Any track rats remove a chain link to shorten the wheel base?

[Flows]

Considering this as I am also running a 42T rear sprocket which increases the wheel base a tiny bit. The springs in the front will reduced the nose heavy nature a bit. Anyone had the experience of shortening the wheel base by 1/2"? zeepopo2 and company for vis.

 

[Flows]

So no one shortened the wheel base on a bus before? I think I am just going to give it a go and see how it feels, it should be only 1/2" so hopefully it just gives it a bit more balance without loosing too much high speed stability.

 

[kml]

I took a link out of the chain to try it. Didn't notice a difference. Although it increased the difficulty of changing the tire by moving the tire closer to the front of the swing arm reducing the slack in the chain making the chain harder to remove from the sprocket.

One inch raising link made a MUCH greater difference than shorting the chain or changing tire profiles.

YMMV

cheers
ken

 

[sixpack577]

I put a +3(18/46) rear sprocket on my Gen2.
I drug knees, and rode wheelies for miles at a time on it.
I had no problem doing that on the stock bike, but the lower gearing, as well as the slightly shorter wheelbase was a great combination on the Gen2, as I also tried 17/43 and did not like it, and as close as the two overall gear ratios are between 18/46 and 17/43 are, I would say that the extra length of the wheelbase is more apparent, especially railing twisty roads.

 

[Flows]

Cheers guys, hadn't thought about the removing the wheel thing.. Better get a few more master links!

 

[Mythos]

I feel a little ashamed because all the experience I have to offer mostly pertains to my gen2 ZX-14 but....yeah, shortened the wheelbase up on that all the way. I had a +4 T rear sprocket and I actualy added a link to the chain. That brought the axle adjuster bolts almost right down to minimum. I don't think the bike turned any easier, nothing I would have noticed. Cool, fun mod probably would do it again but not one that makes a day and night difference. I plan to do the same with my Gen2 Hayabusa. Started that job, never finished it yet. Also installed raising links.

 

[Mythos]

It would be interesting to look into fitting a gixxer swing arm on a Hayabusa if that would allow for the axle to be pulled in another half inch. I know there are aftermarket triple trees that will steepen the rake and that would probably reduce the wheelbase another inch, three quarter inch, maybe? ...plus you also have the advantage of a steeper rake.

I'm not recomending it but I know of a guy who dremmeled out his axle slot on his ZX-14 and I believe he achieved about a quarter inch additional distance to pull the axle ahead. Have to take a closer look at my Hayabusa but from photos, looks like you might be able to do the same on a busa. Just thinking theoretically here but as long as you keep the axle pretty close to the front, seems like that would be safe. IDK if I'd want to run the axle at the back of the slot after grinding out an extra quarter inch up front....might be fine but obviously a little questionable.

So (theoretically speaking), you go with a deeper axle slot, aftermarket offset triple tree and raising links, I think you're gonna lose about an inch and a half of WB. The liter bikes will still be a half inch advantage and they're a hundred pounds lighter.

I'd be more inclined to look into fitting a Hayabusa engine in a Gixxer 1000 frame. Wouldn't that be perfectly amazing? Seems to me you'd be avoiding a lot more fights than trying to turn a busa chassis into a literbike. You might need to do some crazy mods like fabbing some kind of fuel tank to fit but that is a lot less complex than reworking the frame geometry.

All this stuff is huge fun. I cut at least 75-80 lbs off my ZX-14 and did numerous other mods. I'm working on the Gen2 busa I own. I try to make them worthy for all venues, top speed as well as razor sharp handling. But really, it's more for the intrigue of it. The real thing to do is get out there and ride the bike as hard as you can. When I did that, the bike was the best it ever was. It really mattered a whole lot less what mods were done to it. Riding skill, I think I'd put me at a solid 5 on a scale of 1 to ten. In my days that I had the opportunity and inclination to really ride that bike, I probably got up to a 7 or maybe even an 8 which is way more advanced than most street riders. It is fun and intriguing to have a bike that's better than you. LOL they already are right out of the box.

 

[Flows]

100% @Mythos. So took one link out and it looks like it is going to adjust up nicely. Glad I did, especially with 18/42 (-1) Goals are subtle changes with 3 things in mind, rideability rideability and... rideability. Cheers all.

 

[sixpack577]

It would be interesting to look into fitting a gixxer swing arm on a Hayabusa if that would allow for the axle to be pulled in another half inch. I know there are aftermarket triple trees that will steepen the rake and that would probably reduce the wheelbase another inch, three quarter inch, maybe? ...plus you also have the advantage of a steeper rake.

I'm not recomending it but I know of a guy who dremmeled out his axle slot on his ZX-14 and I believe he achieved about a quarter inch additional distance to pull the axle ahead. Have to take a closer look at my Hayabusa but from photos, looks like you might be able to do the same on a busa. Just thinking theoretically here but as long as you keep the axle pretty close to the front, seems like that would be safe. IDK if I'd want to run the axle at the back of the slot after grinding out an extra quarter inch up front....might be fine but obviously a little questionable.

So (theoretically speaking), you go with a deeper axle slot, aftermarket offset triple tree and raising links, I think you're gonna lose about an inch and a half of WB. The liter bikes will still be a half inch advantage and they're a hundred pounds lighter.

