749R Flywheel

Does anyone know if the 749R comes with the same flywheel as the other Duc Superbikes or is it a lightweight one? Do I need to order a lightweight flywheel for the bike if I get one to race?

order a nichols flywheel pre-emptively. no matter which factory flywheel the 749R has, it's not as light as the nichols and if you're going to be spending time on the track, you'll want the nichols.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by s4strati &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">order a nichols flywheel pre-emptively. no matter which factory flywheel the 749R has, it's not as light as the nichols and if you're going to be spending time on the track, you'll want the nichols.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I beg to differ, I don't like light flywheels on the track....flame away

Squidd, you've begged the question with your cryptic post. So, I'll ask it... Why do you not like it?

flywheel weight helps smooth out the motor in case you're heavy-fisted with the throttle. makes the bike's power a bit more "forgiving". i think a heavy flywheel is great if you're on a potentially slick surface such as if you're racing in the rain. but for the dry, i like it light light light! but then again, this is street-talk. i don't race.

What he said, I like the tractability of the bigger flywheel when racing. It makes it easier to control a spinnig tire. Something you will not be doing on the street.

a lightweight flywheel will also give you better pull from down low in the rev range. Turn 11 at sears? You can do it in first and run it at high revs - and all the problems that entails - or you can go down to second through the turn and wick it up on the way out and it's far more controlled than doing it in first gear.

A 748....get the Nichols flywheel - you'll need all the help you can get. It's like free horsepower.

I've got an 853 with a Nichols flywheel, a Nichols aluminum clutch basket, a lightened primary gear - over 6 lbs of rotating mass taken out of the drive line - and I don't have the problems described above.

If you've got a built 996/998, I don't disagree with a heavier flywheel to moderate the high HP bikes. But a 748 is far from a high HP bike. Hell, most Ducatis are far from a high HP bike.

I changed the flywheel on my 998 twice, but since I’ve hit my head one too many times, I can’t remember if it has to be there to bolt other parts to.

The reason I ask is, why not just remove the thing. Or... machine off the heavy outside portion of the stock unit. That would be easy to do.

I know this had been talked about a gozillion times, but like I said....

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Buckelew &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I've got an 853 with a Nichols flywheel, a Nichols aluminum clutch basket, a lightened primary gear - over 6 lbs of rotating mass taken out of the drive line - and I don't have the problems described above.
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But, are you spinning up the rear tire coming off of corners? I mean spinning it up to where the rear end is stepping out?

This is where I have problem with light flywheels. When they break traction there is not nearly as much to play with. The light flywheel bikes tend to break traction and spin WAY up, which obviously make it harder to control a sliding rear tire. The heavier flywheels seem to be a little easier to hold on the limit of spinning way up and spitting you off.

But when you are talking about sliding tires arround it comes down to personal preference....kinda like tires, or where you like your bars, or the angle of your levers, etc.

I like light flywheels in street bikes. You should ride our S4R with SPS cams, Nichols Flywheel, Full exhaust, no airbox lid and one down in front and two up in back

Eerm, does anyone actually know what flywheel the 749R comes with, i.e. is it the same as the 749S?

The "R" crank shaft is much lighter than the strada bikes. The counter weights are reduced significantly. I would keep the flywheel stock "R".

the softway shows a flywheel with 4 lugs for the twin pickup deal you could fit. but the part number is the same as '04 model usa 999 and all '04 999S.

A light flywheel will Kill your topend speed!
If that matters to most on the street.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Hyperpasta &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">A light flywheel will Kill your topend speed!
If that matters to most on the street.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Please elaborate. Thanks

Think of a flywheel as a storage device. A heavy one retains inertia where as a light one does a poor job of this. Sure with a light flywheel the motor spins up faster, but won't retain it when running up against, let's say a head wind. You'll need more throttle to maintain the same speed. Coasting in gear with the heavy flywheel you'll cover more ground off throttle with a heavy one vs the lighter one. Compression alone would kill the distance covered with the light flywheel. Remember a flywheel won't add or subtract power from the motor. A heavy flywheel just allows it to maintain it in a power robbing situation.

Think of it as every time the piston fires and the piston moves downward, the energy is stored in the flywheel, and just how it helps th motor rotate to the next firing stroke. Now impede this with a head wind or let's say wind resistance at 140 mph! Now you can see just how the heavy flywheel maintains power at the upper rpm limits where top speed comes into play.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Hyperpasta &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Think of a flywheel as a storage device. A heavy one retains inertia where as a light one does a poor job of this. Sure with a light flywheel the motor spins up faster, but won't retain it when running up against, let's say a head wind. You'll need more throttle to maintain the same speed. Coasting in gear with the heavy flywheel you'll cover more ground off throttle with a heavy one vs the lighter one. Compression alone would kill the distance covered with the light flywheel. Remember a flywheel won't add or subtract power from the motor. A heavy flywheel just allows it to maintain it in a power robbing situation.

Think of it as every time the piston fires and the piston moves downward, the energy is stored in the flywheel, and just how it helps th motor rotate to the next firing stroke. Now impede this with a head wind or let's say wind resistance at 140 mph! Now you can see just how the heavy flywheel maintains power at the upper rpm limits where top speed comes into play.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I follow what you're saying, but are you sure this is entirely accurate? Once the clutch is engaged, the flywheel weight doesn't really matter since the flywheel is not what is turning the wheels at that point. The flywheel weight helps acceleration because it's less weight that needs to be moved as part of the crankshaft when rolling on in the lower gears. And it Decelerates faster because it doesn't store as much energy as the heavier flywheel when the clutch is disengaged.

I can't see this mod directly affecting top speed adversely. If I'm wrong though, please enlighten me. I can see someone losing top speed "for a given distance" due to too many revs being dropped off between upshifts. This is why a lighter flywheel is not necessarily the best configuration for drag racing. But I will be purchasing a quickshifter next month to experiment.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Turbo329 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I follow what you're saying, but are you sure this is entirely accurate? .</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yep!

Kinetic engery and a host of other variables.
Pick up the Cycle World For August, Keven Camron just did a wonderful write up on this very subject. In effect he stated the smoothing actions of a heavy flywheel keep the internals of the motor in Sync better and allows for a better topend. Rob Muzzy seconded the fact.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Hyperpasta &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Yep!

Kinetic engery and a host of other variables.
Pick up the Cycle World For August, Keven Camron just did a wonderful write up on this very subject. In effect he stated the smoothing actions of a heavy flywheel keep the internals of the motor in Sync better and allows for a better topend. Rob Muzzy seconded the fact.
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Thanks for the info. I'll check it out.

so is lightening the crank directly proportional to lightening the flywheel and essentially yielding the same results?

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by chiromikey &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">so is lightening the crank directly proportional to lightening the flywheel and essentially yielding the same results?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I call B.S. from Cycle World. I just got back from doing a top end run and I was scared to Full Throttle second gear. I matched my revs perfectly and don't feel like I lost any top end.

I lightened my crank by 4lbs and I lightened my flywheel by 4lbs by installing the nichols. That's 8lbs removed total not counting the 2lbs from my lightweight clutch and carbon plates.

I'm going to go top the bike out over the weekend and let you guys know what happens.


Modified by Turbo329 at 2:27 AM 8/23/2005