My project-sneak peek...
03-11-2007, 12:38 PM
#1
evil man of nothing
MotoGP
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Boynton Beach, FL
Posts: 4,484
My project-sneak peek...
Okay I couldn't help myself and had to post some quick pics. After a long time of dragging my butt and even getting asked what was up with my project here's where it's at. It's obviously not done yet but it's almost there. Without making a list of all the parts you can see the RC51 front end and my 900rr braced rear swingarm, which I'll be polishing. Long story short I wanted to do something different with the swingarm. I figured since the 900rr wheel swaps on then the brace would fit the swingarm. Only later did I find out that this had already been done before. I really wanted to have mr billet build me another one of his awesome rc51 swingarms, which he very graciously offered to do given the huge amount of work it is to build. But in the end this was alot more hands on for me. I did everything but the actual welding, and plus it was considerably less expensive. I am extremely pleased with his suggestion to use the 900rr caliper bracket, which spaces out the caliper perfect and looks factory instead of all the extra work of cutting out the brace and keeping the superhawk caliper bracket. So fire away with what you think and I'll post some more (and better) pics once she's done.
03-11-2007, 02:01 PM
#2
Senior Member
SuperBike
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: MN
Posts: 1,548
looks very nice. Is that a carbon fiber front fender? and what are you using for clipons. Oh, and what are you going to do regarding steering stops? I still don't have a good solution worked out for the RC51 on mine and it makes me nervous.
bill
bill
03-11-2007, 02:05 PM
#3
Senior Member
MotoGP
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Austin, Tx
Posts: 4,138
Looks good, Captain! I like the beefy front end. Have you still got your fairings or is that another bridge to be crossed? I've decided to go back with heavily modified guts but stock Honda tubes on my rebuild instead of a transplant.
At my body weight the stock tubes are fine. The internal setup that we did on the last build was great. This also gives me reason to count some calories once in a while. I will probably add the fork brace. I just wish I could find a solid billet upper bridge for the triple. I know they were around for a while but I have no clue where to get one now.
The swing arm work that you've done is great too. Building your own and having a welder that will work with you is super. It will be interesting once you start to get it back up on the road and start feeling it out. Keep us posted and more pictures!
At my body weight the stock tubes are fine. The internal setup that we did on the last build was great. This also gives me reason to count some calories once in a while. I will probably add the fork brace. I just wish I could find a solid billet upper bridge for the triple. I know they were around for a while but I have no clue where to get one now.
The swing arm work that you've done is great too. Building your own and having a welder that will work with you is super. It will be interesting once you start to get it back up on the road and start feeling it out. Keep us posted and more pictures!
03-11-2007, 02:25 PM
#5
Administrator
World Champion
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Fulton, MO
Posts: 105,287
He's using just the brace.
Capt, I'm concerned about the distance between the tire and the brace. From that picture angle it looks like only 1/4" or so. That will not be enough. It also appears after looking at the pics again that the wheel is all the way forward in adjustment and that you have no chain installed. Make sure and cut the chain the right length so you have enough clearance. I had a Dunlop race tire expand over 1/2" (radius, not diameter) on my 1000RR. It wore a nice oval hole right through my stock hugger. Gave me a good reason to buy CF though.
Capt, I'm concerned about the distance between the tire and the brace. From that picture angle it looks like only 1/4" or so. That will not be enough. It also appears after looking at the pics again that the wheel is all the way forward in adjustment and that you have no chain installed. Make sure and cut the chain the right length so you have enough clearance. I had a Dunlop race tire expand over 1/2" (radius, not diameter) on my 1000RR. It wore a nice oval hole right through my stock hugger. Gave me a good reason to buy CF though.
03-11-2007, 06:44 PM
#6
evil man of nothing
MotoGP
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Boynton Beach, FL
Posts: 4,484
Boy those pictures do suck! I need to finish this up and take some good ones...anyway to answer a couple questions-yes it's a carbon front fender. It's just a 900rr brace welded to the stock swingarm. I'm using 954 bars as they have a nice rise to them and clear the fairings well. I have all the stock fairings but they're staying off until EVERYTHING is done. For now I'm going to have to live with the reduced steering lock. It's not that bad. I was going to move the radiators back but the bars touch the gauges too so until I figure that out there's no point. Before I did the swingarm I was riding the bike around a little and besides moving it around in the garage it's not a big deal. And yes the brace was very close to the tire, but I gave the it some extra clearance with a hammer and grinder and once the chain's mounted the wheel will move back a bit. I just slapped everything back together because I needed to be able to roll the bike.