I'd be more inclined to look into fitting a Hayabusa engine in a Gixxer 1000 frame. Wouldn't that be perfectly amazing? Seems to me you'd be avoiding a lot more fights than trying to turn a busa chassis into a literbike. You might need to do some crazy mods like fabbing some kind of fuel tank to fit but that is a lot less complex than reworking the frame geometry.

All this stuff is huge fun. I cut at least 75-80 lbs off my ZX-14 and did numerous other mods. I'm working on the Gen2 busa I own. I try to make them worthy for all venues, top speed as well as razor sharp handling. But really, it's more for the intrigue of it. The real thing to do is get out there and ride the bike as hard as you can. When I did that, the bike was the best it ever was. It really mattered a whole lot less what mods were done to it. Riding skill, I think I'd put me at a solid 5 on a scale of 1 to ten. In my days that I had the opportunity and inclination to really ride that bike, I probably got up to a 7 or maybe even an 8 which is way more advanced than most street riders. It is fun and intriguing to have a bike that's better than you. LOL they already are right out of the box.

Gen2 Busa engine in a Gsxr1k frame has been my dream for many years.
It has been done before, but the Gen2's extra size needs a skilled tig welder and aluminum fabricator to mount the engine correctly.
I would still like to have that done...one would be nice in my '03 Gsxr1k.

 

[LC4CARL]

It would be interesting to look into fitting a gixxer swing arm on a Hayabusa if that would allow for the axle to be pulled in another half inch. I know there are aftermarket triple trees that will steepen the rake and that would probably reduce the wheelbase another inch, three quarter inch, maybe? ...plus you also have the advantage of a steeper rake.

I'm not recomending it but I know of a guy who dremmeled out his axle slot on his ZX-14 and I believe he achieved about a quarter inch additional distance to pull the axle ahead. Have to take a closer look at my Hayabusa but from photos, looks like you might be able to do the same on a busa. Just thinking theoretically here but as long as you keep the axle pretty close to the front, seems like that would be safe. IDK if I'd want to run the axle at the back of the slot after grinding out an extra quarter inch up front....might be fine but obviously a little questionable.

So (theoretically speaking), you go with a deeper axle slot, aftermarket offset triple tree and raising links, I think you're gonna lose about an inch and a half of WB. The liter bikes will still be a half inch advantage and they're a hundred pounds lighter.

I'd be more inclined to look into fitting a Hayabusa engine in a Gixxer 1000 frame. Wouldn't that be perfectly amazing? Seems to me you'd be avoiding a lot more fights than trying to turn a busa chassis into a literbike. You might need to do some crazy mods like fabbing some kind of fuel tank to fit but that is a lot less complex than reworking the frame geometry.

All this stuff is huge fun. I cut at least 75-80 lbs off my ZX-14 and did numerous other mods. I'm working on the Gen2 busa I own. I try to make them worthy for all venues, top speed as well as razor sharp handling. But really, it's more for the intrigue of it. The real thing to do is get out there and ride the bike as hard as you can. When I did that, the bike was the best it ever was. It really mattered a whole lot less what mods were done to it. Riding skill, I think I'd put me at a solid 5 on a scale of 1 to ten. In my days that I had the opportunity and inclination to really ride that bike, I probably got up to a 7 or maybe even an 8 which is way more advanced than most street riders. It is fun and intriguing to have a bike that's better than you. LOL they already are right out of the box.

Reminds me of the old GSXR 1100 mill into a 750 frame swap.

 

[Mythos]

Gen2 Busa engine in a Gsxr1k frame has been my dream for many years.
It has been done before, but the Gen2's extra size needs a skilled tig welder and aluminum fabricator to mount the engine correctly.
I would still like to have that done...one would be nice in my '03 Gsxr1k.

G-damn you, now I have another dream I need to realize! I don't think it's so bad....you live in the past and build what you can build or you live in the moment and buy what you can buy. I think it's obvious, you will come out ahead with buying......only problem is, can you buy? Personally, I can't! 1000x more interesting to live in the past though. After all's said and done, you, yourself get out there and ride whatever you have and that will make it faster thane any mods you can do. Just speaking for myself, the mods are a huge source of focus with the bike but really, I never went faster because of mods. I mean, I'm not going to stop doing it but I think the truth is, if going fast were the only objective, riding a stock bike would be a better investment in time than doing mods. LOL I still like the mods! I'm doing them! Now this turbo.....that mofo is gonna be a game changer the rest of my life. It's actually going to make the bike more of a challenge to handle in the twisties but for all out straightline speed, I'm just telling you now, I don't think I have the nerve to push it all the way anymore. I guess that's what I've been looking for, same game, the bike's better than me....LOL Like I said though, they are already that out of the box. It sure is fun to push them beyond though.

 

[Bumblebee]

Reminds me of the old GSXR 1100 mill into a 750 frame swap.

Years ago when motorcycle magazines were popular, I read a Cycle Canada where a guy put an old H2 triple into a 90's 600 Ninja frame.....it was something stellar.....

Another guy put a Rotax snowmobile engine in a KTM frame.......the engine was upside down with the cylinders facing down......

Then the ever present dirt bike with a GSXR 1000 engine in it.....

 

[LC4CARL]

Years ago when motorcycle magazines were popular, I read a Cycle Canada where a guy put an old H2 triple into a 90's 600 Ninja frame.....it was something stellar.....

Another guy put a Rotax snowmobile engine in a KTM frame.......the engine was upside down with the cylinders facing down......

Then the ever present dirt bike with a GSXR 1000 engine in it.....

There are some talented people out there. I just put on stickers...