1bad12r
Zone Head
Posts: 567
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posted June 25, 2004 04:05 AM
Weights ???
Just wondering if someone could tell me a little about adding weight to the front of a zx12. My bike is 61" and wheelies like crazy at the top of first and into second. I don't want to get a longer arm, and besides if it can be done at 60" with alot more power I should be able to keep mine down some way. Where does the weight go, and what do they use to put it on tha bike ?
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768 Ryderz
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MadMike
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posted June 25, 2004 05:51 AM
I am working on the same thing right now.
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DR JOE
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posted June 25, 2004 08:25 AM
Did you play with the shock first????
That's where the power is hidden Grasshopper.....
The last thing that you want to do is add weight to the bike. Play with the suspension aka the damping and rebound...that where you will keep the front end down and make some damn good 60's. And looking at your picture you have a 6' over arm. I would send your shock out and have it revalved... Ricky told us that if we need to add weight to bolt it to the exhaust between the pipe and the motor, less chance of it falling off down the track. My 2 cents
DR JOE
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ZXLNT
Needs a job
Kawpuke Extraordinare
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posted June 25, 2004 10:24 AM
Someone had some steel wheel weights I saw. 34 pounds or so. Gets the weight way out front where it would take less weight to get the same effect. I think the gain in et one would get would offset what little loss in trap speed..
Pretty sure Ricky's SBS Turbobike has wheel weights on it..
Joe's on it.. Get the shock revalved first and if that doesn't do, then maybe some weight out front....
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MadMike
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posted June 25, 2004 10:41 AM
Guys when you have a big motor bike and if you have a 6+ arm or less. 60" is about 2-3" You WILL HAVE WHEELIE Problems I dont care what shock you have. now I am not saying it wont help because it will help!! but to really get the good 60ft's, you need to do something else. and weight is really the only way to go.
Mad Mike
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DR JOE
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posted June 25, 2004 11:00 AM
 Edited By: DR JOE on 25 Jun 2004 13:08
MadMike
I'm not saying that weight would not help, I'm just saying that there other things to look at beside weight. And the suspension is the first thing that I would change because that's where you will get the most out of your bike. The second thing that I would change is the clutch and go to a multi-stage set up. Use the 2 of them together you would have a killer ride.
One more thing while I'm at it. Don't add weight to the front wheel if it'd going to spin with the tire. Why would you spend $2k to $4k for rims to make them lite and then add weight to them to keep the front end down?? Less rotating weight means faster runs..
DR JOE
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MadMike
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posted June 25, 2004 11:58 AM
quote:
MadMike
One more thing while I'm at it. Don't at weight to the front wheel if it'd going to spin with the tire. Why would you spend $2k to $4k for rims to make them lite and then add weight to them to keep the front end down?? Less rotating weight means faster runs..
DR JOE
You know I have never understood that? why would someone do that. you can put weight alot of places without making it part of your rotating mass of your front wheel. I was planning on mounting weight through the front axel, to see if and how it works. and if it does I will then figure out where the hell to mount it for good.
Mad Mike
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DR JOE
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posted June 25, 2004 12:07 PM
When I was at Ricky school he talked about this. He said that if you fill it with lead it adds about 1 1/2 pounds of weight. Better than nothing..
Something from King Ricky...
DR JOE
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RAC4IT
Needs a job
Bergie
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posted June 25, 2004 02:14 PM
forget the weight concentrate on technique and suspension setup.
there are bikes going low 8s 60", some have weight some dont, point is you need to change technique and properly setup the suspension to prevent the wheelie
ask a 60" PSB for advice on setting up your bike for YOU riding and tips on how to counter-act wheelies.
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krexken
Zone Head
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posted June 25, 2004 02:40 PM
I think adding or attaching weight to the front axle is considered illegal by most sanctioning bodies. I've considered using some barbell weights and allthread on my bike cause we don't have much in the way of tech at my track! LOL The weights on Gadson's bike are actually necessary spacers for brakes and I don't think he'd run them if they weren't helping. He's got plenty of hp on tap and is more concerned with keeping the front end on the ground than loosing the hp through rotating mass. Course, most of us don't have the too much hp problem. Concentrating the mass near the center of the axle helps also. Weight on the axle is much more valuable than weight hanging off the headers also.
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CrotchRocket
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posted June 25, 2004 04:12 PM
Comeon guys we all have to start somewhere!!!...Build your skills!!!
Sure all the Pros have 20-30lbs in front, but they have already been where we are and if Rickey or Ryan jumped on my 12 or MadMikes 12 without any balast they will put down some nice 60'...They learned the hard way and thats what we need to do!!!
