300 weight reduction

[Tigerpaw]

I know it's way early but...

What are your thoughts on reducing weight on the 300?

- Airbox to pods
- Aftermarket exhaust
- Passenger peg removal
- Aftermarket battery
- Fender eliminator

I enjoy the EXTREME weight reduction threads floating around for the 250s.

[csmith12]

[Tigerpaw]

Originally Posted by csmith12

LOL

[old3]

Watch the light batteries, I've been thru 4 different manufacturers and a total of at least ten batteries in a few bikes over the last 2 years. They suck in cold weather and good luck getting one back from the dead!

I'd go to a smaller AGM battery before a li-po again, but really, the difference will be mostly in your head anyway. Once you ditch the stock muffler there isn't another easy 7-8 lbs loss in one part that is cheap and reliable.

[EsrTek]

IF needed... A diet for the rider is best option, beyond the exhaust.

[old3]

Stay fat & add nitrious!

[alex.s]

remove the engine

[Tigerpaw]

Already working on the rider diet mod

[Surferboy120]

Curious if the R6 swing arm is lighter than the 250/300s or was that swap for farkle\fat tire mentality.

[Chicagobob]

Exhaust and battery would be the greatest weight savings without dramatically changing the character of the bike. Not sure airbox removal would be worth the trouble, or even plausible on a fuel-injected engine, although I've seen it done on Triumph Bonnevilles.

You could remove and weigh the fenders to see if there's significant savings to be had there. Also, if you intend to remove the passenger pegs, you could consider replacing the rear seat with a lightweight cowl or cover.

Bar-end weights could go, but you'd feel more vibration. I'd also suggest replacing the stock mirrors with bar-ends.

[choneofakind]

Originally Posted by Chicagobob

Not sure airbox removal would be worth the trouble, or even plausible on a fuel-injected engine

Worth it. I love it on mine.

It's also been done on some of the FI-spec bikes by members in Japan. It's an easy couple lbs to shave off.

Area P has sent their Ninja 300 prototype systems to the tuner to have some tuning done and to see if gains can be had on the 300 with a K&N R-0990 filter, which Peanut_EOD proved does fit on the throttle bodies.

[jaybo]

Ive dropped approx 13 lbs so far with a carbon fiber slip on and removing a bunch of stuff. I figure six pounds lost with the slip on and about 7 with everything else. I weighed myself on scale and then weigh myself again while holding everything. Give a take a pound (analog bathroom scale)

rear peg and bracket removal and diy pipe bracket
relocate rear brake reservoir, shorten hose and remove metal guide and bolt
remove front brake line guide and reposition clamp like on a mx bike
remove rear fender and fab new tag mount. Flush mount turns.
replace a bunch of bolts with aluminum ones.

I have a few more ideas but will have to wait until I have a reason to pull the fairings off.

when the battery fails I may go with something half the weight but cant see replacing it now. I mostly just take off stuff that does not need to be there. There are a lot of things kawi could have done to make it lighter but then it would not sell for 4799. An aluminum shifter and brake pedal for one. If it is to be a race bike only there are a few emissions related things that could be removed and I may get there but need to look at it first and see if it would require tuning.

[Tigerpaw]

^^^ Great info ^^^

[Tigerpaw]

Does the solo seat cowl weigh less than the passenger seat?

[jaybo]

I dont know as I have not done that and probably wont. I put a cargo bag on the passenger pad to hold my lunch so there is no reason remove the seat pad for a solo cal as it would be covered up anyway.

[CZroe]

I removed the oil filter, plugged the hole, and used about half the original oil. I also converted to air cooling and let some air out of the tires. I switched to a 38T rear sprocket with non-O-ring chain and sand-blasted all the paint off the rims and frame. Draining the fork oil saved some precious ounces at the expense of damping, but I only care about weight at this point (screw handling). I replaced all the steel hardware with nylon nuts and bolts. Rear brake had to go.

I've got a long way to go.

[Surferboy120]

Originally Posted by CZroe

I removed the oil filter, plugged the hole, and used about half the original oil. I also converted to air cooling and let some air out of the tires. I switched to a 38T rear sprocket with non-O-ring chain and sand-blasted all the paint off the rims and frame. Draining the fork oil saved some precious ounces at the expense of damping, but I only care about weight at this point (screw handling). I replaced all the steel hardware with nylon nuts and bolts. Rear brake had to go.

I've got a long way to go.

Guess that means screw the leathers & helmet and you will be riding butt naked and screw eating for awhile. Lol...

