The idea of getting an aluminium subframe for my VTR has been eating away at me for some time now (especially given all the weight savings I have already managed to realize). Due to its location high up and away from the c of g (especially towards the rear), I would suspect dropping weight here would have the most discernible effect on handling. While the strength of Al is not up there with steel (a concern for carrying a passenger), virtually all modern sportbikes use it for subframe fabrication (with Yamaha even using magnesium on the latest R6) so it is clearly up to the task.
With all this in mind, I just pulled the trigger on a subframe from a 98 Fireblade (comes with passenger pegs). My goal is to alter/mod it such as to retain use of the existing (Sargent) seat and bodywork. I am not a welder and don't have a Mig or Tig machine so I'll obviously have to get someone else to do that end of the job but I'll try to do the cutting and fabbing myself. Hope it works out, if not I'm not out too much money.
P.S. A wet weight of 400 lb would be a wonderful thing
i would imagine it would be pretty easy to fab one from scratch tbh, there's not much to them, just a few bits tigged on and drilled / tapped.
not having access to a welder is a big disadvantage though, it's not just having to pay someone to do it for you, it's getting across your idea to a third party that's the problem imo!
there can't be much left standard on your bike lol!!!
btw, i got the lightened flywheel on now mik and can definately notice the difference in the way it picks up, and you were right, it loses revs a lot quicker too, like blipping the throttle when changing down, if i don't, when i clutch in & throttle off it drops to tickover in an instant...
do you think it's changed the power delivery of the twin though? mine feels more like a IL4 with what i've done... still has the lowdown pull, but wants to be up high revs more than it used to...
You do not have to say anything. But it may harm your defence if you do not mention when posting something which you later rely on in quote. Anything you do say may be ripped to sh*t.