Dont Be Scared...
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TurboBlew
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posted June 25, 2004 05:26 PM
I was under the impression as long as the crankshaft centerline and rear axle were the same height from the ground... that the suspension could handle the rest.
I think GMD and a few other places can add weight to your forks if you want. Roadracers typically add weight to the front of the bike.
Also getting the bike as low as possible (like Velocity's bikes and Stotz's Honda" aids in wheelie control too.
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1bad12r
Zone Head
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posted June 26, 2004 05:13 PM
ok guys, what do you do when ya play'n wit tha suspesion and you really guessing because you have no clue of what your trying to get it to feel like ? Nobody at my local track that has expereince will share it. I'm 165lbs in leathers, riding at 61",with about 200hp. Most of my runs I short shift 1st, and let out going into 2nd because it will walk tha whole 1/8mi. I don't know, mabey a longer arm is it.
BTW Mike, dropped her off at Lee's today. They said about 4-6 weeks.
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768 Ryderz
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BA
Pro
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posted June 26, 2004 10:46 PM
my 12R does the same 'power wheelie' at the upper rpm range of first. (stock WB) the more you can slip the clutch, the less it will want to wheelie.
A lot of people set up that rear shock for a good amount of compression to get that rear end down, then a hard rebound so that it resists coming back up.
I've only had a problem with 2nd gear a couple of times, but each time I just kept in it WOT and it rode out. be careful not to instinctively pull up on the bars during that 1-2 shift. heck, it's hard not to!
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MadMike
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posted June 27, 2004 08:07 AM
I am sure Lee's will do a good Job for you!
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1bad12r
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posted June 27, 2004 08:50 AM
BA, I was told to go all the way soft on the compression. And play it by ear on tha rebound. Before i had the motor built, i had the rear stiff and liked it. Guess i just need to keep guessing at it til i fing the right combo.
Mike, i drove through 9hrs of pouring rain to get there, it best be better than before. They're gonna map it and everything.
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768 Ryderz
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BA
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posted June 27, 2004 01:43 PM
Edited By: BA on 27 Jun 2004 14:44
At the dragstrip, I am at 100% soft compression and 100% hard rebound for both a stock tire and sometimes a Schinko. It's always worked really well for me, but I weigh around 155 suited up.
Sounds like you should either slip the clutch more, or add 10-15 lbs at that pipe area mentioned above.
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RAC4IT
Needs a job
Bergie
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posted June 27, 2004 03:06 PM
rick when is your next track day
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CrotchRocket
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Bracket Racing with Betsy
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posted June 27, 2004 05:30 PM
July 9...Looking forward too it!!!...Bergie, I Love this shit!!!...See you then???
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1bad12r
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posted June 28, 2004 04:08 AM
Thanks BA. Mabey i was going the wrong way with tha rebound. Anyway, when i get her back she'll have a little more hp than before. So it'll be like starting all over again. I'm gonna keep screwing wit tha setup before i add weight , or extend anymore.
You know, sometimes us newbies just need to be pointed in tha right direction to figure some of this stuff out. We're just getting started just like everyone else has at one time or another. Thanks again BA.
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768 Ryderz
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BA
Pro
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posted June 28, 2004 03:37 PM
lol. I just remembered my avatar!  it's 2nd gear during one of those times that it just WHAM comes up and ya gotta ride it out! lol!
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1bad12r
Zone Head
Posts: 567
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posted June 28, 2004 04:48 PM
yEA, THEY ARE KINDA FUN WHEN YOUR OUT IN FRONT.
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768 Ryderz
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DR JOE
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posted June 28, 2004 05:36 PM
Hey 768
When you pick up your bike ask Lee about the shock and what he would do. If he's a good guy he will help you set up your bike (aka shocks damping and rebound) this will save you tons of time at the track.
Also do one thing at a time and then run the bike I know this is a slower process but it will be less of a headache in the end. If your track has a T&T day go by all means and practice and practice some more, that's how you will get good at every thing and do every thing the same way every time.
Good luck and keep the front end down...
DR JOE
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1bad12r
Zone Head
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posted June 28, 2004 06:31 PM
Yea Joe I'm thinking thats some of my problem too is too many things at once. I practice alot but, everytime I'm trying somthing different(setup) wise. Hopefully Lee will give me a good starting point. Thanks Joe !
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768 Ryderz
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DR JOE
Expert Class
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posted June 30, 2004 06:02 AM
Just glad that I could help... I hope that you get it working...
If you every get the chance to go to Ricky G. school it's worth the money and it's a blast on top of that...
DR JOE
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