Reducing un-sprung weight?

[Biggles08]

So, I'm absolutely stoked to have a new sponsor in the form of CARROZZERIA Forged alloy wheels and wanted to raise awareness of this seemingly under appreciated handling performance enhancer. For under $4k (+GST) you can get a set CARROZZERIA wheels ready to install on your machine. That includes all the spacers, wheel bearings and a sprocket! I don't know about every brand of bike but KAWASAKI OEM rims are very similar in price to this...hell, try and find a second hand set of rims for under $2k! Not easy.

Now, being totally honest I have yet to ride my bike with my new 'Gold' bling wheels installed but I have been reading and talking to a few people about what to expect when I do. It seems most people forget about what lighter wheels actually do for a bikes performance. Whenever I mention 'after market wheels' to anyone the first thing they say is "Oh yeah, if you can afford them!?!" but I struggle with this excuse. We all seem happy to pay for the state of the art suspension from Ohlins (Well worth it too I might add) or the likes but don't want to spend any money on other handling enhancers. $ for $ its actually arguably equally as important to reduce your unsprung weight as getting improved performance from your suspension.

Essentially it appears that by reducing your wheel/sprocket weight, you will increase the performance of your standard suspension considerably. If you have after market suspension you will further enhance the handling making it easier to 'Dial in' your suspension.

Like I said, I am yet to ride on these new wheels but I have had people who have much more experience than me tell me to expect in the vicinity of 1-2 seconds improvement per lap at Taupo Full track!!!! IF this is the case, I can't understand why there is not more importance placed on this when it comes to making your bike handle better!


Your Thoughts....

[george formby]

I'm no expert but totally agree with you, given the cash & the bike I would start with light wheels & see what needed up grading from their. Less unsprung weight, less work for the suspension, less gyroscopic effect, less weight for the brakes... It all makes sense. Shame my bike is only worth about the same as a set of nice wheels. Look forward to your reading your onion once you have tried them out.

[boostin]

What sort of weight did you save with the new wheels?

[Biggles08]

What sort of weight did you save with the new wheels?

Not 100% sure but a considerable amount...I will need to weigh the other set with tires on and compare the difference...I haven't got tires on my old rims yet and I was in a hurry to put the new ones on so didn't weigh them without tires. You can easily feel the difference in weight by lifting them though.

[Biggles08]

Oh, I forgot to mention they look fantastic too...check them out in this pic from a photoshoot done recently.

[Drew]

Umm, I could be wrong but I dont think after market wheels are supersport legal. If they were, everyone would run them.

[brendonjw]

I can vouch for this in cars, putting some light weight rims on my Silvia made a noticable difference in handling (even helped in the fuel department as well) it makes sense that the same principles should apply here.

[Biggles08]

Umm, I could be wrong but I dont think after market wheels are supersport legal. If they were, everyone would run them.

Your right...in the Nats you can't use them...I'm guessing to try to reduce the costs for competitors...but the Nationals are the only race championship where you can't use them....every other race in NZ they are F2/F1 legal...all the street races, tri-series etc....so not sure why all are not using them for these? I will be :-)

[Biggles08]

I can vouch for this in cars, putting some light weight rims on my Silvia made a noticable difference in handling (even helped in the fuel department as well) it makes sense that the same principles should apply here.

even more so if you consider the centrifugal forces involved in leaning the bike from side to side!