Topic: What is everyone stripping off to save weight?

[Mekagojira]

I still want to get rid of the center stand - but I use it a lot…   

what else can I get rid of?

[hesselfuzz]

Great idea for a post. Center stand is the most obvious to me. Since you're in LA, the fenders (?), esp. the rear. There isn't much extra on the old motorcycles. It's more a matter of replacing parts with lighter ones. The beefy part of the front fender is a support for the forks. Your lights mount to the rear fender so you need to do something about that but that whole rear fender/ light/ plate mount weighs a ton. The stock seat pan weighs more than it needs to. Lighter battery. Then you start playing with ounces.

Ciao

[GammaFlat]

You can go with lighter wheels - the 750A had aluminum hoops.  The GL1000 front wheel (aluminum) is usable I think. 

I been eating less lately too. 

What's the purpose of the desire for the bike to weigh less?  It might be easier to just increase your horsepower if it's about acceleration.    There's plenty of ideas and able vendors around here to help you with that.  

[754]

C-stand can be
eliminated at home like this;
 Get 2 4x4 (or bigger)wood pieces, that just slip one under frame, on right side while it is on sidestand. then go to left side , lift bike up level with the bars..or grabrail, the put 2nd block under frame on left side.
......................................
 4-1 pipes save weight
 E-start and related parts saves 10 lbs or more.
 If you dont change rear fender, lighter taillight, and removing grab bar  takes off a bit.
 Most mag wheels are lighter, and some are wider.
 Alternatotr can be lightened.
 I use early switch housing on rt hand side, then eliminate left side housing, and run a Magura dogleg lever or similar.
 use only 1 mirror.
 Ceriani or Betor forks save a bunch of weight but are walletwounders.
 -3 braided lines save a bit and you can remove junction if you choose to not run brake pressure switch.

 and more stuff..

[HondaMan]

Chips and dip, and the french fries... 

[paulages]

FWIW, the GL1000/CB750A rims are only about a pound lighter than the stock steel rims. You don't save all that much on overall weight, but it is very helpful reducing unsprung weight.

[Hush]

Beer and fat chicks!

[dave500]

C-stand can be
eliminated at home like this;
 Get 2 4x4 (or bigger)wood pieces, that just slip one under frame, on right side while it is on sidestand. then go to left side , lift bike up level with the bars..or grabrail, the put 2nd block under frame on left side.
......................................
 4-1 pipes save weight
 E-start and related parts saves 10 lbs or more.
 If you dont change rear fender, lighter taillight, and removing grab bar  takes off a bit.
 Most mag wheels are lighter, and some are wider.
 Alternatotr can be lightened.
 I use early switch housing on rt hand side, then eliminate left side housing, and run a Magura dogleg lever or similar.
 use only 1 mirror.
 Ceriani or Betor forks save a bunch of weight but are walletwounders.
 -3 braided lines save a bit and you can remove junction if you choose to not run brake pressure switch.

 and more stuff..

i dont have my centre stand fitted,but i slip it on at home for chain lube or rear wheel removal,less the over centre spring etc,then just slip it of again.

[dave500]

Beer and fat chicks!

man!technically if that guy walked into the scooter shop and wanted to buy that they would have to void the warranty?and on a legal note if a cop saw that its way over its designed load rating,imagine the poor brakes on a long decent?

[dhall57]

Beer and fat chicks!

I don't guess this guys ever heard of P90X

[MoMo]

Beer and fat chicks!

Here's his long lost riding buddy

[Cvillechopper]

I like to strip off my drawers.  Saves at least 2 lbs and aids with cooling

[jakecb420]

Chips and dip, and the french fries... 

+1

[vames]

Is it just me, or does the benefit of having a center stand greatly outweigh the benefit of shedding 10 lbs of weight off your bike? Things like lubing the chain are a lot easier when you can lift the back tire off the ground and spin it.

[333]

I would ask why do it at all.  Unless you're racing, shedding weight does virtually nothing.  Maybe if you could get 10 more MPH, but you'd be lucky to get 2.  And if we're talking MPG, you probably wouldn't see even 1.

[dhall57]

This goes against the subject of this post, but I'm not stripping anything off to save a few pounds, and unless your are in a major cafe project where your redesigning the bike anyway and the only thing that looks like  a Honda  when done is the SOHC engine, I don't see the point in taking off usefull parts like the centerstand and other items to reduce the weight a little bit. Is it going to increase your MPG enough to make it worth it, I don't think so, will you be able to tell any difference in acceleration, I doubt it, will it make it handle like the bikes of today, no way.
I'm keeping my overweight, outdated 35 year old bike just like it is, but to each his or her own

[Gonzowerke]

I still want to get rid of the center stand - but I use it a lot…   

what else can I get rid of?

