Gen 2 aluminium subframe homemade

[CraigMcleod]

I had a 99 with alloy frame and road two up for many years without any issues. I’d have thought it was the welds that would fatigue and break, those pics above are the castings given way!

 

[Berlin Germany]

Shiiiiit! Did you have standard exhausts fitted when this happened?

look here

fortunately i only had 4 km to go to reach my yard at home.
but
i was standing on the footrests for these 4 km
and my thigh muscles were "very grateful" for this special training - pure irony.

 

[CraigMcleod]

When Suzuki blamed cracks on owners Changing the exhausts they were wrong. Standard cans obviously had alloy sleeves and brackets bolted to the rear pegs. These wouldn’t add anything to help support the rear frame and would crumple if it snapped. Yours had steel exhausts and still snapped!
with this in mind a new alloy rear frame needs destruction testing and Proven to carry two up with luggage, 180kg+ Would be a ball park I’d say. Another option would be a rider weight limit.
apologies if it sounds like I’ve highjacked this thread and putting a dampener on it. I’d love an alloy subframe and would be interested in this one if it ever went into batch production as the existing is so heavy! I’d need to know it was safe safe though.

 

[mabupa]

When Suzuki blamed cracks on owners Changing the exhausts they were wrong. Standard cans obviously had alloy sleeves and brackets bolted to the rear pegs. These wouldn’t add anything to help support the rear frame and would crumple if it snapped. Yours had steel exhausts and still snapped!
with this in mind a new alloy rear frame needs destruction testing and Proven to carry two up with luggage, 180kg+ Would be a ball park I’d say. Another option would be a rider weight limit.
apologies if it sounds like I’ve highjacked this thread and putting a dampener on it. I’d love an alloy subframe and would be interested in this one if it ever went into batch production as the existing is so heavy! I’d need to know it was safe safe though.

I think is safe to say whoever gets one of these is for a more race oriented setup, rather than carry luggage and passenger. It sure is a beautiful piece that the OP built, but I like my givi bags and girlfriend, so stock it is for me, since I don’t want to risk losing my cargo. Lol

 

[Mythos]

it sounds nuts that we all here try to change the ´99 & ´00 alu-subframe to steel
because the alu broke too many times.
i myself had that bad experience at my ´00 some years ago
my girl (68 kg) on the rear seat + topcase (~12 kg)
the result:
View attachment 1619319

~1.5 hrs later the steel was built in.

Here’s my repaired welds on my ‘99 subframe... (please excuse my untidy accessory wiring to the battery, I know, I know, I’m planning on sorting it all out this winter while it’s off the road)
View attachment 1619321

View attachment 1619322

View attachment 1619323

This repair was done long before I acquired this bike, I rode with my girlfriend (80kg) for many rides and it’s never cracked the welds, and they don’t look that good either!

My solution is don't have a girlfriend if she's big as you. Glad I had the steel tail on there for my last GF, she woulda snapped that like a twig.

I took the rails out on my 14 and all I have are the two square tubes holding the tail up. No luggage, no passengers, no problem. I'd go with an aluminum frame. No 50 year old woman wants to sit on a sportbike anyway. Those heavy duty tail frames are for you young guys.

 

[Vanishing Point]

I think we all know that BigCC made a subframe bracket in 2000 or so

 

[Vanishing Point]

@ AC41 , you know i like your gen2 alloy suframe build
Greets from tulpcoutry

 

[bigboy]

Yup, worth every cent too.

View attachment 1619320

How much weight savings.....

 

[Berlin Germany]

How much weight savings.....

I've never weighed it
but i estimate around 2 kg (4-4.5 pounds)