Gsxr 1000 K5 Frame Defect

Just read this: Take it for what you will. http://www.1tail.com/sa/news/s/default.htm?g={22F6D1DF-72CF-4A36-B9F1-1E87EFDF1809}

This may not be "Hot Breaking News", and I did not search to see if there was a thread about this already. Just wanted to help inform everyone.

Yeah this has been discussed everywhere else not sure about on here though. The article I had seen showed pics of the bike hitting a wall at like 120 head on. I'm no professional welder or racer for that matter but doesn't it seem weird that a frame would just let go on a corner? I know the torque of the bike makes them flex but this seems kinda odd in my opinoin. But again I don't know shit about shit so don't listen to me.

Lol.. thats what i'm saying. I don't know shit about shit sometimes too. lol. Just getting it out there for those who might wanna know.

they're nice lookin weilds until you look under them, it doesn't look like it penetrated at all. That's like building a house with thumbtacks :arsenal

I'm NO expert, but I'd think that if the AMA riders are using the same frames we were with there 200+ hp bikes and you've not seen any real problems it may have just been a fluke.. though a damned shitty one.

these light weight bikes weren't built to do stopies,,i wouldn't be suprized to see a cracked frame from that...and the reason why i will never buy a used bike.......

I'm NO expert, but I'd think that if the AMA riders are using the same frames we were with there 200+ hp bikes and you've not seen any real problems it may have just been a fluke.. though a damned shitty one. I agree...

I'm NO expert, but I'd think that if the AMA riders are using the same frames we were with there 200+ hp bikes and you've not seen any real problems it may have just been a fluke.. though a damned shitty one. exactly :thumbup: how many has mladin broken, and he beats the piss out of that bike..........he just doesnt put them into a wall at 100+mph

I'm a certified welder, having held probably 50 different certifications. I'm also an American Welding Society Certified Welding Inspector.... And I'd reject that shit in a heartbeat!!! I can't say that it caused an accident, or what caused enough stress to break it, but that weld is unacceptable. Heck, I can't even speak as to what bike this weld was on, so take my post for only what it's worth....welding inspection information. Most likely, full penetration wasn't even something they wanted to achieve...but they really needed to get more than that. The lack of penetration is such that it definitely poses a question of whether lack of fusion is an issue. An xray of this weld would be interesting, but there's some things that I can tell already that would show up in an xray. See all the little round holes? This is called porosity. They're kinda like air bubbles in the weld. Typically, in an environment like what these frames are welded in, the welding procedure is developed and tested prior to beginning production. Here's how it usually works: One piece of metal is welded up, with all variables such as wiretype, amperage, voltage, travel speed, etc is recorded. The weld is then subjected to tests like tensile pulls, bending and/or by chemically etching a cross-section of the weld. After it passes the required tests, the procedure is then qualified. The welding engineer (or other person assigned the duties) will write up a welding procedure specification (WPS). The WPS will often allow the operator of the welding equipment to make deviations to the specific settings that were done to qualify the procedure. For example, a person may need to turn up the wirespeed or travel speed, and is allowed to within the limits specified on the welding procedure specification. It is sometimes possible for the operator to deviate the variables such that a poor weld will result.... which may be what happened here. That said, it is also possible that one operator could have changes settings on the machine to their preference, and another shift did the same. I don't know that there'd be any way to even know which bikes had problems like this and which didn't....without an xray of each one. If this article is truly factual, and deemed to not be an isolated incident, Suzuki may need to have bikes xrayed in these spots...then either do repairs or replacements for those that do not pass the xray testing. I've read rumors of this problem, but this is the first time I have seen actual photos and heard of it happening at a time other than an accident.

I was @ this race which was a MRA race weekend @ PPIR in Fountain,Co. The date was May 14th & 15th. I saw the bike after the crash. The bike did hit the wall comming off the front straight down the banking. If you ever have seen the AMA racers on tv/Speed channel you can see this turn (T1) is a fast drop & if not taken properly will send you into the wall. I think the impact of hitting the wall broke the frame along with the front wheel & forks. Just my two cents.

Yup while I don't think the weld was the greatest weld...I don't think that caused the crash. But I think all bikes now days the frames are getting weaker. They're getting lighter...but they're getting weaker. Plus even if the frame didn't snap in that crash I'd expect it to at least be extremely damaged. To the point where you'd need to replace the frame anyways.

