New Guy - New guy questions. Everything I didn't find answers to...

[mvrk10256]

Lol. I dont necessarily want to destroy them. Boy do I feel spent.

Stuff ordered today:
-cbr tailight
-LEDS
-HID headlight
-prog springs
-1" lower kit
-fork seals
-R1 gold pot calipers

gonna rebuild the calipers, and throw some HH pads in there later.

 

[mvrk10256]

Ok. Well I <3 the mod monkey, and I have been doing some more thinking. Took the vmax out yesterday to the hill roads and it worked great, but I wasn't able to carry the sort of speed I could on my SV. Even though I am still getting used tot he bike, I would have preferred a little more stiffness. Also I feel like there is a serious lack of front end grip.

So a few more questions:
-good link to chain conversion? Pro/cons?
-is it easier to go radial 17" with the chain, or do a shaft drive conversion. Anyone have a good DIY. I prefer to do things myself, then farm it out, so I would like to at least see if it would be possible for me to do it myself.

And here is a pic from the lake:

 

[[email protected]]

I've never come across a how to for chain drive conversion. There are a couple threads with some nice pictures. If you do some digging, you will find helpful info but not a complete how to for DIY. It involves pulling the motor, opening it up, modifying the output shaft area and oiling, cutting the engine case, modifying the frame, and cutting up the gas tank.

All kinds of pros to do the project. Less weight, no "driveshaft effect", gearing changes, wheel availability, more power to the ground.

Cons would be cost of conversion, losing a little fuel tank capacity. Not much else I can think of.

It would be a lot easier to just buy a set of 17 or 18" wheels and bolt them on.

You might want to consider throwing in a set of fork springs and lowering the front end an inch or so. This should help to give the front end a more planted feel with minimal investment.

 

[mvrk10256]

I've never come across a how to for chain drive conversion. There are a couple threads with some nice pictures. If you do some digging, you will find helpful info but not a complete how to for DIY. It involves pulling the motor, opening it up, modifying the output shaft area and oiling, cutting the engine case, modifying the frame, and cutting up the gas tank.

All kinds of pros to do the project. Less weight, no "driveshaft effect", gearing changes, wheel availability, more power to the ground.

Cons would be cost of conversion, losing a little fuel tank capacity. Not much else I can think of.

It would be a lot easier to just buy a set of 17 or 18" wheels and bolt them on.

You might want to consider throwing in a set of fork springs and lowering the front end an inch or so. This should help to give the front end a more planted feel with minimal investment.

So it sounds like the chain x version is a bit of a waste (unless your going crazy). Can I use any sport bike wheels in a 17"? How hard is it to conver the rear wheel to shaft drive? I am a fairly competent welder but have access to a pro welder for the cost of beer.

Already have prog springs and 1" kit in the mail.

 

[ninjaneer]

satarial, weasel, and maybe jedi (these the come to mind, im sure there are others) have done such conversions. mostly with a gxr wheel. they can most definately offer up their two cents

Regards from my Taptalking Hercules Android

 

[mvrk10256]

be good if they chip in.

 

[ninjaneer]

pm them. they may not know that their expertise is needed. satariel666, wildweasel_pt, jedi

Regards from my Taptalking Hercules Android

 

[one2dmax]

Be a lot cheaper/easier to buy the carrozzerias from me lol.

 

[mvrk10256]

Be a lot cheaper/easier to buy the carrozzerias from me lol.

How much for the set. I am interested in price, not so much easyness.

 

[mvrk10256]

Could someone just walk me through the sprocket to shaft conversion? I can get a set of clean black R6 wheels for very cheap.

 

[Blurr]

Ok. Well I <3 the mod monkey, and I have been doing some more thinking.

That's nice someone should. I don't. I hate that viperous little *****! Because of him I've got an enlarged gas tank, windowed case, Carr. rims, fresh tires, stretched swing arm, super bike bars, braided hoses and cables, 'busa brakes w/ galfer disks and pads, Barret clutch, Sean's air box, full exhaust system, wholly new ignition system, rizoma signals and mirrors, moto gadget gauges, new headlamp, frame brace and new grips sitting in a corner. Add in the usd forks sitting at Sean's waiting on his welder to get back from vacation and a set of uber masters/leavers to finish prepping. When do I get to put this pile of awesomeness together? He'll if I know what I was thinking? My job has me either in the wilds stomping around some native village or out to sea for months at a time on some research boat for Texas A&M. Or out of country.

Took the vmax out yesterday to the hill roads and it worked great, but I wasn't able to carry the sort of speed I could on my SV. Even though I am still getting used tot he bike, I would have preferred a little more stiffness. Also I feel like there is a serious lack of front end grip.

It can be done. Tightening the frame with some braces is generally accepted to take care of the confidence shredding wiggles; combined with the super light Carr rims to get a lot of unsprung weight off should help hold the line and thereby allow you to stay on the throttle. Smooth is fast. The rims will allow you to swap out to soft radial goodness and help with the grip issue.

So a few more questions:
-good link to chain conversion? Pro/cons?
-is it easier to go radial 17" with the chain, or do a shaft drive conversion. Anyone have a good DIY. I prefer to do things myself, then farm it out, so I would like to at least see if it would be possible for me to do it myself.

