17" Wheels - before and after. Wheeley good?

While wheel diamater changes seem quite common in Japan, I haven't seen all that many over here.

I've been thinking about a change to 17"s on the books for quite a while now, but struggled to actually find some before and after pics.

Some google searching found this 2005 model -

Interesting stuff.

With a smaller rim and wider tyre you're running to closer to modern sportsbike dimensions, have a much better selection of modern tyres. A lot of people who've done wheel swaps on the SR forum say that difference in handling - cornering and particularily braking (As the contact patch is greater) - is the best handling modification they've done.

In Japan kits available for the 36 spoke SR400 wheels - usually around the $350.00 mark. Ideally, I'd love to have lighter hubs as well. Some modern dirtbikes have much ligher hubs than the SR, and are easily available as motard kits off ebay, with calipers and the assembled wheel going for around $1200.00 AUD, if they sell at all.

But I'm not too sure about the aesthetics of the smaller wheels. Proportionally, the 17"s look too small and elongate the look of the bike a bit, making it seem awkward. Whether or not it'd look that way on my stripped back bike is another thing. More food for thought.

- Marlon

From the saved files... XT/SR Manx

I remember sifting through some photos from a classic race meet in Italy or France, and found this hiding in the background. Amongst the smell British bikes leaking oil, the crackle Italian bikes electrics frying and the dull empty sense of nothingness of old Hondas sat this little gem...

Looking at the engine and the frame it looks to be a XT. The nicest thing about this bike looks like the tank/seat combination. Although it's the traditional Manx Norton style tank, the cutout at the bottom lends a nice touch. The seat is quite modern in it's shape, and it suits the stance of the bike as well.

I've got no real information about this bike at all - If you know anything about it, or have any more pictures I'd love to see them.

Moto Dog SR - With Ultimate Suspension?

I came across this on youtube today...



Built by the guys at Moto Dog. Besides having the optional extra-loud valves and camchain it's got some pretty cool stuff on there. The front forks are 41mm Ohlins from aYamaha XJR1300. It'd be interesting to see how the bike actually handled on the road without some pretty major internal tweaks. I'd imagine that if the forks were left set up for a 200-and-something kilo bike it'd be a bit stiff up front.

Nonetheless, it's something to think about. The swingarm is pretty cool, with its protection bars and rear disc. It's also got a Magura hydraulic clutch in there too - an unusual addition.

A pretty drastic way of getting your SR to handle, and not really my style but certainly something out of the ordinary!

Suspension of Disbelief - Part 1

I seem to come to a stage when playing with my SR. I usually get some kind of half-baked idea in my head and become a little obsessed before deciding bike parts are more important than rent money and blow half a paycheck on some bizarre SR part from Japan that I might never use .

For a while now I've been unhappy with the SR's suspension.* I was going for rides and feeling unsatisfied with the way the bike felt going around corners, and riding some friend's bikes only reaffirmed that there was something a bit odd with mine.

Sometimes, when going into corners hot It felt like the rear had no traction when exiting - it felt very light and as if it wasn't gripping all that well.

I had some Ikon Shocks , which are adjustable for height and have four rebound settings. I'd played with the height and the rebound, but still couldn't get the rear to feel like it was actually part of the same bike I was riding.

In typical form, I decided to throw money at the problem without even thinking about it. I did some searching on Yahoo Japan auctions and with the aid of a friend in Japan through the SR500 forum I ordered some of these...



Gucci Ohlins , over $600AUD by the time they were landed here, but still a damn sight cheaper than the $1200 or so they are new.

My thinking was that the Ikons I had on the rear were part of the problem. Interestingly, my SR doesn't seem to have any static sag at the rear. That couldn't help. I'd also emailed Ikon about getting some softer springs on the rear so I can have some static sag. I've no doubt that the shocks are fine for a stock SR, but there's so little weight left at the rear there's nothing holding it down.

I thought by getting the Ohlins, and chucking money at the problem in my usual way, I'd have the issue solved. I was going to be wrong.

Not long after ordering them I was going for a ride with two mates when I noticed something.

Going UPHILL on the Black Spur the bike felt great. Stable, and the rear felt fantastic going around corners.

Going DOWNHILL on the Reefton Spur the bike was diving excessively when I'd dab the brakes (Or grab, it's a scary bit of road for a while) and when getting on the noise out of corners I'd find the rear very light.

So... these things must all be related. What I think is happening is my front forks are too soft. When I get on the brakes the bike's weight bias shifts forwards which lifts all the weight off the rear. When getting on the gas again the weight is still all the way over the front of the bike, and the rear isn't planted at all. That's my theory, and I'm sticking to it.

So now it's the long process of researching , what the options are I have. I'm doing some hunting around for information on preload, rebound and all that kind of stuff.

This time I won't just throw money at the problem. But have a think, a search for information and decide what to do then.

And then throw money at it.










*Standard amount of 16w oil in the front forks, Ikon progressive springs. At the rear I have a 7610 Ikon shock. I've also got a Daytona fork brace and steering damper. I run BT45's on the standard 18" rims with low 30lbs tyre pressure in each. I also have an aluminium box section swingarm.

"Farkles" - Oggy Nobs for the SR

I've noticed another weird word has entered the lexicon of motorcyclists.

Farkle.

It's a combination of "Functional" and "Sparkle". Anyway, couldn't help but think of it when I was browsing through Moto Dog's website and found some oggy nobs, or engine protection bars, as many of you may know them.

Moto Dog Ant Lion Frame Slider.

They come with black or white sliders and mounts through the front engine bolt. retail in Japan for around $120AUD or ¥9,450. Not bad value really, and something I'll certainly be looking into it in the future.