Swingarm spacing?

[ChristoT]

Weird question I know, but here goes: What is the width of the swingarm at the pivot point? And how far out from the bike's centreline is the rear sprocket?

I ask because I'm making a detailled list of parts I want for a custom FZS600 I want to build when I have a bit more cash, and had a little idea I want to toy with.

Also, what are the negative effects of fitting a narrower wheel to the Fazer?

[darrsi]

"...Also, what are the negative effects of fitting a narrower wheel to the Fazer?..."

Less "tyre" surface grip, there's no reason to do this at all, presuming your tyre size would change.......stop your thoughts at once!

They spend years testing this sort of stuff to get things right.......trust them, they have more time and money than us!

[ChristoT]

"...Also, what are the negative effects of fitting a narrower wheel to the Fazer?..."

Less "tyre" surface grip, there's no reason to do this at all, presuming your tyre size would change.......stop your thoughts at once!

They spend years testing this sort of stuff to get things right.......trust them, they have more time and money than us!

That doesn't really answer the question though..  The wheel I'm considering (for all sorts of reasons) takes a 150/60 R17. I'm a bit loath to fit an even wider wheel because I then have to worry about chain offset - easier to do on the back than the front.

[Punkstig]

I don't know the answer but I also don't know why anyone would think of reducing the rear contact patch!

[darrsi]

I don't know the answer but I also don't know why anyone would think of reducing the rear contact patch!

That's what i was getting at.

[Punkstig]

You're the main tester - involved at all stages of this long, long project

Cool, tonight I shall perform the "lying on the pub floor choking on my own vomit whilst logging into here on the fone" test. Always a winner.

I know you was, I'm backing you up!

[darrsi]

You're the main tester - involved at all stages of this long, long project

Cool, tonight I shall perform the "lying on the pub floor choking on my own vomit whilst logging into here on the fone" test. Always a winner.

I know you was, I'm backing you up!

That's clever, how did you bring up that quote? 

[ChristoT]

And still no-one has replied to the OP!! 

I'm asking because I have a bit of a thing for single sided swingarms, and I want to know what will fit. A Honda NT650 Bros sports a 150/60 R17, and I reckon it might do the job. A SSSA would also make life easier for the underseat exhaust.

[Fazerider]

The swing arm pivot sleeve is 236mm long, allowing a millimetre at each end for the washer/end seal gives a total gap in the frame of 238mm.
I had to go out and top-up the chainlube, so poked around with a ruler for you: the centreline of tyre to centreline of chain measured 110mm with standard 9mm sprockets.

[ChristoT]

The swing arm pivot sleeve is 236mm long, allowing a millimetre at each end for the washer/end seal gives a total gap in the frame of 238mm.
I had to go out and top-up the chainlube, so poked around with a ruler for you: the centreline of tyre to centreline of chain measured 110mm with standard 9mm sprockets.

Thanks, Fazerider! 

[Fazerider]

Don't be too worried about the slightly narrower tyre, the reduction in contact patch won't be very significant. After all, the front copes with braking forces that are just as great as the rear gets from the engine.
There may even be a slight handling benefit: the contact patches of front and rear are out of line with each other when banked over… the more similar in width the tyres are, the less misalignment there will be.
Good luck with the project, I hope you can get things to fit.

[ChristoT]

Don't be too worried about the slightly narrower tyre, the reduction in contact patch won't be very significant. After all, the front copes with braking forces that are just as great as the rear gets from the engine.
There may even be a slight handling benefit: the contact patches of front and rear are out of line with each other when banked over… the more similar in width the tyres are, the less misalignment there will be.
Good luck with the project, I hope you can get things to fit.

First I need a bike to fit stuff to! 

This is an idea I've had kicking about for about a year. I've been working on details in my mind, I hope to get to build it!

[Punkstig]

You're the main tester - involved at all stages of this long, long project

Cool, tonight I shall perform the "lying on the pub floor choking on my own vomit whilst logging into here on the fone" test. Always a winner.

I know you was, I'm backing you up!