I can't view the link from work...but this thread is kinda freakin' me out. I'm going stRaight home to inspect this myself. It anything looks familiar..it's going right back to the dealership. YIKES!!!!! :headshake

It's doubtful that you could look at your frame and see the defect that this frame had...since it's INTERNAL porosity. It would only show in an xray or destructive testing. If any of you are concerned about your frames, you can probably find a local place that will xray yours. With this being a fairly common concern, maybe the dealer or Suzuki would spring for the cost...especially if you tell them that you will post the results in public. If they don't want to pay, I'd PROMISE them that I'd post the results, and ask them if they were scared. That said, if I did have my frame xrayed, and it has excessive porosity, I'd definitely do what it took to have them replace it. Of course, a crash can be the cause of this, and the frame may have never broken if the crash hadn't happened...BUT... It's also possible that the frame breaks in a crash and your leg gets impaled on it, rather than having a frame that will bend because the weld's strong enough to hold up. Consider roll cages in cars. There's restrictions in many racing associations on what parts of it can be welded and what parts must be bent. This is partially because they dont want crappy welds to break and allow the pipe to impale the car occupants. Typically, when a weld is tested with a tensile pull (pulled apart till it breaks), the sample is rejected if it breaks IN the weld. It should break next to the weld since the weld should be the strongest part of the piece. Obviously, that wasn't the case with this frame. In short...even with the crash, the frame should have bent, not broken. There's no excuse for having a weld like what is posted above.

I can't believe this is being discussed again. Doesn't everyone know by now that if you ride the new gixxer in the rain the frame will oxidize at the welds. Every service I have the dealer spread a special penetrating solvent on the welds to clean the oxidation and seal the welds for another 3000 miles.

I crashed my 05 1000 at 15mil/h. Hit the back of a van that jumped on his brakes. My frame cracked like a twig in five places, including at both welds. I've seen all the shit going around about the welds being bad, but put it off as just talk, until I took one look at my bike. An accident as minor as mine should not have yielded that much damage. I am getting the frame inspected. I'd post pics if I knew how. Sorry

The time comes when losing weight sacrifices structural integrity-Im willing to be most manufacturers are getting there-Time to slow up-lol

I can't believe this is being discussed again. Doesn't everyone know by now that if you ride the new gixxer in the rain the frame will oxidize at the welds. Every service I have the dealer spread a special penetrating solvent on the welds to clean the oxidation and seal the welds for another 3000 miles. What's the name of that solvent?? The rain season is coming. Also....any of you guys who have had k5 frame trouble, would rain have been a factor?

I wonder if there is a VIN range, in which these frames have defects. "when" mine cracks ill be sure to post pix, along with the date of manufacture. damn i hope it doesnt!

It's doubtful that you could look at your frame and see the defect that this frame had...since it's INTERNAL porosity. It would only show in an xray or destructive testing. If any of you are concerned about your frames, you can probably find a local place that will xray yours. With this being a fairly common concern, maybe the dealer or Suzuki would spring for the cost...especially if you tell them that you will post the results in public. If they don't want to pay, I'd PROMISE them that I'd post the results, and ask them if they were scared. That said, if I did have my frame xrayed, and it has excessive porosity, I'd definitely do what it took to have them replace it. Of course, a crash can be the cause of this, and the frame may have never broken if the crash hadn't happened...BUT... It's also possible that the frame breaks in a crash and your leg gets impaled on it, rather than having a frame that will bend because the weld's strong enough to hold up. Consider roll cages in cars. There's restrictions in many racing associations on what parts of it can be welded and what parts must be bent. This is partially because they dont want crappy welds to break and allow the pipe to impale the car occupants. Typically, when a weld is tested with a tensile pull (pulled apart till it breaks), the sample is rejected if it breaks IN the weld. It should break next to the weld since the weld should be the strongest part of the piece. Obviously, that wasn't the case with this frame. In short...even with the crash, the frame should have bent, not broken. There's no excuse for having a weld like what is posted above. You've said take the bike to a local place for an x-ray. I didn't know there were x-ray machines out there that could x-ray frames. Where exactly should I go to get my frame x-rayed.

I can't believe this is being discussed again. Doesn't everyone know by now that if you ride the new gixxer in the rain the frame will oxidize at the welds. Every service I have the dealer spread a special penetrating solvent on the welds to clean the oxidation and seal the welds for another 3000 miles. Somebody's been blowing hot air up your ass and you're liking it. This is what they're doing when you leave---> :laughingr You've said take the bike to a local place for an x-ray. I didn't know there were x-ray machines out there that could x-ray frames. Where exactly should I go to get my frame x-rayed. You can xray damn near anything. I'm currently working for a company that's building xray cabinets for another company that puts the electronics in it and sells them to the food service industry. A lot of the food we buy now is checked this way for any foriegn objects. No worry though...it is such a low amount of radiation used that you're safe. Check around your town for places that do welding inspection work. If you can't find them directly, check with some metal working, welding, and fabrication places. They may be able to point you to the companies that do the xray work.

