Topic: What is everyone stripping off to save weight?

[754]

Hey pal, you gotta long ways to go..
 You are missing, Windjammer, top box, saddle bags, front & rear crashbars, floorboards, radio, trailer hitch.. and even more.. you dont understand heavy, like some dont understand light on here...

[Skunk Stripe]

I don't think it is a failing to understand lightweight. Some are just more pragmatic about these bikes and some are purists.
I understand weights and balances but I also know that no matter what I do, a stock cbr600 with an equal rider, will still spank our bikes. That's just the way it is. Oh sure, if against a poor rider on a twisty course, you might win but even poor riders can twist a throttle to go fast.
Our bikes are not going to go around killing sport bikes. Now if you do it to race same period bikes, hey go for it and have fun. Of if you want to whoop harleys, excellent, remind then hd riders why their bikes make them look like women in birthing stirrups.
If you do it "just because", as long as you don't kill yourself because of a dumb mod.
I guess I can see BOTH sides of it.

[moho]

Buckaroo 754 that's my bike the day I got it an it had enough ballast on it to understand "toilet 550" it's all in the bin if you so desire

[socalenduro]

wait i forget...was the topic heading "do you think its a good idea if i strip things off my bike to save weight?"

[Roach Carver]

wait i forget...was the topic heading "do you think its a good idea if i strip things off my bike to save weight?"

seems to be the way things are here lately.

[seanbarney41]

...I think the op gave up over 5 pages ago

[Anti-Johnny]

Well lets get back to the easier options. Its a bit hard to track down the aluminum rims. But the fiberglass seat has to cut out a lot, especially if losing the rear fender. Thats got to be at least 5lbs right?

How much does the center stand weigh?
What about losing the starter? I always kick start  (need new battery) I need to read more on the people that use capacitors and ditch the battery as well.

what other bits can just be removed without much fuss?

The triangles on the frame that the back pegs are attached to, do those give structural support, other than the muffler bracket?

[754]

skunk..aka cbARRRRRRGGGHH LOVER..IS IT TRUE YOU HANG OUT ON THE cbr 600 FORUM, AND TELL THEM THEY ARE CRAZY TO INCREASE THEIR PERFORMANCE CUZ THEIR GONNA GET WHIPPED BY A 1000CC...??
 MAYBE WE SHOULD KEEP THIS TO SOHC hONDAS

[Skunk Stripe]

Get off it frank. I never once said to not remove weight. I said to be careful about what you remove. I gave plenty of good reasons for removing weight but I guess I just burst your bubble on these bikes ever equaling a modern sportbike. So you did the most illogical thing and raged out.
I seem to remember YOU talking about sportbikes earlier in this topic and now it is wrong? Can't have it both ways.

[Flying J]

I once had a '80 CB125.  It didn't have a centerstand, but the earlier models did.  So, I added one.  And a luggage rack/backrest combo, too.  One would think that with such a small bike, adding all that would slow it down, but no.  No difference.

I think i bought your 125 and ripped it all off and to throw salt in the wound, i slapped on a set of clubmans!



Actually this bike didnt have a center stand so i put one on it. Only because the side stand was worn out and sloppy and i am to cheap to find a good one.  Center stands can be helpful but i have never had a problem doing any maintenance to a bike with out one.
We shall see what the weight is on my cafe when its done. Should be low. I have removed a lot but added a few things too. Its all aluminum so that should help.
As for center stands i dont understand why it is so hotly debated you either like the convenience or you you could care less. Now for me i like to rip the blinkers off every bike as well as the mirrors. Thats close to 5 lbs.

[Skunk Stripe]

I am not sure why the split on stands either. Yes it is weight but it is also nice to have, just in case. Now if you stay in town, no biggie but on some backroad, it could be a big help. Thats why I threw out making an aluminum stand. Lot less weight and you have just in case.

[hesselfuzz]

Does anyone know the various weight differences between wheels? I rather like the comstar wheels that came on my '78 750F. Are they much heavier than spoke wheels with steel rims? How much can be saved by switching the steel rim for an aluminum? Is the rear Comstar w/ disc heavier than a stock spoke with drum brake? I learned in my bicycle riding & wrenching days that saving weight on the rotating mass makes a much greater difference than saving the same amount on, say, the frame. Any other ideas for weight saving on wheel/ tire/ brake unit?
Ciao

[scottly]

Well lets get back to the easier options. Its a bit hard to track down the aluminum rims. But the fiberglass seat has to cut out a lot, especially if losing the rear fender. Thats got to be at least 5lbs right?

How much does the center stand weigh?
What about losing the starter? I always kick start  (need new battery) I need to read more on the people that use capacitors and ditch the battery as well.

what other bits can just be removed without much fuss?

The triangles on the frame that the back pegs are attached to, do those give structural support, other than the muffler bracket

The starter, with the drive gears, clutch, and wires is about 8-10 pounds. An added bonus is the reduced rotating weight of the clutch, which is bolted to the rotor. Also, the K7-K8, as well as F models, came with a lighter rotor (1.234 pounds).
Regarding batteries, when I removed my starter, I switched to a 3 Ahr lead-acid battery, which saved another 10-11 pounds over the stock 14 Ahr. I also fabricated an aluminum battery box that bolted in place of the stock steel box, but I never bothered to weigh either one. The 3 Ahr proved to have enough capacity to power the lights while idling at traffic signals.
I would not cut off the rear foot-peg triangles. I would use them to mount lighter rear-set foot pegs.

