# What makes a good donor bike?



## mattW (Sep 14, 2007)

Hey guys, I'm gonna write a wiki article about choosing a donor bike but I was wondering what your tips are? I've got a few ideas already but I thought I'd ask what you thought. Some people recomend only getting bikes with double frame rails but emoto's bike seems to do well without them. Anyways through your $0.02 in the pile


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## Little Rhody (Jun 17, 2008)

I know this is probably obvious, but I thought I would post it any way. I think these are the first few important factors for a donor bike. 

1) Light weight
2) Affordable price
3) Replacement parts availability

LR


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## frodus (Apr 12, 2008)

here are my top 5:

- Lightweight, aluminum frame/swingarm
- Affordable
- a bike model that has high demand for parts (like engine, exhaust, spark coils, etc... so you can resell parts easily)
- full fairing, or ability to get fairings to cut down on air drag
- Easy on the eyes, she's gotta look good!

I scored with my 1986 VFR, got one in great condition, low miles, sold the engine, exhaust, electrical, wiring harness... just about broke even (bike was ~$1000). Its light (empty frame with wheels/tank/fairings is ~150lbs), its pretty, didn't cost me much to buy, full fairing.....

Choose a bike that you can off the parts for, thats almost #1 for me, because I didn't want to scrap the engine. Resell is important, since we all have to buy the bike with engine most times.


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## kek_63 (Apr 20, 2008)

Its gotta be something YOU want to ride. She'll spend a lot of time parked in your garage/carport if you don't want to be seen on her.


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## ngrimm (Oct 19, 2007)

In addition to those items listed above, I think the battery weight has a lot to do with the bike choice. For instance if you are going with lead acid I would to pick a motorcycle that has suspension and brakes large enough to handle 2-300lbs of batteries. Looking at the gvrw tag on the frame will list the maximum weight including rider and passengers.


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## lazzer408 (May 18, 2008)

Find a motorcycle that doesnt use the engine as a structural component. If you choose one that does, you will have to consider this when designing the battery frame. It would have to retain the same rigidity as the engine did. I searched and looked at a few older bikes, cruisers, and sport bikes. I would up with an FJ1200 chassis that I couldn't be happier with. It's a sport cruiser with enough girth for 10 55ah batteries.  It's comfortable and sporty. You can find them fairly cheap and, if it's running, there's a resale market for the engine. Some mini sprints are using them. It was air cooled = cheap and easy. It weighed 617lbs stock. With my large 6.7" installed, it weighed 300lbs. I have 380lbs of batteries going in it. I'm only 63lbs more then stock even with that monster battery pack. As far as suspension goes. In the past I've used springs from other motorcycles to stiffen up my forks. You -can- shim the spring but that only alters your ride height and will not make the forks stiffer. Compressing a spring doesn't change it's rate. A thicker coil does. So break out that digital caliper, measure your spring's wire diameter, and hit the motorcycle junkyards and find a spring as long or longer then yours, has the same OD, and has a slightly thicker wire. Then cut them down to your desired ride height. Or just drop $100 on progressive springs.

$.02


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## etischer (Jun 16, 2008)

Just so you know, in America, a "donor bike" means you put the organ donation sticker on your drivers license before you ride. Or, the bike was crashed making the previous owner the organ donor. Thought about using a side car, or would that defeat the purpose?


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## lazzer408 (May 18, 2008)

etischer said:


> Just so you know, in America, a "donor bike" means you put the organ donation sticker on your drivers license before you ride. Or, the bike was crashed making the previous owner the organ donor. Thought about using a side car, or would that defeat the purpose?


No it doesn't. Not in Illinois anyways. I been riding for over 20 years and never heard that.


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## etischer (Jun 16, 2008)

Maybe were just from different generations, or maybe it's California slang? 

From urbandictionary.com:

Any grossly overpowered motorcycle, considered likely to land an inexperienced rider's organs in someone else's body. 
(Originally, emergency-room slang for "the motorcycle crashed by the patient now on the table.")

Donor bikes are identified by the presence of an idiot behind the handle bars, no helmet and a blatant disregard for traffic rules. Additionally, 80% of riders at some point become organ donors after the required fatal crash.
"Look at Jose on his new donor bike!!! Hope his organ card is updated!"


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## frodus (Apr 12, 2008)

haha, i thought it was funny


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## ngrimm (Oct 19, 2007)

Thanks for the tip on the stiffer springs Lasser408. I was wondering what I could do to keep my front tire from rubbing on the battery when I brake really hard. Now about about your sense of humor.....


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## lazzer408 (May 18, 2008)

ngrimm said:


> Thanks for the tip on the stiffer springs Lasser408. I was wondering what I could do to keep my front tire from rubbing on the battery when I brake really hard. Now about about your sense of humor.....


yesssss?


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