mac2003

I've had my '03 since January of '03 and now have 21K on the odometer. I'm only just now making my first changes to the bike so thought I'd run things by you guys to see if you had any suggestions.

Ordered the two brothers titanium exhaust yesterday along with jet kit and some new fork springs. Also have a coerce fork stabilizer and carbon front fender in the mail somewhere. Now I'm thinking that at the same time I put the exhaust on I'll also have the CCT update done as well as new sprockets and chain...sticking with 16 in the front but change rear to 43. Speedo healer should work to sort the speedometer out shouldn't it?

After this...in a month or two I'll put a new rear shock on and then after that get some carbon fiber rims once I find something.

Open to any suggestions on this plan. Always looking for any way to lighten things up.

8541Hawk

So why Carbon wheels? If you really want to run them you might want to read these first http://www.ducati.ms/forums/showthread.php?t=26849 &
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showt...5&pagenumber=4

I'm not saying you shouldn't get them, just know that there is a possibilty of failure with them..... and if they are so good why don't any of the top Moto GP teams use them?

mac2003

Thanks for the input. I'll check out those links. The main reason for posting is of course to get any input from the group. Input on changes to my current plan or additions to it.

After the obvious upgrades for a little more power I really want to see what I can do to lighten the bike and making the rotating bits lighter seems like the best place to start. If you have other suggestions on wheels I'm open to it but I simply hadn't seen any problems anywhere related to the carbon wheels until your post. I understand that with anything there could be a defect in the manufacture so if there is only one or two instances of problems with carbon wheels that'll effect my decision less than if I find multiple instances.

And completely open to other ides for making things lighter. While I seem to be one of the few that is happy with the stock seat I do think I'll eventually upgrade to a sargent seat. I have sargent on my other two bikes and love the improvement over stock.


Ken
2003 VTR1000 with tapeworks kit -- 2003 RSV1000 Tuono with carbon fiber airbox kit, ECU chip, arrow titanium exhaust, sargent seat -- 2003 DL1000 V-Strom with sargent seat, suzuki tall windscreen, center stand, top and side bags

RK1

Speedo Healer? Depends how particular you are. Two teeth up in the rear will change your final gearing by a bit under 5%. 60 mph on the speedometer = 57 mph road speed.

I'd probably just remember my speedo is 5% optimistic and leave it at that, but that's just me.

mac2003

To tell the truth I've always been a bit annoyed by how far off my speedo is right now. I was going down the road a few nights ago and my speedo was reading 72/73. I looked at the car to my right and noticed that the digital speedo in the car was at 66. Maybe you're right though. I'm already off and used to being off after all

RK1

mac2003;

If your speedo is already 10% hot the 43 rear will make it worse enough I'd probably do the speedo healer.

I know the first VTR tested by MOTORCYCLIST in '97 was spot on at 60 mph. I know mine is good at surface street speeds 'cause those towable speed flashers they leave at the side of the street always read the same as my speedo.

I do suspect mine might be off some at freeway speed. When I'm in my F150 traffic seems to be moving about 73-75 mph but on the bike always seems to be moving more like 78-80.

Reinske

If you want light rims take aluminium rims from PVM, Lightcon or Galespeed. They are very light and they don't break that easy. This pictures hurt just looking at them...

But the idea of lighting the rotating bits is quite good, how about wave braking disks? Possibly up to 0,5kg per disk ( front )...

hawxter996

Mac,

I wouldnt let this one story sway my purchase.
do more research then form your own opinion.
I still think he crashed and broke them,not the other way around.

8541Hawk

Well if the guy(s) had crashed and broke them, I would have said so. The wheels (as it happened on two seprate occasions) came apart while riding in a straight line. You can think whatever you want but it would be nice if you knew what you were talking about not just guessing.... but as I stated in my post, do what you want, but is it really worth the risk? Also as I stated before, if Carbon wheels are worth a ****, why is it that none of the top GP Teams (who can afford to run whatever they want) use them.

cliby

I've had similar concerns about carbon wheels - or other superlightweight items in high stress areas of the bike. Unverified or not, just taking a practical approach. Its one thing in a race environment where tracks are relatively smooth, and most someone is closely inspecting the wheel on a very very regular basis (often after each riding day) to detect small imperfections or signs of failure. But in real world use, on real roads, with some huge holes etc and practically no close inspection except at infrequent tire changes, I'd be at least concerned. There are other lightweight wheel options that are nearly as lightweight and have more road history behind them as well.

hawxter996

we hear this same story on every bike site, yet there is no real proof.
i know in every part of life there is certain failure.
but this is just one story of wheel failure out of countless others
out there.and as i have stated you offer no real proof.

8541Hawk

bike goes down straight, wheel explodes, there are pics of the wheel, what more proof do you need, you act like I'm making this **** up.... oh well I really don't care what you do...... and for the third time why have the top GP Teams passed on using Carbon wheels?? A couple of them tested with them and decided not to run them, you can take that anyway you like...

mac2003

Thanks. I'll look into those options on rims.

?Wave braking disks? Can you give me a little more info there? I'm up for any options.

mac2003

I'd suspect that the GP teams found better options. Better probably also translates to more expensive. Better doesn't necessarily mean that cabon is bad. Granted I don't really want to take chances when it comes to road riding so I will do further research into the carbon fiber option before I make any purchases. I'll be doing the rear shock in a month or two....and the rims at some point after so I have time to research.