You can still lose the stand and keep it handy for working on the bike. This is what I did.

Get a pair of pliers and some pennies. With the stand up, and the spring stretched, insert pennies in between the spring coils. Put the bike on the stand and remove the now loose spring. Put the bike back on the side stand, and just loosen, not remove, the pinch bolts for the stand pivot tube. Remove cotter pin in pivot tube. Slide tube out of frame, releasing center stand from bike.

Now, whenever you want to lube your chain, remove it, work on the rear wheel, etc.,etc., just hold the stand up to the frame, slide the pivot tube back in, and put the bike on the stand. The spring is just there to keep the stand from dragging on the ground, so using the center stand without it is no problem. I have done this for 20 years, and have never had a problem or dropped one of my babies.
The center stand, pivot tube, and spring on a "78K weighs damn close to ten pounds.

[754]

I could never be bothered to put a c-stand back in, for oiling or a tire change..takes too long..
 Make a set of blocks ..30 seconsds or less to get it up..

 If you dont feel shedding 10 % or more off your bike is worth it dont...

 but dont live under the delusion, that your motor in Scottly's 405 lb cb750, wont be quicker than you 500 LBer

[Kong]

If I were really looking for weight savings I'd start with the wheels.  The old Honda assemblies are awfully heavy.  A good bit can be saved by going to aluminum rims.  Its a shame we don't have sprockets available to easily adapt a belt drive, that would save the weight of the chain, which is considerable.  Then there's the fenders and stock tail light assembly - heavy in comparison to a glass unit and minimal tail light.  Same thing for the turn signals, get rid of the monsters in favor of smaller - go to LED's at the same time.  There are little bits to be chopped off the frame, but they don't amount to much.  Smaller battery of course, and then consider a smaller tank - gas weighs 7 pounds per gallon.  On the front end lose the fender, lose the stock headlight mounts in favor of some clamp on aluminum ones, get rid of any extra rubber work up front.

All together you won't get a lot of weight off one one, but if you set a realistic goal, say 25 pounds or so, then I'd say that is achievable.  What will it get you?  Well, you will be able to beat the guy who doesn't do it.

[paulages]

Have the weight-saving naysayers really never ridden a light bike? It's not necessarily a matter of going faster in terms of the power to weight ratio, it's about how much easier it is to handle a light bike.

[vames]

 

Have the weight-saving naysayers really never ridden a light bike? It's not necessarily a matter of going faster in terms of the power to weight ratio, it's about how much easier it is to handle a light bike.

Just saying that SOHCs are by definition not light bikes. Even if the poster earlier saves the 10% he's talking about -- 50 lbs -- it's still a heavy bike.

Then again, I ride a 400f which is the lightest of them. For exactly that reason.

[paulages]

Have the weight-saving naysayers really never ridden a light bike? It's not necessarily a matter of going faster in terms of the power to weight ratio, it's about how much easier it is to handle a light bike.

Just saying that SOHCs are by definition not light bikes. Even if the poster earlier saves the 10% he's talking about -- 50 lbs -- it's still a heavy bike.

Then again, I ride a 400f which is the lightest of them. For exactly that reason.

I have mine down to 385# dry.

[jakecb420]

if you are working on a 75 750f like the one in your info zone, the stock header and muffler are pretty heavy. i feel like i lost the most weight switching to an aftermarket one on my f, that was easier for me than cutting back on pop.

[seanbarney41]

Have the weight-saving naysayers really never ridden a light bike? It's not necessarily a matter of going faster in terms of the power to weight ratio, it's about how much easier it is to handle a light bike.

thank you ...+1

[Retro Rocket]

Have the weight-saving naysayers really never ridden a light bike? It's not necessarily a matter of going faster in terms of the power to weight ratio, it's about how much easier it is to handle a light bike.

Just saying that SOHCs are by definition not light bikes. Even if the poster earlier saves the 10% he's talking about -- 50 lbs -- it's still a heavy bike.

Then again, I ride a 400f which is the lightest of them. For exactly that reason.

I have mine down to 385# dry.

I bet she stops better as well.    Taking weight off improves handling and stopping, makes the bike more "flickable. All of these improvements can be the difference between a good ride and an accident......You'll never know till you try it.....