The Best Quick Release Fasteners for your Race Fairings
Work has been busy this week, and I ended up spending a lot of time on what I thought was going to be a series of quick and easy modifications on the R3 (more on this topic next week). So, I will keep this blog post shorter than usual since most of the content I want to cover is in the video. I am sharing my quick fasteners (mis-) adventures, and hopefully, you will benefit from my findings. I’ve tested six different types of quick-release D-ring fasteners. I will reveal the best and most reliable option for your motorcycle fairings. I am talking (and comparing) the following quarter-turn fasteners in…
Get the Best 415 Chain Tool for your Motorcycle
I had to do so much research on this topic that I decided it would be a great idea to document my findings. I’ve been relying on my trusted Motion Pro PBR tools for almost a decade now and never thought I’d have to use anything else until I decided to do the 415 chain conversion on my Yamaha R3. Before I start explaining why the Motion Pro PBR tool wasn’t working, let’s have a quick look at the anatomy of a chain. No need to memorize all the elements depicted in that picture. The two key measurement units for a chain will be the Pitch and the Width. The Pitch is the distance between the center points of two pins in a link. The Width is the distance between two parallel inner plates. My…
415 Chain Conversion for the R3
In my opinion, this is a fascinating topic! A reduction in unsprung weight and rotational mass will make a big difference on your bike by making it more nimble and giving a small bump in horsepower! In these two videos, I am documenting the process of replacing a 520 chain and sprockets with a lighter 415 size. I am also replacing the mounting studs for the rear sprocket with 8mm shorter Titanium studs. This will simplify the process of swapping wheels at the racetrack since the studs won’t be protruding as much and, therefore, less likely to get caught in the chain. While doing this work, I’ll also replaced the rear disc rotor with a Galfer Wave. In the 2nd video, I had to deal with some challenges when shortening the 415 chain. I will publish another episode in the next few weeks talking about a new chain tool specifically for this chain size. The total weight savings are considerable. Here is the full list: Item OEM Weight New component Weight Reduction 520 chain vs. 415 1633g 971g 662g Front Sprocket 184g 139g …
HOW-TO: Tidy up the Wiring Harness on your R3
If you are like me and spend lots of time at the race track, you’ll understand how much easier it is to service your bike when you don’t have a bunch of extra connectors and wires that continuously get in the way when you mount your bodywork. While researching this topic, I was surprised to see that some racing organizations won’t let the riders modify the OEM harness. I was also surprised to see how many people are reluctant to alter the wiring harness on their bikes – This fear is quite often related to a lack of understanding and knowledge. An additional interesting discovery was that most of the info I found was on websites or YouTube channels that were focusing on building custom bobbers, choppers, and café racers. If track day enthusiasts modify their harnesses, they certainly don’t advertise. All of these revelations were enough for me to start documenting the process of modifying the wiring harness on my Yamaha 2018 YZF-R3. I definitely had to follow the 80/20 rule for this project. I spent 80% of my time researching, learning, and testing. Doing the actual hands-on work was the easy part. I first started the project by purchasing a digital version…
HOW-TO: Install a Driven Racing Fuel Cap on your R3
In this video, I document the process of installing a Driven Racing HALO fuel cap (and base). If you plan on converting your R3 into a track bike, you need to do this modification! Having a keyless gas cap looks really good, but the main advantage is that you no longer need to have a key to open the gas tank. You will also reduce the bike’s overall weight since the HALO cap is approximately 25% lighter. Replacing the OEM gas cap with an aftermarket keyless unit is a relatively inexpensive and straightforward modification for your bike. The full process of removing the old OEM cap and replacing it with a new…
