Bike Weights and Weighing

Monkeypants

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Titanium oil tank
Keep the side stands but drill them up the middle.
Make almost all your fasteners from alloy
Alloy brake drums with cast Iron liners
Alloy brake arms.
Alloy brake rods
Alloy fender stays
Alloy spoke flanges
Drilled and tapped hubs with socket head cap screws and no nuts
Get a new set of lightweight leathers
switch to a beanie helmet
Notice I have said nothing personal here
I know a fella who did most of the above I believe he said the bike still weighs 500+- with a bit of fuel.
 

Martyn Goodwin

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My next question is, how does one reduce the weight by 120 lbs while retaining Vincent frame members and Gridraulics?
I have an ulterior motive. I would like to chop some weight from my Rapide but still have it look like a Rapide. Surely some of the tricks used on the Comet racer could be applied to a Rapide?
Here's my list to date. Some of it has already been done but hasn't amounted to much weight reduction.

-Alloy head brackets- big weight saving possible here.
-Armours silencer to replace Spares Co Spiral baffle- done
Alton to replace dynamo- done
-Replace rear stand with Alloy version s that will only be a fender brace ( Dave Hills stand in place)
-Alloy rims- done
-Lightweight horn to replace heavy Altette - done
-Newby belt drive
-Alloy engine plates
-Remove front stands- done
-Lightweight ignition housing instead of magneto- done
- Alloy fuel tank
- remove ss crash bars
- replace ss and steel fasteners with titanium
- replace ss fenders with alloy version

I'm sure there is more low hanging fruit, but that's the easy stuff that comes to mind ( other than the Newby drive!)

Glen
Low hanging Fruit = Go on a diet
 

Pushrod Twin

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Lightening flywheels not only lightens whole bike, but also improves acceleration remarkably, 2 birds,1 stone (14lbs:oops:) I know from previous statements to this effect on this forum that there may well be some more discussion.:)
Grey Flash Girdraulic legs have milled scallops inside I believe. The info is freely available. I would shot peen them after doing that mod to ensure no loss of fatigue resistance.

I have been looking closely at cast steering head lugs recently. I would consider fabricating one, and the swing arm casting also, but probably not what you might consider as low hanging fruit.
 

Chris Launders

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Alloy steering head casting must make the biggest difference in the best place along with alloy modified steering stem and cylinder head brackets, all big weight, high up.
 

Pushrod Twin

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Alloy steering head casting must make the biggest difference in the best place along with alloy modified steering stem and cylinder head brackets, all big weight, high up.
As I have previously stated, I dont agree with alloy steering head castings, I dont believe they have the required tensile strength.
Cylinder head brackets machined from slab, yes.
 

oexing

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Cylinder head brackets in 7075, yes. But I did not like these towering long myriad of nuts in this assembly for fixing the engine to the head lug. So my design is about same weight with fins to please my eyes.

Vic
P1070784.JPG
 

Monkeypants

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Non-VOC Member
If I recall, the cylinder head brackets in Aluminium & hollowed out are about six pounds lighter than the factory items.
114 lbs to go!
Realistically, not getting too crazy with a standard roadgoing twin using full crankcases, one might get rid of 40 lbs, which would help.
Good thing I kept the 520 chain, it's 1 lb lighter than 530:)

Glen
 
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