[hondaface75]

Im curious about cast wheels compared to spoked as well. I heard spoked are lighter but not as strong. Again, a trade off when it comes to weight.

Since when are rear sets lighter than the stock footrests? Adding a bracket and material dont seem lighter to me, regardless of what you make them out of. I cut the rubbers off my stock pegs and ground out grooves for grip. I'd venture a guess that they weigh the same, or less than rear sets.

[754]

 Jack be Nimble,
 Jack be Quick..
 Jacks been lightening his Single-Stick!!

 Wheels I have a mag 18 x 4.5in, with 6 3/4 tire on it.. weighs 24lbs with cushdrive and 46T sprocket.. That will probably save 18 lbs oe more over stock.
 4-1 can save at least 10 lbs probably more .

[seanbarney41]

Anybody know or can check the weight of comstars?

[OldSchool_IsCool]

Which would same more weigh, the in-tank filter or an in-line?

[scottly]

 Wheels I have a mag 18 x 4.5in, with 6 3/4 tire on it.. weighs 24lbs with cushdrive and 46T sprocket.. That will probably save 18 lbs oe more over stock.
 4-1 can save at least 10 lbs probably more .

I weighed a stock K7 rear wheel with tire, 630 sprocket, and brake: 48 pounds!
My Morris rear wheel, with a 130 tire, 530 aluminum sprocket, and disc brake: 37 pounds.
Without the tire, the rear Morris assembly was 20-20 1/2 pounds.

The front Morris, with a 4.10 tire, but without discs, was 26 pounds. (the ancient Dunlop K81 tire and tube were responsible for about 12 pounds)
Stock K7 front wheel, with a 3.50 tire, no disc, was 24 pounds.
After removing the tires for the Morris wheels, I found they do indeed have the raised beads for use with tubeless tires. 

 

[754]

 You have to add the caliper and hanger weight to the rear wheel to be equal
 The 24 lb dymag wheel with tire I got has a wrinklewall on it, so I am thinking a street tire will add around 4 or more lbs.

[hesselfuzz]

I have a pair of comstars apart for new bearings. They weigh:
Front wheel with 100/90-19 street tire=        22 lbs
Same as above w/ discs (2)                            32 lbs  and they are at min thickness

Rear wheel w/ 120/90-18 street tire              38 lbs
  "  plus sprocket                                           42 lbs
  " plus sprocket and disc                               44 lbs

No wonder the megabuck racers use ceramic discs. Also looks like aluminum sprockets are a good weight saver.

I like the comstars even more now.

Ciao

[kajtek]

cool, so comstars weigh less than stock spokes?

[hondaface75]

I dont want to beat this to death but, isnt it better that the comstars would have the weight more inboard of the rim too? Spokes being so light n all, the weight on the stockers must be all in the rim and tire.

[socalenduro]

while the center stand is heavy its not weight that you would really notice being gone.
as a rule you will get the most out of dropping rotating weight, unsprung weight, then weight that is either high on the bike, or further out to the front or rear of the bike.

that being said im ditching my center stand
i just like the look of less and stripped down....

[faux fiddy]

I've been looking at the aluminum rims on an old yamah  ty that is in the shed.  The would probably not have the brakes to stop the 350, so I would have to string them on to the honda hubs.

It would also make the front a 21" which would be odd ball. There was a thread where someone had done a 21 front, some people liked the look, and tires are available. There  are handling drawbacks to having a bigger wheel, haven't realy studied it too much, other than it would trim off a few pounds.

[camelman]

I dont want to beat this to death but, isnt it better that the comstars would have the weight more inboard of the rim too? Spokes being so light n all, the weight on the stockers must be all in the rim and tire.

Yes, it will make a difference.  If you have two wheels with the same OD, but one has the weight more towards the hub, then that wheel will have a lower moment of inertia, which means it will spin up and slow down faster (accelerating/braking).
There won't be any noticeable suspension action difference (some exceptions if the wheel experiences side and rotational loading), but you will notice that the wheel with the weight more towards the hub allows the bike to drop into turns more easily.  That handling improvement comes from the centrifugal effect of the wheel being decreased due to the lower moment of inertia, which decreases the force required to rotate it about the X and Y axis (turning).

I have a set of these (http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?id=/photos/2006/tech/features/specialized_2007_road/Specialized_Roval_Rapide_Star_wheel) on my road bicycle, and they are rather portly at 1750 grams.  I also have a quality set of Ellsworth road wheels that weigh around 1400 grams.  The 1750 gram wheels are heavier, but their weight is towards the center.  Due to the design, the spoke count is reduced (lower outboard rotating mass), and there is a windage reduction with regards to the churning work that the spokes impart to the passing air.  On top of that, the wheel is much stiffer, so more of the force I apply to the pedals is turned into rotating force, as opposed to just flexing the wheel and spokes.  Both wheel sets are high quality, and both are in the $1000 price range, but the wheels with the big hub are definitely more responsive.  Now, if I was going out to do a lot of climbing, then I'd definitely put the lighter wheels on.

One thing I've never seen mentioned when talking about weight is the relative effect that the stiffness of the wheel has on power transfer.  I know this has a BIG effect in cycling, where every watt counts, but how does it stack up on a motorcycle?  It seems like the difference would be just as significant.

Camelman