I'm baaaaaack (sorta)

[Maniac]

Man, it's been a while since I've been on here!

No, I haven't bought a new B4 (and I -still- don't know where mine is, no one ever applied for a title, so I guess it's either sitting in the guy's new shop somewhere, or he parted it out).

Since the B4 I've gone through a few bikes, had an '03 919 for a couple of years, then got out of bikes for a couple of years until one of my coworkers let me jump on his 599 to see why it was acting oddly (bad voltage regulator, it turns out). From there I went to an '08 SV650 that I purchased new, put 30 miles on, and then wadded and broke my shoulder (totaled the SV too, sadly).

The dealership loved me, though, I walked in with my arm still in a sling and bought an '08 GSXR 750. I figure, what the hell? I've been riding it since then, and have done a few track days with it. However, being my only bike, I'm not really pushing as hard as I could on the track since I don't want to screw it up (plus I owe money on it, and that's an incentive to not wreck too).

I've been thinking more and more back to my old B4 and what I'd planned to do with it when the guy who owned the shop up and took off with it. I had been planning to do the GSXR front end swap, GSXR rear shock, flat-slides, and the big bore kit at some point. It was also getting GSXR400 cams installed. It was going to be a little 4-pot screamer from hell. The more I think of it, the more I can't help but think if I slapped GSXR400 fairings on it, it'd be an excellent little track bike and daily 'screw with the guys on bigger bikes' toy. I'd originally thought of doing like everyone else and going the SV route, but I really do miss that high-RPM scream of the little 400's tiny little pistons whirring away at 16000RPM.

Sadly, right now I'm not in a position to get one, and there aren't any for sale near me at the moment.

I do have a question, though, since I can't remember.

Putting the GSXR rear shock on raises the tail an inch or so, if I remember correctly. Can the same be said for the front end? I don't want to totally hose up the handling dynamics on the B4, but I do want to raise the seat height a bit so I don't look so silly on it if I do manage to find one.

Should be funny watching my 280lb 6-3' bulk haul around on a teeny-tiny bike. if I'm ever able to pull this off. 

[interfuse]

   Nice to have you back.

I put in a 91 gsxr 750 shock and it didn't raise the tail much. The shock length was nearly identical to the stock one.



I think the newer gsxr shocks will raise the tail height a bit.

Swapping the front end to a gsxr front end will lower the front...  I'll keep you posted on how it effects the handling.

But personally I think for a track bike you'd be better off getting a newer gsxr that's been written off.

[Maniac]

Hm, I thought it was just the newer GSXR forks that made it shorter.

Yeah, probably right, I just like being a little different and there are a ton of GSXRs at the track already. Of course, there is a reason for that!

[canyonbreeze]

I put a 2006 GSXR600 shock on my B400 and stock forks with 1kg straight rate springs and 20 weight fork oil.  It handles great.  I'm about 222 at 5'10" and the height is perfect now, was a bit too low before.

Or maybe I just got accustomed to the height.

[Maniac]

Hot damn, friend just called and said he found my bike! 

Not sure what condition it's in, but I might be getting it back after something like 5 years!