FZR400 vs. SV650 - A compromise

As I was riding home from work last night, I was thinking about my plans for racing this season. I currently race an FZR400, but I have been considering picking up an SV for racing instead. As I understand it, the SV's only real advantage is its motor. In supersport trim, it has 10 more horsepower and a smooth, linear powerband. To my knowledge, the SV doesn't out-brake or out-handle the FZR. And then it occured to me: Why not drop an SV motor in an FZR chassis? I know 2 guys that have successfully dropped EX500 motors into FZR400 chassis's. Why not an SV motor? The FZR can handle the added torque and horsepower. Can anyone think of any problems this might create? It wouldn't be legal for D-Super anymore, but you could run F2, LW Twins and HW Twins. (And then you could play with the motor a bit too.)

Anyone see any huge problems with this idea?

 

Both EX cylinders are up front, SV has one pointed backwards, right about where the FZR gas tank is...

 

So... would that be a huge problem, or just a small one?

 

I once saw a 900RR motor in a 400rr...damn clever Brits!

 

You just rock the SV motor forward more...so it's mounted like a Ducati motor.

Or relocate the gas-tank.

 

Finally, you admit that what you did this season couldn't be called racing.

Don't you mean next season dumbass?

 

You are asking for a world of hurt...
The SVs engine mounting points are radically different than the Fizzers.
Basically you'd have to chop, fab, and weld up a custom frame.

The SV frame is at least as good as the FZRs. about the only thing the Yami has on the SV is in the suspension dept.




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James Greeson
Senior Wannabe,
GS Posse

 

Seems to me the whole plan would result in more time thinking about racing, than actually racing.

 

What about dropping a thumper engine in there? A stock CR450 makes 55hp, for example. The engine is common so hop up parts should be easy to come by. Seems to me you'd be able to get a sold 65-70hp out of one without too much trouble.

The big question is how compatible the chassis is with those engine types...?

Random thoughts by...



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- Erik "Cheezy-E" Mathy
Head Bratwurst Wrangler
GS Posse

 

I can get a solid 65-70 hp out of an FZR, and it won't be a grenade. If I were building a single, it would go into a 125/250 GP chassis....something else I've always dreamed of doing.

 

125 chassis is too small for all the engines I've looked at, including 250 4-strokes. The 250 chassis is the proven route. I was just mentioning it since he's already got himself a FZR chassis.

[This message has been edited by EMathy (edited 12-04-2001).]

 

Since the 125 chassis generally comes with single already in it what could you hope to gain? What about boring the 125 cylinder to add displacement?

To what advantage is an ex500 in the fizzer frame?

 

Well, if one could wedge in say a 440cc 4-stroke engine, you'd get a 55bhp (stock) powerplant in a chassis that can utterly rail in the corners. Plus alot of the smaller 4-stroke motocross/enduro engines are getting things like fuel injection. Fun!

So...usable powerband, fuel injection, more power. Again, with that said, methinks those engines are too big for a 125GP chassis. The point is therefore mostly moot.

 

The guys who did the "EX-X" bikes had EX's with Frank Strohman motors that they raced in clubman. So for whatever reason, they decided to drop the EX mills into some FZR chassis's they picked up.

 

Compared to a ex500 motor in an ex500 frame? Lots

Aside from that, they're allowed in clubman, which the FZR (with a less HP fzr400 motor...) isn't.

Go figure.

- Roach

 

Sean, just a question to you...why would you want to do this?

Here is my opinion and one that I'm sure a lot of people will agree with. You are still a beginner racer, as am I (so I find that I am allowed to make my following statement). Learn to ride your bike! Stop questioning this and that and everything else...the bike is fine! At our stage in racing the only thing we need to concentrate on is learning to ride better...faster will come. I have seen many people ride an FZR400 fast and be competitive, so I don't think changing an engine is the answer.

Laura

 

I wasn't really considering doing this. For all the time and effort, I would just go and buy an SV and be done with it. This was more of a "shits and grins" idea...just something to throw around and see what people would say.

 

What about the YZF426 in a FZR400 frame?

 

or a YZF426 motor in a TZ250 frame. Or maybe just simply a 2002SV.

 

Well, there IS something to be said for originality.