03-11-2007, 07:43 PM
#10
evil man of nothing
MotoGP
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Boynton Beach, FL
Posts: 4,484
I set myself up for that one. That didn't sound right. Actually I have a cool set of bodywork hammers and dollys. That downbrace is just a thin box of aluminum so I tapped it in into a shallow curve and ground it smooth. Did the same in the front by the shock. It looks like it came that way now.
03-12-2007, 01:40 PM
#13
Senior Member
SuperSport
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Thornwood, NY
Posts: 817
Looks real nice Captain!!!!
I'm in the same boat as you, slowly getting there. Don't have a baby (or wife have a baby to be correct) during a swap, will kill your free time, and cause you to get yelled at everytime the buffing wheel / air compressoor, etc. is fired up!!
I'm about ready to powdercoat my triples and mount everything back up shortly. Bought a "hobby" powdercoat gun to do most of the parts myself, because there is nothing like adding more stuff to your to do list when you don't have time as it is!!!
Anyway.. I'll take pics of my lower triple (It's a 929). It' finally ready for powder and mounting... I ground down the stops in the "center" to avoid the center fairing brace bracket, drilled/tapped each steering stop and added a small bolt to hit the frame in the right spot. I also made radiator "relocating" brackets and shifted the rads back to increase the steering... as of right now, I stop before i hit the rad hose, and it's about 1/8" short (frame stop to triple stop) of the stock turning range.
J.
I'm in the same boat as you, slowly getting there. Don't have a baby (or wife have a baby to be correct) during a swap, will kill your free time, and cause you to get yelled at everytime the buffing wheel / air compressoor, etc. is fired up!!
I'm about ready to powdercoat my triples and mount everything back up shortly. Bought a "hobby" powdercoat gun to do most of the parts myself, because there is nothing like adding more stuff to your to do list when you don't have time as it is!!!
Anyway.. I'll take pics of my lower triple (It's a 929). It' finally ready for powder and mounting... I ground down the stops in the "center" to avoid the center fairing brace bracket, drilled/tapped each steering stop and added a small bolt to hit the frame in the right spot. I also made radiator "relocating" brackets and shifted the rads back to increase the steering... as of right now, I stop before i hit the rad hose, and it's about 1/8" short (frame stop to triple stop) of the stock turning range.
J.
03-12-2007, 03:22 PM
#16
Senior Member
Back Marker
Join Date: May 2006
Location: UK (England)
Posts: 152
I'm sure you are limited to about 5mm before they will intefere.I know what to do but i'm just intrested in the drilled and tapped stops so pics pics pics please
soz CC for hijacking your thread
soz CC for hijacking your thread
03-12-2007, 06:07 PM
#19
Senior Member
SuperSport
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Thornwood, NY
Posts: 817
And this is the last one.... showing with the triple in place.... the rads shifted back form th underside... the outside, and the fairing bracket you'll need to grind little bit to clear the fan, as they touch when everything shifts back a bit.
03-12-2007, 06:31 PM
#20
Senior Member
SuperBike
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: MN
Posts: 1,548
those are beautiful solutions. I have to check the RC51 bottom triple - its just slightly different and I think I removed more of the stock stop which probably doesn't leave enough to tap into horizontally.
03-12-2007, 08:25 PM
#21
evil man of nothing
MotoGP
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Boynton Beach, FL
Posts: 4,484
Hey Slowhawk that all looks pretty cool, nice work. What combo of bars are you using? Like I said I found 954 bars have the perfect height but they're still hitting the gauges. And no prob Alan we can all use the extra help. Next time I have to fix up a stock bike it's going to be a joke-just read the manual This we all have to figure out on our own. And yes I was riding around a little after the front end swap but short rides around the block, nothing special where I could give any real feedback (not that I'm really qualified to do that anyway). Once I have the bike gone over at Computrack I'll feel happy with pushing it a little. Honestly one of biggest improvements I'm counting on are the brakes.
This we all have to figure out on our own. And yes I was riding around a little after the front end swap but short rides around the block, nothing special where I could give any real feedback (not that I'm really qualified to do that anyway). Once I have the bike gone over at Computrack I'll feel happy with pushing it a little. Honestly one of biggest improvements I'm counting on are the brakes.
