Weight Watchers, get your machine on a diet part 4

November 5, 2008 by Jon Rhodig

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

If you have been following this series you know that the ultimate goal is to shave weight to increase the machines performance whether it be on the track or the trail.

The next area of study will be with rotational weight. Some of these tips and tricks will require some internal engine work and may not be practical for the average rider but I will touch on some of the basics.

Any item that rotates on an axis has rotational weight. Adding and subtracting weight on these various items have positive and negative effects. Depending on your overall performance goals, this will determine which way to go.

Stealthy(tm) Flywheel weight, screws onto your existing flywheel making it a temporary installation.

The flywheel is an area that gets modified quite frequently by engine tuners. Adding weight increases tractability and the ability to resist stalling in slow, tight, technical maneuvers at the expense of being quick revving. On the converse lightening the flywheel provides a quick responsive revving engine at the expense of loss of tractability and makes the engine easier to stall in tight technical situations. Examples of this are evident with removable flywheel weights and inner rotor kits.

An inner rotor kit is a small flywheel with the ignition pickups on the outside vs. the inside like a conventional flywheel

Along similar lines as the flywheel is the clutch assembly (hub, basket, plates and springs) aftermarket companies have gone to great lengths to develop lightweight but durable components to replace the typical stock cast/machined aluminum piece. For example machining from a once piece of billet gives the engineer the freedom to make an overall lighter component while still maintaining sufficient strength and wear characteristics. The same can be said for the clutch springs themselves using titanium vs. spring steel.

The other major source is the sprocket, axle, wheel and tire combo that makes up a significant portion of rotational weight. In the previous articles I discussed ways to loose a few ounces and pounds by selecting lighter parts, for more information consult those articles.

Well there you have it a very brief look at some areas to focus on if a lightweight better performing machine is your goal.