Trackbike Build - From Scratch

[The Phantom]

[Dannytb]

Noice mate, noice! :)

[MVinOZ]

It's been a while since my last update, mainly because I was on holidays! CSS was amazing & as nice as the S1000RR is on the track, I don't think I could live with one day to day. It's a very confidence inspiring machine, but I much prefer the engine characteristics of a twin or triple for the street, plus the riding position is pretty punishing.

That's long gone now though, so time to make some progress!

This turned up while I was away:

Care of ProJection Components in the UK. Great service & great value, check em out: http://www.projection-components.co.uk/

Gear lever lines up better than I thought, but I'll need a slightly longer linkage for GP shift assuming it doesn't foul the side stand which I haven't investigated yet...

They are pretty much perfect, more due to good luck & good machining than good management on my part, but hey, got there in the end! Feels really good to sit on, knees are right up in the tank, elbows are almost on the knees & very hard on the wrists, perfect for a trackbike!

Basically I'm procrastinating on the electronics & anything that will cost me money, which is somewhat lacking at the moment. So I knocked up some spacers for the tail out of these

Bit of pressure

Form is definetely following function...

Bit of grinding

Just like a bought one!

 

These will need some spacers & slightly longer bolts, assuming they will work with the tank mount, which I haven't figured out yet.

& here it is with the tank & tail chucked on. The lines are actually quite good I think, although I didn't really capture it in the photo.

[Veefer800Canuck]

What's to keep those spacers on the bottom subframe mounts from rotating and the whole tail sinking?

[spinalator]

My question too, Rob. Great minds...and all that.

[Switchblade]

Hmmm yeah that will rotate ..

[MVinOZ]

Two options to stop it rotating: weld a bracket out of square section that the subframe slips into or remake them out of square section alloy & TIG them into the rear subframe.

But, I'm not sure it can rotate anyway, I 'll have a look tonight & double check.

[Veefer800Canuck]

Loosen the 4 bolts, and move the short brackets you made up and down, then you'll see that it can rotate.

is your subframe steel? If so, weld the joints between the fabricated stub extensions and subframe while it's in it's final place and bolted solid.

[Mohawk]

Alternatively you can add a drop link from the top mounts, might need to be S shaped to the bottom mount join, thus creating a locking link, so no rotation possible. Best thing would be to cut the bolt ends off the subframe & add section to reach the bottom frame mounts.

If you can't find sections to match or lack alloy welders etc, then use alloy plate across top bottom rail to reach bottom frame mount. This is simple & strong.

[MVinOZ]

Looks like it might be a problem - it only drops a little, but I'm worried the subframe might bend if it does...

While I was playing around I found these mounts which I could make some angle brackets for the subframe to rest on - anyone know what's supposed to bolt to them? I have nothing that looks like it fits there & the manual isn't really helping...

[HighSideNZ]

Those are for the subframe that hold the brake proportional valves etc.

I removed mine when I de-linked the brakes.

Cheers

[MVinOZ]

Those are for the subframe that hold the brake proportional valves etc.

I removed mine when I de-linked the brakes.

Cheers

Ah, thanks for that, they're not going back on, so I can use those mount points!

[MVinOZ]

Monday was a nice day & I had some free time, so I dragged out the VFR & the welder to get started on some new subframe mounts.

 

I found the bracket that originally bolted up where I'll mount the new brackets & laid everything out.

Mount holes marked out

& drilled. Not 100% but I opened them up with the die grinder & they line up great.

Gave up on procrastinating & got out the wiring diagram which actually wasn't too bad once I got into it, so I decided against my own good advice & started hacking into the wiring loom.

That's all you need for the dash, begin guarded by my faithful Lab Charlie

This is everything I took out of the front loom

Got the coils, injectors, etc hooked up, just need to work out the battery, ECU pinouts, relays & tilt sensors, then I can have a go at starting it up.

[The Phantom]

Good stuff. Charlie is clearly on the case, feed that mutt more!

[MVinOZ]

Good stuff. Charlie is clearly on the case, feed that mutt more!

Nah, he's fat enough! Besides, if I feed him, he won't eat any potential intruders

[Dannytb]

Nah, he's fat enough! Besides, if I feed him, he won't eat any potential intruders

He's definitely dangerous! He'd lick you to death in a heartbeat! ;)

[MVinOZ]

Hello fellow VFR-dians! Moving slowly & not much to report as yet, a few little things though.

Hel braided clutch line courtesy of a couple of bits I sold off: Black on black, the best colour scheme

Took the clutch master cylinder apart & gave it a good clean, all pretty good, so I put it back together with & fitted the line

Did the old reverse bleed, new fluid in from the bleed nipple ensures you get lever pressure almost straight away in most cases & take most of the air up with it.

Gave the front calipers & pistons a quick clean, fitted the lines & chucked some fluid in

 

Again, reverse bleed.

I have been in touch with Kaldek (thanks BTW!) re: the wiring; this is my life at the moment.

I have spent about four solid hours going over the US, Euro & AU wiring diagrams, I think I'm on the right track. I still need figure out exactly how the immobiliser effects the ECU & if it will effect the US ECU. As far as I can see, there is only one pin the US ECU has that AU one doesn't & that's a pink wire routed through a diode when the ignition is off... Unlike the '05+ ECU's that need two +12V feeds, looks like the '02 version doesn't, so it may be as simple as plugging it in. Fingers crossed. Need to get a few things tomorrow, some fuses & assorted connectors, but I should be able to have a crack at firing it up tomorrow.

Bit of a mess at the moment:

This little bad boy arrived the other day:

Tiny! Should be able to fit it in the dash somewhere.

