Winter Project - Street to Race Conversion

[gh129]

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Well I finally have the new to me Hawk on the lift. Picked up an 88 with just over 17k km (10k miles) on it. Very clean bike with a few street modification that will be coming off, an 8 spoke VFR wheel (which I've also decided to take off (more on that later), a Supertrapp exhaust and a what I'm pretty sure is a (edit) Bros 2.5 front end, RaceTech emulators, and progressive springs.


I bought the bike to race in our VRRA vintage race series, along side my CB550 that truth be told is still in the build phase despite racing it last season.

So... although the bike appears to be in tiptop condition from what I've seen so far, the plan is to inspect all the usual things, fork internals, clutch, carbs, bearings, cush drive...

Along with that I've started a list of "Things to Buy/Install that I'm looking forward to having you critic, advise, and laugh at. Here goes...

-Swap out the RR VFR wheel for stock wheels (Dry & Rains) - it looks like the PO modified the wheel and not the spindle (pics below). I've test fitted a buddies wheel on today and so far so good!


- Buy a second MK2 front wheel and rotor, I have come to learn that this may easier said then done
- New shock, thinking Nitron or Penske
- Racetech straight rate springs
- Rear sets
- Stage 2 kit with either Uni filters or airbox lid removed
- Cam chain tensioner slider, I've heard that for racing I should reinforce the metal structure so it doesn't bend and result in the chain skipping
- Brake line in the swing arm mod, I just think it looks cool!
- Master cylinder, the stock one seems soft with the MK2 caliper
- Fab a chain roller
- Belly pan. Probably an Airtech, have one on my CB550 and I like it
- Possibly the 520 chain conversion, other than the current one is in such great shape and seems a shame to remove so early

I think that's it other than general race prep and number plates.


-back of the VFR wheel you can see the machining done for the hub and the sleeves inserted for the locating pins

I'm taking it off primarily because we can get good race rubber for the stock wheels these days and the 180 is too wide in my opinion for what I'm doing.


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- stock wheel on my existing hub, I'm very curious to hear what you think.
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-my existing hub. the black line on the hub is how far the outer spacer slides back onto the hub. (It's roughly 2mm.)
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[yorkshire]

Looks a great bike, the bros mark 2 front wheel has 3 spokes as apposed to 6

[gh129]

I'm curious can someone comment on the hub,
- Has this been modified at the end?
- Do I have enough spacer/hub overlap?

The wheel when mounted fits tight and secure.

[6]

Sounds like a solid plan. I like the vfr 5" on my race bikes. Fits a 165 like a glove. Good for 160 too.

I'm not sure about reinforcement of the chain roller. Never heard of that.

I don't know your ruleset or your plans for the bike afterwards, but I cut the bottom out of the frames. Eliminates the center stand mount and the need for the roller. No longer a side stand mount either, but its a race bike . They use race stands. May be further than you want to go.

You can get a cushless setup if you look around. They are great, I can't afford them.. but if you can, nice thing to have. Save some weight, add some response.

A good set of sliders is always a good idea!

also your tank looks nice... Nice ones are hard to find. They don't stay nice on race hawks. Something to think on.. there are dented ones around.

A race subframe and tail wil also help shave some of that up high weigh and give you a pad that's a little more race appropriate than the stock seat. Hawk tank does not give a lot of purchase for the inner thigh. A stickier seat pad helps.

It's a rabbit hole...

I mean.. how far do you want to go here?

The wire harness for the race bike chuck and I have now has about 10 wires in it.... The magnet was long ago removed from the changing system. Free rotating weight removal and a pit more pep, faster rev up and down.

Your plan seems good to get started or do track days. I don't know your experience level racing. At the beginning the bike won't be what's holding you back. It takes some seat time on the track to get to that point.

If you have been at this for a bit and plan to be competitive with the fast guys then there is a lot that can be/should done to a hawk to get her better for race duties. If you are dipping your toe then plan seems decent.

Just my 2 cent's.

[gh129]

Thanks some good advice there. I'm going to look under the bike to better understand the whole cutting the frame bottom thing, it sounds interesting.

I've got a good amount of experience on the track and racing mid pack in our race association. I've been racing a ZX7 for the past 4-5 years, sold it off to switch to the Hawk for something different and to be in the same class as a couple of buddies.

I built a CB550 that I started racing as well last season and enjoyed racing the small displacement bike. The plan for 2022 is to run the Hawk and the CB550.Hope to get the Hawk to a solid reliable platform for the first season and then start to dip my toe into that rabbit hole your mention

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[6]

Thanks some good advice there. I'm going to look under the bike to better understand the whole cutting the frame bottom thing, it sounds interesting.

I've got a good amount of experience on the track and racing mid pack in our race association. I've been racing a ZX7 for the past 4-5 years, sold it off to switch to the Hawk for something different and to be in the same class as a couple of buddies.

