Bob's 'Bananaskins' (GPz500, VT600&CN250)
Early beginnings of modding my bike in the 60's
Submitted by bobwreford on 11 March, 2010 - 12:08pmAfter first short test ride of 2010 in 7degrees C, hopefully ready for France next month!
Submitted by bobwreford on 4 March, 2010 - 2:47pmWell as you can see in comparison with the previous incarnation in image 2009 9 this is the August 2009 build based on a later 'R' registration 1998 Kawasaki Gpz500s, lightly damaged but only 18,000 miles instead of 34,000 miles, but raring to go to France next month I hope, mainly because it is my only bike on the road this year!
KawaRouge is born - August 2009
Submitted by bobwreford on 16 August, 2009 - 1:58pmThe previous £150 bike did so well I was encouraged to buy a replacement donor for £450 in much better condition and transfer all my bits to it. As it is a Kawasaki and was plain Red to start with I have called it KawaRouge or KR for short since that also embraces the German KawaRot and matches their national flag colours.There are subtle improvements since the last build, the seat is actually Volvo foam and cover on a much lighter garden seat frame and the rear shock is new with much stronger springing.
Narrowed KawaBanana 2009
Submitted by bobwreford on 27 May, 2009 - 7:53amInspired by Philip Wakeham's 'Anything is possible' attitude to engineering art I woke up one morning and decided to implement Royce Creasey's aerodynamic improvement hints (see his technical paper on this site) and cut the fairing into three pieces, chopped four inches out of the middle, and reassembled it!
The narrower fairing has little impact on comfort, reduces frontal area a little, but amazingly has made the bike much less susceptible to side winds and the turbulent air behind large lorries, it is more 'indifferent' as Royce puts it.
Aero calculations Part Two
Submitted by bobwreford on 28 April, 2009 - 5:55pmThis is my second attempt to calculate the frontal area of my KawaBanana and this time I remembered to put the rectangle of white card of known size back near the rider's hip where the perspective would not make it look larger than life. So, cue roll of drums, the more accurate measurement of frontal area including rider is 10.9 square feet, which seems, quite a lot! But it does explain why strong headwind gusts were able to reduce my speed from 55mph to 45 mph at whim on the way home from Wales after 680 miles.
Wales 2009 917
Submitted by bobwreford on 26 April, 2009 - 7:49pmWales 2009 916
Submitted by bobwreford on 26 April, 2009 - 7:47pmWales 2009 915
Submitted by bobwreford on 26 April, 2009 - 7:46pmWales 2009 914
Submitted by bobwreford on 26 April, 2009 - 7:44pmWales 2009 913
Submitted by bobwreford on 26 April, 2009 - 7:42pmWales 2009 912
Submitted by bobwreford on 26 April, 2009 - 7:40pmThe dirt will all wash off for the part exchange deal......note the chain oiler, too afraid to use it in case oil gets on the back tyre and brings him off at the next roundabout, he has already surfed over the white muddy lines in the road and frightened himself to death that the front will wash away.....and that was at only 40 mph!

