After killing a few lithium ion batteries I decided to start taking them apart only to realize they are pretty much the same thing in different packages. For many of them, like the Shorai, there's half a plastic box of dead space.
Sav0r said:The K1 will get you close, but the K2 section is over sprung. You should be able to get away with zero preload, but you might immediately be in the k2 range.
I run 75lbs/inch straight rate on my RD and k1 works out to around 78lbs/inch. Your machine ideally will be significantly lighter.
YSS makes great stuff, but I'm not sure you are quite right with those rates. Assuming they are standard size springs the sky really is the limit though.
Sav0r said:There is a lot of room for interpretation and preference. I'd say you have a really good starting place.
There's a story about Nick Richichi having a buddy who machined Ti axles for his TZ750 and after the first practice lap he told his guys to take them out. The flex made turning sluggish, since it added flex to the forks. I imagine aluminum would do similar being it's 1/3 the stiffness of chromoly.teazer said:Making axles out of Ti has been an effective way to reduce weight for a long time, but always more than my budget would stand. Most axles and other bolts can be drilled down the center to deduce weight and it's not hard to lose 20-30% of the weight that way. You could add Ti retaining nuts to save a few more grams.
BTW, many drag racers use aluminum front axles. Yes you heard that right. I would not recommend those for street use, but it's a thing.
On our RD350 drag bike, I bought a GSXR lower triple clamp quite cheaply and had it machined to replace the stock steel one and that saved a huge amount of weight. A lower triple machined from billet would have been nice or maybe even a TZ250 lower triple in aluminum with Ti bolts would have been nice but not available within our price range.
You could replace every bolt and stud on the motor with Ti but the cost would be off the charts expensive. There are easier and most cost effective ways to lose weight, such as plastic or fiberglass or alloy components for seats, and spacers and wheel bearing spacers - as long as you have access to a machine shop.