Fairing weight vs Carbon

[bigboy]

I can't seem to find a definitive answer. How much do the stock gen 2 fairings weigh. And would I save a lot of weight going with carbon or fiberglass? And I would have to repaint then so take that into account with weight

 

[Dnyce]

I feel like you’ll save 10lbs going from oem to all carbon race fairings. Maybe @c10 has real numbers

 

[Gen3lover]

May I ask why are you switching out the fairings? Are you tracking/drag racing the bike?

 

[bigboy]

May I ask why are you switching out the fairings? Are you tracking/drag racing the bike?

Neither I ride street and looking to make my bike as lightweight and Flickable as possible. I have an 07 I may track instead. I won't care if I crash that one

 

[Gen3lover]

Ah, ok makes sense.

 

[Tony Nitrous]

One of the locals here went back to an early Gen-1 alloy subframe and a one piece single seat race tail. Not sure what the weight saving was not it was certainly a lot lighter.

 

[c10]

Some of what makes OEM fairings heavy is the sound dampening foam . I saved 3 or 4 lb by just removing unneeded foam . Left all heat reflective pieces , but later found a better / lighter reflective heat shield .
There are Key places you want to leave foam that is the type being removed . Anywhere it touches the engine as this stops the fairings from rattling when riding in different wind conditions / speeds .

Fiberglass often can be heaver than plastic so research makers and ask them for weights of finished product . if they can not give it to you then they don't want your business.
Carbon does reduce weight but at a high cost with sun fade . If you ride often , and many miles the sun will fade the carbon very quickly over painted plastic fairings .

I use carbon and even with really great clear coat it just does not last like painted parts .

Winter is here so maybe take all your plastics off and weight them . Lets us know

 

[c10]

This carbon tail was actually a few ounces heavier than the OEM plastic tail . I used it for looks and built bike from frame up . Had no tail plastic so used SSR who is out of business now

 

[Oz22]

Hmmm, if I want a bit more lightness I just ride it with a 1/3 tank of Gas and don't flog it, too much. You'd be amazed at the range you get on 1/3 tank, I can get 80~100km with the warning light on.

 

[bigboy]

Some of what makes OEM fairings heavy is the sound dampening foam . I saved 3 or 4 lb by just removing unneeded foam . Left all heat reflective pieces , but later found a better / lighter reflective heat shield .
There are Key places you want to leave foam that is the type being removed . Anywhere it touches the engine as this stops the fairings from rattling when riding in different wind conditions / speeds .

Fiberglass often can be heaver than plastic so research makers and ask them for weights of finished product . if they can not give it to you then they don't want your business.
Carbon does reduce weight but at a high cost with sun fade . If you ride often , and many miles the sun will fade the carbon very quickly over painted plastic fairings .

I use carbon and even with really great clear coat it just does not last like painted parts .

Winter is here so maybe take all your plastics off and weight them . Lets us know

Damn 3lbs of foam. Interesting...I'll definitely get rid of that. I appreciate the advice. It's awesome I been still finding out about a lot of trick pieces and new ones since the Gen 3 has interchangeable parts. So my parts list keeps expanding. And it's all funtional

 

[Bumblebee]

Hmmm, if I want a bit more lightness I just ride it with a 1/3 tank of Gas and don't flog it, too much. You'd be amazed at the range you get on 1/3 tank, I can get 80~100km with the warning light on.

I was thinking if you wanted more lightness, you just hop on the Beemer.....

 

[bigboy]

Hmmm, if I want a bit more lightness I just ride it with a 1/3 tank of Gas and don't flog it, too much. You'd be amazed at the range you get on 1/3 tank, I can get 80~100km with the warning light on.

I ride it like I stole is every chance I get. And I fill it to the brim in case I need to run.....home for bible study lol.

 

[Oz22]

I was thinking if you wanted more lightness, you just hop on the Beemer.....

Well sometimes BB, but sometimes I'm heading up some rougher roads or on a longer run, like on new years day when I did a 300 odd km ride up over the border. I left with 1/3 tank and a half bottle of injector cleaner and that got me to killarney up on the range, 100km away. I was low on fuel by then. I filled it up but probably shouldn't have as the best twisties were coming up, but then the last 80 odd km after that had some rough sections and the busa, the way I have the suspension set, needs the extra weight to mellow the bumps. I could have stopped and twisted out those 6 screw but I'm over that

I doubt I'd take the RR that route, one decent hump in the road and your arse would be two feet in the air. The suspension on that thing is so hard and there is no way to soften it up either, I have it fully out 14 stops (all electronic). Perfect for switchback cornering but hopeless on bumpy stuff. It's weird, when you sit on it and bounce up and down it's solid as but as soon as you turn the key on the suspension goes active and it will move. I wonder if the Gen-3 has that active suspension?