| Author | Message | ||
     Duggram |
I have a complete front end off of an '08 and want to lighten it up as much as is safe. I've already got a mag wheel, 5mm disc, and the lighter triple clamp left over from my old 1125 racer. I also have a GPR damper to work with. What else can I do that's practical? Ti hardware? Drill the axle? I don't know what else. I'm finally almost in a position to get started on my WR450 super single which will use this front end. Tonight I saw a short report about a Yamaha super single that uses a FrameCrafters frame and is down to 220#. That's some serious lightness and just what an old man needs to keep track riding later in life. One of the guys I know that is familiar with what I'm doing thinks using the Buell front end is a mistake because it would be too heavy. What do you think? Or should I just sell it and put the money into an R6 front end? | ||
| Jdugger |
The Buell front end will be both heavy and totally over-specified for this, IMHO. You could reduce the oil level in the forks and probably save more weight than Ti hardware, but that has issues! Also, going to a ZTL1 caliper would save some weight and I bet it's sufficient to stop a super single I would start by weighing total perspective front ends and just choosing the lightest. Look at motard front ends: single rotor, traditional brake, single caliper, light Mg wheel, etc. That's probably the best place to start. | ||
| Johndb |
I saw a bike like that at Mid-ohio AMA Vintage Days last July that had a Framecrafters frame and it was amazingly light and competitive bike. | ||
| Jimustanguitar |
Are you worried about sprung/unsprung weight, or just trying to change the overall distribution? If you're talking about unsprung weight, there's only so much there. Wheels, tires, axle, bearings, brake rotor and caliper, misc hardware, and half of a fork tube... | ||
| Nuts4mc |
there's a local guy that builds hi-end street trackers...he uses a R1 front end with (1) disk and caliper...since you've already got your sights on a R6 front end - might want to try that suspension with just (1)disk/caliper....as you get lighter in the fork area the braking power gets smaller (small displacement (125/250) MX forks have small calipers)...you can try and find a fork/caliper/wheel combo, but it might be tough to get all three without spending some cash...(Kaw EX500 come to mind, I use one on my vintage bike ...it has a large swept brake area (big long pads) (http://www.ebay.com/itm/2006-Kawasaki-Ninja-EX500- Front-Brake-Caliper-Master-Reservoir-and-Hose-L-K- /350949705357?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&fit s=Make%3AKawasaki&hash=item51b63b868d&vxp=mtr) ...had to build a custom mount and have a custom wheel laced by Buchannan's http://www.buchananspokes.net/ ...you'll need to "balance" the need for braking with physical wt of the front end....hope this helps (Message edited by nuts4mc on December 11, 2013) | ||
| Sir_wadsalot |
I have an EX500 with a bad motor for sale... |