That's clever, how did you bring up that quote? 

No idea, lols!

[darrsi]

And still no-one has replied to the OP!! 

I'm asking because I have a bit of a thing for single sided swingarms, and I want to know what will fit. A Honda NT650 Bros sports a 150/60 R17, and I reckon it might do the job. A SSSA would also make life easier for the underseat exhaust.

Isn't that a shaft drive swing arm?


My previous bike was an NTV Revere 600 which is from the same family.

[ChristoT]

The 650 Bros isn't, but the Deauville (also called NT650) is a shafty.

[darrsi]

The 650 Bros isn't, but the Deauville (also called NT650) is a shafty.

I actually miss the shaft drive, the bike was so damn clean!

[Lumpy]

I don't know the answer but I also don't know why anyone would think of reducing the rear contact patch!

hmmm, you are assuming the contact patch is reduced of course, there ins't a great deal of difference between the contact patch of a 150 compared to a 160 and different manufacturers may have a different profile and actually have more contact patch. Narrower tyres benefits are faster turn in and better wet weather grip, a fzs600 is never going to light the rear end up so there will be enough grip there anyways.


Try is Christo, even if it looks odd.

[Punkstig]

I don't know the answer but I also don't know why anyone would think of reducing the rear contact patch!

hmmm, you are assuming the contact patch is reduced of course, there ins't a great deal of difference between the contact patch of a 150 compared to a 160 and different manufacturers may have a different profile and actually have more contact patch. Narrower tyres benefits are faster turn in and better wet weather grip,

Lovely contradiction there!

[Lumpy]

I don't know the answer but I also don't know why anyone would think of reducing the rear contact patch!

hmmm, you are assuming the contact patch is reduced of course, there ins't a great deal of difference between the contact patch of a 150 compared to a 160 and different manufacturers may have a different profile and actually have more contact patch. Narrower tyres benefits are faster turn in and better wet weather grip,

Lovely contradiction there!

lots of kafas out there. Do what you want. Too many darrsi types out there trying to put imagination  off and stuff.

[ChristoT]

I don't know the answer but I also don't know why anyone would think of reducing the rear contact patch!

hmmm, you are assuming the contact patch is reduced of course, there ins't a great deal of difference between the contact patch of a 150 compared to a 160 and different manufacturers may have a different profile and actually have more contact patch. Narrower tyres benefits are faster turn in and better wet weather grip,

Lovely contradiction there!

lots of kafas out there. Do what you want. Too many darrsi types out there trying to put imagination  off and stuff.

Well, when I get another Fazer, I intend to try! I just like to know what the pros and cons of each system are before I start. 

Hopefully, it'll be a reasonably simple task to swap everything over. Sooo, anyone want to give me a bike to try this on? 

[His Dudeness]

I don't know the answer but I also don't know why anyone would think of reducing the rear contact patch!

hmmm, you are assuming the contact patch is reduced of course, there ins't a great deal of difference between the contact patch of a 150 compared to a 160 and different manufacturers may have a different profile and actually have more contact patch. Narrower tyres benefits are faster turn in and better wet weather grip,

Lovely contradiction there!

lots of kafas out there. Do what you want. Too many darrsi types out there trying to put imagination  off and stuff.

What does that mean? Got a problem with someone expressing their opinion?

[Punkstig]

I'd just like point out that's not my quote!

[ChristoT]

A bit defensive there, Stig!   

It takes all sorts. Having a few sensible Darrsi types curbing my insanity is a good thing. I wish more had been around before that insane trailer idea!

By the way - who wants to buy a towbar? 

[ChristoT]

More good news!! Looks like I struck gold on that Bros: rough measurements poking around with calipers over lunch break have told me the swingarm width is about 235.25mm (not sure how accurate my measurements were) , and the wheel to centreline is roughly 115mm. Happy days. 

EDIT: Butter fingers! I mean sprocket to wheel centreline. Still happy days.
 

[Deefer666]

I don't know the answer but I also don't know why anyone would think of reducing the rear contact patch!

Because you can?