CBR gets the Sailah treatment...

I'll warn them now...

Can imagine the big smile when it fired up!

Keep up the good work!

I don't have the airbox cover on and won't for the test ride. Sat on the bike for the first time in months, feels really nice. Less stretched out than the FZ1. I also much prefer the cockpit in this bike vs the other. The FZ1 had stock gauges and huge lights with bent aluminum frame etc. Made for a busy dash.



This bike I wanted simple and light everywhere which meant ditching the stock gauges and using a trail tech headlight. I might end up doing this to the FZ1 too. Don't mind the mess haven't figured out how I'm going to deal with the wiring harness and cable routing just yet. Basically threw it together for the picture



Need to stuff this somewhere



I have no idea where I'm going to put this bike when I'm done. Being on the table meant out of the way. With my mini one car garage, four bikes, big lathe, welders, tools etc it's an unbelievable chore to get even one bike out of the garage. I think I might ditch the build table which means no more projects for awhile. Also means more riding

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You can park it at my house.

Congratulations on reaching a milestone!

At least I know it won't get ridden lol

Thanks you want a paid consult to help me get my jetting right?

went out for the maiden voyage tonight. Did maybe 5-8 miles. F'kin WOW. It's real quick. Another dimension of fast compared to the FZ1 which is no slouch. Especially in the round town rpms and speeds.

I made it about 2 miles and was hitting about 11k rpms and the carb heater post I had plugged came off and sprayed my bare leg down. Felt great along with the pipe burn I got on the back of my thigh. Capped it again and continued along the way. Traded the bike for a DRZ with my buddy and he rode it for awhile.

I could tell when he got on it because he just checked out.

Lots of things need tweaking, I was so excited to ride it I was trying to make a mental not of everything I want to do.

The good:

Stupid quick
Very light, If I had to guess I'd say not over 350 lbs maybe less.
Suspension seems great so far. I think I want a little more preload in the rear and I have plenty to go.
Seat height is very nice. I'm 5 11 and can handle it easily

The needs work:
Wiring is still a mess
Fuel filter needs relocaitng
NEEDS A PIPE GUARD
Steering is a little twitchy, I think raising the back end will help.

Video uploading

woohoo! that was fun. it's crazy quick, but so smooth you don't even realize you are suddenly going very fast until you see the traffic in front of you coming up like right now.

handles really well, too. i didn't notice the steering seeming twitchy.

performs even better than it looks...and it looks badass--even better in real life than in the pics.

great job on the build. can't wait for your next project.

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Bloody awesome

Thanks!! It's a lot different that the FZ1s maiden voyage. That bike I literally had never ridden down the block, let alone 5 miles, and set off for the ADV Eastern Rally about an 8 hour ride. Scared shitless doesn't describe the feelings I had. Worked out great, never missed a beat in 15,000 miles, essentially unchanged in 2 years.

The CBR I want to gradually work on things and refine them. I plan on modifying the FZ1 into a little more lean and mean, but want to wait until the CBR is rideable and dependable enought o take over primary bike duties for the few months that the Ronin will be down.

I also decided no more starting projects. And I'm firm on that. Ever. Until I finish my other projects.

Unless you think of something cool and weird...

Nope, need to go the other way to calm the steering - it wants more trail (rake is just how we achieve trail with telescopic forks).

RE: carbs - hit up google for "tuning carburetors", and you'll find a couple of pages with multiple-step processes and descriptions of how certain conditions feel. If you follow the directions, you'll get in the ballpark.

Way to go!!!

Damn, why can't Honda build a bike like that? The stats make that bike sound amazing. If you don't have room to take it when you move you know the line to buy it off you will stretch around the block.

Al,

I was wrong on the steering, just needed a little more preload. Feels awesome now. I also think the jetting is close but maybe lean. I brought it to bike night tonight and had a couple people ride it. One remarked he thought it was lean. I'll work through that. Bike runs awesome

Missed you tonight big fella

I have to say, the bike is really, really, really fun. It needs a few tweaks here and there, specifically the rear brake needs to be redone for more leverage on the pedal. I also need more preload on the shock but both those are easy.

I took the bike up to bike night about 20ish miles away tonight. Little nervous because I was a little further afield but I rode up with LittleRedToyota and both of us are handy. Bike didn't miss a beat. I am still dripping coolant. The Vapor RPM was cutting in and out a few times and giving false readings. Couple times it felt like it was running out of gas. All really minor. I noticed when I pinned it a few times I could feel the clutch slipping so I adjusted the cable and now it really flies. I thought it was fast the other night, but now that I'm not roasting the clutch, it's stupid fun

The good side was the bike is just a total blast. I can't recall riding a bike in recent memory where I was just smiling the whole time. Maybe my first Ducati ride was like that. The whole time I was just laughing in my helmet.

The gearing is just right. Cruising down the hwy at 65 I'm running 6k.

The suspension is great, standard KTM forks. The rear suspension is nice in terms of action but I want a little more preload. Might be worth a spring swap although I have a really heavy one already. The front 320 Braking setup is sublime. Great lever action, you could easily do a stoppie, fun to feel the knobs squirming.

I have to say I am critical of my work and it's easy to pick faults. I can find plenty of things fundamentally wrong with the Ronin bike. It's too heavy, big to be "fun". It is a great ADV bike along the lines of a V Strom type but with a lot more power. It's been a great companion and I have taken some nice long trips on it. Kinda like a wife.

This CBR though is like a black haired vixen you met in a hotel lobby on a business trip. She blew your mind and didn't leave her phone number

I'm glad I had a plan on this bike and stuck to the principles of keeping it as light & compact as possible. No frills, no extras, no luggage. Just 600cc, big suspension & brakes, underseat tank. The tank relocation makes the bike I think. It's just so flickable with all the weight down low.

Anyways I hate to keep rambling on here, but just got back from it's first trip and I'm super excited about it. Hope some of you will take me up on my offer for a ride anytime you are around Pittsburgh.

Great to finally see the bike in person tonight, glad we got all the electrical gremlins sorted.

Big thanks amigo

Now about building a custom wiring harness

the bike is insanely fun in the twisties. so smooth. and so easily tossed around. it just carves and carves.

i wanna ride it with sumo wheels. that's gonna be amazing.

great job. you built a ridiculously fun bike.

you can't buy cool.

apparently, though, sailah can build it.

Has the rear shock still got standard valving?
Is it dealing with the extra mass ok or do you think it needs a revalve?