Somebody's been blowing hot air up your ass and you're liking it. This is what they're doing when you leave---> :laughingr You can xray damn near anything. I'm currently working for a company that's building xray cabinets for another company that puts the electronics in it and sells them to the food service industry. A lot of the food we buy now is checked this way for any foriegn objects. No worry though...it is such a low amount of radiation used that you're safe. Check around your town for places that do welding inspection work. If you can't find them directly, check with some metal working, welding, and fabrication places. They may be able to point you to the companies that do the xray work. Thanks for the info.

while everyone is on the topic of frame integrity be warned that polishing the frame, while it looks good, takes material from the frame, weakening it. I have an 00 750 with the frame polished and just recently cracked it in two spots from wailing down slow standups. It cracked on the inside of the bend by the front of the gastank, there's a weld on the inside and the weld cracked down the middle. I got it rewelded by my uncle who makes chopper frames and he said they had very little penetration. But even though the weld might not have been the best polishing the frame takes enough metal off that it can make it easier for the frame to flex more, possibly cracking.

I have heard alot about the welds on the frames but i know that the weld on my friends 06 1000's swing arm came right off from the front of the swing arm it didnt hold at all. that is on the right side by the exhaust.

I have heard alot about the welds on the frames but i know that the weld on my friends 06 1000's swing arm came right off from the front of the swing arm it didnt hold at all. that is on the right side by the exhaust. We will need some proof of that...

this is stupid guys I do indo's, stoppies, wheelies & all kind of stunts on my gixxer & I do high speeding cornering on high speeds & nothing accures dont know what happened with this specific bike but I think there is no problem unless they got this machine into a serios accident :infrandom

I say, dodge wall at 120mph...

We will need some proof of that... My bike had the swingarm break! Here are the pics! http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a84/bridecory/n72102546_30043949_7679.jpg

It was just sitting in the old hanger and did that??

No, I was going around a corner at about 40mph and highsided. The bike then landed upsidedown and came to rest on the tank and rear seat leaning against a tree. The swingarm never came into contact with anything other then the road when I initally highsided. (no bouncing or anything of that nature) This was all witnessed by my G/F who was following me. Therefore, I would say the swingarm broke when the tire finally gripped the road and then highsided. The broken weld clearly shows the lack of penetration. I am not posting to argue or anything like that. I am just showing others what to expect from the welds on their bikes. This is currently being investigated by American Suzuki and I will keep anyone who is interested updated whenever I received more info from Suzuki.

"The broken weld clearly shows the lack of penetration." How about posting a better picture. Like a close up view of this statement you just made. Its like saying you have a big dick but took a picture of the back of your hairy ass. Your trying to make a point and providing no evidence. Take your camera, take a close shot of the weld so we can see how deep it penetrated. You dont have to be a brain surgeon to figure this out. :infrandom

"The broken weld clearly shows the lack of penetration." How about posting a better picture. Like a close up view of this statement you just made. Its like saying you have a big dick but took a picture of the back of your hairy ass. Your trying to make a point and providing no evidence. Take your camera, take a close shot of the weld so we can see how deep it penetrated. You dont have to be a brain surgeon to figure this out. :infrandom ++++++++1

