Tank Slap - Motorcycle Forum

Out in Derbyshire test riding the new master cylinders and slipper clutch and all is going well.

Just stopped for a spot of lunch at a Deli I like in a little village. BLT with chilli jam, homemade Florentine and a cappuccino.

Blade, mate, I know you were looking to do some weight saving on your bike but you've stripped it so far back it looks like a bicycle now.

Haha. I reckon that bike cost more than mine. Its got a trick carbon frame and durace components all over it.

Will write a little report on upgrades when I get home but brief summary is WOW !!!!!!! Being honest I didn't expect such an improvement. I'm well chuffed to say the least

What's flourentine? Is that the side dish? Looks horrible.

Glad bike is improved though. Sounds awesome. Wish you came on it last ride out. I think the SP2 is my favourite Honda of allt ime.

D6 wrote:What's flourentine?

Is the nicest Chocolate biscuit in the world

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florentine_biscuit" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

PS I didnt even try the side it did look horrible I agree

First ride on the SP this year and wanted to test some mods I had done early spring. The mods were: Brembo RCS Front Brake M/C, Brembo RCS Clutch MC and Sigma Slipper Clutch.

Sigma Slipper Clutch - In a nut a nut shell does what it says on the tin and does it well, so well in fact you barely notice it and forget your riding a big V-Twin with a lot of engine braking. The engine braking is still there when rolling of the throttle as you would expect which tbh I like as I rarely use the brakes when road riding, preferring to just roll on and off the throttle as the conditions and road dictate. However cogging it down on corner entry with the slipper clutch installed there is now absolutely no fear of locking up the rear which was previously quite easily achieved unless you were ultra accurate on throttle blipping and matching engine speeds when going down the box. Not alot more to say TBH it does what you expect it to do and does it very well, properly better than the OEM slipper Clutch on my Blade which when the Blade first came out Guy Martin claimed was the best slipper clutch he had ever used including those fitted to his race bikes so some accolade.

Brembo RCS Clutch M/C. The idea behind this mod was to lighten the clutch action as the OEM hydraulic set up is extremely heavy in operation. Well another case of it does what it says on the tin. In fact if anything the clutch action maybe too light now if that is possible (only kidding) but overall another great improvement. It also looks great as it matches the front brake M/C and both have matching Rizoma fluid potsso looks very trick IMO.

Finally the Brembo RCS Front Brake M/C. I knew what to expect to some degree with this as have a fixed ratio Brembo 19 x 18 M/C installed on the Blade. The reason for fitting this M/C to my SP2 was to A, obviously sharpen up the brakes which it has done and B, allow me to sample the difference between a 18 ratio lever and a 20 ratio lever. If I'm honest I was expecting the 18 ratio to be my prefered choice as this is what is recommended for the most feel which is why I went for an 18 ratio on the Blade as I like to have a lot of feel at the brake lever. Apparently the 20 ratio is preferred more by racers as it is more direct in operation with less feel as a comprise in achieving the more direct action and therefore not typically recommended on road bikes. Well although I'm no racer I definitely prefer the 20 ratio. I changed the position a couple of times to make sure I was happy with my original choice and I was the 20 ratio gives the impression of more braking power by being more direct but steel retains a lot of feel at the lever IMO.

All in all a great set of modifications which I'm very happy with and glad I made the commitment to install them as TBH I did have reservations if there would be a noticeable level of improvement on the road and at my level of riding but there is so I'm well chuffed.

Nice little write up

A bike like the SP2 is a keeper so the mods you do have to be a clear improvement and they have to be in keeping with the bike.

It's amazing how quickly you adjust to having a slipper clutch on a bike.

Cheers Kwacky.

I would love to have a go on a standard SP2 for a comparison as I reckon the mods I have done have completely transformed the bike into what it should have always been.

The one thing I did notice today after spending a lot of time riding my Blade is how well the SP steers in comparison which has certainly been improved through modification as I remember the stock SP steered like an oil tanker. I did a lot of trial and error with geometry and suspension settings to get it steering that good whilst still being mega stable cranked over so I well pleased with all my efforts as over the years I have spent hours tweeking and changing things, sometimes going back to a previous setting as the changed didn't work.

You'll sell it to me eventually.

Great write up. I'd love a slipper clutch but can't justify the cost tbh, but they are fantastic, especially the sigma I understand.
RCS were the only MCs I'd buy and loved them. The RC8 stock brakes are brilliant anyway so no need now.

That's a well sorted bike you have matey.

Cheers Cookie. Everything has a price but I suspect my kidneys will be cheaper than my SP, haha.

I really would love to ride a stock bike as its totally different to how I remember it being which was a big heavy slow steering lump with a snatchy power delivery.

Really fancy a quick shifter but the one I want is £750 and I don't want one that much......yet, haha.

C00kiemonster wrote:You'll sell it to me eventually.

Great write up. I'd love a slipper clutch but can't justify the cost tbh, but they are fantastic, especially the sigma I understand.
RCS were the only MCs I'd buy and loved them. The RC8 stock brakes are brilliant anyway so no need now.

That's a well sorted bike you have matey.

I thought the same but happy I invested now plus the way I see it I will get 80% of the cost back if I ever wanted to sell the slipper so if you look at as £140ish and not £750 its not that bad.

Just do it you won't regret it.

Blade wrote:

C00kiemonster wrote:You'll sell it to me eventually.

Great write up. I'd love a slipper clutch but can't justify the cost tbh, but they are fantastic, especially the sigma I understand.
RCS were the only MCs I'd buy and loved them. The RC8 stock brakes are brilliant anyway so no need now.

That's a well sorted bike you have matey.

I thought the same but happy I invested now plus the way I see it I will get 80% of the cost back if I ever wanted to sell the slipper so if you look at as £140ish and not £750 its not that bad.

Just do it you won't regret it.

Don't tempt me....... Oh you have

Nice write up blade and nice mods , you certainly do like your engine braking quite a few times I've followed you and watching for a bit of a braking marker and no lights come on your bike.

Haha Rocket. I remember you saying my brake light didn't work.

If you want to lighten the clutch on prilla which I know you said was very heavy I would recommend the RCS mc

I've fitted an Oberon slave cylinder to mine, they help too, especially when the clutch gets hot. Plus it looks good

Blade wrote:Haha Rocket. I remember you saying my brake light didn't work.

If you want to lighten the clutch on prilla which I know you said was very heavy I would recommend the RCS mc

The clutch on the RSV is very heavy, especially in town. The Oberon slave makes a big difference, but there is also a mod you can do to the clutch jet. I've done both on my bike and it makes a huge difference.

Good the hear all the mods to the sp2 have been worth the effort. I'd love to see the bike on a rideout one of these days.

Oberon don't make a slave cylinder for the SP unfortunately as I rang to check.

What is the clutch jet mod Nutz ?

There is a small jet in the clutch system on the RSV. They changed the diameter of the jet on newer models to make the clutch lighter, its a really cheap mod and takes about 5 mins to do.