Race bike transformation

Kyalami · #1 (**permalink**) 03-21-2009, 04:14 PM

All,

Thanks to those of you who have either sold me parts or bought parts from me the past few months. I thought I'd throw up a few pics of where I am right now before I attempt to put this beast back together.

Sometimes I still can't believe I've taken a perfectly good condition '04 and done this to it... but hey, in my mind, this bike was meant to race, not look good. Like many of you have also come to think, riding on the track is where it's really at, and I just don't enjoy riding this bike on the street anymore. After a relatively front-end damaging lowside, I'm making the transformation permanent. So, this rookie is going racing this year.

I'm still looking for 2 things to get everything ready:

1) Woodcraft rearsets
2) (preferably) CRG Shorty levers.

If any of you have some lying around, let me know before I drop $ on new items.

I'll update after the weekend...

Before and now...

Kyalami · #2 (**permalink**) 03-23-2009, 01:14 AM

Updates:

1) Cleaned up rear subframe as much as it needs to be for now. Removed turn signal and light wiring, chopped subframe, made battery mount.

I'm not quite up to doing the battery relocation just yet. That will be a summer project; for now I just built a new battery housing out of aluminum. Seems to fit pretty well.

2) Mounted rear hugger. It's not pretty, but it cost under $20 and it's perfectly functional.

3) Mounted bodywork. Pretty straight forward. The parts are all from different manufacturers so I was expecting a nightmare, but it all looks ok. Nothing close to perfect, but good for now.

Now it's time to do some final prep. work, mask, and paint this sucker!

union · #3 (**permalink**) 03-23-2009, 01:29 AM

Building a straight up track bike is fun. I do a couple a year through my shop. Last year I did up a R6 for myself.

Turned this

Into this

Also did up my RC for track days so if you have any questions ask away but it looks good so far.

Are you going to race it or just do track days? Its a fun toy to learn the track but prepare to have newer 600s go whizzing by you.

Kyalami · #4 (**permalink**) 03-23-2009, 05:29 AM

I've done a bunch of trackdays with my street bodywork the past two years and now it's time to take it to the next level. I've wanted to race since I was 15 but couldn't afford it, so now I want to give it a shot. Still don't know if I can afford it but I'm in the position to at least give it a try.

No worries on the 600's, I'll be racing Open Twins

. Now those things starting with a D. and ending with a 1098... that's a different story.

I'm sure I will have some questions at some point...

Cheers,

rc mike · #5 (**permalink**) 03-23-2009, 01:56 PM

What tail are you using?

Kyalami · #6 (**permalink**) 03-23-2009, 07:47 PM

It's a Cheetah race tail on a SP1 subframe (which doesn't use the same front mounting points as the SP2 subframe apparently so I'll have to fabricate my own.)

rc mike · #7 (**permalink**) 03-23-2009, 08:09 PM

The mounts should be the same!

Kyalami · #8 (**permalink**) 03-23-2009, 09:12 PM

Yeah... that's what I thought. I'll have to look more in detail because the ones I thought it bolted to on the subframe are not even close. The problem with removing everything and then leaving it for months is that you forget where S*$# goes and I didn't take pics beforehand...

Kyalami · #9 (**permalink**) 04-10-2009, 06:30 AM

I have no idea what rear subframe I have; it definitely doesn't have the front mounting points, and they haven't been removed either. Just simply aren't there. Weird. It was brand new too. Anyway, I just made my own from some aluminum.

She's primed, sanded, ready for paint. Now if I could just make up my bloody mind which of two paint schemes to use...

vanessa · #10 (**permalink**) 04-17-2009, 10:36 PM

looks good to go.its sp1 subframe you've got,the front mounts for the tail just bolt on like you've done

Kyalami · #11 (**permalink**) 04-27-2009, 05:19 AM

I finally have the paint done on this thing. After much deliberation, I decided that as cool as it would have been to do a proper job by getting a compressor and good paint, I decided to spend the money on a steering damper and some rearsets instead. Kind of a no brainer since it's a track bike and not a show queen. Time of course will tell whether it's durable and continues to look good, but for a rattle-can job I'm pretty damn stoked!

More pics to come when the paint hardens completely and I can buff it out and put the decals on, but for now I couldn't help throwing up one pic! It's going to have white rear number plates, and one black plate on the front which will help balance things out a little so that it doesn't look so blocky. The Moriwaki fins will break up some of the white in the middle too, so it should look pretty nice I reckon.

I'm planning on getting my AFM license May 11... so it will be completely done by then. Stay tuned...

2theMax · #12 (**permalink**) 04-27-2009, 11:57 PM

Nice job! Have you rode it yet with your clip ons that low?

Kyalami · #13 (**permalink**) 04-29-2009, 12:30 AM

No, I haven't adjusted those since I put the front end back together. They won't be that low, although I do like them lower than most because I have monkey-arms.

Kyalami · #14 (**permalink**) 05-06-2009, 06:16 PM

There are still a few things that need sorting, like mounting the steering damper, repositioning a few things in the undertail and placing a few more stickers and numbers but she's back up and running with new paint. Thought I'd share a few photos before I get the chance to wreck it

Se7enRC · #15 (**permalink**) 05-09-2009, 10:27 PM

Very clean. I am digging the clean b/w look. Nice.

**mrgrn** · #16 (**permalink**) 05-10-2009, 12:06 AM

looks good man