[TopJimmy]

2013 Ninja 300 SE (non-ABS)
Bought new in US, about 10,000 miles now. Use it for commuting year-round

Mods:
K&N stock airbox filter
Evans NPG+ waterless coolant
Roaring Toyz 1” handle bar risers
Tapered steering bearings
Galfer stainless steel-braided brake lines
WPS lithium battery YTX9-BS
Ohlins fork cartridges NIX 22mm
Ohlins fork springs 7.5 N/mm
Fork oil 19 weight at 100mm
Ohlins rear shock 36HRCL
Brembo front master cylinder RCS15
Galfer front carbon brake pads
Michelin Pilot street tires (stock size)
Spools for rear stand (Driven D-Axis 10mm)
Relocated front reflectors to lower mount to accommodate front stand
Givi luggage:

3D600 Easylock saddlebags​

TE4108 Easylock saddlebag mount​

4108FZ Topcase sidearms​

M5 Monokey plate​

V56 Topcase w/E159 luggage rack​

S410 Monokey Trolley base​

BF14 tank lock ring​

ST605 tank bag​

National Cycle Touring windscreen (Vstream Tall)
USB power port (I used the left pilot light lead to power this)
Techgripper for iPhone with mount to left unused mirror hole
DID X-ring chain (520VX3) (original chain’s o-rings failed at 8 years)
Vortex steel sprockets (stock sizes)
Dowco Guardian WeatherAll Plus XL cover
Cruise control (throttle lock)
Outlet wired direct to battery for electric vest/gloves
Daylong saddle from Russel Cycle
Removed feelers on bottom of foot pegs
Stuff under the seat:

Jumpstart cables​

CO2 cartridges (for slow-leak rescue only)​

Various allens, wrenches, drivers​

 

[jjmaine]

Nice bike and sweet set-up! This past summer I had to replace my chain as well at 10,000 miles. The chain was actually in fine shape but the last time I was cleaning it a couple of the o-rings fell off so I replaced it.
How do you like the Ohlins cartridges in your forks. I have the same as you with the 7.5 n/m springs to install this winter.

 

[TopJimmy]

Thx. The suspension upgrade transformed the bike from one that I couldn’t trust into a confident cornering machine. Before I had to manhandle it to keep it from diving in when leaned over. Now I can be relaxed. Had to remove the feelers from the pegs due to distracting scraping. Once even scraped the muffler.
So yeah probably the 2 most essential things to make the Ninja safely handle:
1. Steering bearings
2. Suspension
I was also disappointed with the brakes, and thought the new master cylinder, brake lines & pads would help. They helped with feel and tractability, but not force. My current project is replacing the stock caliper with a better one from an SV1000.

 

[TopJimmy]

Got the Tokico caliper from an SV1000 installed. Rebuilt it with new seals. Did the initial bed-in for the Galfer HH pads. Not sure what to think, and can’t really see a huge difference yet. Maybe in a few hundred miles when the pads are fully seated. Probably won’t be riding much til Mar or Apr, so we’ll see sometime next year.
I was surprised to see that the pads on the original caliper were almost worn out. 6000 miles on Galfer carbon, so I did this mod right on time.

 

[SparkyMJ]

Interesting! Got any pics of the installed Tokico?

Honestly the stock caliper on the 300 ain't terrible, it's decently rigid and at least it's one solid piece. So I'd imagine an upgrade would mostly improve the feel and heat management when riding real hard on track.

-Mike

 

[TopJimmy]

I’ll try switching the Brembo RCS15 MC to the “20” setting and see if that decreases lever effort.

 

[TopJimmy]

I got some stainless steel caliper joint bolts on the way. Maybe one of these days I’ll paint the caliper. Guessing I’ll do it next time I change the pads, so 3-4 yrs? I put about 2k mi/yr on it.

 

[TopJimmy]

Switched the RCS15 MC from 18 to 20. Much improved! Two finger massive stopping power—almost effortless.

