Shaving weight (6th gen)

Discussion in '6th Generation 2002-2013' started by Big3, Jan 14, 2008.

  1. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    A great project and really nice work on that CF tank for the SV. Plastic, fiberglass and aluminum alloy tanks have been around for a long time. I wonder if the non-metal tanks meet race standards and rules for road racing.
     
  2. BWeiss

    BWeiss Johnny Partseed

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    That would be interesting to find out. I've heard most racing org.s don't allow CF wheels as their failure mode is so sudden and catastrophic, even though failure is quite rare. But, wheels are a tad more important than the tank. Also, if anyone were to take this on to lighten their viffer, I doubt any of us would have to worry about any race standards, more like having to worry if DOTs frown upon it. But then again, if you lay one up, then paint, who would know?

    The more I think about it, the more this might be a winter project for me. I have both 5th and 6th gen tanks to work with. How much would y'all pay for a CF tank? Haha...
     
  3. BWeiss

    BWeiss Johnny Partseed

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    I just read through the CF tank thread a little more. All that work and expense for a grand total of................8 lbs. I would imagine the stock VFR tank weighs a bit more than a stock SV650 tank, so maybe we can get the weight savings up to 9-10 lbs?

    At this point the project would be more just to say I have a CF tank that I made...and the experience of doing so...
     
  4. Gator

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    10lbs would be a nice weight savings. Mag or aluminum wheels would be great too, especially as they are rotating mass. The bike will feel more nimble just from that.
     
  5. BWeiss

    BWeiss Johnny Partseed

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    Yea, it just sucks that with mag wheels, you're looking at $1500 min for a used set...I don't think there's really a DIY solution for those...
     
  6. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    If ya got the pesos one way or another to build or buy a CF tank then by all means. The question was, can CF tanks be used on real racebikes? Steel or Aluminum is gonna bend before breaking unless some of the welding in crappy. Ten lbs is ten lbs if one is into saving ten pounds. Or, we could go with "methode SOW" and only buy half a tank of gas...;)

    If CF wheels are subject to catastrophic failure then it follows that a tank made of the same stuff might fracture and dump fuel on the track and riders.

    Lots of mag in real racebikes..mix that with high octane fuel and a bike sliding down a track at X mph with a ruptured tank and if all things came together things could get ugly real fast.

    Anybody checked a Harley Botique for one of these. They are all aboot weight..
     
  7. NorcalBoy

    NorcalBoy Member

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    The short answer is yes. Composite fuel tanks are accepted by many sanctioning bodies (including the FIM), if the tank is able to meet certain standards, or a fuel bladder is used.
     
  8. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    Source or sources? Type of racebike? Speedway, motocross, roadrace?

    Composite can be a shitload of things including CF.

    A speedway bike needing only maybe half a gallon of fuel to do three laps on a dirt track has less the chance to rupture any tank than even a 3-4 lap roadrace on tarmac.
     
  9. NorcalBoy

    NorcalBoy Member

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    You asked a question in the hopes that it couldn't be answered, you got a simple answer. Yes.

    I used the FIM as an example as they are one of the biggest sanctioning bodies in the world. Just look at the WSBK rules as an example, as that series tends to key off of homologated production bikes, albeit at a higher level of allowable technical modification. You could argue that they aren't allowed in superstock racing, but that is due more to limiting all modifications, than it is in limiting the use of exotic materials.

    The use of carbon tanks in World GP motocross has been happening for years. Consider this..If your series has a minimum weight limit, would you rather add weight where you wanted it to be, as opposed to where it had to be? This is a very routine practice in most upper echelon racing series.

    However, if you want the details down to the minutiae for every single series that could possibly run a composite tank, you better get busy looking all that shit up. Get back to me when you come across the one series in Latvia that doesn't allow composite tanks and tell me how wrong I am.
     
    Last edited: Sep 29, 2015
  10. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    We got motocross taken care of anyway.

    Not to worry I'll be back. I don't have a series and it's for sure I'm not in any upper echelon racing. I just sit in the stands and listen to dudes like you try to BS their way into convincing everyone in hearing distance about being a fast guy, knowing all the fast guys by their vital stats and really convincing them that mostly you're just full of shit and like a thousand other guys who follow baseball by memorizing stats which doesn't keep everyone from noticing the mustard drips on your official Tshirt.

    For something to do that might keep you from being terminally pissed off, start a thread called "My Dream Bike". Go first because not everyone will agree as to what the "right thing" might be.
     
  11. Gator

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    I know. It kills me as that is something you can instantly feel, its just very expensive. I have rode friends bikes that are exactly like my track bike except for rims, 1 in mag and one in CF. Flicking corners it is very noticeable.
     
  12. NorcalBoy

    NorcalBoy Member

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    blah, blah, blah, anger management, blah, blah, Norkelboy, blah, blah, fast guys, blah, blah, pesos, blah, blah, harleydoods, blah, blah, SOW. :laugh:

    You keep right on typing, I'll keep building.
     
    Last edited: Sep 29, 2015
  13. NorcalBoy

    NorcalBoy Member

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    I couldn't agree more, a good set of light wheels makes a substantial difference in a lot of things. Does a lot more than a diet book, as some have suggested.
     
  14. Alaskan

    Alaskan Member

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    Lightweight wheels make a huge difference. My VFR steers much more quickly now.
     
  15. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    I have been scouring the net for the ultimate diet book priced at two-bits or less. I'm still looking for the very best. In the interim I suggest not eating so much as an alternative.

    If anyone really needs light wheels for less than some of the prices seen, how bout alloy rims and spokes. If asked aboot them at bike night, just say, "Dude, all the fast guys are getting them." It makes ya sound mysterious and all knowing.
     
  16. VFR777

    VFR777 New Member

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    Now you're sounding like a Harley Rider :smile-new:
     
  17. Gator

    Gator Insider

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    I bet. What do you run?
     
  18. NorcalBoy

    NorcalBoy Member

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    Remix! :deadhorse:
     
  19. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    Careful.. SOW will be nicking your emoticons and speed secrets.

    I like your vanity phone number. It speaks to who you are. Add your 520 AC and the list really jumps.
     
  20. sunofwolf

    sunofwolf New Member

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    if you want to be speed racer the vfr is the wrong bike.:funky:
     
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