[joelittel]

I am about to attempt the R1 bracket modification to my ‘06 CB 600F swingarm and am wondering if anyone has any advice or photos they can share. I found a few older posts with great pictures but hoping to see/read more.

Any advice on where to cut the R1 brace or how to position it to clear my rear shock? Anything else to consider while I’ve got it apart?

I’m doing this strictly for cosmetic purposes because I have always thought the stock swingarm was the least appealing part of my bike.

 

[joelittel]

Got an ‘06 CB600F and a ‘99 R1 swingarm off eBay. Cut the R1 brace off and have started trimming it to fit onto the CB600F.

 

[joelittel]

Once my beefy swingarm is built I’d like to modify the hugger to fit snugly under the R1 brace.

 

[K1w1Boy]

Your bike looks so much better with the snugger-fitting exhaust.

Did you build the rear plate/taillight hugger, or start with some existing parts?

 

[joelittel]

Thanks. I was surprised by how much better the new exhaust setup looks. But... getting it to run as well as, but preferably better than, before is proving to be an issue.

The swing arm plate mount is a mildly modified mud flap setup I got off Amazon. I cut a carbon fiber plate and mounted that to the mug guard base. The LEDs are bolt/lights from SuperBrightLEDs.com.

 

[joelittel]

Ideally the plate mount’s base would be welded onto the swing arm.

 

[Darth_Firebolt]

Have you considered putting the bracing section on the bottom of the swingarm? The 07 R1 had the brace on the bottom. Not sure how tight your ground clearance is on the 600 hornet.

 

[joelittel]

No I have not considered mounting the brace to the bottom of the swing arm. I think the shapes created by mounting the brace to the top complement the rest of the bike better. I’ve seen some nice examples of the bottom mount but I prefer the look of a top mounted brace.

 

[robtharalson]

The R1 brace can be fitted to the CB swingarm, but will have to be cut away at the front to clear the frame backbone as well as at the brace attachment to clear the stock shock absorber, leaving minimal metal to act as a brace. See attached photo. If this is a cosmetic project it will look decent, if a bit cobbled together.

An alternative is to obtain a swingarm from a 2003 - 2006 CBR600 like this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/03-06-CBR-600rr-CBR600RR-REAR-SWINGARM-SWING-ARM-SHOCK-CALIPER/273894848030?hash=item3fc567b61e:g:qIQAAOSwdeVdCUPm&vxp=mtr, which has been successfully grafted onto several 919's, which has practically the same frame as the 599 / CB600F. The advantages are manifold: It's a complete unit that has been used for innumerable race bikes with little or no modification other than the shock itself, will require only one bracket to attach the link to the CB frame, lowers the CG by a significant amount, looks factory because it is, and being a link type shock arrangement will better control the rear wheel.

On getting the motor to run as well as it did with the stock exhaust it will be necessary to rejet to suit the different exhaust. It's not that difficult to do, but requires multiple "remove the carbs, install the jets you think will work, put everything back together, ride it to get a good plug chop, read the plugs, remove the carbs again to adjust the jet sizes", and so forth. Too bad it's an '06: starting in 2007 it is fuel injected, and adding a Power Commander combined with dyno tuning would be a snap in comparison.

On the rear fender / license plate mount ... I have seen the aftermath of one of those coming loose, jamming against the rear tire locking it up, and the ensuing crash which left the rider somewhat injured and the bike totaled. There must be generous tabs welded to the swingarm for attachment points! It is, after all, getting every bump and jolt the rear tire does and needs to be as secure as possible to hold up to it.

Rob

 

[joelittel]

Rob, thank you for your comments. I'll definitely take a close look at the CBR600 swing arm, as the idea of altering an engineered piece responsible for controlling the stability of my bike has caused me to stop and pause. Using a swing arm that has the aesthetic I'm after and requires minimal manipulation really appeals to me.

I have an Ohlins rear shock on my bike now and had hoped to keep it with whatever mods I make but the idea of upgrading to a better suspension solution, a link type shock arrangement, interests me.

I have been spending my free time doing exactly as you described... remove the carbs, install the jets, put everything back together, ride it (the fun part), read the plugs and repeat. This has been an annoyingly long process. To be honest, this bike might be the first and last bike I make significant mods to. The trial and error of it is exhausting and expensive. The sunny days spent trying to get the bike back to a running state are depressing, and the wife would prefer I spend that time and energy improving other areas of our lives (LOL cannot blame her really).

The rear fender/license plate mount started to worry me a bit too, so I bolted it to the swing arm, aft of the axel. This will probably be another temporary solution, as I am now interested in the CBR600 swing arm and will need another solution for my plate if I go with the CBR600.

Again, thank you for the input and please continue to share your thoughts. Part of the fun for me is the build, and the troubleshooting, so I greatly appreciate and enjoy the suggestions.

Joe

 

[Sniper-x]

I did the Dyno-Jet kit on my 599 several years ago. I followed the instructions to the T. Perfect the first time.

The swingarm on the 2006 599 looks cheap and out of place on such a fine motorcycle.

 

[joelittel]

I agree. The swing arm is a real eyesore and doesn’t fit with the rest of the lines on the 599.

 

[robtharalson]

If you decide to go with the CBR swingarm it may be possible to modify your Ohlins shock to work.

You may want to check in with LDH as to the possibility of reconfiguring / revalving it.

Rob

 

[robtharalson]

The EBAY seller of the CBR swingarm I used as an example just contacted me with a reduced price of $40.00 plus $45.00 shipping from the original $50.70 plus $45.00 shipping. The listing ends in about an hour, so if you are interested let me know and I'll accept the offer and have it drop shipped to you.

One proviso: it looks like there are a couple small dents on the left arm. Check it out and let me know what you want to do.

Found another that looks better, but lacks the link to the chassis: https://www.ebay.com/itm/HONDA-CBR-600RR-03-04-STOCK-SWINGARM-COMPLETE-READY-TO-BOLT-ON/174262952453?hash=item2892e1a205:g:1lMAAOSwT6leIkGY

Rob

 

[joelittel]

Thanks Rob.

I followed that link when you first posted it and added the item to my watch list too. The seller must have liked all this "activity" because they offered the same deal to me as well. However, I really appreciate your willingness to help me out, and think your offer is beyond generous.

I'm not entirely sure what I'll do yet. I really like your suggestion but I'm not ready to proceed just yet. I have another project, FIAT Spider, that has my full attention at the moment. I tend to bounce between the two, and right now since the Honda is running and the roads are wide open, the Spider gets the wrenching while the Hornet gets to see action.

The Hornet might not see any more modifications until December or January, but that doesn't mean I won't be collecting parts as they become available.

I've been practicing Motojitsu every weekend and have become somewhat hooked on it. For those of you who don't know what that is, get the book (less than $15 USD) and give it a shot. Your skills will grow exponentially in a very short period of time.