Is there anyone out there that has raced with both the 06-07 and 08 and up versions and prefered the 06-07 frame? I'm trying to decide if I should cut out the piece of frame under the airbox now, or race it first and try it as is. It doesn't have the 08 and up triple clamp (yet) either. Superbike based classes, so that's not a problem.
That's my kind of modification, get the budweiser and "saw zaw" out and get started on that superbike. While your in there, I prefer to replace a few brackets with hem fir.
there may be 1 in 112,155,505,222 that prefer the rigid 06-07 frame and 06-07 clamps. "zaw-away". i know nothing on the ss legality though. would anyone really protest ya though??
I was able to do a few things other than chop at the frame... I couldn't get myself to do that. Listed below is what I did to try to get some flex in the front end: Replaced 06 triple clamps with 08+ Left inside pinch bolts at the bottom of the fork tubes loose (I left them in and loose because I use 1 R clip to go through both pinch bolts to secure them, you could completely remove the inside pinch bolts if you safety wire the outer ones) Left the upper front motor mount loose. I know some people just remove these bolts, and I just couldn't get myself to do that, so I drilled a little hole in the frame for safety wire, put the bolts in loose, and safety wired the bolts so they wouldn't back out. All of this helped, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't quite as good as the 08+ frame. Was definitely better than it was though... that stiff as frame gave me 0 feel at the front.
And, like you, I am not that one person. I had a hard time setting up my '06, and really never came to grips with it. I'm sooooo much happier with my '08's.
I'm protesting him for it cause he's too damn old to be that fast Cut that piece out , I'll bring the sawzall to round 1
that is a terrible ideal. i tried that once. the front literally felt as if it folded under the bike one time under hard braking. just torque those to spec. the UPPER TRIPLE bolt you can snug.. it will give you some front flex you are looking for. but please bolt the axle pinch bolts. and the lower triple clamp bolts. I don't know why you would hesitate to cut the frame.. running the upper triple pinch bolts snug (but not tight) was first being done on the 05r6.
Eh... it seemed to help me. :wow: Never said it was a good idea... it's just what I tried and seemed to give me what I was looking for. :up:
Until the front end collapses at the end of the Grattan straight, heading into T1 and you and your bike tumble end-over-end. I've seen it happen.
And ..... So would cutting the brace out just like it is on the 08 + bikes without leaving bolts out /loose
Well that bike is long gone... so it's not an issue anymore. If that happens to me this year, I screwed something else up. haha
BTW, I agree with Greg when talking about the 05 R6 and keeping the top ones loose. Or simply using less torque in general than OEM spec.
Thanks for the input guys. On one hand I hate to do something like that without at least trying the bike as is, on the other it's apart and would be easier to do now. I guess I can always take Brad's advice and JB weld a 2X4 back in there if I don't like it.
Mike Ruhe did that last year on his '07 R6, and rebuilt it to '08+ specs. His screen name is "Ruhe52" on some of the forums... I think he did a write-up on the whole process ect on the old NESBA forum... He has moved to the PRE forum now, but I know he did a really thorough job, and rides pretty fast, so could prob provide you some good feedback on the results...
dude.. seriously . put that back before you fold the front end of the bike. There is a HUGE difference in leaving bolts loose but snug that are above a set of bolts that are TIGHT .. that are in turn above another set that are tight. You have 4 sets (4 corners) all tight. This gives some form of stability. The upper triple bolts being lose just allow the "box" to flex a bit. Having the set of bolts at the BOTTOM of a LONG LEVER (fork tubes) loose, can allow so much flex under trail braking, it can potentially fold in on itself. Having hte upper clamp bolts loose (but snug to keep the tubes from flopping in the upper clamp) will give the front end some flex. This is sometimes good, sometimes of no help. With 08 triple clamps, there is more tube below teh lower triple allowing for more flex. I sometimes run the upper clamps slightly loose (5ft lb or so). Be sure to tape over the end or they can fall out if you don't check em enough. I don't know weather you are just not a hard braker, or haven't felt the front fold with lower fork pinch bolts loose, but i did try this once at a track with hard braking zones. I quickly made my way back to the pits to tighten them back up. I was seriously never that afraid in some time, and we measured some shit to make sure i didn't bend the forks.. ah.. ok. don't do that anymore exactly what i do, little less torque than spec. I still do it on my current bikes (08) at times with different amounts of torque to get a feel i like when needed. Sometimes we torque em to spec.
I honestly think it will be difficult to tell the difference except for times you are on your very best laps.. and even then, you won't really know anything is different. Regardless, it's a move for the positive and you won't be thinking "that was a horrible idea, i need to weld a brace back in place"