Dear GSXR Lovers, I am a GSXR owner since 1996 , and I am not trying to convince any one here or to argue with any one else, I am just posting my personal experience with the new 1000 GSXR, so that some people can know more opinions about it before deciding what bike to buy. I started with the 1100 cc, and until now I never owned a bike other than GSXR I bought brand new GSXR1000 K3 and than the K4 and I fought here in my country to get the K5 and I couldn’t, because it was very rare, but I bought the K6 1000, a red one, but an accident occurred in front of me & my friends that led me to sell my K6 and I bought a used K4 again. Before I got my K6, I heard many roamers about its frame defects, and even I was here in this forum before I do the buying, but because I am a crazy about this bike, I didn't lessen to any one and I got it to my self. One day me and my biker friends were outside the city in a distinct area doing our wheelies and stunts, and some of my friends where practicing when a 2003 R6 Yamaha turned left suddenly while a GSXR1000 2006 was speeding around 50-60 MPH, and the K6 crashed into the R6 right side. The two drivers suffered only minor scratches and cuts, and went home in the same night, the R6 owner even went riding his bike, but the GSXR1000 K6, we toke it off the accident area in peaces, latterly, it toke us 8 person to load it over the truck while normally 3 is enough, and that was because the bike was in peaces held up together only by the hoses and cables of the breaks and clutch and weirs. The bike front disappeared, remaining the front forks attached to the front broken wheel, and to the rest of the bike by cables, no tree plate no steering no speedometer no nothing. The main frame was broken below the fuel tank, not in the welding line but near to it, causing the fuel tank to be loosening from other parts but still hanging in the bike by the hoses and wires. The tail and tail frame were also hanging to the remaining of the bike with wires and cables only, and you don't want to know what happened to the body fairing and radiator. When I saw this accident, I directly sold my K6 and tried to get a brand new K4 but I couldn't unfortunately, s o I bought a used one. My point is this: I don’t think that the GSXR frame will brake without a reason, but for a wheelie guy, I won't risk my self to a total loss of my bike in case of small accident that most probably I will have while stunting, so I will grave until Suzuki comes back with a GSXR that I will again trust to use, and I wish this will happen in K7. I can provide the frame # of my GSXR's if Suzuki company want to check that I am really a GSXR guy, and photos of them, and I advise any one to buy only GSXR but 2004 or 2003, not any other brand bike, not another GSXR model, but it is the best bike ever built. Unfortunately no one on that day toke photos tot that poor bike, and later the owner refused to let us get photo of it, but I can direct any one to my group of friends to get their statements, and we do have a riding group and our Owen forum.

[QUOTE=This is currently being investigated by American Suzuki and I will keep anyone who is interested updated whenever I received more info from Suzuki.[/QUOTE] You can keep an update here. They're not gona do shit though. Check out what happened to mine. I say forget it. Re-build, try harder not to crash, or get a Harley :thumbup:

"The broken weld clearly shows the lack of penetration." How about posting a better picture. Like a close up view of this statement you just made. Its like saying you have a big dick but took a picture of the back of your hairy ass. Your trying to make a point and providing no evidence. Take your camera, take a close shot of the weld so we can see how deep it penetrated. You dont have to be a brain surgeon to figure this out. :infrandom LMFAO :funny: :funny: :laughingr

"The broken weld clearly shows the lack of penetration." How about posting a better picture. Like a close up view of this statement you just made. Its like saying you have a big dick but took a picture of the back of your hairy ass. Your trying to make a point and providing no evidence. Take your camera, take a close shot of the weld so we can see how deep it penetrated. You dont have to be a brain surgeon to figure this out. :infrandom I see no reason for you to be a prick about this. When I get to my computer with pictures I will post them. Don't worry I have many, many pictures. I am not on here to prove anything to you guys, as you can see I am not the only person having these problems.

See since this thread started GIXXERNEWFIE was the first to post a GOOD picture of the frame damage. Thanks for the pics!!! ;) :thumbup:

These most recent pics look to me like the weld itself didn't break, and the break was next to the weld. This is called the Heat Affected Zone (HAZ). This is where a weld SHOULD be weakest. When qualifying a welding procedure according to many welding codes, they do a tensile pull test...where the weld is pulled apart in opposing directions. A successful test will break next to the weld, rather than in the weld. Further...penetration isn't always all that important. Ever wonder why they put the big protruding welds on the bike frames? It's because they know they're not getting good penetration and they put extra metal on there for reinforcement. If their goal was to get full penetration, they'd have a lot of frames kicked off the assembly line because they'd be blowing holes in them. In other words, by gaining strength through external reinforcement, they avoid the risks of melting through the frame.

These most recent pics look to me like the weld itself didn't break, and the break was next to the weld. This is called the Heat Affected Zone (HAZ). This is where a weld SHOULD be weakest. When qualifying a welding procedure according to many welding codes, they do a tensile pull test...where the weld is pulled apart in opposing directions. A successful test will break next to the weld, rather than in the weld. Further...penetration isn't always all that important. Ever wonder why they put the big protruding welds on the bike frames? It's because they know they're not getting good penetration and they put extra metal on there for reinforcement. If their goal was to get full penetration, they'd have a lot of frames kicked off the assembly line because they'd be blowing holes in them. In other words, by gaining strength through external reinforcement, they avoid the risks of melting through the frame. Actually the breaks go directly through the middle of the welds on both sides. Along with other locations on the frame. The pics dont really capture the breaks that well, but looking at them in person you can see the welds, and their penetration(or lack of). I'm no welder, but I've had many professionals, including engineers who job it is to inspect welds, say that they would seek an investigation. Suzuki wont even entertain the thought, when the bike was involved in an accident. I still have the old frame. I'll see If I can get some solid pics that show the welds.

