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SHIFT Racing Streetfighter Jacket Review
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Jeff in Kentucky
ParticipantProgressive means the aftermarket springs start out softer than stock, but for big movements they get stiffer. Heavier fork oil in my bike made it less bouncy on bumpy corners, with less front end dive when using the brakes, and less back pain when hitting a big bump.
June 12, 2010 at 6:36 pm in reply to: 108 lb female, new rider, trying to choose between a ninja and suzuki! #26998ParticipantThe Kawasaki is water cooled, which makes it faster and more reliable. The Suzuki has more modern bodywork over a slower, less reliable, harder to start engine. WERA in the northeast US has a racing class for 500cc Kawasaki Ninjas, and everyone replaces the stock suspension and stock intake and exhaust.
Some comments I found about taking a 450cc dirt bike and making it into a roadracer, that Roland Sands was working on, I have not tried the links in it:
A Ninja 500 costs $5000 new or so, and much cheaper used. While it doesn’t have the power of this converted 450cc dirtbike, it’s not too shabby.
Not only does the Ninja 500 have less power, it also weighs a good deal more at 388lb (dry). I don’t care that this single is more potent, I’m more excited that it’s super light at 250lb.
Not only is that thing going to get 80 MPG, but it’s going to be fun as all hell to ride. I need another motorcycle like I need a hole in the head, but now I kinda want to build one of these things myself as a commuter bike. *WAY* cooler than a scooter with just as good fuel economy, and you can keep up with traffic on the highway. (Suzuki used this idea for their 400cc supermoto, but it is a lot slower than a 450cc dirt bike).
Tigcraft in the UK was the first outfit to experiment with these engines in European supermono racing. And this is already years ago. Tigcrafts are smaller ,lighter, probably a lot faster and not to forget they look much better. What ’s the fuss about….
There is simply nothing available in the sub 600cc sport bike market unless you want cheap components and mediocre performance (i.e. Ninja 250 and 500, and Hyosung 250).
Back in 1974 I had a Ducati 450 desmo enduro… bought second hand from a friend….. put street wheels and tires on it and went racing. Aside from the brakes being weak it was highly competitive on club tracks.
http://www.ahrma.org/rr_modern.htm
In the UK:
http://www.supermononewsletter.co.uk/Check out the video of a Tigcraft minimono running rings around a supersport 600:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNWsqoo71Hs
todd 03.02.08 at 12:31 pmOther than freeways, there aren’t enough places around where I live to get a 100HP plus bike up to speed. The lightweight 450 detuned to approx 40-50HP for durability and a license plate would be so easy to embarass the squids on their big, heavy 600cc plus bikes.
Anyone can build one of these 450cc super singles to fit the rules and go racing relatively cheap with this new class. The rules seem to focus on leveling the playing field, not light weight bikes.
I would like to see 250cc 2-strokes.
I’ve just bought an old 80’s rd frame with title and am putting a newer 450cc yamaha dirt bike engine in it. It solves the problem of getting a title and registration for a dirt bike engine.
I am sorely tempted by the underwhelming Royal Enfield.
This is how I would like to see a Ducati Supermono: http://www.oliepeil.nl/beeld/Duc_Supermono_549R_OP.jpg
ParticipantThe Fischer has dual Mikuni 39mm carbs from Japan (maybe outsourced from South Korea), which will also limit the sales. Compared to a Suzuki Gladius or Kawasaki Versys, it has more horsepower, sportbike clip on handlebars and a back shock worth an extra $1,000, so the price is in the ballpark.
I like the Harley XR-1200, but paying $10,800 for 90 horsepower requires a buyer who just focuses on the name on the gas tank, and the history of the Harley XR-750 that was very fast and very unreliable. Evel’s most famous early jumps were with a Triumph Bonneville- only later did Harley pay him to ride their flat tracker, as seen in this photo:
ParticipantThe shaft drive on this version of the Honda 750 lowers the power quite a bit. I sat on one, and I liked it, if you like or can get used to the feet forward cruiser footpegs:
http://www.topspeed.com/motorcycles/motorcycle-reviews/honda/2010-honda-shadow-phantom-ar79512.html
ParticipantSV650.org recommended these tires:
“The correct pressures for Avon Av35/36 tires are 36psi front and 42psi rear.”
The Shinko tires cost less, but likely have a little less traction at full lean.
