viewable area of the visor. Neither comes all the way to the sides, but the Speed Tint comes closer to “sealing” the left/right edges of the visor. In doing so, it also wings downward as you move to the sides.

eyes to an observer (if so tilted). In fact, they mention that you can wear it lower and have it easier to look through by default. On the other hand, the Sunblocker would only make it difficult, but not impossible, to watch the rider’s eyes.

GEAR REVIEW

torted. However, it is a much darker tint, and that fact makes reading signs and seeing some objects harder. This darker but clearer tint may be desirable to some. The Speed Tint’s top edge does light up, but it’s up high enough that it should be ignorable.

Off Topic Ninja Notions

By Thiago Valente (Vanadium)

(And Other Digressions)

OFF TOPIC

Ninja Noun

1. A member of a class of 14th century Japanese mercenary agents who were trained in martial arts and hired for covert operations such as assassination, espionage and sabotage 2. The name of a series of Kawasaki sport bikes

photo: brunkfordbraun

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Shinobi In native Japanese the kanji symbols for ninja (shown below) are actually pronounced “shinobi” and literally mean “to steal away”. The ninja has always been associated with stealth and unorthodox deadly methods of war. “Stealthy” and “deadly” are not normally adjectives that one would want to use for a motorcycle. Certainly there are other characteristics of the ninja that are appropriate to the motorcycle like: agile, nimble and quick. But the same could be said about, say, a ballerina. So why name a motorcycle after the ninja? In large part this might have to do with the (historically inaccurate) allure and mystique of these warriors in popular culture.

have of a ninja in black attire (see above) likely has no historical foundation. More commonly the ninja would dress in civilian clothing. One of the most famous ninja was the (semi-legendary) Prince Yamato Takeru. The young prince disguised himself as a charming maiden to assassinate two chiefs of his enemy.

Cross dressing in costumes is hardly the popular image of your typical sport-rider, but there is a valuable inspiration here. One perhaps far better suited to the ninja motorcycle than the image of a stealthy warrior: that of versatility and adaptability. The ninja then is not about disappearing, but about being present in whatever form is most appropriate.

The popular image we Spring 2010

Off Topic Take the images that follow:

To the right. Hattori Hanzo (2), considered to be one of the greatest ninjas of all time, and below, Prince Yamato Takeru in full female garb (1).

At the center right we have two pictures of the other ninja: the EX250 (3,4). They are identical in make and model, but demonstrate wonderfully the ninja concept of versatility and adaptability.

OFF TOPIC

One is a young maiden, the other an old bald man â&#x20AC;&#x201C; not exactly the popular image of a ninja.

The concept applies equally well to the motorcycle riders shown at the bottom right (5,6). Decidedly un-stealthy, and hopefully not deadly, but adapting to varying needs (or tastes).

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1 ÂŠ Ninja 250 Riders Club

6 Spring 2010

Off Topic

By Thiago Valente (Vanadium)

Masakatsu Agatsu

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Every motorcyclist understands this concept innately, but some are too focused on some external definition of success. By its nature the Ninja 250 is a machine with less power than most other motorcycles on the road. This eliminates the distraction of one-upmanship, and allows the rider to focus on what really matters: becoming a better rider. How do you paint the perfect picture? Simple, make yourself perfect, and then just paint.

Shugyo Shugyo is generally translated as “austere training”. It refers to the constant and lifelong pursuit of knowledge, skill and experience. Simply put, it means constant and dedicated practice. How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice. There is no way around it. The concept is also that you are what you are, not what you say you are and not what you were. A black belt in ninjutsu is only a black belt if he is constantly training. If he stops, he is not a ninja. He was a ninja.

Randori This concept is often used in free sparring practice with multiple opponents. It literally means “taking chaos”. With multiple attackers there is no way to rationalize your way

through the situation. You have to trust your training, and be in a calm state of mind to confront whatever comes your way. It’s not about control, it’s about being serene in a sea of uncertainty. Riding down a busy urban thoroughfare we are constantly processing information. The weather, the condition of the road, the state of the bike, obstacles, people, vehicles… threats of all kind. It can be an almost meditative state of situational awareness. Taking it all in stride, that’s randori.

Ma-ai This is taught in all martial arts. Translated it simply means “interval”, but it refers to the space between two opponents. It is important because it determines how fast, and in what way (angle, type of attack) you can interact with your opponent. Of course, this distance changes depending on the size of each person, their skill, speed, whether they’re already moving, if they have a weapon etc. Achieving the right ma-ai is critical and it is deceptively complex, requiring practice, experience and judgment. Ma-ai is thus the protective sphere of space and time that surrounds you. Sound familiar?

photo: Harold Hofer

OFF TOPIC

Translated it roughly means: true victory is victory over oneself. This concept is especially prevalent in Aikido (not surprising considering its non-competitive nature) but it is preached in all martial arts. It is about self mastery. Lao Tsu said “knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is enlightenment.”

Spring 2010

Off Topic Miyamoto Musashi

OFF TOPIC

Allow me one last digression. A mention of arguably the greatest Japanese swordsman of all time: Miyamoto Musashi. He literally wrote the book on swordsmanship (Go Rin No Sho – The Book of Five Rings). Musahi spent his life traveling throughout Japan training and dueling, and reputedly never lost a challenge. This garnered him much fame and, not surprisingly, many enemies.

His most famous duel was against Sasaki Kojiro, his most formidable foe. Kojiro was known for his expert use of the nodachi: a large two-handed sword. This is the largest of Japanese swords, forged by combining as many as five pieces of special steel, heated and hammered over several days to get out the impurities. It is then polished over several weeks until it has that famous sharpness for which Japanese swords are renown. Kojiro’s sword was so feared it had a name: Monohoshi Zao - The Drying Pole.

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Now Musashi was an accomplished swordsman at the time and would have had his pick of the finest swords available, so what did he use for this life or death encounter with his most challenging opponent? On the boat ride to the island where the duel was set, Musashi carved a sword out of a wooden oar. Kojiro came close to victory with several strikes but, when he was momentarily blinded by the sun, Musashi capitalized and struck him on the skull. Musashi killed him with a single blow. [250]

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Notes

NOTES

Ninja Noun

photo: brunkfordbraun

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ÂŠ Ninja 250 Riders Club

Notes

NOTES 27 two*fifty

ÂŠ Ninja 250 Riders Club

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