Do Gsxr1000's have frame cracking issues?

[2_SL0]

k, from what I've heard from topper' bods and found out, and makes sense; frames nowadays are incredibly light and strong. They're designed to be at their maximum strength nailing round bends, design to flex as least as possibly etc. They tried new lighter materials to do this, then squids go break them and winge cos their frame is snapped. They're not designed to crash, they're designed to go fast. If they were designed to crash, then they'd be twice the weight.

So in retrospect, yes, they have a 'myth' of them breaking, but mostly because people crash them or treat them to rough and they give, so the have a cry about it.

as for the electrics on them and other things, well they're their own issues

can't believe I'm defending zookies too..

Agreed, however out of all the brands it is Suzuki's that you hear of this complaint the most. Pictures I have seen are of very suspect cracks along welds.
But I do think the outcome goes with the abuse.

[Sollyboy]

Yes, sometimes though a bike is repairable, with a broken frame it's a write off.

On a ride with mates one day a guy on a new 06 thou smacked into the side of a car at under 100kms. He bounced over the car, got up and walked back. The bike frame cracked near the welds??

Sounds like the built in suzuki crumple zone saved his life , what the fucken hell are you complaining about, modern bikes are more likely to break on impact purely because they are built lighter to satisfy the market , theres a few 05 zx10s that have broken frames with no impact just a harsh landing from a wheelie, doesnt stop me abusing mine

[slopster]

I'm no expert but isn't a weld supposded to be stronger then the metal around it? Surely somethings very wrong when there is a clean break through the weld and not around it.

[Cajun]

It has been common the later model gixxers 1k frames braking mostly the k5+ 1000, the 600/750 don't seam to have the issues as much?

But honstly there has been something else help to cause them i believe, crashing, bad landing of wheelstands, and sometimes just bad luck.

Trying to save weight by but all means nessary often means shaving a bit of weight off the frame, which can have effects, but in turn its turning a gixxer (which is a bike which you can normally commonly crash, and it still goes, the later model ones have moved on, and don't crash as well as pervious models). Maybe this is to help sell more bikes/parts in big scheme of things?

the 04-05 zx10r had frame issues, and would be replaced under warrenty if started cracking. so its not limited the gixxer.

[Robert Taylor]

Sounds like the built in suzuki crumple zone saved his life , what the fucken hell are you complaining about, modern bikes are more likely to break on impact purely because they are built lighter to satisfy the market , theres a few 05 zx10s that have broken frames with no impact just a harsh landing from a wheelie, doesnt stop me abusing mine

Thats a fair summary. Also pertinent to note that the most heavily stressed GSXR1000 in NZ ( Robbie Bugdens ) has just won the NZ Superbike title. EVERYTHING, irrespective of ( often overtly predjudicial ) brand loyalties etc is now built very minimalist in weight etc. If we go back to the early 80s there were a lot of heavily overbuilt bikes eg GS850, GSX1100 etc. I remember struggling to lift up my XS1100 after it fell over, I also recall that because it was so bulky you stayed committed to your corner line once you chose it. Weight has inertia when in motion.
You cannot have your cake and eat it too!

[forkoil]

Robert: the bullshit

[enigma51]

Suzuki's use to be the ultimate thrill cause of there awesome engines now that they have a b and c mode ie the usa of a can handle the power modes they had to do something else to thrill us with

[White trash]

I crash the fuck outta mine every opportunity I get. No cracks.

[FROSTY:Me]

I crash the fuck outta mine every opportunity I get. No cracks.

Dont you mean --"I do my very best NOT to crash the fuck outa mine..."

[JD Racing]

I'm no expert but isn't a weld supposded to be stronger then the metal around it? Surely somethings very wrong when there is a clean break through the weld and not around it.

You'll probably find that the frame cracks just along the edge of the weld. As is common with many frames the headstock on the Suzuki is a very stiff aluminium casting, it is welded to thin wall extruded side spars, a short way back from the headstock on the bottom edge of the side spars are welded more castings for the engine mounts, at the end of the extrusions is another stiff casting for the swing arm mounts, rear engine mounts etc.
The wheel mounted at the bottom of the forks has a massive leverage over the headstock, if you hit something head on the force is fed through the wheel to the forks, the forks will bend so far then all the leverage is applied to the very stiff yoke/headstock area, the whole engine area is very stiff so the only weak point in the system is the short extruded section, that area has been subject to intense heating during the weld process, something has to give and it's usually that point.

Frames need to flex if a frame was built that didn't and was completely crash proof you wouldn't want to ride it.

[HDTboy]

I've seen a K6 750 break through the centre of a weld.
Rule of thumb:
You can't break an SRAD 750/600 (Death_inc has been researching for a long time)
K1, K2 1000/750/600 frames can be dented (I've done it)
K3, K4 1000, K4/K5 750/600 frames can be bent (Two Smoker's done it)
K5/K6 1000, K6/K7 750/600 frames can be broken (have seen it happen)
It all depends on how hard you try to break the thing of course. Ride it the way it was meant to be ridden (without crashing) and you shouldn't have any problems

[cowpoos]

Thats a fair summary. Also pertinent to note that the most heavily stressed GSXR1000 in NZ ( Robbie Bugdens ) has just won the NZ Superbike title

and then theres the extreme example of what the TAS Relentless Suzukis go through in the Irish road racing scene,Manx,Isle of man,etc...

[MaxB]

You'll probably find that the frame cracks just along the edge of the weld. As is common with many frames the headstock on the Suzuki is a very stiff aluminium casting, it is welded to thin wall extruded side spars, a short way back from the headstock on the bottom edge of the side spars are welded more castings for the engine mounts, at the end of the extrusions is another stiff casting for the swing arm mounts, rear engine mounts etc.
The wheel mounted at the bottom of the forks has a massive leverage over the headstock, if you hit something head on the force is fed through the wheel to the forks, the forks will bend so far then all the leverage is applied to the very stiff yoke/headstock area, the whole engine area is very stiff so the only weak point in the system is the short extruded section, that area has been subject to intense heating during the weld process, something has to give and it's usually that point.

Frames need to flex if a frame was built that didn't and was completely crash proof you wouldn't want to ride it.

True but Suzuki don't exactly help themselves with the lack of attention to detail when it comes to welding etc.

[enigma51]

I crash the fuck outta mine every opportunity I get. No cracks.

win or bin

[Pussy]

You'll probably find that the frame cracks just along the edge of the weld. As is common with many frames the headstock on the Suzuki is a very stiff aluminium casting, it is welded to thin wall extruded side spars, a short way back from the headstock on the bottom edge of the side spars are welded more castings for the engine mounts, at the end of the extrusions is another stiff casting for the swing arm mounts, rear engine mounts etc.
The wheel mounted at the bottom of the forks has a massive leverage over the headstock, if you hit something head on the force is fed through the wheel to the forks, the forks will bend so far then all the leverage is applied to the very stiff yoke/headstock area, the whole engine area is very stiff so the only weak point in the system is the short extruded section, that area has been subject to intense heating during the weld process, something has to give and it's usually that point.

Frames need to flex if a frame was built that didn't and was completely crash proof you wouldn't want to ride it.

The K6 and onwards 600/750, and the K7 and onwards 1000 don't have extrusions anymore.... the whole frames are welded castings.
Suzuki's weld appearance standards would easily be the lowest quality amongst Japanese manufacturers