Retro sportbike project! Thoughts?

[Xtremjeepn]

So I picked up this old FZ600 for someone to learn on. They were great little bikes. 54hp, narrow, practically turn themselves.

This was Yamaha's first racer replica that hit the streets.

What I have discovered owning it is that there are so many people out there that were in love with these things. They drempt of owning one when they were in high school etc. We have had guys come over and rant and rave about how cool it is and totally ignore my 2007 R1.

So here is my thoughts on it.

I think with a few tweaks we can make this a really cool retro bike with modern handling. I want to make it handle better and "enhance" the looks but keep most of the classic style.

Here were my thoughts.

-Update the front forks to GSXR adjustable upside down sliders. Actually want to update the whole front end. (switches, brakes etc). Want gold forks since currently the brakes are gold on this thing.

-Wider wheels. Something lighter and wide enough to run radials. I would paint them the factory red so they keep the classic look. I have already figured out that you can run a 150ish in the rear.

-Powdercoat the frame factory red. Repaint the motor to look original and clean, etc

-I want to repaint all the plastics to a bright metalic white and put fresh decals on it. (it would look just like it does now, just fresh and crisp).




Thoughts? Would you do it? Cool enough?



Almost as it sits now. (has new tires)

[DucWise]

Sweet bike! I drempt of owning one when I was in high school

[lovinCO]

Great idea! Will the wider rear wheel fit in the stock swingarm? Check out the wheel with tire mounted width. I had a 400/600 back in the day and had to get a wider swingarm to run good tires.

[Xtremjeepn]

Lots of the Rz/RD350 guys use FZ600 swingarms to convert to wider rear wheels.

I measured it awhile back and it is within 1/2" of my 07 R1 swingarm.

[McVaaahhh]

Looks like a fun project!

[Sortarican]

Definitely worth doing.
Let me know what you do with the original FZ parts after you replace them.
(Forks and Rear Swingarm mainly.)
I might be interested in using them on my RD.

[Xtremjeepn]

Here are some of the bikes that inspired the idea.
Some are manufacturers concepts of retro sportbikes, some in production, some actuall retro sportbikes.




There are a ton of old 2 stokes done this way. I will post more if I find the link later

[Sortarican]

Here's my RD so far...really need to finish her this winter.
Attachment 6246

[DucWise]

Here's my RD so far...really need to finish her this winter.
Attachment 6246

Nice RD I rebuilt an R5 years ago... classic bikes! Imagine that thing at PMI

[Xtremjeepn]

Looks pretty clean so far. What are the plans for it?


I have seen some REALLY sweet old RD/RZ350/500 all fixed up. Wide wheels, upside down sliders etc.

I think lighter wheels and upside down sliders to take some unsprung weight off the front would really make these fun bikes. When I went put the tires on the current FZ600 wheels I was surprised at how heavy each wheel was for only being 2.75" wide.

[Xtremjeepn]

Check out the wheels/forks/tires on this old RZ350. Bike looks farily original, but cool

[Devaclis]

Is the extra weight worth the performance gain? Unsprung weight, taller forks, more rotational mass, all that good stuff

[Xtremjeepn]

I would have to weight the stuff to be sure but so far it seems that the bike might be loosing some weight.

The stock wheels and forks are HEAVY.

Was it worth it on the Hawk?

[Devaclis]

For the adjustability of the front forks it was worth it. It lost some of the great cornering feel that the stock Hawk forks gave the bike.

[Xtremjeepn]

I know some rave about how the old FZ600 almost "falls" right into corners. I personally want a bike that feels a bit mroe stable. Get too twitchy and they can actually be abit hard to ride.

[Sortarican]

Looks pretty clean so far. What are the plans for it?

I think lighter wheels and upside down sliders to take some unsprung weight off the front would really make these fun bikes... .

Plans:
Rig a better cafe style seat, finish the painting, plastic fenders (RZ), CDI electronics,
and maybe frankensein the front and rear ends with more modern technologies (FZ).

I was about to buy some RZ alloy rims for it.
Checked out a set and besides a slight weight difference of the rear due
to the drum verses disk brakes, the spoked rims are actually lighter.
If I changed just the rear to get disk it would look funky with alloy/spoked mixed.

The R5/RD/RZ's are a blast to ride...you really kinda wear the bike more than ride it.