 

[jjmaine]

Sweet! I've got all the stuff to rebuild my Tokico and rear oem caliper, new pads and the SV bracket. Just got to find time. The bracket/caliper aligned perfect with your rotor? I think some have had to file and adjust but I think they were using the Cbr600 Nissan caliper...
I've done some rough math on what I will have spent this winter on my 300 and it should end up somewhere around $2k 😕 Not that I care since last winter I spent much more on Crf230f w/ big bore, performance cam and all new top end as well as making it a street legal supermoto. Oh and it's still slow as a turd! But I had fun and learned a lot doing it which is why I do it. The Crf230f is the Ninja 250/300 of the dirtbike world. Everyone that actually owns one loves it and everyone who doesn't says it's a girls bike. I guess I just love girls bikes then.

 

[TopJimmy]

Yes, no problems with anything, really.

 

[Topaz]

...The bracket/caliper aligned perfect with your rotor? I think some have had to file and adjust but I think they were using the Cbr600 Nissan caliper...

+1
I had to filat plate. Just a bit, not a big deal. Never a problem afterward.

 

[jjmaine]

Yeah yours was the post I read that you had to file it. I have a theory that that might be why SV Racing took the Nissan calipers off their list since they might require slight fiddling where the Tokico are true bolt on. Could be wrong and I never asked him since I got an ‘03 Gsxr600 caliper, same caliper as the OP.

 

[jjmaine]

Hey Jimmy, did your All Balls kit come with the correct brake pad pin? Mine is too large. Also, did you notice that the larger pistons were significantly harder to push in past the seals than the smaller pistons?
Wondering if they sent me the wrong kit though it says it is for an ‘03 gsxr600…

 

[TopJimmy]

Came with 2 pins. The large pistons were pretty tough to get in. I used a vise (appropriately padding the caliper) while it was still apart.

 

[jjmaine]

Awesome thanks! Mine came with 2 pins as well but you can see that they are too big around and don’t have a spot for the clip like oem. I dont care about the clip but want new pins lol.
I’m guessing they just put the wrong pins in this kit, strange enough the pins they sent me in the Gsxr600 kit are the same as what comes in the kit for the Ninja 300 rear caliper part 13-3001…
I’ll check on the All Balls website, they usually list each individual part number and quantity in each kit.

 

[jjmaine]

When you get a chance, is there any way you can check your remaining seal part numbers and see if they match mine? From looking on All Balls site, the picture of your SV1000 kit shows the correct pins and their picture of my Gsxr600 kit shows the pins they gave me in the picture, which are the wrong ones. Alledgedly, all years SV1000 front calipers are the exact same as the ‘01-‘03 Gsxr600’s. It just makes me wonder why they sell two separate kits for the same caliper? Who knows but if my seals are correct I’ll get them to replace my pins and call it good. What worries me is my parge pistons were very tough to install and took a lot of force to push home. On every other caliper I’ve rebuilt, once you get the piston past both seals, it snaps easily to the bottom.
I did compare them to the old seals and they looked the same to my eye, maybe a but thicker since they are new…

 

[TopJimmy]

I won’t be home until the new year, so can’t help until then.

 

[jjmaine]

No worries, it’s not a big deal. Merry Christmas!

 

[jjmaine]

How do those 1" handlebar risers feel? I'm in the same boat as you with the Ohlins fork cartridges. I suspect that is why you installed the risers to make room for the Ohlins caps? I'm thinking about ordering a set of risers and having them milled down to 7mm to raise the handlebars as little as possible but to still make room for the fork caps. Clip-ons are out of the question, I tried a set of Woodcraft clip-ons and they felt bad to me...

 

[TopJimmy]

I actually got the risers well before I did the fork surgery because I wanted a more upright position. It made a small, but noticeable difference, and I remarked to myself that I should have done it sooner. The side-benefit was that later on I didn't have interference issues with the upgraded fork caps.