Alternative production swing-arms?

[irsh]

Has anyone looked into replacing the stock steel swing-arm with an alternative from another brand?
The Aprilia Shiver and Dorsoduro both use a similar offset shock location. The main difference being neither pivots in the engine case like the FTR. The Shiver is the shorter alternative but is two cast halves bolted together which I'm not fond of.
I haven't checked any dimensions yet to even see if the rear wheel would fit, just preliminary speculation at this point.


FTR1200

DORSODURO

SHIVER

 

[ferraiolo1]

A few aftermarket companies make them. Shorter isn’t better. They tried shorter swing arms on the race bikes and ended up putting stock ones back on.

 

[MMC]

What Mike said, BUT some of that was due to adjusted head tube geometry by way of adjustable fork clamps and what was learned for certain tracks. They were also running -3" swingarms ( both RSD and S&S / Indian team. That is quite short and those were flat track specific swingarms). Only company offering a swingarm is Trac Dynamics @ around $2k. The RSD race team is using this unit.

 

[irsh]

A few aftermarket companies make them. Shorter isn’t better. They tried shorter swing arms on the race bikes and ended up putting stock ones back on.

Must be the long engine then, I assume they had adjustable triples.

 

[irsh]

What Mike said, BUT some of that was due to adjusted head tube geometry by way of adjustable fork clamps and what was learned for certain tracks. They were also running -3" swingarms ( both RSD and S&S / Indian team. That is quite short and those were flat track specific swingarms). Only company offering a swingarm is Trac Dynamics @ around $2k. The RSD race team is using this unit.View attachment 8230

Any idea what wheelbase they run now?

 

[MMC]

Any idea what wheelbase they run now?

you mean a stock bike or team bike? team you will never know. they wouldn't tell me. lol
Grapevine has it that there are bikes in the class running 2019 fork clamps (which actually have a different offset than any other year- more favorable) with 120mm ohlins fork set-ups or GP cartridges in Sachs units and stock swingarms.

 

[irsh]

you mean a stock bike or team bike? team you will never know. they wouldn't tell me. lol
Grapevine has it that there are bikes in the class running 2019 fork clamps (which actually have a different offset than any other year- more favorable) with 120mm ohlins fork set-ups or GP cartridges in Sachs units and stock swingarms.

Team bike, yes. Stock swing-arm, maybe it isn't as heavy as it looks...
I probably just need to ride it as is and give up on making it something it's not.

 

[MMC]

Team bike, yes. Stock swing-arm, maybe it isn't as heavy as it looks...
I probably just need to ride it as is and give up on making it something it's not.

Striving to make it better is what this is all about. Don't give up. The stock swingarm is a rediculously heavy bitch. It's where I shaved a huge hunk of weight

 

[ferraiolo1]

It’s very easy to dump 50lbs off a stock ftr just by tanking things off and exhaust

Mine is 470ish wet right now

 

[MMC]

It’s very easy to dump 50lbs off a stock ftr just by tanking things off and exhaust

Mine is 470ish wet right now

Do you need a towel?

 

[irsh]

It’s very easy to dump 50lbs off a stock ftr just by tanking things off and exhaust

Mine is 470ish wet right now

Heck it was nice just taking that plate holding monstrosity off. I bet that thing would hold my weight!

 

[Cranky]

What are you trying to achieve ?
Shorter , longer or just a different look ?
Mine is slightly longer than stock

 

[Azamatka]

What are you trying to achieve ?
Shorter , longer or just a different look ?
Mine is slightly longer than stock

An inch or two, indeed!

 

[irsh]

What are you trying to achieve ?
Shorter , longer or just a different look ?
Mine is slightly longer than stock

Shorten the wheelbase and reduce unsprung weight.

 

[MMC]

Shorten the wheelbase and reduce unsprung weight.

Irsh i certainly have one for you -3" C&J but you would need to buy the whole RSD race kit. LMK

 

[irsh]

Irsh i certainly have one for you -3" C&J but you would need to buy the whole RSD race kit. LMK

I looked at the kit, not sure I'm willing to make the other changes to make it work. That sort of spurred the Aprilia research.