Actually the breaks go directly through the middle of the welds on both sides. Along with other locations on the frame. The pics dont really capture the breaks that well, but looking at them in person you can see the welds, and their penetration(or lack of). I'm no welder, but I've had many professionals, including engineers who job it is to inspect welds, say that they would seek an investigation. Suzuki wont even entertain the thought, when the bike was involved in an accident. I still have the old frame. I'll see If I can get some solid pics that show the welds. Most engineers know very little about welding. Even those that inspect welds. Now, if they're a Welding Engineer, it is likely completely different. What I mean is that the average ASME code certified welder will know more about welding than most engineers. Heck, most of them don't even know how to put welding symbols on a drawing!! Anyway, if the weld broke during normal service, in middle of the weld, I would definitely call it a major problem. If it broke in the event of an accident, it's not nearly as big an issue...cause it held up to normal usage. In other words, the design is made to hold up to normal usage not a nuclear explosion. That's probably why Suzuki doesn't want to mess with it. They make bikes to hold up to normal wear and tear, and maybe minimal abuse (wheelies, etc)...not to hold up well in an accident. It's not like a car, where it is designed to protect the passengers in the event of an accident. That said, if I were Suzuki, I'd still want to work on my welding procedures a bit so that the weld would be stronger than the metal it holds together. And yes, I'm a welder...19 years of welding, 17 at journeyman level, and am also an American Welding Society Certified Welding Inspector...and I am not concerned about my safety after reading this post. I'd still like to see more pics though. :D

so, the million dollar question is what can we do to the frame to hopefully prevent it from falling apart?? selling the bike for another brand/year/etc may not be an option....and i don't think suzuk is going to take our bikes apart and reweld them at their expense... what can we do? spray something on it, add more welds ourselves, or just ignore and ride? the more i read the more concerned i get...like most here, i ride very agressively, love the twisties, and the occassional track days.... last thing i want is to have the damn thing come apart while i'm doing triple digits!!

Just ride ... its OK IMHO

just ride it. Matt

id say do what they do in indy, use steel or a stronger material where needed, but in low stress areas use aluminum. so you add a few pounds, take some weight out of the plastic or exhaust Matt

so, the million dollar question is what can we do to the frame to hopefully prevent it from falling apart?? Don't wreck it. No bike is made to hold up to high speed accidents. When you hit something with your front wheel, the strength of the forks transfers tremendous force to the frame with great leverage. It simply can't always hold up. I'm sure you don't want to go back to steel frames. what can we do? spray something on it, add more welds ourselves, or just ignore and ride? Don't bother spraying anything on it. Oxidation is a normal thing with aluminum and is not going to hurt it. It only will make it dull-looking. That's why polished wheels need repolishing all the time...cause they get dull. Nobody's worried about their wheels getting weakened. It's not like rust is to steel..nothing like it. In fact, rust will eat a hole in steel. Oxidation will only form on the outer layer of aluminum, but will not eat through it or penetrate deep into the metal. the more i read the more concerned i get...like most here, i ride very agressively, love the twisties, and the occassional track days.... last thing i want is to have the damn thing come apart while i'm doing triple digits!! Don't worry about it. The forces that a professional racer puts on a bike is nowhere near what it is subjected to in a wreck. I have yet to hear of a guy that can ride so hard that he twists his forks. :D

So someone crashes his bike and the swing arm breaks. So he claims it broke and caused the crash... :headscrat So this thread runs the gamut and everyone with an 05/06 1K panic`s.... :headscrat All I can see from his pic`s and info. is a broken swing arm on a crashed bike..... :headscrat At this point the cause is unknown. It`s his claim as to what happend.... :headscrat There`s no proof to confirm his side and none to disprove it..... :headscrat Before you get your pantie`s in a wad, maybe we should wait until the cause can be verified. :headscrat I own a new 06 1K and ride it hard. I have had no problems. :headscrat And have heard of no one else with any.... :headscrat Let`s not jump into the fire just yet.... :hmmm:

Did you see the other 2 bikes with the welds pulled in two? I do not need to prove anything to anyone on this forum. I just thought I would see what others have had the same problems. Obviously I am not the only one. The welds or some of the welds are obviously not up to par. Soo... Did the swingarm break b/c I was crashing? More then likely. Should the weld have separated? No way. I am sure the force of hitting a bump in the road at a normal speed of 65-70mph would have put more force on the swingarm then a 40-45MPH highside. Imagine the force of hitting a bump in the road at speeds above 100mph which these bikes should be made to handle. Not all people have the luxury of riding on flat roads in the south. Anyone that lives up North knows the conditions of these roads. After the weld separated and I have had numerous people inspect the weld, the weld shows clear signs of insufficient penetration. Anyways, I am not on here to convince anyone on THIS forum anything! Take it for what you want.