Found an undertail that should work & I just did a Partzilla order for the cowl bracket, Suzuki tail fittings & various fairing fasteners, should be here in a couple of weeks. I'll see if it possible to relocate the battery & get it up in the front fairing, hopefully it can be done.

 

 

[MVinOZ]

Bit more action today! Monday is my scheduled day off (technically my Sunday), I usually have Daddy/Daughter day, do the shopping, running around & spend any left over time in the shed. Wife's away on business, so shed time it is!

Did some running around this morning & got some various electrical connectors & bits & pieces, but no wiring loom tape though, everyone looks at you funny when you ask for that stuff!

Dropped into to work & found this waiting for me:

Good times!

It's the uncovered stuff, so I grabbed some heatshrink to cover it & got to work on the rear brakes.

Then a double walled section to cover & reinforce the banjo

Popped the rear axle out, much easier this time! I always re-assemble with grease, especially if I'm going to be the next guy to try & dismantle the thing! I think I'll paint the rear disc while it's out (providing the weather improves...)

Power tool time.

Took the hole out to 10mm & added a rubber grommet, should be enough for the in hole, the out hole might need a little more work though.

This part is heaps easier with the eccentric out, plus I have access to remove the metal shavings. Pretty filthy in there.

Ended up with this. I ordered 1.5M of line, which is plenty to make the lines, plus the bridge, 1M would probably have been enough...

Cut of the excess with a 1mm cutting bit on the angle grinder, best way I found to get a clean cut.

The removed excess will be used for the bridge on the rear caliper, I need to reassemble that & test fit it, but first I need to find a rubber gromit for the exit hole.

This is what I ended up with. For the M/C Banjo, I got a 20 degree bend, which I planned to have bent down toward the swingarm & running straight across, but I found sending it back first, then across gave the best clearance from the exhaust. I may still need some sort of heat shielding for the line, not sure yet.

[MVinOZ]

Made a new ignition switch:

Pretty ghetto, but it works.

Another case of stator connector failure I imagine

A couple of bullet connectors will sort that out though.

Fuse box is full. I think only two of those will actually be needed, but I know where my spares are!

Plugged in the battery.

LIFE! Fuel pump didn't prime & she didn't turn over, but I wasn't expecting it to, seeing as I'm missing the Bank Angle sensor!

I need to work out how the BAS sensor works & fake it, or get a BAS sensor, it's probably not a bad idea to have one...

Aside from that, I need to bypass the clutch switch & work out where this earth on the ECU goes:

After that, I think it should turnover... Sidestand switch is plugged in, is there anything else that will prevent starting?

[MVinOZ]

OK, so the bank angle sensor can be bypassed by shorting the two outer wires & I need to short the clutch switch wires, but what does the (missing) diode in the fuse box do?

Edit: I bypassed the BAS & clutch switch & she cranks over!

But, no fuel pump... (& no neutral light on the dash...)

The diode as I understand it is only needed if you want to start the bike with the side-stand down, so shouldn't need it at this point...

Any thoughts?

[Kel]

100_4665.JPG

Is there anything that will support the line and keep it from the exhaust?

I ran mine out of one of the openings in the shock area and around to the MC.

http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.php/topic/49908-time-to-rebuild-the-vf1000rit-lives/page-24

[Switchblade]

The same method I have use for 39 years and always works.

Dont need a MityVac junk or speed bleeder .

[MVinOZ]

100_4665.JPG

Is there anything that will support the line and keep it from the exhaust?

I ran mine out of one of the openings in the shock area and around to the MC.

http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.php/topic/49908-time-to-rebuild-the-vf1000rit-lives/page-24

I saw that, very neat install. Nothing as yet, not sure it will be required, but if so I can make something to the subframe.

Just thinking out loud, but I don't think my ECU is firing up... No fuel pump priming & no nuetral light on the dash, but the engine turns over, so I would assume the BAS bypass, clutch switch bypass & sidestand switch are all functioning, otherwise it wouldn't turn over. Right? I don't think I need the clutch switch diode in the fuse box unless I want to start the bike with the sidestand down, so that only leaves the ECU.

Next step is to find out where the stray earth for the ECU goes...

[Greaterx]

Hmm, in a way it's like music. I like that too, but sure can't make it.

The perfect way to explain how I feel about projects!

[MVinOZ]

Hello forum, it's been a while! A lot has been happening, but also not much has been happening, not on the bike front anyway... We've been looking for a new house & I think we found one, which means I have two weeks to pack up my shed & projects At least I get to start from scratch with the new shed!

Still no luck on the engine front, but I found a complete US wiring loom & ECU on everyone's favourite part store, so I ordered that, should be here in a week or two. I'll start from scratch with the new loom & ECU, hopefully it's something simple.

These goodies turned up from Partzilla, inc a new front subframe for less than what most wreckers wanted here.

Found this on eBay, which is a 5th Gen hi rise, $50, can't go wrong.

Installed some new bearing on the triple clamp lower & drilled some holes in the clamp to install sterring stops. Not sure how to go about that yet, but I know I'll need them.

Rear brake M/C got a coat of flat black (this will be a common theme )

Decided the best (read easiest) way to attach the tank would be to cut out the offending part from the old subframe & weld a support under it. I still can't weld, but sometimes it almost works, & it's not a structural piece so I'm happy to have a crack at it.

After I cut it off, I realised I should probably have measure the angle first Oops.

This piece will butt up against the frame.

Drilled some holes for the welding (don't worry it's not your eyes, they are definitely not straight) & cleaned up the pieces.

Tacked it in very roughly, then took it to the bench to burn it in.

Cleaned up after the first run, not great, but it'll work. Went over it again to fill in what I missed.