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Aluminum swingarm quest

Started by 85RZwade, September 01, 2020, 09:18:07 AM

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85RZwade

Aluminum swingarms come up from time to time; we all seem to want them, but they're hard to find and/or $$$. Jim recently posted a link to a site in Japan auctioning a ZRX400 arm that was relatively cheap, aluminum and designed for twin shocks. I've looked for years at and for Zephyr 550 arms.
I'm thinking of RDs, but information for any twin-shock bike is of interest.
Besides the DG, Calfab and custom-made beauties, what else is out there in the OEM world that people have used? What did it take to make it fit?
I post waayyy too much

m in sc

oem bolt in? pretty much: zero. I modded an fzr400 arm but its almost 4"  longer and required machining and welding.  :twocents:

oxford

From what I have seen recently the MotoLanna arms seem like the best deal for the money vs looks vs modifying it vs availability/lead times.  They are a little more modern looking so if you want that old school aluminum arm look it is probably something else.

m in sc

^ this. or the one in the for sale section direct bolt in and do.

pdxjim

#4
There are quite a few JDM bikes that look close.

Most are the 250-400 versions of the bikes we get here

ZR400, ZRX400 and XJR400 are the most obvious choices

Will likely require a bit to fit, but the buy in is certainly worth the gamble in my eyes
Wasting time on 2T forums since the dawn of the internet. '89 TDR250, '13 300xcw, '19 690smcr, '56 Porsche 356A

RDFL

Quote from: m in sc on September 01, 2020, 10:03:43 AM
^ this. or the one in the for sale section direct bolt in and do.
So that's where that thread is. anyone know if he has any made yet?

oxford

Just a little warning about those swingarms in the for sale section.  He genuinely seems like a good guy but when I got one of them like 2 years ago he was having health issues that may or may not be ok now.  This means communications on his end will drop off to zero if he has your money or not. 

Also the arm I received had the pivot holes where the bushing goes not bored straight to each other so you couldn't install the pivot bolt with out major binding.  I finally got a refund on it but it took a ruined set of bronze bushings, me having to machine bushings to prove it was the bores and not wrongly installed bushings, many photos and texts sent back and forth,  me having to send the swingarm back before a refund and like mentioned above some very long spurts of zero communication.  I had pretty much written off getting any money back.

I don't want to take anything away from them because it looked like a very nice arm and I would have loved to use it but there was now way I was going to take a chance on a replacement arm. 

m in sc

Danny needs to make some 4130 ones. Just tossing that out there.

:whatever:


RDFL

#8
Quote from: oxford on September 01, 2020, 01:01:37 PM
I do wonder why MotoLanna won't make one for RD's

85RZwade

Quote from: m in sc on September 01, 2020, 01:25:33 PM
Danny needs to make some 4130 ones. Just tossing that out there.

:whatever:
Oh, yeah! With a sexy curved brace below like an 80's superbike! Are you there, Danny? You'v been volunteered...
I post waayyy too much

rodneya

Metmachex in the UK will make one, but at over 500 GBP plus shipping it is very expensive

Gigabikefactory is similar to the Motalana for a SR500 and will need mods. There is also a 3 month lead time.
https://japan.webike.net/products/23209961.html

I have contacted Tractech Manufacturing in Niagra. He makes billet RD top triple clamps, fork braces and tach drive block offs.
He agreed to make a swing arm for my 350, but he is not fast. You could try contact him, more interested parties may add some speed to the process.

27 Cycles

PM me..  I won't do aluminum arms but yes I build the arms just like you see on my bike and Mark's.  And a few others...😎

sav0r

Honest question, since I am likely below average age here, I don't have the sort of historic understanding RD's like many of you. I simply wasn't alive. But is the desire for an aluminum box section swing arm simply to achieve that DG (or other) look?

The reason I ask is that from an engineering perspective I see no real benefit of a rectangular section swing arm on a twin shock bike. It just seems like extra material. An aluminum round tube swing arm would be lighter, and likely perform just the same.

If it's for nostalgia, I can understand that.
www.chrislivengood.net - for my projects and musings.

ace787

look in the for sale section. 

85RZwade

Chris, I can only speak for myself, and I'll try to keep it short. From an engineering standpoint you're right, but I think it's that racing association: light is right. And I read an article once about humans developing tastes and preferences in their 20s, which explains my preference for the look of the OW01, RC30, any YZR500. Current Moto GP bikes are amazing, but their styling is a bit...organic for me.
I'm gonna look at Danny's bike some more now, once I find my reading glasses, and maybe a shawl. You kids get away from the thermostat!
I post waayyy too much