The welds or some of the welds are obviously not up to par. Really, this is so rediculous it's not funny at all. You're upsed because your bike broke when you wrecked it? What do you expect?!! Have any of the car manufacturers made an INDESTRUCTIBLE car yet? Did the swingarm break b/c I was crashing? More then likely. I'd say it's a hell of a lot more than just likely....more like DEFINITELY. Should the weld have separated? No way. Have you considered the fact that it MAY be a spot that it is designed to break, so that it is less likely to cause damage to the rider in the event of an accident? Ever heard of a "crumple zone" on a car? I am sure the force of hitting a bump in the road at a normal speed of 65-70mph would have put more force on the swingarm then a 40-45MPH highside. Ok, lets look at this comparison. In one case, you have a rider going 60-70mph and he hits a bump in the road. (what size, I guess we all have to wonder...) The shock is MADE to help absorb stresses of this type. In the other case, we have a highside accident. ummm I don't think the shocks are designed to absorb the multi-directional forces that your bike took when you wrecked it. There goes your theory, huh? After the weld separated and I have had numerous people inspect the weld, the weld shows clear signs of insufficient penetration. You are making statements like "insufficient penetration" when you havn't even bothered to state what you think sufficient penetration is. I understand that you're upset that your frame broke, but I think you're making a mountain out of a molehill, and looking for somebody to blame. The bike just isn't designed to hold up to all the forces that an accident can place on them. They never have and never will. If you want a stronger frame, buy a harley with a steel frame, or maybe a Katana. I think they're still steel.

The other aspect of this is, someone`s claiming two other bikes pulled apart. :headscrat Where. :headscrat What weld and under what circumstance`s :headscrat This post states FRAME DEFECT. :headscrat Looks like swing arm damage to me. :hmmm: Let`s get correct info before you post. And word it properly. :thumbup: This looks like a post from someone that can`t reason long enough to get proper statements and facts together on the same page... :headscrat

seems like we'll never know..... unfortunately, most accidents, whether caused by rider error or mechanical defects, are usually covered up by the wreckage itself. like a house fire that was started by some loose wires on a light switch, unless you're a certified fire inspector, and have the years of experience to know what to look for, you'd never know what caused it! sad part is even if you're bike's frame were to break in half in the middle of your 150mph ride on a super smooth highway, the accident alone would make it impossible to detect the cause. and i don't think suzuki or any other manufacturer would come forward even if they did have similar theories! finally, remember that newer bikes are being designed with lighter and cheaper materials... just like cars... they are not designed nor expected to last as long as the older models they replace... good o'l american way!!

what a waste of a thread. PURE CRAP!!! :clap:

what a waste of a thread. PURE CRAP!!! :clap: It prolly wouldnt be pure crap and a waste of a thread if you were directly affected by the situation though would it? :hmmm: :headshake Is case you were living under a rock for the last year. There was alot of talk going on about the integrity of the new gixxer frame. Thats why this thread is here.

As stated above about hitting bumps... "Should the weld have separated? No way. I am sure the force of hitting a bump in the road at a normal speed of 65-70mph would have put more force on the swingarm then a 40-45MPH highside. Imagine the force of hitting a bump in the road at speeds above 100mph which these bikes should be made to handle. Not all people have the luxury of riding on flat roads in the south. Anyone that lives up North knows the conditions of these roads." Well a bikes design is for up and down motion not side impact. When you or anyone else highsides or lowsides the bike smacks its side. I tell you what i'd rather have my swingarm fall apart then it twist my frame or break it any day. Just as stated before id rather have these cheaper parts fall apart then takign out the expensive frame. Now if the issue is riding normally and welds falling apart then yes i'd have great concern. You have to also realize that these bikes are designed to run with wheels on the ground. Everytiem you wheelie, endo, stoppie or whatever the bike you weakening the bikes frame. Most peopel do not gently let the bike down from a wheelie. The frame is aluminum for gods sakes! Aluminum is soft and light metal. Do you expect it to hold up like steel? The goal of these bikes as they get newer is to make them lighter so expect thinner frames. Its everyones own choice to subject them to abuse and in most cases noone will admit to doing wrong to them except blame them for poor craftsmanship. When i first bought and inspected the welds i thought they were shitty myself to be honest. Also the plastics on this bike are quite cheap. I still bought the bike even thou and have not had any problem except the bolts falling out off the deflector on the tripple tree gaurd flap. I'm sure becasue of me doing wheelies but weird to lose both of them. Anyways i think its a excellent bike overall and if there was a REAL problem with the frame i doubt professional riders wouldnt be putting their lives at stake on these bikes. Sucks for everyones problem they had with the frame but overall the rider is usually the problem with the bike.

