Ninja Belly Pan - 2
One step closer to getting on the grid after tonight's garage time as I completed the Ninja's belly pan. I changed gears on the way I was going to do this project. Really I went back to the first method I had planned when I found a cake pan big enough and cheap enough to do the job. Let's get right into the pictures!
Proof is in the pudding or cake pan in this case. Picked this up for $5 after taking it over to the hardware section and getting true measurements. I measured 12.25" x 8.25" x 2" for a grand total of 202 cubic inches of volume or 3.3 liters. The total fluid in the Ninja is two liters of oil and one liter of coolant giving me 10% extra capacity in the cake pan belly pan.
Here I am starting the mock up process for the front bracket. The bracket holes on the bike I'm using are the same ones for the stock bottom fairing. I blocked the pan up with some wood and put some initial bends into some pieces of strap I salvaged from something.The rear of the pan buts right up to the stock center stand and covers the entire underside of the engine.
Same mock up shot from the front. I have good clearance from the exhaust pipes so I don't have to worry about heat issues. I will line the pan with some type of oil absorber mat for extra drip protection.
Jump forward an hour or so and its done. Once I got the front bracket dialed in I did the sides. Once again a couple of scrap 90 degree bends got the hammer to get the bends right. I them mounted it up to the rear lower fairing mounts. I held the pan up to where I needed it and marked the location of the bracket. I pulled it back down and threw it up on the bench where I marked and drilled the holes in the sides. A couple of 6 mm bolts and nuts and I was set.
I dressed the front bracket up a bit and bent the top up and over the stock bracket. With three points of contact holding the pan up in place it is very stable. The strap material is steel about 3/16" thick so I shouldn't have any issues with them cracking or bending.
Here is the overall fit of the pan up to the bike the alignment is centered on the engine front to back and laterally. The outside width is just a bit bigger than the exhaust pipes, but smaller than the extreme widest point of the engine's clutch and stator covers. It sits level with the bike on the center stand. I may have to adjust it when it is on both wheels.
A closeup of the tightness of fit I was able to get. With the way the bolts holding it up are positioned, I should be able to pull it off in less then five minutes without my hands coming close to hot exhaust pipes or anything else that could slow me down.
Here you can see the front clearance. I have plenty of visual room to quickly check for leaks. I will leave the inside the silver color of the baking pan for contrast, but I think I will paint the whole unit black to not draw the eye to it. I am planning on running the bike naked with just a seat piece and a front number plate. CVMA has no restrictions on the body. Other race organizations might have issues for some of the stock classes that I plan to run in.
All together I was in the garage for a couple of hours messing with this and another project. It all came together rather swimmingly and turned out as I had expected. I have been busy studying for next week's PE exam and this was the first time in over a week that I was able to get into the garage to get some work done on the bike. One more step towards racing, now only a few hundred or so more…
Blue
Proof is in the pudding or cake pan in this case. Picked this up for $5 after taking it over to the hardware section and getting true measurements. I measured 12.25" x 8.25" x 2" for a grand total of 202 cubic inches of volume or 3.3 liters. The total fluid in the Ninja is two liters of oil and one liter of coolant giving me 10% extra capacity in the cake pan belly pan.
Here I am starting the mock up process for the front bracket. The bracket holes on the bike I'm using are the same ones for the stock bottom fairing. I blocked the pan up with some wood and put some initial bends into some pieces of strap I salvaged from something.The rear of the pan buts right up to the stock center stand and covers the entire underside of the engine.
Same mock up shot from the front. I have good clearance from the exhaust pipes so I don't have to worry about heat issues. I will line the pan with some type of oil absorber mat for extra drip protection.
The obligatory tools and beer picture because, well, … why the heck not!
Jump forward an hour or so and its done. Once I got the front bracket dialed in I did the sides. Once again a couple of scrap 90 degree bends got the hammer to get the bends right. I them mounted it up to the rear lower fairing mounts. I held the pan up to where I needed it and marked the location of the bracket. I pulled it back down and threw it up on the bench where I marked and drilled the holes in the sides. A couple of 6 mm bolts and nuts and I was set.
I dressed the front bracket up a bit and bent the top up and over the stock bracket. With three points of contact holding the pan up in place it is very stable. The strap material is steel about 3/16" thick so I shouldn't have any issues with them cracking or bending.
Here is the overall fit of the pan up to the bike the alignment is centered on the engine front to back and laterally. The outside width is just a bit bigger than the exhaust pipes, but smaller than the extreme widest point of the engine's clutch and stator covers. It sits level with the bike on the center stand. I may have to adjust it when it is on both wheels.
A closeup of the tightness of fit I was able to get. With the way the bolts holding it up are positioned, I should be able to pull it off in less then five minutes without my hands coming close to hot exhaust pipes or anything else that could slow me down.
Here you can see the front clearance. I have plenty of visual room to quickly check for leaks. I will leave the inside the silver color of the baking pan for contrast, but I think I will paint the whole unit black to not draw the eye to it. I am planning on running the bike naked with just a seat piece and a front number plate. CVMA has no restrictions on the body. Other race organizations might have issues for some of the stock classes that I plan to run in.
All together I was in the garage for a couple of hours messing with this and another project. It all came together rather swimmingly and turned out as I had expected. I have been busy studying for next week's PE exam and this was the first time in over a week that I was able to get into the garage to get some work done on the bike. One more step towards racing, now only a few hundred or so more…
Blue
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