Converting Road to Race

[boostin]

I have read over the sticky thread that gives an overview of what you need to go racing, and it was very helpfull.

Just wondering what the big expenses in converting a road bike into a race bike. Im looking at getting a 89 VFR400 for a good price, and I want to convert it into a race bike for Post Classics and F3.

The 'big' thinks that I can think of are.

Race fairings - I'll get these from Just Fairings. $850 (they need to be replaced on the bike anyway)

Tyres?
Brakes?

Is these much else?

After I do a few races and track days I will look up upgrading things like suspension and and engine work etc etc. Just looking at what I need to get out there and give it a go.

Thanks

[svs]

I have read over the sticky thread that gives an overview of what you need to go racing, and it was very helpfull.

Just wondering what the big expenses in converting a road bike into a race bike. Im looking at getting a 89 VFR400 for a good price, and I want to convert it into a race bike for Post Classics and F3.

The 'big' thinks that I can think of are.

Race fairings - I'll get these from Just Fairings. $850 (they need to be replaced on the bike anyway)

Tyres?
Brakes?

Is these much else?

After I do a few races and track days I will look up upgrading things like suspension and and engine work etc etc. Just looking at what I need to get out there and give it a go.

Thanks

Also have a look here.

for club racing you shoul have it pretty much covered. make sure you've got oil sump lockwired and catchbottles etc. all glass/lights removed.

decent tyres, braided lines should be fine. suspension is probably next. a sweet handling bike will go faster than one with more hp.

talk other people running the same bike - you'll quickly find out what the required changes are.

quite often you'll find it's much cheaper to get a bike that's already been converted to race spec rather than starting from scratch

[texmo]

Also have a look here.

for club racing you shoul have it pretty much covered. make sure you've got oil sump lockwired and catchbottles etc. all glass/lights removed.

decent tyres, braided lines should be fine. suspension is probably next. a sweet handling bike will go faster than one with more hp.

talk other people running the same bike - you'll quickly find out what the required changes are.

quite often you'll find it's much cheaper to get a bike that's already been converted to race spec rather than starting from scratch

Now you tell me. If I was you dude I would just get a bike that is already a racer.

[Cleve]

Now you tell me. If I was you dude I would just get a bike that is already a racer.

Agree. I bought a new 2005 R6 road bike last year and AM STILL CONVERTING IT TO RACE. Even though it is a pretty good sports bike on the road there is a lot you need to do if you want yourself and the bike to (somewhat) reach potential...

In addition there are the foot pegs, levers, brake pads, the wet race tyres...

[Sketchy_Racer]

haha,

Converting to race is easy,

Making a good racer, not so.

The only bike i could be bothered converting was my Street stock bike, Where Im not allowed to change anything anyways, so its all good.

Don't give up on the VFR though. It makes it more rewarding when you created the bike you love!!

-RG

[Tim 39]

Yeah the whole road- racebike conversion isnt expensive depending on what you want it for, if you want to go out on track days and club meetings for a bit of fun, its cheap because you can sell the road stuff like indicators, road fairings etc and it doesnt cost much to set up for track day spec
but if you want to win the nationals on the thing it will cost you megabuks!!

[FROSTY:Me]

Basicly dude--dont fuck with it.
do almost exactly what you should do if you wanted to road ride.

Fit a reasonable set of tyres-GPR70s would be my suggestion for starting out.

Dump the fork oil and replace it with decent quality new stuff-Id suggest 10ml more than factory and use 15 weight not the 10 weight they suggest.

strip and rebuild the front calipers making sure all the pistons slide nicely and all the sliding pins move propperly. -Fit a decent set of front pads.
Use a good quality oil in the engine.-change it often.

buy spare brake levers. -at least one
Remove the whole left switchblock and clutch lever assembily
Replace it with an aftermarket clutch lever and dont forget to get a spare.
remove the speedo and cable,

The one tricky bit that Im not good at is cheating the speed limiter.
basicly your bike is only able to rev out in the lower gears and is limited to 190km/h --theres a cheap way of fooling it involving a transister in the loom
Send a PM to kawa kid--he knows a cheap way to get around that.
Ohh and sent a PM to FROSTY-- he sells single sider pit stands for NC30's

Total cost for tyres pads,stand and the other stuff should be about $600 --keep in mind most of it will last about 5 meetings and the rewst of it will last as long as ya stay upright
Now get ya ass out there and have fun

[slowpoke]

I've actually gone the other way and converted a well setup race bike for the road.

Race bikes will often come with extra's (braided lines, ohlins suspension, steering damper, exhaust etc) and are already fitted with race fairings and are drilled and lockwired ready to go. Yes they are thrashed but it's easy enough to find a nicely prepped and maintained unit and the mileage is often very low.

My bike came with most of the road gear, I just had to reft it then find/fit a road wiring loom, starter, starter gear and alternator. Not huge jobs but it meant I basically got a road and track bike for cheaper than a standard road bike. If you add on the price of the exhaust, suspension, fairings etc to the standard bike then I've saved thousands.

Forget taping up lights and indicators etc. When I prepare for the track I go with the thought I could crash, so I rip off everything I possibly can, that way I can either sell it if it all goes horribly wrong or I'm not forking out to replace something I could have removed. You'll have a nice weighty pile of bits in the middle of the floor that won't be holding you back on the track either.

[boostin]

Thanks for all the replys guys.

If I can get the VFR at a good price I will get it and start converting it over. In the mean time I will still keep an eye on trade me and other places for a race bike.