I built a CB550 that I started racing as well last season and enjoyed racing the small displacement bike. The plan for 2022 is to run the Hawk and the CB550.Hope to get the Hawk to a solid reliable platform for the first season and then start to did my toe into that rabbit hole your mention

51319081074_bfd684c4b5_b.jpg 750_2094.jpg

Awesome! I'm sure you will love the hawk. Set up right it's a blast.

Jack that rear end up and drop the front... I'd say start with a big swing then adjust from there.

The bottom frame brace that runs from rearset mount to rearset mount. Big old chunk of aluminum that holds the center and side stand. That's what the chain hits if you don't have a roller.

Eric had a theory that cutting it out would add a little flex at lean angle and that that is a positive on the hawk.

I can't say i did it quite for that reason, but him saying that was enough to convince me it's safe to do. . I did it for the couple lbs and the elimination of clutter, roller, chain drag.... But the two race hawks I've done it to did feel great.

Also there is some metal than can be removed up front as well that helps getting that engine in and out faster. Hopefully you don't have to do a bunch of that... But I'm not above rolling into the pits with the bike in boxes on Friday night. . . .

Well maybe these days I am... But I'm also not road racing right now. Speedway takes all my time and $.


Keep us up to date on your revamp..

[gh129]

Pretty excited with my first significant parts delivery! Picked up a Bros front wheels last weekend, found the shiny new matching EBC rotor on ebay from a guy in the UK. Ordered on Sunday and arrived at the door early Thursday morning!

Started tearing into the bike this week, and just placed my first order with Hord Power!

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[nt650hawk]

another hawk to the rack . NICE!!!!!!!!!!!

[gh129]

Well I thought it was high time I posted an update on my progress. I first have to say thanks for all the information you folks have shared on the forum, there hasn't been an answer I couldn't find somewhere in previous threads and I've picked up a few very nice parts from members.

Made some decent progress over the winter thanks to the heater in the garage. After going through the bike and reading a bunch of what you folks generally recommend the parts went on older. The big box from JD kept me busy for a while. Here's what I've done so far.

- cleaned and rebuilt the carbs and installed the Factory Stage 3 kit (big thanks to those who shared their info in the jetting database)
- installed Uni filters
- installed new carb boots
- new fuel filter
- adjusted the gold valves and swapped the race tech springs out for my weight
- installed the Nitron R3 shock, had the shock made to 320mm eye to eye as the mid point so I can adjust 5mm either way
- installed chain roller from fellow member frinesi2
- picked up a pair of mint rear wheels from fellow member Ziggy
- installed radial master
- spiced in new right side switch gear
- installed lower clip ons
- installed rearsets (some minor tweaking required)
- did the 520 chain and sprocket conversion
- ran the rear brake line through the swing arm
- rerouted all drain lines into a fabbed catch can
- swapped out the baffles to an open cap on the Supertrapp
- a shit load of safety wiring

Overall pretty happy with the progress, have a few more things to get done and then focus on the set up prior to our first outing the end of May!

[6]

Nice work. Clean looking bike!

I'm sure it will be a blast. Where are you bringing it to first?

[6]

Oh, and no one plans on crashing (well, I do.. but most don't) but always a good idea to keep it mind. A good set of sliders never hurt anything, but sure have saved a few things.. and that's a nice set of cough:notyet crashed:cough, cough radiator end caps.. another part that isn't easy to find in good shape..

I know, I can be a broken record. But my hawks and ex500s have been fished out of gravel traps so often that I'm waiting for fishermen to start wanting to mount them.. so that's straight to where my brain goes, crash proofing.

[gh129]

We have an action packed week scheduled. Monday and Tuesday track days at Calabogie Motorsports Park and then a vintage weekend race with the VRRA Friday to Sunday at Shannonville Motorsports Park, both tracks here in Ontario.

I've got sliders on the list of things yet to do. Where do most people get theirs from? I haven't looked into sourcing them as of yet.

[6]

We have an action packed week scheduled. Monday and Tuesday track days at Calabogie Motorsports Park and then a vintage weekend race with the VRRA Friday to Sunday at Shannonville Motorsports Park, both tracks here in Ontario.

I've got sliders on the list of things yet to do. Where do most people get theirs from? I haven't looked into sourcing them as of yet.

Most FITFO them. Brent made sets for a while. Many can be manipulated to fit with some creativity. But as of now no one makes a "kit".

[6]

We have an action packed week scheduled. Monday and Tuesday track days at Calabogie Motorsports Park and then a vintage weekend race with the VRRA Friday to Sunday at Shannonville Motorsports Park, both tracks here in Ontario.

Sounds like a hell of a week.. way to kick it off with a Baaaang!