Bdog wrote: I didn't say it didn't. I have stiffened the frame with bracing, added '95 ZX6R front and '92 GSXR600 rear monoshocked. I did go through the stock bike first with progressive springs in the forks and new progressive shocks for the rear with a boxed steel swingarm. I have owned mine for almost 20 years and continue to tweek it now. I built it for me, and I do think that with the weight saving in rotational, unsprung weight, the ability to adjust rebound and compression for my weight, and a massive upgrade in braking power and feel, that it does all of what I have claimed. I do have reservations about the seat for long rides however.
On the track, a stock 650 would go round better than your bike with its modifications. Not trying to be an ass here but, Handling isn't about better brakes. You've altered every aspect of the bikes suspension without knowing what each change does or effects. Rebound , preload and compression are only adjustments, fine tuning, its the geometry that sets up a great handling bike. What is your fork length, {centre of axle to fork top} what is the triple clamp offset, what is the front wheel and tire diameter, what is the length of the swingarm, what is the angle of the swingarm ? ALL of these things have an effect on "handling", whilst I have no qualms with the new braking ability of the bike, and it probably looks great, It won't "handle" better than the stock bike. I'm in the middle of building a bike at the moment, I have spent hours doing the calculations for the new suspension {this isn't the first time I have done this}, I have had new fork tubes made to the correct length i need, I am using an 18 inch wheel set so the wheel with tire measurements, along with rake and offset are all used to calculate the correct geometry, I will end up with a different rake and offset which will give me about 100mm {4 inches} of trail, an ideal number for this bike with this set up. At the back I am using an alloy swingarm, twin shock at 500MM in length, the same length Moriwaki used on his Moriwaki Kawasaki monster from the early 1980's, that bike was a giant killing machine and started of Wayne Gardners international career, I then have to calculate shock length, Both with and without rider, to establish not only the correct swingarm angle, but what effect the rear has on overall rake, as this effects rake and trail at the front as well, measuring suspension "sag" and spring rates are also part of this equation. If I were to use 17 inch wheels I'd have to start calculating all over again as the smaller diameter wheels turn in quicker the the 18's I'm using. I'm not trying to talk down your bike, Its just that far too many people think that by simply bolting on more modern parts it makes the bike "handle" better, in all reality, that's just not correct... For well set up older bikes just look at AC Sanctuary's bikes, they are built to a formula that they know works. I'd also like to point out that even Kawasaki got it all wrong with the first Z1R, they simply bolted on a 18 inch wheel and did nothing about the triple clamp offset which produced real small trail numbers and a poorly handling bike, all the race bikes of that era used 18 inch front wheels, so Kawasaki simply bolted one on, it didn't work, a simple change of triple clamp offset would have made all the difference, they went back to a 19 inch front on the next model.