EX250 ("Ninja 250") service manual info?

A friend of a friend recently bought a 1989 Kawasaki EX250.
She wants to do her own work on it, but isn't sure what
manual(s) to get.

Back when I had an '89 EX500 (which I believe was very
nearly the same bike as the 250 but with different engine
parts), the factory manual was the only game in town and it
was pretty sad. It consisted of a slim volume for the
Kawasaki LTD440 cruiser plus an even slimmer "supplement"
for the stuff that only applied to the EX500.

If you've got an EX250 and work on it yourself, what manual
or manuals would you recommend?

Thanks!

--
-Craig Haggart
Sunnyvale, California
'99 Honda CBR600 F4
'69 Honda CB350 (vintage racer)
'02 Montesa Cota 315R (trials)
DoD #2120

 

The service manual and supplement is OK. The manual is for the first
gen EX250, with the suppliment covering the additions. The problem is
it isn't the best written, and right & left seem sometimes confused
(eg, the cam chain is on the LEFT side, but it refers to the right
side in the text in places). I don't know of a better manual, if you
know of some better recommendations, I'd like one too.

A lot has to be said to posting questions in this group. There are a
lot of AFMers who work on their 250s in this group.

 

The factory manual with supplement is the only printed option. Online, her best
resource is www.ninja250.net, the Ninja 250 riders club!

Cheers,
Mike
'96 Seca II, a dry red whine,
once proud owner of an '86 Ninjette; someday I'll get another.

 

Nick, I think you've got the wrong manual! The manual for the '86-'87
model (i.e., first generation) is completely different from the manual
for the '88-'05 model. The '86-'87 manual shows the old body style on
the cover, and there are a whole bunch of incompatibilities.

What you want is the '88-'05 manual and supplement.

 

I'm cautious disputing someone with your credentials, but I thought the
_manual_ was '86-'87 while the _supplement_ covered the changes in later
years. Meaning he (or she, his GF), won't find an "'88-'05 manual".
AFAIK the engine and chassis are virtually identical across all the years,
allowing one manual.

Mike