Topic: Frame Mods CB500

[Bluegreen]

Hello all. So after having been to the track I decieded the new direction my life was going to take was racing a cb500. So the plan is over the next year build the bike for this goal.

Step 1) Frame

 What suggestions do you wise racing peoples have for modifications to a stock frame? Places to brace? How did TG's head to frame brace work out? I have been told that just going around bracing everthing is not  good idea. Better to ask people who know and have done it.

[turboguzzi]

i did four seasons with that top brace  so cant tell you anything about the difference it made... ask howel, he put one on this year so maybe has a better idea if it helps at all.

if you go to one of my early build posts i think you'll find a good list of the  the areas i braced. that said, there are often people in the winning circle here that race with totally unbraced frames, so dont get too hung on that. If you are just starting then most certainly it will make no difference to your lap times.

The one thing that worked for me was steepening the rake angle quite a bit by raising the rear by an 1"-1.5". some people here disagree on the need to this, so it's all about personal setup preference.

Good luck!

[Howell]

Our bike is handling now very well , stable and quick steering.
But we made several changes this  year to the frame, also a brace like TG.
I welded reinforcements also the way TG did.
But I personally think that the 2cm longer swingarm has made the biggest improvement.
Even we changed the riding position , we put the seat 2cm higher and lowered the footrests also a 2 cm and installed other clip-ons.
Another thing we did is setting up the bike  1,5 cm higher at the front and rear to get more clearance to the ground.
So we made many changes on the frame setup this year and now the handling is totally different then last year. Much more better handling.
 

[Bluegreen]

Thanks guys!

 I went through all of TG's old build thread and found some photos of the frame they look pretty helpfull as did an article TG posted from some magazine about frame bracing. And TG I agree with you about having the rear up 1" or so. I've done this to my road bike and liked the results. Feels like it steers quicker. Howell, I'm interested in trying out some different swingarms I have a couple of stock 500 swingarms around the the shop, but I also have a 750 arm that is 2cm shorter and a 650 swing arem that appears to be 2cm longer than the 500. I think I'll give them all a go.

[turboguzzi]

Thanks guys!

 I went through all of TG's old build thread and found some photos of the frame they look pretty helpfull as did an article TG posted from some magazine about frame bracing. And TG I agree with you about having the rear up 1" or so. I've done this to my road bike and liked the results. Feels like it steers quicker. Howell, I'm interested in trying out some different swingarms I have a couple of stock 500 swingarms around the the shop, but I also have a 750 arm that is 2cm shorter and a 650 swing arem that appears to be 2cm longer than the 500. I think I'll give them all a go.

now i remember that you already asked about swingarms.
would say it depends on your tracks. The italian series is run on mostly mid size tracks with lots of 2nd/3rd gear bends where flickability might count for more. howel runs the dutch series where they go to fast tracks like Assen and Spa, there i assume that  stability counts for more.  you'll have to find your own setup path through experience. 

Take into account that even with +1" in the back, your chain slack becomes difficult to adjust, a tensioner slipper or wheel is not  a bad thing to add.

[Howell]

Thanks guys!

 I went through all of TG's old build thread and found some photos of the frame they look pretty helpfull as did an article TG posted from some magazine about frame bracing. And TG I agree with you about having the rear up 1" or so. I've done this to my road bike and liked the results. Feels like it steers quicker. Howell, I'm interested in trying out some different swingarms I have a couple of stock 500 swingarms around the the shop, but I also have a 750 arm that is 2cm shorter and a 650 swing arem that appears to be 2cm longer than the 500. I think I'll give them all a go.

now i remember that you already asked about swingarms.
would say it depends on your tracks. The italian series is run on mostly mid size tracks with lots of 2nd/3rd gear bends where flickability might count for more. howel runs the dutch series where they go to fast tracks like Assen and Spa, there i assume that  stability counts for more.  you'll have to find your own setup path through experience. 

Take into account that even with +1" in the back, your chain slack becomes difficult to adjust, a tensioner slipper or wheel is not  a bad thing to add.

As TG said we race almost everytime on fast tracks and there we had the problems.
You have to try different swingarms to discover which is the best on your bike.
The handling of the bike depends on many things , you have to try out al those things .