New winter project...
- Thread starter Dr E
- Start date
Well the new tail section light and hump are on the bike and a good friend took the tire off the blown rim and remounted and balanced on the new one. The front seat has been cut down and will be recovered tomorrow night, then we get down to redoing the side fairings, nose and front fender. Sanded so they can be re-shot in matching colors. I was going to do the rims, but I am going to try living with black rims for a while...not my cup of tea...but then again, I did white on my other one.
V-Max 2 Busa
Registered
Dr E you mentioned having the frame straightened, can you educate me on how one goes about determining if the frame is even bent or out of shape at all? Do you need to strip it down to just the frame then take it in to be checked? How do they determine proper alignment of the frame? some type of laser alignment rack or something similiar?
Following Raydog's rebuild and now seeing yours has really got me to rethinking my options.
This is the second frame I have now straightened...and to that point I will be a little more descriptive. I am only dealing with the mounting portion of the main frame to the subframe. Anything that deals with the main frame body itself I consider a total right off. Suzuki's are notorious for rupturing welds on the main body, while I could repair damage like that...just not worth it. OK, back on point.
Straightening or "aligning" the interface between the main and sub frame is adjusting the frame to the point that you are comfortable with how the sub frame/tail section sits. I have seen guys run at the track with subframes 2 to 3 inches off center...its a track bike you know its going down. I kinda like my street/track bikes to look good. There is enough torsional give in the mounting points that with a proper lever (one that encompasses the whole portion of the frame, not just the bolt hole) you can manually manipulate the frame back to center. Yes, I did say manually manipulate. The frame actually has enough give that you can move it (slowly, not just wrenching on it) back into place. I did this with the frame at ~70 deg F, you do not need to apply external heat beyond normal room temps, aluminum will tend to change states if you were to hit it with a torch and you seriously run the risk of either annealing it where it is to soft to function or you may embrittle it to where it will shear off under load. At room temperature with proper leverage and proper grip of the frame it will go back.
I moved, on this bike, the frame back 3/4 of an inch on both sides. I did set up my own alignment markers using both the swing arm and main body. One area you need to watch also is the mounting bracket for the gas tank. If the frame is twisted you need to be aware that you might be off on the bolt holes when reassembling the bike. Dry fit the bracket and tank till all the holes align. If you are a little off, there is enough flex you can muster a fudge of no more then 1/8 of an inch...but no more than that. You need to work the frame a tad more in that case.
What I just described also was the same process I went through on my GSXR 750 track bike. The previous owner had a get off that tweaked the frame worse then the busa. Time, paitence and perseverance paid off and I got her back in line.
Looks like you're doing a great job and sounds like you're really enjoying it too. I really want to give you credit for doing all the work inside your house.
I give my wife credit as well! She loves having the bike in the studio as she can come over and stay warm and talk with me while I work. Works out nice as she will bring over the latest book we are wanting to read and she will read to me while I work. I love it as we get to spend time together, I am doing what I want and she is as well.
Hum...Busa Marriage retreats? Build your bike while you build your relationship...
Sunday morning update... Was a busy day yesterday... started off when I realized that the hump I wanted to use was the wrong shade for the tail section I just got...I had originally thought the two would match...silly me! Hump is an 02, tail is an 06...hump and then I looked at the paint codes
I ordered the matching one up from the guy I got the tail section from. hump will be here on Tuesday.
Last nights list of things knocked off...bled out the clutch, cut down the seat and did the upholstery and polished the outer edge of the rims. I just could not go all black and with this little bit polished...I am liking it. Today after watching the races... I will start prep work on the nose and two side fairings for painting.
In closing for today...the last mod shown is brought to you by mother nature...damn...winter is getting all too close now.
I ordered the matching one up from the guy I got the tail section from. hump will be here on Tuesday. Last nights list of things knocked off...bled out the clutch, cut down the seat and did the upholstery and polished the outer edge of the rims. I just could not go all black and with this little bit polished...I am liking it. Today after watching the races... I will start prep work on the nose and two side fairings for painting.
In closing for today...the last mod shown is brought to you by mother nature...damn...winter is getting all too close now.
Sneak peak of the paint and a really cool Kanji I found. Carbon fiber vinyl print done in the Gen II Kanji. A great find as I did not want to go with standard vinyl and my friend who has done printing in the past closed his doors. I should have the bike together by next week if all goes as planed. As Bogus so aptly pointed out to me I would be done before winter
I was able to drag the project out into winter officially.
I was able to drag the project out into winter officially.
cipher5791
Registered
Looks great
Great job!!
Nicely done, Eric! Gotta admire those rider relationship retreats. You can sure get a lot of 'other' things done and everyone benefits! Kudos, my friend!! 
AWESOME !!! Similar threads
