Topic: shaving down the weight on my 77 550F

[psycherhexic]

what are some safe things to remove on one of these?

also.. things that aren't so safe, but doable: discuss!

thanks

[Gordon]

Lose the starter motor.

[sixthwisconsin]

Fenders, especially the rear. It weighs a ton.

[betterthanurs916]

There is definitely a lot to be done and everything has a compromise.  I'll rattle off a quick list of things and put my forseeable downside in parenthesis next to it...

--Remove center stand (makes maintenance more of a pain)
--Remove side stand (you basically have to lean the bike against a wall or have a stationary stand for it anytime you want to stop)
--Remove turn singals (arguably less safe on the road)
--Remove front fender (more junk is going to fly on the bike and in your face)
--Remove rear fender (more junk is going to fly up the tail end of the bike, you'll need to figure out the tail lamp, and it might look a bit odd with the stock seat)
--Remove or replace mirrors with something smaller (good luck finding some that are as effective)
--Remove passenger pegs and cut off mounts (how are you going to cart around the hot babes???)
--Remove chain guard (slinging oil and crap all over the place)
--Remove grab-rail (not easy to tie things down if necessary without it)
--Cut speed holes in evertying (not super easy to do right, not a whole lot of downsides necessairily)
--Remove gauges and associated hardware (you can't tell how hard you're flogging your engine or how fast your lightweight killer is going)


Those are some of the quick and simple things, there are definitely more...but you start getting a little expensive and/or compromising streetability beyond there.

[psycherhexic]

sweet. I was just looking at some specific points on the frame that seemed to be "extra" but I'm positive they are there for strength and probably should be messed with..

[sixthwisconsin]

...and my bike would be much faster if I could loose 20 lbs!

[coldwave007]

...and my bike would be much faster if I could loose 20 lbs!

QFT - When I was 205lbs last year, my little 100cc enduro topped out at about 52-54Mph.  I'm now 172 lbs and it tops out 58-60Mph.  Cutting the fat really does help.

Other than that, the post above was pretty sweet about what can be dropped off the machine.  Beyond that you really get into the picky stuff (battery, size of headlamp, etc). 

[WarwickE36]

Buy an R6, problem solved

[psycherhexic]

Buy an R6, problem solved

not an option 

so.. about losing the starter motor? uh  so then its kickstart only?

[madmtnmotors]

When she has to stop for the umpteenth time to use the restroom...

Leave without her!

[Retro Rocket]

--Remove front fender (more junk is going to fly on the bike and in your face)
--Remove rear fender (more junk is going to fly up the tail end of the bike, you'll need to figure out the tail lamp, and it might look a bit odd with the stock seat)

Removing the front fender removes the brace, which is going to destabilise the front some. If you want to remove the front fender, fit a fork brace... That is if you want the bike to handle...You can get cut down fibreglass rear fenders for the 750, i am not too sure about the smaller Honda's but they are definitely lighter. Don't remove the side stand it really doesn't weigh that much, the centre stand weighs a ton and is usually the first thing i remove. Aluminium rims, different discs, there's a ton of ways to remove weight, just make sure if it is structural or suspension that you are weight relieving that everything is just as strong or stronger than original....

[psycherhexic]

I think the original owner already shaved some off of both fenders... I'm planning on shaving even more, but keeping them there, that way the handling stays.. i think 

[Gordon]

so.. about losing the starter motor? uh  so then its kickstart only?

Well, I suppose if you always parked at the top of a hill you could bump-start it.

Seriously, though, when these bikes are in a halfway decent state of tune, they kick-start very easily (especially the 550), and the starter motor weighs a lot.  Both my 550 and 750 have been kick-start only for about six years, and they're my main means of transportation.  My motivation wasn't weight savings, though.  The electric start stopped working on each one and I never bothered to fix them.  They both still have the starter motors. 

Also, by losing the starter motor you have the option of going with a smaller, lighter battery. 

[david 750f]

I have to disagree with Coldwave. Weight has very little effect on top speed. Unless his frontal area (drag) decreased. Weight only has an effect on acceleration. Two up on my CB750F I reach the same top speed, albeit in a much longer distance.

[xsmooth69x]

dont they make that thing where you can ditch the battery and the big alternator thing on the opposite side of the points side.

i forgot what it was called..... maybe magneto or something? i remember it reminded me of the evil dude in x-men