More Suzuki K5 Trouble?
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That's an incredible amount of damage for such a low speed impact. Does anybody know how that aluminum is made? I mentioned before about my footpeg that snapped in two when the bike gently fell over on it. It didn't break off, it snapped into two pieces. The aluminum was crumbly is the best way to describe it, like scintered bronze. Very light weight, but extremely brittle. The frames must be made out of the same material. I'm also guessing that Suzuki isn't the only manufacturer that uses this type of aluminum.
Double cradle frames made out of steel tubing might be the better way to go? I'm kidding of course.
Double cradle frames made out of steel tubing might be the better way to go? I'm kidding of course.
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George you have inadvertantly outed me. Those photos were taken about 5 miles from where I was born back in hillbillyville. When I was 16 and I got my drivers license (33 years ago last week) the first place I drove to was Hall's down on the river (where the photos were taken) in my marine green '65 Impala. Man what a blast from the past.
Sorry about the bike though. Ouch.
Sorry about the bike though. Ouch.
While the frame damage is certainly extreme, I wouldn't expect any bike's frame to survive an essentially head-on collision. From the description, both bikes were moving about 25 MPH and stopped RIGHT NOW at the point of impact. That's a pretty good hit in anybody's book. Luckily, the rider was thrown clear or he would have been badly hurt too.
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Maybe they'll have to go with aircraft style aluminum, what's it called, Duralumin? Gonna be expensive though. Or maybe titanium frames? Gonna be REALLY expensive.
Either way a new stock out-the-door race replica is better than a factory bike of only a few years ago. Cool. Good to see that money they rake in from selling cruisers to all those rubes gets put to good use.
Either way a new stock out-the-door race replica is better than a factory bike of only a few years ago. Cool. Good to see that money they rake in from selling cruisers to all those rubes gets put to good use.
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Does Suz use the extruded molding process on their frames? Yam uses this process and I don't recall any similar problems. It almost seems as if the process that Suz is using is letting too much air pass through the molding process. If bubbles make it into the frames they will be much weaker than they should be. Yam started using the extruded process to eliminate bubbles. Basically, the mold is filled and a vacuum draws out the air in the mold when it's poured. Is there a flaw in Suz system for that frame?
Aircraft "style" aluminum wouldn't be particularly appropriate for a motorcycle frame since that type of aluminum, while light and "strong" is designed to be somewhat flexible. In fact that's what makes it "strong," it is able to bend and return to its original shape without breaking.
The aluminum in this frame needs to be both lightweight and stiff. Increasing the frame stiffness through material properties (as opposed to geometric changes, like thickness) makes it more brittle which means it doesn't bend, it just breaks.
It amazes me that these types of failures weren't uncovered during the mandatory crash testing that is required for homologation. Unless of course they were uncovered and Suzuki thought it was no big deal. I'm not sure what constitutes "passing" in homologation testing but I think their primary concern is that the fuel tank doesn't split open, a frame in multiple pieces might be deemed an "acceptable" failure mode for the gov't agencies. Who knows. Glad I'm not riding an '05 Gixxer.
The aluminum in this frame needs to be both lightweight and stiff. Increasing the frame stiffness through material properties (as opposed to geometric changes, like thickness) makes it more brittle which means it doesn't bend, it just breaks.
It amazes me that these types of failures weren't uncovered during the mandatory crash testing that is required for homologation. Unless of course they were uncovered and Suzuki thought it was no big deal. I'm not sure what constitutes "passing" in homologation testing but I think their primary concern is that the fuel tank doesn't split open, a frame in multiple pieces might be deemed an "acceptable" failure mode for the gov't agencies. Who knows. Glad I'm not riding an '05 Gixxer.
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OK I'm going to beat Burns to the punch. Has anyone called Suzuki and asked them for a comment?
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Does anyone have a frame failure total? I think I've run across 3 articles about GSXR's frame failures.
I would imagine Suzuki would have taken a frame and pushed, pulled, hit, banged, twisted, dropped and maybe even run it into a good solid wall (a HD would do) by now to find out if something is wrong......
Then again, go to any cycle salvage and count broken frames. If I see 3 from the same manufacturer, I'm not going to jump to conclusions.
I would imagine Suzuki would have taken a frame and pushed, pulled, hit, banged, twisted, dropped and maybe even run it into a good solid wall (a HD would do) by now to find out if something is wrong......
Then again, go to any cycle salvage and count broken frames. If I see 3 from the same manufacturer, I'm not going to jump to conclusions.
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Yes.... waiting for reply.
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Give me a break, the guy slams head on into another bike and his frame breaks. It ain't the GSXR's fault. The reality is as bikes and planes get more high performance they get fragile. Its just the way it is. I wonder if the Harley sustained any damage.
It's pretty funny reading those k00ks descriptions of the accident... clearly a bunch of squids who should have spend 5-10 years paying htier dues on dirt bikes before they got their race replicas...
k00k talks about "laying it in" on a 30-40 mph corner, can't change lines & then panics and locks up the brakes?
nope, sorry, the k00k should write Suzuki a letter of appreciation for snapping his bike in half, he's much safer without it
k00k talks about "laying it in" on a 30-40 mph corner, can't change lines & then panics and locks up the brakes?
nope, sorry, the k00k should write Suzuki a letter of appreciation for snapping his bike in half, he's much safer without it
I read an article about a ford gt (pantera/ gt 40 remake) recal for the a-arms, it seems they had tried high presure plastic casting (the aluminum is heated to the consistancy of butter and forced into the die) they were having failures due to impurities traped in the aluminum. the process was used to (big suprise) save weight.
triumph daytona frames are welded assembly of cast and forged bits none bigger than your forearm to avoid casting problems involed in making large intricate parts, they may be a little portly but they are near indistructible.
triumph daytona frames are welded assembly of cast and forged bits none bigger than your forearm to avoid casting problems involed in making large intricate parts, they may be a little portly but they are near indistructible.
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