I need some help guys. I have a RD350 which set up for the track. What mods should I do for the Formula RD class. All advice will be helpful. Thanks, DARRYL
Depends on what you want to do. Pipes, ignition, shocks and rearsets are all you need for a "fun" racebike. Winning, however, will take a little more. Porting, headwork, carb boring, different brake m/c's, these are all found on most of the front-running frd bikes. How far do you want to go?
Well, I picked the bike up for a decent price. It has some pipes already, plus I had a set of DGs. The head has been slightly ported and the wiring has been modified. I guess I need to start with rear shocks, steering dampner, and whatever else it takes. Any suggestions on shocks, dampner, ignition system, and tires. These would get me started in the right direction. Also do they require a belly/catch pan on this bike. Thanks, DARRYL
Yeah, bellypan is required. We used a small cake pan, mounted w/ a few hose clamps in between the frame and pipes. WorksPerformance shocks are probably the best, but are very expensive. I've had good luck running redwings, but I don't see many other people using them. PVL and Motoplat are thebest ignitions for the rd, though we did mange to make the Neutronics work for almost 2 seasons. Any steering dampner will work. We always use cheap ones. I'd also recommend running a 1into2K+N airfilter. Avons and Dunlops are the best tires that I've tried. Avons are a little cheaper, but don't last as long as the hand-made dunlops. They both stick great. Bridgestone also makes tires in the right sizes, but I've never tried them. My recomendation is to keep it simple to start. Spend some bucks on a good ignition,(pvl's the best), get rid of the stock airbox, put some shocks on it,(along w/ the bellypan and dampner) and go racing a few times this year. Then you'll have an idea what deficiancies you might want to improve over the winter.
I have another question... I have been on this board and others, looking to buy a race-ready RD, but some financial problems have arised and I need to make do with what I have for now, I guess. Have 2 RD350s, one is in pieces, ready to make mods for racing. BUT... one of the shocks studs (upper on left side...) is broke off, any suggestions on best way to fix?? Thanks! Brent UPDATED: My plans are to: get decent set of shocks, progressive springs and heavier fluid in forks, have motor freshened, get rear sets (or make my own...) looks like the PVL ignition is way to go, bronze bushings in swingarm pivot and tires...what tires are you guys using these days? What model Dunlop? I have a brand new set of K591R's, but they are several years old..never mounted..what a waste! Where is best place to get the hand made Dunlops you were talking about? Thanks again...I am sure to have more questions... By the way, I will be racing (when i ge the bike done) at Putnam, Mid Ohio maybe, Grattan???? How goes the RD battle this year? Once again, THANKS!
The trick Dunlops can be ordered from Bob Barker in Gainesville, FL. 352 378-3715 They work great. You don't want to use 591's. They aren't even in the same league as the tires from Barker. For that matter, they aren't anywhere near as good as Avons either. Even a Metzeler Comp K has more grip than a 591.
OK< thanks for the heads up on the tires... Now, can anyone tell me HOW DO YOU GET THOSE PLASTIC SWINGARM BUSHINGS OUT????!!! Been trying for over an hour, with no luck. Must be the stockers!!! HELP!!!
I had a machinest fix my broke shock mount - did a great job,but only the threads where gone do he just drilled and tapped and put a nice allan bolt to hold it. For plastic bushings - long brass drift.. ussaly breaks apart as you hit it though..
Grant.... are saying to use an allen bolt instead of a nut on the shock stud? Reversing the setup?? Or did I misunderstand you? On mine, the threaded portion has snapped off... Brent----<RD Dummy>
yes.. as long as the part that the shock sits on is ok then your set.. just flattened the surfaced, drilled it with a press then tapped it to fit an allen bolt - used a washer and uts set.. all you need is something to keep the shock from flying off.
Gotcha! Thanks Grant... much appreciated! I might actually do both side so they are "the same". Hope all of you RD guys are patient....I am sure I (as well as others it seems) will many other questions in the months/weeks/days to come... Brent----<RD DUMMY>
What about a 1 pc tailsection/seat? Surely you guys didn't start with that big stock seat and steel fenders? What brand/model do you recommend?
I drilled and tapped my shock mounts (6mmx1.0) after I had my frame stripped, the acid ate up the threads. I used a fairly flat head fairng screw (suzuki I think) it actually made mounting the TZ-H model seat I used easier as I did not have to cut it out to clear the shock nut/stud.
