Anyone ever see a GSXR do this (pix)

Started by Speedballer347, August 28, 2002, 01:56:59 PM

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Speedballer347

Never crashed 01GSXR600.
Got sideways enough in the chicane to throw me through the winshield and bounce my head off the front-fender, breaking some ribs while leading Amateur GTO at Gateway back in March (I still won :D )  
The frame was so brittle/overly-hardened that the steering head actually exploded and the main twin-spars busted almost in half, from the near highside and resultant brutal speed-wobble.  
Many more cracks than this but some were hard to photgraph.
Didn't know the frame broke, so I kept racing it that day and Sunday as well.  Was wobbling but didn't give it much thought...actually got into the high 1:09's and won everyrace entered on it that weekend till the motor grenaded while leading MWSS.
Talk about bad luck...BROKE my ribs, frame, and destroyed my engine in the same weekend..all w/out crashing >:(

Anyway, had it all professionally rewelded right before the Gateway race in July, but most of the welds rebroke from the bump in the chicane. Some welds held but nearby areas would break.  Frame was toasted before the weekend was over.
Placed 2nd-4th everyrace, but the bike was wobbling, more importantly I KNEW why the bike was wobbling, and I was rusty since I hadn't been on a bike since March.  Needless to say I was slow.
Lead a few races on it before getting passed, and supposedly got into the 10's w/ it.
I actually thought the welds were holding (as they should have) and the bike was wobbling just from the whole frame being out of alingnment from the breaks/welds, but inspection after the weekend found the frame in this condition.

Had a lot of guys ask me at the July races why I was going so slow...here's the answer.
I guess I should have titled this post "pix and excuses"  ;D


Left inner steering head


Right inner steering head


Right outer steering head

Right steering head bottom


Left engine-mount front


Left engine-mount inner


Right/Left outer twin spars..actual cracks extends all the way to the bottom of the inner R&L frame-spars.
CCS #347 expert, MW/GP, GSXR1000
JoJo Bits, HighSpeedAssault.com, WickedStickers.com, GNO Kneesliders, WFO-Motorsports IL, ImageX Photography, Royalty Racing

dave333


Dawn


Eric Kelcher

And this frame had never been crashed?
real scary!
Eric Kelcher
ASRA/CCS Director of Competition

kangasj

Jesus!  Maybe the design of that frame is being pushed a tad to close to the edge.  Are you sure that happened during your "non wreck"?

RoadRacerR6

Um, you wouldn't happen to be the same "SpeedballerZ" who used to have a website boasting of "real racers" doing wheelies in traffic, stoppies, and other stupid stunts, would you?  Is this bike one of your "stunt" motorcycles?

I suspect this bike has had a lot more prior abuse than you've indicated.


Speedballer347

QuoteJesus!  Maybe the design of that frame is being pushed a tad to close to the edge.  Are you sure that happened during your "non wreck"?
Yeah, it happened that weekend.
I thoroughly race-prepped the bike days B4 the March race weekend and there was zreo frame damage.  My motor blew that weekend, and when we were getting ready to pull the motor we saw the frame.
Bike was welded up by a mechanical engineer who has a background in metalurgy.  He is also an ex-Wera expert.
Said the frame was either built w/ 'old' aluminum, or was overly heat treated as the aluminum has zero ductility.  Said if he hit a normal aluminum frame w/ a ball-peen hammer, it would dent.  Said if he hit mine, it would crack.  His professional opinion is the frame material is way too hard and brittle.

I have personally seen aluminum framed bikes T-bone cars and bend the forks/wheel into the radiator, withoout cracking the frame.  
Also seen bikes cartwheel down the track at triple-digits....might bend the steering head, but doesn't break the frame to pieces.
Got a bad frame, that's all.
CCS #347 expert, MW/GP, GSXR1000
JoJo Bits, HighSpeedAssault.com, WickedStickers.com, GNO Kneesliders, WFO-Motorsports IL, ImageX Photography, Royalty Racing

AZ-MilleR

    I am currently in litigation with Aprilia over a 2000 Aprilia RSV Mille I bought with a poorly cast headstock.  Similar situation, and I have even had the frame analyzed by a Metallurgist.  The bike was 2 weeks old when mine broke apart and had less then 700 miles on it.  The miles it did have were babied break-in miles.  If you look close at the top of the steering head you will notice a large amount of it missing and parts pulled away.  As a result I have 3 screws permanently in my shoulder and pretty consistant pain.

Alan
CCS AM #613 - Southwest
'01 Suzuki SV650
2005 SW AM Thunderbike Champion
2005 SW AM LW Supersport Champion

rmahr137

i think that the wheelies may have helped this problem man, those things are pretty tough on the bike.

thats why you need a stunt bike, and a race bike.  I am sure there are all kinds of 900RR's around st. louis for sale!!!!

Speedballer347

#10
Quote   I am currently in litigation with Aprilia over a 2000 Aprilia RSV Mille I bought with a poorly cast headstock.  Similar situation, and I have even had the frame analyzed by a Metallurgist.  The bike was 2 weeks old when mine broke apart and had less then 700 miles on it.  The miles it did have were babied break-in miles.  If you look close at the top of the steering head you will notice a large amount of it missing and parts pulled away.  As a result I have 3 screws permanently in my shoulder and pretty consistant pain.

Sorry about your injuries, that is beyond unfortunate.  At least you were not killed.

BTW: what is the correct URL for the photo..I would very much like to see it.
And good luck w/ getting your bike/body straightened out!
CCS #347 expert, MW/GP, GSXR1000
JoJo Bits, HighSpeedAssault.com, WickedStickers.com, GNO Kneesliders, WFO-Motorsports IL, ImageX Photography, Royalty Racing