thats where my indy idea comes in. use steel in high stress areas and aluminum in low ones. this would solve most problems with the frame. and dont start bitching about how much heavier the frame would be. ok first of all these bikes make plenty of power, 20 pounds isnt that big of a deal. and second i for one would rather have a bike thats 20 pounds heavier but twice as strong Matt

Well upon further investigating i found an article in 2005 about this frame defect. This pretty much started from 1tail about their bike crashing due to frame defects. Heres some pictures since noone provided some really GOOD ones ;) Keep in mind this was from a 2005 GSXR 1K race bike...

that seems to look like an OMG!!! weld failure!! wow what great pics. there seems to be almoast 0 penetration. Matt

OMG! That looks like a Frame.... :headscrat Not a SWING ARM..... :headscrat Has anyone noticed this little fact...... :headscrat The guy that`s claiming his bike broke while doing 40MPH has a SWING ARM that has broken.. :headscrat Now this RACE bike *frame* is a different story.. :thumbup: First it`s claimed to be an 05 1K :headscrat Second- What`s the cause behind the failure. :headscrat 3...I can`t tell shit by looking at one side of the weld. So if you can actually make a statement based on half of the frame. I`m afraid your Full` O `Shit. :clap:

I dont want to post links or give out advertising of another site so i've been stepping on egg shells but ill post the whole article... 2005 Suzuki GSXR 1000 Frame Alert! Apparent frame defect may have contributed to crash Staff, Saturday, May 21, 2005 Fountain, Colorado USA - While competing in a race for AMA sanctioned Motorcycle Roadracing Club Dan Sallis (MRA #63, AMA Superstock #48) crashed in turn one while Pikes Peak International Raceway. Dan was riding the 2005 1Tail Suzuki GSXR when the front simply washed out entering turn one. "I am not sure what happened because I was taking it easy and just cruising. I was comming up on a lapper and setting up to pass him on the outside when the front just went away." said Dan. Dan was in 3rd place when the crash occurred and he had been in running as high as 2nd in the race. Upon taking a closer look at the damaged Suzuki frame it is clear that the weld was inadequate as indicated by the photographs below. The break is right down the middle of the weld. Futhermore, when one takes a closer look at the weld it is clear that the weld had zero penetration for the majority of the welded area. "This all makes perfect sense now. This thing came apart on me at the top of turn one just as I was counter steering at well over 100 miles an hour entering the turn," commented Dan. Current owners of the 2005 Suzuki GSXR 1000 may want to have their frame welds inspected for defects. This post was made directly from 1tail not some news junky. I'm like everyone else or most that i don't believe much on this frame defect thing but from what i see in those pictures that the weld did not penetrate very well. I think if this was some sort of big issue it would have been addressed already and it hasn't to my knowledge. I'm sure its only contributed to the crash but then again look at the penetration. Kinda sucky welds if you ask me.

No shit it's a failure, but as I've said before, THE FRAME IS STRONG ENOUGH TO DO WHAT IT'S DESIGNED TO DO!!!!! If you don't like that, go buy an old harley or CB750 with a steel frame and put all your sport bike stuff on it. No offense to anybody, but what we have here is people that know very little or nothing at all about welding. Sorry guys, but watching American Chopper and Monster Garage don't make you expert welders or welding inspectors. Have you guys ever heard of brazing? Some argue that it's a type of welding, and some argue that it is not. Anyway, by definition, it gets no penetration...yet can be very strong. How many times must I say it: Penetration isn't everything!!! That's why you hear people say not to grind down the welds when you polish your frame!!! It's cause there's little penetration on the frame. The strength is in the weld. The term is EXTERNAL REINFORCEMENT!! Read up some books on welding design, weld joint design, and welding processes.

