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Bike Weight - Losing a Few Pounds

10K views 10 replies 6 participants last post by  tbpmusic 
#1 ·
Bills thread on the Honda Twister, and its very light weight, got me thinking how much my 350 is going to weigh when I'm finished with the cafe project. From what I have read a CB350 weighs in at around 375lbs wet. I'm after stripping off a lot of things that will either not be going back on (e.g. starting motor, rear fender) or will be going back on lighter (e.g. front fender). Has anyone weighed their bikes after a strip down project like a cafe or bobber to see how much weight is lost?

I don't even have a home scale to get a rough estimate on the things I've removed. I may have to look around town to see if there is an industrial scale so I can weigh the bike when its done. There used to be one here that weighed trucks but I believe its gone now.

My goal with the cafe project is not to see how light I can get it but I was just wondering. The 350, as it is, is very light, especially compared to my KZ650.

With that said, I think the biggest weight savings I can do is to lose a few pounds myself :lol: :lol:
 
#4 ·
my new exhaust only weighs 9 pounds, I need to get a fish scale next time I'm at the sporting goods store to weigh the stock system, but it feels 2-3 times heavier.. I'd imagine a goal of 30 pounds would happen pretty quick, especially if you are leaving parts off, not replacing them with lighter items.. The starter has to be 10 pounds, alloy rims have to be worth a couple pounds. side covers battery box, maybe a lighter battery if you are dropping the starter, fenders....
 
#5 ·
Good point about the side covers, forgot about those. I'll be removing them and the two air boxes, should free up a little bit. Can't afford new rims so I'm stuck with the ones I have. Like you said, smaller battery would be good to, going to have to research that a bit.
 
#6 ·
The goal...... UNDER 300 pounds wet.....That is a total reduction of 20%.... I believe it CAN be done fairly easily.....
Deacon..... E-mail me, I'll share some "trick" weight reduction hints that we used on the 350 road racers....
Teasers:...
Lose a full pound by substituting a XL 250 rear axle (hollow) and its aluminum spacers ....
Lose an extra 1+ oz by substituting "snail" type chain adjusters...
Swap the steel sprockets for alloy and reduce to 520 chain....More pounds gone...
:D Steve
 
#7 ·
Under 300 pounds wet would be unbelievable Steve. Not sure if I can do it though. Some of the tricks you mentioned involved sourcing/buying new parts. As always, cash is an issue so I have to use what I have if possible. :( That hollow axle sounds interesting though.

Here is what I noted for my build in terms of weight loss.

Parts to be removed that won't be going back on:
  • starting motor, chain and sprockets[/*:m:2rpe88g2]
  • chain guard[/*:m:2rpe88g2]
  • side plastics[/*:m:2rpe88g2]
  • tool box[/*:m:2rpe88g2]
  • center stand[/*:m:2rpe88g2]
  • fork lock to be ground off[/*:m:2rpe88g2]
  • frame tabs, hinges, etc. to be ground off[/*:m:2rpe88g2]

Parts that are to be removed and will be swapped/modified with something lighter:
  • foot pegs (entire front peg assembly and passenger pegs to be replaced by aluminum rearsets)[/*:m:2rpe88g2]
  • front fender (stock fender to be replaced by either composite fender or just the fender brace)[/*:m:2rpe88g2]
  • rear fender (stock fender to be replaced by composite inner fender)[/*:m:2rpe88g2]
  • handlebars (will be going with clipons, should be a little lighter)[/*:m:2rpe88g2]
  • seat (replaced by fiberglass seat, not sure if it will end up being lighter or not)[/*:m:2rpe88g2]
  • air boxes (replaced by pod filters)[/*:m:2rpe88g2]
  • fork covers and headlight ears to be removed and replaced by fork gaiters and aluminum ears[/*:m:2rpe88g2]
  • due to the rearsets I think I'll have to rework the exhaust so I hope to make something lighter here, not sure though[/*:m:2rpe88g2]
  • need to research batteries to see what's out there thats possible smaller and lighter[/*:m:2rpe88g2]
  • may drill some holes in front and rear brake drums[/*:m:2rpe88g2]

Things I'll be doing that will involve adding weight:
  • little bit of frame bracing[/*:m:2rpe88g2]
  • couple of tabs welded on to mount inner fender[/*:m:2rpe88g2]

Like I mentioned before, my main goal is not really weight loss. I just want to see how much I do lose but still keep to the look and ergonomics that I have in mind for this bike. We don't have any tracks around here for racing so it will be purely a street bike.
 
#8 ·
When we were actually racing, and EVERY ounce counted against us, we tended to go to extreme amounts of labor (NOT money) to loose very small amounts of weight from every possible component....You would be surprised at how much that and removal of unnecessary components can add up to.....Our vertical 175 (71 CB) started at 280.6 pounds.... Race weight, 207.5.....Understand, that it is harder to remove weight from an already lighter bike.....Since your components are larger and heavier, the weight will come off more easily as you remove them..... :D
 
#9 ·
I always find it funny to watch guys who clearly carry around 75-100 pounds more body weight than they need go to extraordinary efforts to strip ounces off their drag cars, but suck down cheeseburgers and huge cokes while in the pits waiting to go to the line.

I would think losing 10 pounds of body weight would be a lot easier than stripping 10 pounds of a bike for most guys. I could probably afford to lose 25!
 
#10 ·
tj750Four said:
I always find it funny to watch guys who clearly carry around 75-100 pounds more body weight than they need go to extraordinary efforts to strip ounces off their drag cars, but suck down cheeseburgers and huge cokes while in the pits waiting to go to the line.

I would think losing 10 pounds of body weight would be a lot easier than stripping 10 pounds of a bike for most guys. I could probably afford to lose 25!
In the same vain, I think that is where the phrase "pissing like a race horse" came from. Every ounce counts so right before race time the horse has been taught to dump and pee.
 
#11 ·
MnBikeGuy said:
In the same vain, I think that is where the phrase "pissing like a race horse" came from. Every ounce counts so right before race time the horse has been taught to dump and pee.

Aw jeez - don't talk like that around us Olde Fartes - now I have to go pee.........
 
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