FZR"400" project build

[Freestyle72]

So I pull all the fairings off and find out the radiator hose clamp was slightly loose. Tighten it up and she's fine... now I have an extra rad I suppose.

So off she goes on monday I am gunna change the title and all that into my name. I am also gunna go get safetied/plated etc. Then ride it over to the machine shop to get a quote on pressing the stem and welding and repressing the stem into the GSXR forks. I am also going to ask about them making me a custom aluminum shockmount that will let me bolt the R6 subframe to. That will be super trick.

 

[Freestyle72]

Well she passed safety and I took her out for a ride. She's a lot of fun. However I think the carbs could benefit from some tuning.

Also I am getting dirty thoughts of fuel injecting it. I am watching throttlebodies on ebay go for cheap. I have a fuel injection set up priced out at roughly $650.

$400 for the ECU. $45 for throttlebodies. $120 for sensors. $20 for highpressure fuel pump. The rest would be for getting someone to CNC me some new rubber intake boots and space out the throttle body. If it weren't for the actual microsquirt ECU cost it would be fairly cheap to fuel inject it.

I actually missed out on some throttlebodies for $25 shipped today forgot to put a bid on them and no body else bidded. So I think I am going to start collecting the parts and buy the ECU last in the winter when I actually decide to do it. Anyways enough about EFI cuz I know 100 people are going to say it's not worth it etc etc.

I have an appointment tommorow with the welder/machinist to get a quote on some of the work. Going to start with the front end swap as that is the least technical. Just need to swap stems and it's basically done and I will make sure the steering stops work fine.

Next will be the swingarm but that will be only slightly harder because I have to ensure the chain aligns correctly etc.

Will post an update tommorow morning after visiting the shop.

 

[Freestyle72]

Ok so custom steering bearings it is! Gotta order some of some guy in the states he makes a 30X47X15 bearing for $45 so I might be a couple off him just in case for when I want to powdercoat my frame.

EDIT:

Bearing has been ordered.

 

[SweetOnion]

Sent you a PM back! I'm pretty sure I saw it on the road! heard it coming, and was thinking... Nooooo, could it be?

 

[Freestyle72]

Here's a good update:
Started on the swing arm swap today. Barely going to have to cut anything off the GSXR swing arm. Although I might say that it was a bit of a whore getting the fzr swingarm out. I also weighed some parts and was very surprised with the weights.
FZR400 swing arm with brake caliper etc 6KG or 13.2 lbs <--- the GSXR swinger is 22lbs so I am gaining about 9 lbs there. I might try the SRAD 600 arm later for a lighter weight option in the future.
Fox shock 3.6kg or 7.92 lbs
TZ 250 rear wheel 14.2 kg with tire, cush, sprocket or 31.2 lbs <--- the GSXR 5.5" wheel is only slightly heavier by like a pound or something which isn't bad at all.
Sitting naked

Getting her up on stands

GSXR Wheel vs TZ250 wheel

Wheel off

Shock off

Swing arm off and sitting by the new swinger

Two fizzers and the ninja

Test fit GSXR swinger

Mock up

Look how freaken tiny the FZR pivot bolt is. Going to look into brass spacer to get it to fit inside the GSXR bolt

Sits inside gsxr pivot bolt with room to spare

So on my list of things to do is pull the bearings, and have brass sleeves made for the FZR pivot bolt. And then cut down the bearing spacer in the swingarm and then cut the swingarm down by the same same amount to get it to fit the frame rails. I estimate about 6-8mm total of cutting.

 

[Freestyle72]

Been hustling all day to get this done. Only thing left needed to bolt it all up is I need a sleeve made for the stock axel. It has to be 15mm ID 25mm OD and 217mm long. If any machinist is reading this shoot me an offer on how much an aluminum or bronze sleeve would be.

Bearing puller I grab from the U S and A

Worked great got the bearings out

Then I tossed the bearings into the freezer

Chopped the swingarm down to the size of the frame. I removed 5mm from each size and tossed the spacer inside the dust covers. 222mm just like the FZR frame

This is the spacer inside the swingarm that keeps the inner bearing races from falling inside the swingarm. Cut it down by 4mm on each side and test fit with the races to make sure it was all good.

Put one of the bearings and inner races back in. Saving the other side to take to a machinist in case they need it. It's also in the freezer right now with the bearing.

Sucks no machining can get done tommorow because then I could bolt it all back together and go ride it! Actually not really. I still have to confirm sprocket aligment. And then swap the sprocket out with a -1 ninja sprocket I have to regain alignment which I suspect I will have to. And then I have to get and rivet a chain, which will be the easy part. I have inhaled for than enough aluminum dust today.

But the hard part is done. Everything should be bolt on from here on out. And that includes the rest of the mods. Even the subframe, I intend on mocking the brackets up on cardboard and taking it to the shop and have them make it in aluminum. Can't wait to be done though. It's depressing to have such a warm day out but have no bike.

 

[Freestyle72]

A pivot bolt spacer sleeve is being made up for me right now. At VDM Machining in London. The owner is a Harley rider but was super cool. Machined a bunch of harley stuff for himself and has it all over the place. He seemed happy to see motorcycle parts. Gunna pick those parts up tommorow morning. Only thing left to do now if visit Tony at Bluestreakracing.ca about a new chain. That and I can button her back up.

Did I mention I bought SS lines front and back? very excited about those as well.

 

[Freestyle72]

Ok today was action packed but I am being held up because I gotta search for my ZX6R front sprocket. Fortunately I have a ZX6R I was going to put a 14T front sprocket on but I am gunna put it on the FZR instead. But I can't find the god damn thing, even though it was in my face for months sitting in my room.
On with the pictures and doings of today:
Finally got the spacers made and man am I ever pleased with them. The machinist was a super cool guy. Cost me $10 each sleeve spacer. The spacer is second from the left. I had two made but I am illustrating with one in this pic. Farthest left we have the bearing inner race, third from left we have the inner pivot tube spacer that keeps the inner races from falling inside. And to the farther right we have the FZR pivot axle. Specs on the spacer btw is 25mm OD 16mm ID and 48mm long

They go together quite nicely.