ok not to be a dick but the frame that we have pics of the bike was on the track. which if im thinking corectly that is what these bikes are for. so this frame is supposed to handle the stress it is designed to be put through right? well in my opinion racing is well within that stress limit. oh and i may not be an expert welder but i have made reapirs to my cars frame, my uncles cesna(which the airport supervisor approved), and my dirtbike. so if you want to call me an inexperienced welder go ahead, im not perfect but that weld was weak. Matt

ok not to be a dick but the frame that we have pics of the bike was on the track. which if im thinking corectly that is what these bikes are for. so this frame is supposed to handle the stress it is designed to be put through right? well in my opinion racing is well within that stress limit. It's made for racing, not wrecking. I have seen no evidence that the frame broke PRIOR to a wreck. Also, as mentioned before, it could very well be a safety design that allows the forks to break away (downward), rather than have an increased chance of it going upwards towards the driver. oh and i may not be an expert welder but i have made reapirs to my cars frame, my uncles cesna(which the airport supervisor approved), and my dirtbike. so if you want to call me an inexperienced welder go ahead, im not perfect but that weld was weak. I'd be careful welding parts for aircraft without the proper certifications...I'd imagine that it could land somebody in prison. That may not be you, but the airport supervisor, for allowing it to happen. The FAA is VERY strict on that stuff. I'd not do it myself, without the proper approval and certifications, and I'm 100% confident that I could make the necessary weld. It's like a drivers license. You may be able to drive really well, but if you have no license, you can get in some trouble for doing it.

engloid, my dad is an aircraft sheetmetal mechanic. he was too lazy to do it so i did it my self. when my dad called the supervisor over(i made the repair in his work hanger, my uncle was going to fly in a day or 2) he said "wow nice job, one of your better jobs" i just walked away laughing. im the one who got the compliment of doing one of my dads better jobs. he has been doing this stuff for 25 years. Matt

Lets go back to motorcyles shall we. So in conclusion, can we all say, if you don't f... up (crash or stunts), your k5 or k6 1000 is just fine on the road.

One thing I’ve always disliked about the sportbike frames are the large “scar” from the welds. It always catches my eye and disrupts the lines of the bike and the frame in general. I never really gave it much thought other than that. Thanks to Engloid for the copious information on a subject that I know little to nothing about. At least now I have a better understanding of the process and reasoning behind it. :thumbup: It seems to me that there are “better” ways of welding that may (or may not) hold up in various conditions. However, this type of weld is sufficient for normal riding, most stunting (provided there is not a fcuk up involved ;) ), and 99% of racing (again, provided there is not an error :headshake ). It also seems to be the most cost effective solution and we all know how expensive this sport really can be. So, until we have someone who can show sufficient proof of a defective frame, ride on. Sorry to say but the broken swingarm doesn’t sound like the same type of issue. I know you can’t tell by looking but I couldn’t imagine that that could fail under normal riding conditions. But, given my unfathomable ignorance of welding, my imagination is not boundless. :cool:

I just bought a totaled 05 600 I hope it holds up on the track

Dude that wrecked his 2005 GSX-R1000 bike at 20mph and made the news. He said the frame broke and caused him to wreck at 20mph and landed him in intensive care. Now i dont know too much about this but i highly doubt that this was due to a manufacturer defect. Also at 20mph how the heck did that bike and him slide so far as he explained in the video. I've seen people going over 50 mph and not go that far. Looks to me as a wheelie gone bad! That bike would have stopped in the street. I bet several hard come downs from wheelies caused the frame to weaken. http://www.wsbtv.com/news/9314629/detail.html

i agree,,ive seen guy's slam the front down real hard,,as light as there building the bike's these day's,,,,there just not made for that,,......

“I was moving my brother’s stuff, I pulled out of the driveway, it fell apart on me from there,” Nick says. Yeah, it just fell apart. Isn't that what happens with welded parts? haha!!! "When they tried to get the bike repaired, they say initially, Suzuki seemed cooperative. Jerard says after he raised that question, Suzuki officials refused to repair his bike. " Logic says that they'd be even more willing to fix the problem if they had something to hide. I think this guy's a tool that's liable to get a HUGE lawsuit on his ass from Suzuki. He probably knew that the only way to keep his dad from kicking his ass is to blame it on the bike. I think he probably came down hard from a wheelie also, or something else.

my buddy at work has dropped his 05 1000 3 times 1st) time running about 40-50, 2nd) time running 15-20 3rd) time i'm not sure of but he was getting on the interstate and hit a big truck tire so there is no telling how fast and how high he might of went and his hasnt cracked yet

There are two other threads on this topic that are MUCH newer. Please do not bump threads thats are months old.