03-13-2007, 06:19 AM
#22
Senior Member
SuperSport
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Thornwood, NY
Posts: 817
Thanks for the compliments... once I powder them up this weekend they should look pretty hot... probably gonn agloss black both the lower and upper... and I polished the caliper brackets as well, they look billet.
As for bars... I'm either going 954 clip-ons (Second option) or I have a pair of Heli's off a GSXR 750 (First option)... the heli's are fairly close to the 954 clipons height wise, but are "off to the side" a bit more which should cure the gauge clearence problems.
Just out of curiosity Captain.... which upper triple did you go with, and how high are the forks in the clamps... I still have to put the old front end on and make a couple ground clearence measurements, then install the RC stuff and try to get close to those specs... (I have a RC and 929 upper triple... so I have flexibility on fork height and clipon placement.)
J.
As for bars... I'm either going 954 clip-ons (Second option) or I have a pair of Heli's off a GSXR 750 (First option)... the heli's are fairly close to the 954 clipons height wise, but are "off to the side" a bit more which should cure the gauge clearence problems.
Just out of curiosity Captain.... which upper triple did you go with, and how high are the forks in the clamps... I still have to put the old front end on and make a couple ground clearence measurements, then install the RC stuff and try to get close to those specs... (I have a RC and 929 upper triple... so I have flexibility on fork height and clipon placement.)
J.
03-13-2007, 06:28 AM
#23
Senior Member
SuperBike
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: MN
Posts: 1,548
CC
is computrack the computer system for setting up trail, height etc? That will be very interesting to hear about. I tried to take some accurate measurements on the front end before the swap to get the same height at the steering head as stock after my switch, but its difficult to be accurate. Plus the offset on the RC51 triples is different than the VTR so the trail is changed also. Will be very interesting to hear what you learn.
bill
is computrack the computer system for setting up trail, height etc? That will be very interesting to hear about. I tried to take some accurate measurements on the front end before the swap to get the same height at the steering head as stock after my switch, but its difficult to be accurate. Plus the offset on the RC51 triples is different than the VTR so the trail is changed also. Will be very interesting to hear what you learn.
bill
03-16-2007, 08:51 PM
#25
evil man of nothing
MotoGP
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Boynton Beach, FL
Posts: 4,484
Yeah slowhawk, what you're talking about with the gsxr heli's in the next thing I wanted to start looking for. Otherwise the height on the 954's is perfect for clearing the fairings. Everything on the front end is rc51 besides the bars. I know some folks have used other lower triples that may clear the inner fairing better than the rc51's. As far as the height I'd have to measure but I just did a little before and after measuring and tried to come as close as I could. That's why I want to take it to computrack, because the guy there is a suspension wizard (and I am not). Yeah cliby they measure everything on the frame and suspension and make adjustments to straighten everything out if necessary. They even do brand new bikes, which often are out of alignment slightly. Besides racebikes (and hardcore streetbikes I guess) I think it's also very valuable for customs and accident bikes. I just want to make sure mine is safe and is "right." All my parts are used so you never know. I'm not going to lie I'm not going to be racing the bike, I just want something different that looks cool that I did myself and also looking forward more to the better brakes than any improvements in stiffness, etc. I actually was always pretty happy with the stock suspension ride.
03-17-2007, 08:16 AM
#26
Senior Member
SuperSport
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Thornwood, NY
Posts: 817
I'm in the exact same mode as you Captain.... I wanted something a little different, and I'd rather put 1500 into my bike that I love instead of spending a ridiculous amount for a cookie cutter sport bike. Since I sold my Mustang a few years ago, I needed somethign else to tinker with.... and this bike is great for that, plus it fits in my warm basement unlike working out in the hot/freezing garage on a car!!!
As for hte stock suspension... After putting the racetech stuff in my forks, I was pretty thrilled about the change..... I'm hopinght RC stuff will be even better!!!
Let us know what what Computrack says about your setup.... I'm hoping after all this work somebody with true technical knowlegde of the changes doesn't say we made deathtraps out of our bikes!!!
J.
As for hte stock suspension... After putting the racetech stuff in my forks, I was pretty thrilled about the change..... I'm hopinght RC stuff will be even better!!!
Let us know what what Computrack says about your setup.... I'm hoping after all this work somebody with true technical knowlegde of the changes doesn't say we made deathtraps out of our bikes!!!
J.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Randman
Technical Discussion
25
04-08-2008 06:56 AM
