Replacing body fasteners/bolts

So, your bike is getting on in years, previous owners haven't been terribly kind to it, the body panels have been off many times for various reasons, and the fasteners look like the finish on your neighbor's '74 Nova. It's pretty easy to replace them with new, stainless steel bolts that will bring back some pride of ownership and that new-bike feel.

Stainless steel body bolts

The photos below show replacement black stainless steel bolts from Murphs' Kits. Murphs' specializes in parts for the Kawasaki Concours and is a favorite of the members of the Concours Owners Group. They don't really have a kit for the Ninja 250; our owner used leftovers from his Connie and a spare parts kit from Murphs'. This article will tell you which bolt sizes you need to do the replacement. You can contact Murph from his site, and if he won't make up a kit for you, there is a list of other bolt/fastener suppliers at the bottom.

Disclaimer first, AND PAY ATTENTION: The bolts that go from the upper fairing into the gas tank are very size-sensitive. We recommend using only OEM Kawasaki bolts in that application. On older bikes, if you used one of the bolts from the bottom in the top fairing hole, you would puncture the tank, making it leak gas and making you replace it. See here for more info on this. Certainly don't use anything longer than the OEM length of 6x18. </disclaimer>

The stock body fasteners are not made from the highest quality metals known to man and are known to strip. The Murphs' ones are stainless steel button-head hex screws blackened for looks. They work like a charm, no matter how many times you take the plastics off. Each bolt includes a metal washer and a neoprene washer. This kit replaces the usual strippable-by-looking-at-them Philips head bolts with infinitely superior hex (Allen) heads.

To make a bodywork fastener kit for the Ninja 250, you will need 15 each 6x20mm bolts, 1 each 5x15 bolt and 2 each 6x25mm bolts for the upper and lower fairings. Plus 6 each 5x15 bolts for the Windshield. This breaks down into:

• 6 - 5x15mm Windshield (5x12mm stock)
• 1 - 5x15mm Lower Fairing, Front Screen (5x18mm stock)
• 4 - 6x20mm Upper Fairing, Inner Panel (6x18mm stock)(not fairing-to-tank)
• 4 - 6x20mm Front Turn Signals (6x18mm stock)
• 4 - 6x20mm Upper Fairing to Lower Fairing (6x18mm stock)
• 1 - 6x20mm Lower Fairing Front Bracket (6x18mm stock )
• 2 - 6x20mm Lower Fairing Rear Brackets, No Washers (6x18mm stock)
• 2 - 6x25mm Side Covers (6x28mm stock)
• 0 - 6x18mm Upper Fairing to Tank – These were left stock, as they were already Allen head. See warning above.

The photo below shows the bolts used for this article.

Installed photos

Notes

The majority of the stock screws are 6x18mm, and the 6x20mm work well as replacements (NOT on the tank – see above). The stock side covers are 6x28mm, but the 6x25mm works fine and has plenty of thread. The 5x18mm on the lower front screen is really long and the 5x15mm works fine. On the windshield, the stock screws are 5x12mm. 5x15mm were used here instead. The stock ones screw into the nuts on the back side and only come flush with the back of the nut. The 5x15s stick out a small amount. It appears to be enough room around the screws to not be an issue, but it's something worth noting.

Add allen tools to the stock toolkit for removal of fairings while on the road.

Other Concours Kits Available

These Concours kits will work for the Ninja 250. The sizes are the same; you just won't use the entire kit. You might not want to spend the money unless you have some rust and want to dress things up with a non-rusting model.

• Tank and Cylinder Kit – Use the 1994-2006 kit. You will get the 7 screws for the tank filler and the small screws for 2 master cylinders, as the Connie has both brake and clutch master cylinders. You'll have spares.

• Fairing U-Nuts Those little things that fit out of sight and that the bolts turn into when putting the two pieces of the fairing together. Something to have around just in case. Kawasaki part # 92015-1602

Fastener Suppliers

DESMOPARTS
Individual stainless steel fasteners. Also, complete stainless kits at their home page.

Pro-Bolt (tasty nuts)
Higher-quality nuts and bolts, aluminium and titanium bolt kits, and colored fasteners.

Bikebolts
Fairing bolt kits and other hardware in many colors.