Thanks for the input!

mac2003

OK. Found these: http://www.kneedraggers.com/details/...-GALF-W34.html

Says it lightens up the front end by almost 4 pounds. That would be a nice change. Anyone have issues with Galfer??

drew_c14

Galfer makes good stuff, but $560 to save a few pounds on an otherwise heavy bike, doesn't sound like a good plan to me.

mac2003

It is about lightening the bike but its not just about lightening the bike. Making the rotating bits lighter has more effect on handling than taking weight off any other part. From what I understand taking a few pounds off the rotating pieces has a huge effect on handling.

drew_c14

You are correct. Reducing unsprung mass is very important, maybe for me just not enough to justify the cost.

8541Hawk

Yes they found a better option and no they don't cost more. They are running magesium wheels which are cheaper..... but you are missing the point of they can afford to replace the wheels after every race and they still don't run them.

hawxter996

video of it as it was happening would be solid proof.
im sure something happened,but what?
pics just show broken wheel.
internet is full of pics of broken wheels.
is it possible the wheel was damaged before it was mounted on the bike?
like i said stuff happens.
but i wont base my final decision on 1 incident.

im not connected with the top gp teams and im sure your not also.
so what do you know?

i agree i wouldnt run them on the street,but then i wont run anything other than stock wheels on the street.

8541Hawk

Well sir all I can say to you is that you are a funny guy. You don't know who I am or who I know but lets take your last post and answer your points.
Well if it's not on video it didn't happen. Someone standing there watching it happen or the person riding the bike while it happened isn't good enough, oh well. Did the sun come up today? do you have it on video? if not did it really happen.....give me a break.
So now lets talk about racing, do you know if I have ever raced or not?? I don't think you do. As for people I know, well do you know that Kenny Roberts, Wanye Rainey, Bubba Shorbert and Rich Oliver all live in my general area. Have I met and talked with any of them, well how would you know?
How about the GP testing that happens every year at our local track, Have I been to them? once again how would you know?
So back to the point, you keep saying that this 1 incident is all there is yet you also say that you have heard about it "on every bike site" so is this one time that famous that it has made every board or has it happened more than once?
Also in my original post I stated he might want to do a little research into wheel options and you chimed in with it's all a bunch of story telling and there is no problem with them, yet now you say you wouldn't run any thing but stock. That in itself is rather odd. I have no problem running aftermarket wheels and have some experience running them and know their limits. It doesn't sould like you have had any experience running anything but stock wheels on the street, so to use your expression, what do you know?
This is all become pointless, I just tried to give the guy some friendly advice. Yet you seem to have some sort of agenda to prove that I don't know anything or anyone and just like to post falsehoods.
So with that I'm going for a ride, on a bike that might not exsist, as I have no vidieo of it. On this nice sunny day, which also might not exsist, as I have no video of it either.
Have a nice day and a Merry Christmas.

nuhawk

Boyz - it's time to stir the sand. Tomorrow is another day!

drew_c14

You know what would be sick...paper mache wheels, they would be light for sure.

8541Hawk

No Balsa Wood is the shiznit for wheels.......

hawxter996

ok your wheel broke boo hoo hoo.

i only run stock on the street, because i know that lightweight wheels
wont survive city streets full of potholes.

i have had several pairs of marchesini's and they developed problems
after being run on city streets.

is that a wheel problem ? no.


and as far as any agenda,you came right out and said stay away from carbon.
i wouldnt hesitate to use carbon wheels or any others on the track.
the fact your wheel broke does suck.
you ever see a mag. wheel break?
they go quick also.
i had one go on my nt650gt at 70 mph.
a truck carrying concrete blocks dropped part of his load.
and vehicles were swerving all over the place.
i caught one with the front wheel and am lucky to be alive.
stock wheel would of survived,might of bent.
but would of stayed in one piece.

by the way,I met Eddie Lawson at a track
really cool guy.

one test i have always been curious of with carbon wheels,
is an rpm test.
would they delaminate after a certain rpm?
with centrifigal force pulling them apart.
any experience here?

hawxter996

balsa spokes for sure!.....lol

drew_c14

I can tell you first hand that many helicopters have rotor blades made of very similar stuff. So the answer would have to be no, they won't come apart like that. De-lamination is common, but easily detectable. I can't imagine a motorcycle wheel would be subjected to nearly the same amount of force though, so even that is unlikely.

8541Hawk

What a very adult statement.
Yet till this time you make no mention about these things or offer the orignal poster any input, you just seem to want to aruge with me, and yes it has become rather boring....

Would you mind showing me where I said that? I seem to remember saying that he might want to do some research before using them. In fact the exact quote was "I'm not saying you shouldn't get them, just know there is a possibilty of failure with them" not quite the same thing now, is it?

Wouldn't it have been easier to just say this in the first place instead of saying the stories of carbon wheels comming apart are just an internet myth and souldn't be listened to? How do you think you would have ended up if the wheel had been carbon instead of mag? better or worse?

Good for you

Nope and I'm done with this thread..... so say what you want, it's all yours.

mac2003

OK. So moving on from carbon... any other recommendations for rims? Or any seconds on what has already been recommended?

cliby

the nice thing about the SH rims is they are heavy- so the options for finding lighter are plenty!. I don't know how much work you do yourself on the bike, but along with the shock you might want to consider swapping out the front end for some USD forks from another honda - all at once you get brake, wheel and suspension upgrade. Economical too if you can be patient on ebay to assemble the parts. There are a lot of posts here about that. There are also some direct wheel swap with stock wheels from more race-replica oriented hondas that will save some weight but still retain stock use intention. You could search as its been covered quite a bit I believe. beyond that, aluminum aftermarket rims will save a lot of weight and be quite strong. However, going to after market wheels generally means you are also converting to a different cushdrive -generally much smaller than stock - which can be noticeable when riding in stop and go situations especially.