Here they are in the swing arm, like pees in a pod

Then here is the view from the other side without inner race and such

Here we are with spacer in on both sides

Test fit swingarm in the bike

Wheel in for a quick look

Rear shock is back in

Rear wheel on now for the intention of spracket alignment

Threw the old chain on there to help me see my alignment

Final rearview pic

Now off I go to find that damn ninja sprocket, and prolly gunna buy a socket to remove the sprocket. Damn thing is like 32mm or something.

 

[Freestyle72]

found it!

 

[Freestyle72]

Ninja sprocket on up front

Modking's hydraulic clutch is in the way of the chain. I am going to need to go back to clutch cables unless one of you guys has an idea. Also I am not even sure what it looked like with clutch cables... But my GSXR front end has cable stuff so I rather switchback anyway.

Sprocket Alignment... CHEEEECK!

Modking clutch cylinder off... seriously how do I convert back to clutch cables????

 

[Freestyle72]

Took the bike off the stands to let it sag and such. And man am I in love with how it looks.

Picture time. I am very pleased with the product. We'll see how she handles.

 

[Freestyle72]

I was going to have aluminum shock mount made, but after talking to my welder and machinist I decided the weight savings there weren't worth it. I ground out the spot welds holding the subframe to the shock mount and weighed the shock mount, it was only 2.2lbs. So an aluminum would would have to be beefier to have the same strenght and would have probably ended up being in 1-1.5lbs... not really enough weight savings to spend ~$150 for...

terrible I am sorry... this shows the subframe spot welds ground out.

shock mount mount

Shock mount back in frame just checking it out etc.

 

[Freestyle72]

Ordered a YZF600 airbox. Which I don't know why the P/O never did because it has YZF600 carbs, which he then cut the bottom of a yzf600 airbox out and fiberglassed it to the bottom of the FZR airbox. Anyways replacing the whole unit so it clears the yzf tank more easily.

Anyways today I have to work out the angles for the R6 tail, which is kind of hard to do because I am working with the subframe only and don't have the tail plastics to do so. But I have thought out quite and elegant solution to the actual mounting points I'll get pics of it up later.

My bearing should be getting here today or tommorow if customs aren't being douche bags about it. And I am converting back to cable clutch instead of the hydraulic set-up.

I also got a ton of wiring cleanup to do. I am actually almost scared to tackle the mess because she probably won't start afterward ahaha. And there was so much **** shoved into the old subframe I have no idea where I am going to mount it all. Luckily there is soom room between the engine and the lower section of the the tank that I think will do quite nicely.

Also going to go with a smaller lightweight battery of the lifepo4 variety. They only weigh 1.5 lbs and they don't need to be trickle charged.

 

[Freestyle72]

So I was having some issues getting the alignment/mounting of my subframe the way I wanted. So after a little bit of massaging I got my R6 subframe to fit the correct way. And now the subframe bolt's right in.

 

[Freestyle72]

It's been 15 days since I paid for my damn custom bearing from Zoran. Something tells me I should have had it shipped to the states. This is totally killing my build progress.

 

[DY]

It's been 15 days since I paid for my damn custom bearing from Zoran. Something tells me I should have had it shipped to the states. This is totally killing my build progress.

I waited a while for them too. it was something like 3 weeks. and then I decide email him. and guess what, they show up the next day.



otherwise, sick build man! I'm surprised the swingarm and wheel lined up so well.

 

[Freestyle72]

I waited a while for them too. it was something like 3 weeks. and then I decide email him. and guess what, they show up the next day.



otherwise, sick build man! I'm surprised the swingarm and wheel lined up so well.

I just sent Zoran an e-mail. I don't know if it's totally his fault but customs definately isn't holding onto my stuff for an extra week. In fact Dan Sewell also from TWF racing sent me a spacer in the mail and it only took like 4 days to arrive. I refuse to believe that 2+ weeks is normal. Something tells me he orders the bearings and then has them machined down in the time that he supposedly shipping them.

I don't mind if he tells me the truth and says it took him a while to get it shipped out. I just hate being dicked around.

EDIT:

He replied the e-mail saying the wait times aren't typical. "But that's what happens when customs hold your mail". He then gave me the customs #. Which I put in the USPS website and it said item accepted at the post office in RENO, NV on april 29th. But I guess not an actual tracking number.

 

[Freestyle72]

Just a small update. Still waiting on bearing from the Zoran.

Anyways I been fiddling with the tail/tank orientation trying to make it look like an OEM fit. I think I have arrived at a satisfactory fit. So I can now have my welder weld me something up. Going to unstaple the seat and do some very slight trimming to get a cleaner fit.

Pulled all the wiring off the motor because it's a god damn mess so I am going to be going through that in my down time waiting for that bearing.

Also I was fiddling with the ignition and noticed the 05/06 gsxr1k trippled very conveniently are centered very much like the FZRs... even more conveniently the holes for the ignition lock mount exactly where the FZRs do. And if I am lucky with the offset of the ignition lock spot I may get to keep my steering lock.

 

[frekeyguy]

I hope he filled in a bearing compliance statement.....

Usually I can get bearings to clear in 2 days.....

 

[Freestyle72]

I hope he filled in a bearing compliance statement.....

Usually I can get bearings to clear in 2 days.....

I am going to go ahead and assume this is probably the hold up. Since DY also had to wait an unusually long time for his bearing as well. Maybe that is his issue.