Trans question for a turbo bike?

GNBRETT

Registered
where are you guys seeing transmission failures? at what horsepower level? I shift via air shifter. its basically a street bike that I will take to the track on occassion. bike only has 1200 miles on it.

I was contemplating cutting the gears and upgrading to a billet output shaft but I plan on doing the bottom end in the summer and was thinking of waiting till I do the bottom end since I know when the motor is done the tranny can be done at the same time and save quite a bit of labor. what do you guys think? thanx
 
The output shaft can snap at stock hp levels if you launch the bike hard enough. The only other issues would be the dogs on first and fith gear which again can fail at stock power levels too.
 
.... its basically a street bike that I will take to the track on occassion. ..

Wait and do it in the Summer, and it does not sound like you would "need" a billet output shaft for a street bike. Would need more info on boost/hp.

The output shaft can snap at stock hp levels if you launch the bike hard enough....

I think you would find it a extremely rare case of this happening. I have been on this board for many years and would be hard pressed to recall reading snapped output shafts from a stock hp street bike. Has it happen before?? Yea I am sure someone, somewhere, at sometime in the 12 year history of Busa's it has happen but it seems like a very broad statement to put out there that it can happen.
 
I know of 3 people right off the bat from sh.org that have broken the output shaft on a stock motor bike, with a swing arm.
 
Like I said, you can do it if you launch a bike hard enough, and it grips. Those guys did just that drag racing. 2 of them are "heavy hitters" so that may of helped. Most people just bend the output shaft before the end shears off, but it can be done.
 
im 200 lbs with gear. im no 140 lb. lightweight but im far from heavy. anything can happen I would agree. im just on the fence cause it has such low miles. its pretty much a stock wheelsbase bike.

ill be more interested in my mph then ET since its primarily a street bike with some race potential. but once done there is no worrying about it breaking or getting stranded somewhere. its just a lotta extra loot and im trying to pace myself during this build. my pockets are getting light.
 
I know of 3 people right off the bat from sh.org that have broken the output shaft on a stock motor bike, with a swing arm.

Wow 3 instances of a bike that has been made since 1999. A very common bike that can always be found at drag strips across the world. Like I said it would be a rare occurance.

A statement like you made will keep busa owners from experiencing the thrill of dragracing because now they think they will snap an output shaft on a stock engine bike. It will easily cost about $500 - $700 in labor just to pull and replace a motor. Then you have to add the cost of output shafts, back cutting gears, and anything else while your in there. While its your opinion to scare people into thinking of catestrophic failures on a stock power bike used for drag racing, it is my opinion to say it is extremely rare and people should not be scared of riding their bike.
 
Megawatt, it has and will happened on stock bikes. Now we are talking about a stock output shaft on a bike that's making at least 100 more hp. If it doesn't break, it will bend sooner then later if your drag racing and hooking good.
 
Wow 3 instances of a bike that has been made since 1999. A very common bike that can always be found at drag strips across the world. Like I said it would be a rare occurance.

A statement like you made will keep busa owners from experiencing the thrill of dragracing because now they think they will snap an output shaft on a stock engine bike. It will easily cost about $500 - $700 in labor just to pull and replace a motor. Then you have to add the cost of output shafts, back cutting gears, and anything else while your in there. While its your opinion to scare people into thinking of catestrophic failures on a stock power bike used for drag racing, it is my opinion to say it is extremely rare and people should not be scared of riding their bike.

It was enough of a problem Suzuki spent several $$$ in upgrading the output shaft size on the gen 2 bikes. The Gen I was 25mm, the aftermarket shafts are 30mm. The Gen II shaft is in between the two. It is not that uncommon for the shafts to bend and break in turbo bikes that are drag-raced. It also happens fairly often in slick/bar bikes. There is even an outside support bearing retrofit to try to prevent it.

I chose to keep the stock on in mine when I had the transmission built. While it was raced quite a bit, my launches were not as violent as the longer wheelbase (and slick/bar) bikes.
 
The output shaft can snap at stock hp levels if you launch the bike hard enough. The only other issues would be the dogs on first and fith gear which again can fail at stock power levels too.

You first said stock HP levels. All I said it was extremely rare for "STOCK HP" bikes, not impossible but rare. It would have been more accurate to say if you are capable of launching in the 1.4 sec or faster 60ft times then it can be more possible. If guys are launching at 2 seconds there is nothing going to happen on a granny launch like that.

Megawatt, it has and will happened on stock bikes. Now we are talking about a stock output shaft on a bike that's making at least 100 more hp. If it doesn't break, it will bend sooner then later if your drag racing and hooking good.

Now your adding 100hp to your words to make it sound more believable, I call that crawfishing. It would be better to say you simply made an oops.


It was enough of a problem Suzuki spent several $$$ in upgrading the output shaft size on the gen 2 bikes. The Gen I was 25mm, the aftermarket shafts are 30mm. The Gen II shaft is in between the two. It is not that uncommon for the shafts to bend and break in turbo bikes that are drag-raced. It also happens fairly often in slick/bar bikes. There is even an outside support bearing retrofit to try to prevent it. ...

Improvements are not always done because of a "problem", improvements are also done to make things better. Slick and bar bikes and even turbo bikes are not stock hp so of course it is possible for those guys to damage output shafts.

I just don't want some busa owner that is interested in wanting to put his bike on the track on a noncompetitive event or a no points event to fear that he is going to snap the output shaft of his "stock powered" bike the first time he tries to launch. Where would this sport go if people are under the belief that a stock hp bike's is not capable of dragracing at a non sanctioned event. I am constantly encouraging guys and girls to try dragracing, it is super fun and its the place to drive fast instead of on the streets. So when I read someone say what murdered said I am only providing another opinion.
 
Im probably gonna hold off for now getting it done and wait till I go into the bottem end. thanx for the opinions tho.
 
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