From my research:
17inch- if you are set on it there are already some rims you can choose, though none as light as the carrs.
Chain good- less weight, faster spool up, more gearing options, more wheel options.
Chain bad- major surgery, not DYI (for most mortals), more upkeep, makes most sense if you are already opening engine for major surgery/upgrade.

If anyone who feels different, jump in and correct me. Not like I know any of this first hand.

:EDIT: Sorry if I sound bitter, was planning to take my five weeks of vacation and two weeks of days off starting the end of the month and knock this out. Instead I've been informed I'm heading to some remote camp in Canada to oversee an operation with no firm date of return. We don't get much summer up in Alaska and I really wanted to be riding this bike. Enough f*ckin day dreamin.

 

[jedi-]

My 1990 has a Honda VTR wheel 17" which I machined to accept a flange to mount the oem drive spline/flange arrangement.
This did involve some machining and welding to the VTR wheel.
My 1990 uses an 18" aftermarket Harley type wheel which carries a modular bolt on bearing hubs to a generic wheel centre which would be used for many different models. This was a piece of cake to work from, by sheer fluke I found I didn't really have to make much at all as an OEM part from another bike literally bolted up to the wheel and things like the 5 x holes PCD even lined up without any drilling etc ,I just tapped some holes to bolt on the flange.

Of the 2, I prefer the 18" as the gearing is right, there is no welding, hence no distortion and it was easy to do and aftermarket wheels from Ebay for example can be bought cheaply.

I have some wheels in the piepline , machined from blanks sooooon and will be making some offerings thru Sean when ready.

 

[satariel666]

There's a thread started by me called gsxr 600 conversion. Just need to search mate:>

Im done with any gsxr rims cuz they provide some serious trouble before and after.
I've sold them around 20? and needed to replace a few with cbr900(the only one Im offering)
3 sopke design is a bad design for that.

Cant give you more details then you will be able to find on this forum becouse Im still
planning to sell them a few. Its hard to me right now to do any conversion also.
I may try but may take a while.

 

[one2dmax]

I don't think the R6 has a large enough center hub to weld a Vmax hub into it. There are a limited amount of wheels that have a large enough area to fit the cush drive in.

The Carr's aren't going to be cheap ($2250 plus $25 seals shipped to the U.S. though we can ship anywhere) but they are lighter then almost anything you can find and will be a direct bolt on with no mods.

Sean

 

[mvrk10256]

Lots of awesome info. Thanks guys. Again I really appreciate how everyone seems ready to help, that doesn't happen on every forum.

So some of you are going to get PM's here in a bit. but as far as radials are concerned this seems to be the break down:

1. Kosman widen rear ($500+shipping+extra rear wheel) = $700 approx
2. Degon(?) or similar used $13-1600
3. use GSXR wheels, do it myself $?
4.Use harley wheels myself $?
5. Carr's $2300


A few points of interest.
-I really like the look fo the stockers. Spending 1K to have both widened + 250 for tires is pricy, but I could have them both in 18" diameter and with the stock look.
-I can pick up a straight GSXR wheel for $50-60 (rear) I can also pick up a clean Vmax wheel for $30-60 and see what is required. How about the front? I read the front has to be shaved? but otherwise it bolts up? Is there a goto spedo to get you back into the right range?
-I am unsure (i sent jedi a PM) about the harley wheels, they seem like a nice option, but I am not sure which ones you need.

Thing is more than money, I prefer to do stuff myself. Any chump can spend a bunch of cash and pay a shop to bolt it all on. It only worthwhile to me if I do it myself.

 

[ninjaneer]

going with kosman widening only requires the rear. there is a plethora of radials to cover the front stock rim

you noted accurately in the first list, but perhaps you double dipped in the points of interst?

Regards from my Taptalking Hercules Android

 

[one2dmax]

I have a George Deget Rear Wheel and matching polished front with new tires and new floating rotors on the front (a used galfer on the rear). It's a 17" rear (with 190). Less then the carr's and includes the tires!

 

[mvrk10256]

going with kosman widening only requires the rear. there is a plethora of radials to cover the front stock rim

you noted accurately in the first list, but perhaps you double dipped in the points of interst?

Regards from my Taptalking Hercules Android

Ya. I read you can run a radial onthe stock front. Could kosman make the rear a 18? to keep the speed the same.

I have a George Deget Rear Wheel and matching polished front with new tires and new floating rotors on the front (a used galfer on the rear). It's a 17" rear (with 190). Less then the carr's and includes the tires!

Pm pics and price? I didnt see it in your thread I dont think

 

[ninjaneer]

Ya. I read you can run a radial onthe stock front. Could kosman make the rear a 18? to keep the speed the same.

http://kosmanspecialties.com/services/wheel-widening-and-weldups/

at a glance, looks like their services do not increase diameter, just width. of course if you provided them with an 18" they could widen that.

 

[m-cman]

I have an rear 18" Kosman. Not aware that they stopped offering them. I prefer the 18" for looks and other reasons. Only drawback is less radial tire selection. 170/60-18 is biggest that will fit and is hard to find. 160/60-18 is readily available.