[lgk]

Originally Posted by CZroe

I removed the oil filter, plugged the hole, and used about half the original oil. I also converted to air cooling and let some air out of the tires. I switched to a 38T rear sprocket with non-O-ring chain and sand-blasted all the paint off the rims and frame. Draining the fork oil saved some precious ounces at the expense of damping, but I only care about weight at this point (screw handling). I replaced all the steel hardware with nylon nuts and bolts. Rear brake had to go.

I've got a long way to go.

pics or it didn't happen

[250rr]

Give me your 300. That will give you the lightest 300 possible.

[Tigerpaw]

Reduced 15lbs so far













































In the rider

[lgk]

Win

At first i thought you followed @CZroe instructions, lol

[jaybo]

nice, share the wealth bro

[htdub]

415 chain conversion.
stock clipons are heavy, swap to aftermarket
remove the ignition, and gas cap

[vanman69]

what do you guys think of the weight reduction on my 300?



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[DaveTheCanuck]

I bet you could do a lap around track so fast it would look like you never left!

[vanman69]

thats the plan mate they wouldnt see me coming

[adouglas]

Convert to bicycle wheels and tires. WAAY lighter than those heavy motorcycle bits.

[CZroe]

Originally Posted by adouglas

Convert to bicycle wheels and tires. WAAY lighter than those heavy motorcycle bits.

I'm half-way there. I just plasti-dipped my rims after removing the factory rubber.

Additionally, I replaced the airbox with some mosquito netting and a rubber band. I elected to ditch the full battery and always jump or pop-start. I also sanded my windscreen so it was half as thick and painted the back with mirrored chrome so I could ditch the mirrors. Swithed to 13:38 gearing for smaller sprockets. I figured that if it can run on only one cylinder, then it should to save me the weight of the second spark plug and wiring, but I haven't gotten that to work yet. Otherwise, it's coming along nicely!

[cbzdel]

Dont know how much weight it has been but on mine
Pod Filter
Full Exhaust
Fender Kit
Removed Rear Pegs and used aftermarket exhaust hanger

Only bad part is I am adding some other mods which will add back on..

[jaybo]

deleted cat today, not much weight savings as it is small, also replaced the steel washers in the rear exhaust rubber mount with aluminum and used a smaller diameter (lighter) bolt. Let the heckling continue.

[Tigerpaw]

Originally Posted by htdub

415 chain conversion.
stock clipons are heavy, swap to aftermarket
remove the ignition, and gas cap

I didn't realize there was a savings, going to aftermarket clipons. Is the weight savings only in the bar ends?

I already have

- Area P full exhaust
- Anti-gravity 4 cell lipo battery
- Airbox removal
- Targa tail tidy
- Passenger peg removal
- Reflector removal
- Foot peg "feeler" removal
+ Passenger seat cowl(will never have passenger on 300)(might fab up replacement for that heavy pad)
+ Fuel Moto micro tuner(lighter than PCV)(might relocate from tail)
+ Strada foam hand grips
+ TechSpec tank pad/side grips



Winter project ideas(thanks for the help)

- Clipons
- Rearsets
- Aluminum sprocket/s
- Clutck/brake levers
- rear brake reservoir to line only
- remove front brake line guide and reposition clamp like on a mx bike
- Chain conversion
- Integrated brakelight/turn signals
- grind off passenger peg "mounting tab"
- random bolt swap
+ gsxr 600 shock(I'm assuming it weighs more???)
+ front ss brake line

[Tigerpaw]

I heard a few pounds could be saved in aftermarket tires, in OEM sizes.

[jaybo]

Ive not looked into that on this bike but on my mx bikes I know you can save 1-3 pounds on a rear and somewhat less on fronts and this is also recipricating and unsprung weight which both are a bonus however I would run the tire that gives the best traction and cornering performance on the track Im riding over the weight savings. I dont ride the street bike hard enough to even surpass the stock tires performance but on the dirt the correct tire for the conditions makes a huge difference. If you cant trust the front end you cant be fast.

[Xtina]

Don't forget you can loose about 1lbs of unsprung weight by switching to a lighter rear brake rotor.

[DCMoney]

Originally Posted by Xtina

Don't forget you can loose about 1lbs of unsprung weight by switching to a lighter rear brake rotor.

Nice! I need a set of those bad!

[mania]

Would be cool ...albeit surely too expensive...if some shop did a lightweight rolling
moto3 type chassis for the ninja engine

[GHill762]

Originally Posted by Xtina

Don't forget you can loose about 1lbs of unsprung weight by switching to a lighter rear brake rotor.

holy crap, how long will pads last on those cheese graters?

there's more "hole" than surface area there..