ParticipantI am a big believer in Seafoam in the gas tank, mainly as preventative maintenance, or as a first attempt instead of taking the carbs apart for cleaning.
I would probably paint all the silver parts black to match the lower fairing, but you might like something else for looks.
The biggest, easiest improvement for a bike like this is more, heavier fork oil. I like the Valvoline MaxLife 20w-50 engine oil in the forks, an inch higher than stock. This oil seems to do a very good job of sealing off the fork seals, to prevent slowly losing fork oil and to keep dirt from coming into the forks. You can also add Progressive Suspension brand better fork springs, especially if you weigh more than 150 pounds.
ParticipantThe Suzuki DRZ-400SM is the best dual sport for the interstates, for $6,700 retail, and its tires are just for pavement, although it is possible to put tires more for the dirt on it:
https://www.bestbeginnermotorcycles.com/suzuki-drz-400-sm-review
The Kawasaki KLX250SF also has tires just for pavement for $5,000 retail, and is a good choice if you are going to stay on 55 mph speed limit roads and off the faster interstates, along with the similar Yamaha:
http://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/kawasaki/2009-kawasaki-klx250sf-review-87863.html
ParticipantRossi crashed during practice and rolled instead of sliding on his butt, broke his leg bad, and will be out for most if not all of the season. The race in Italy was at 8am eastern time today, but the Speed channel is reshowing it at 6 pm eastern time today, Sunday June 6.
ParticipantI found this at helmetstuff.com:
If you ride a motorcycle and your hearing sounds muffled afterwards, or if your ears ring, then you are suffering temporary hearing damage, which, if repeated regularly, may become permanent hearing damage. We recommend you consider wearing earplugs under your helmet. Because earplugs reduce the noise, you may seem to be traveling more slowly, so take extra care to check your speed until you get used to earplugs.
This project was carried out for the Home Office by ISVR Consulting, the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the Wolfson Unit for Marine Technology and Industrial Dynamics, and Hampshire Constabulary.
ParticipantFor you and a passenger, for a beginner on gravel and dirt roads, this would be the safest:
http://motorcycles.about.com/od/scooterreviews/gr/Piaggio_MP3_Rev.htm
If you have the money, a new bike is a lot more reliable and has more safety, especially since the brakes are in perfect condition and the wiring is in new condition. You can save a lot of money with a used motorcycle, but it is best to have an experienced rider try it out to look for major problems, then have a mechanic go over it after buying it, if not before buying it.
ParticipantI also have a 2002 Honda Shadow VLX, and it almost always has a back brake squeal sound for the first quarter mile, until the back pads clean themselves. The back brake pads should be checked every time the back tire is changed, and the Honda VLX is known for having the back brakes last many thousands of miles, 10 times longer than the front brake pads, unless you never use the front brake.
I also raised the front wheel off the ground with a jack, spun the front tire in reverse, and held some fine sandpaper onto both sides of the front disc with my hand- I was getting a weird noise when using the front brake, and the sanding fixed it.
ParticipantI do not like ear plugs, after trying them. I use both a windshield and a full face helmet to reduce wind noise, and limit the amount I ride at one time to 22 miles, except for longer trips maybe twice a year. Here is an article with some research results:
Participant“An average of 38 unbelted people a day are killed in motor vehicle crashes. In 2008, nearly 14,000 motorists not wearing seat belts were killed in motor vehicle crashes.”
It is very easy to count the number of seat belts buckled or not when first arriving at a fatal accident scene. The nonaccident numbers are likely based on sample numbers by looking for the percentage of seat belts visibly in use or not when passing a place on one road for a certain amount of drivers. It is also very easy to do crash testing, and compare the impact forces on dummies with and without air bags and seat belts.
Our government is a lot smarter than many people give it credit for. For people who want to see what happens with a weak, stupid government, I suggest a vacation to Zimbabwe:
ParticipantAdding the Ohlins back shock and Brembo brakes to a Suzuki would cost more than $1,000. You can also add a passenger seat and pegs to this bike for about $250. Some people will buy one just to have a unique bike partly made in the US. They were going to put a Rotax engine in it made in Austria, but apparently Aprilia got the engines instead.
So far, no multimillionaire has put up the funding to build a new affordable brand of motorcycle engines in the US, like for new Triumphs in England since 1990, and Triumph recently built a factory in Singapore to lower costs.
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