My Track bike project

Could you not raise the base of the fuel tank to give you the clearance you require? It's not as if you'll need to carry 18 litres of fuel for the track.
Alternatively you could just take a leaf out of your inspirations book & relocate the fuel tank into the tail unit (which'll be larger since you'll be running a single seat) allowing you to just cut the base away from the stock one.

That would be too easy it's actually the two shoulders that sit on either side of the tank base that foul the air filters, so raising it wouldn't really solve the problem.
Relocating the tank is an option, but it would probably be easier to 'adjust' the existing tank with a hammer. That way I don't have to sort out a fuel pump and associated hassle with wiring.

I have been searching with absolutely no success for a performance exhaust header system to suit my track project.
As a result I have decided to make one myself.
I am satisfied that I have made all the calculations required as best I can, and have ordered the tube in stainless steel.
Silencers seem to be easy to find so I don't have to worry about that part.
Watch this space

As an update, the 38mm fireblade carbs have now been graced with new seals and should be tested on my work bike in the near future to give me some idea of the jetting required. The screws holding on the rear plate were preventing the filters sitting properly so they were replaced with countersunk ones.

I haven't had much time until now to spend any time on my project, mainly due to a change in my job.
I no longer work as a courier, I have been working for a Motorsport dealer that specializes in Lamborghini's and Ferrari's for a few months now.
However I have made a little progress, new rearsets were fitted to see how they look and fit.
New Brembo front discs have arrived so I have been able to check that the wheel is central in the forks, which it is.
Now I'm happy with the wheels they can go of to be powder coated soon.
I have a one piece seat unit on it at the moment, still not sure whether I'm happy with it though.
The tank on it is just an outer skin and I plan to build an airbox to fit underneath it.
The fuel tank will be going under the tailpiece.
A few pictures





I have finally decided to order a pair of Wiseco forged pistons from America, so I can crack on with the engine once they arrive.
I have also ordered a fully programable ignition unit from the Czech Republic, that should be interesting to see what the standard settings are.
The exhaust build is still under way, I have enlisted the assistance of a neighbour who by chance makes performance exhausts for a living.
That's about it for the moment, I'll post more info as it arrives.

great work andy 

good stuff!

I no longer work as a courier, I have been working for a Motorsport dealer that specializes in Lamborghini's and Ferrari's for a few months now.

That sounds better than being a courier, is it?

It's different for sure. My main role is to build engines once the backlog of cars is reduced to a manageable level. I have built 2 lamborghini V10 engines so far, with 4 more waiting. I'll post a couple of pics up tomorrow

ANDYC wrote:It's different for sure. My main role is to build engines once the backlog of cars is reduced to a manageable level. I have built 2 lamborghini V10 engines so far, with 4 more waiting. I'll post a couple of pics up tomorrow

That sounds suitably entertaining. I'm guessing that the word 'bodge' doesn't really exist when it comes to racing engines ;)

Yes, pictures would be nice.

New forged pistons and con rods, all rings gapped and ready to go into the modified block.

Bottom end all assembled.

You can never look at the cam chain in a cb500 again without a sense of relief!!!  This is before the heads and 4 camshafts go on!!!

Or the coolant and fuel lines.
This is a 5.0 litre V10 engine for a Lamborghini Gallardo that I built up a few weeks ago.
A couple of pictures of other cars that I have worked on recently.

A flat 12 engine from a Ferrari 512BB

A Radical race car, powered by a tuned Suzuki Hyabusa engine.

And the Radical with it's clothes on.
Sorry about the weird angles but they were taken on my phone and couldn't rotate them.
All said and done, I am much happier when I'm working on my track bike build.

Great pix - thanks for sharing.

You must be relived when it fires up OK after the reassembly!

Very much so. Despite everything it's always good to see and hear it running properly.

They are actually 3 ring pistons for road or race.
The original cylinders are a silicon alloy composite similar to the nicasil ones, these are good when new but can't be rebored or refinished. The downside to this is that the catalytic converters have a habit of breaking up with amazing regularity and the debris gets sucked into the cylinders on the overun.
This has a terrible effect on the cylinders and pistons, as I'm sure you can imagine.
New engines don't come cheap for these things, so we fit steel liners and use forged pistons designed to suit. It doesn't come cheap as you don't get much change from £25k but is cheaper than the new one and more reliable, you can also get oversize pistons for these.

ANDYC wrote:these are good when new but can't be rebored or refinished.

Surprised to hear this. I was involved with aircooled VW/Porsche engines a while ago, and an American supplier of nicasil alloy barrels stated that repairing/recoating was perfectly feasible.
There seem to be many companies on the web who offer a repair service. eg.
http://www.poeton.co.uk/w1/nickel-silicon-carbide-composite-coating.htm

This is true, it can be done but it is very costly and nobody will guarantee it. There were a few warranty cases a few years back and people that used to do them won't touch them now. The damage caused by the debris is often too bad for the thin treatment to cover anyway.

We do! most times we put cat bypasses on and just save a good set to put on for mot time.

All said and done, I am much happier when I'm working on my track bike build.

Probably something to do with true 'creative freedom'  : )

Can't wait for you to go totally bonkers & throw one of those lambo engines into a bike to make a CB5000!

ashcroc wrote:Can't wait for you to go totally bonkers & throw one of those lambo engines into a bike to make a CB5000!

Not very practical. However whilst working on an Audi R8 twin turbo conversion I decided on my next stage of evolution for my track bike engine. But first I want to find the limit for a normally aspirated engine.

We'll see. I think the weak point may be the clutch. Or my pocket!

Back to more interesting stuff now, the programmable ignition unit has arrived from the Czech republic.
As soon as I have worked out how to program it I will post an update.