This is Part 4 of a 5 part series discussing the parts used on a stunt bike. As stunting has progressed as a sport, so has the technology that allows the rider to execute certain tricks and protects their motorcycle. At first glance a stuntbike may appear to be a confusing Frankenstein of a metal, but in reality stunters spend countless hours modifying, perfecting and maintaining their bikes. Stay tuned to learn the tricks of the trade.
With stunting it’s common to get quite close and personal with your motorcycle. And since motorcycles aren’t the softest or most forgiving surfaces, stunters make certain safety modifications to keep them as safe as possible during their riding. During the span of stunting’s history, while catastrophic crashes are rare, there has been every imaginable drop, slip and fall. Every combination of body part and bike have met in one way or another and these incidents, however random, get stunters thinking about what they can do to prevent it from happening to them.
My favorite part to prevent the unthinkable is called a “shark fin.” The shark fin is a triangular shaped piece of metal that acts as a guard against things, things like fingers, going into the sprocket. The shark fin is attached by drilling two holes into the underside of the subframe and bolting the piece on. A small modification with a big role. It’s not often fingers slide into the sprocket, but it’s not a possibility stunters want to gamble with. Only a handful, no pun intended, of recorded incidents of appendages in chain and sprocket insure most serious stunters run a shark fin –just in case.
Another thing that ups the safety factor on a stuntbike is folding pegs. When you’re falling side to side with your motorcycle often, folding pegs do their part to protect your ankles and feet from punctures. Running handle bar ends help remove the threat of puncture as well. Some stunters run padding over the top of their triple tree, for learning certain tricks that may involve smacking down onto it. Obviously up keeping the stock safety components like fender and chain guard are also important.
Stunting is a ultimate stress test for a motorcycle. The better condition your bike is in, the safer you will be. Conscious stunters take preventative measures to check bolts and parts on their bike for looseness and weakness to prevent could-be mishaps before they happen.
This article is 1 of 5 in our Series on Stunting. Be sure to check out the rest of these articles from Leah.
Part 1 - Handbrake | Part 2 - Crash Cage | Part 3 - Stunt Bars | Part 4 - Safety | Part 5 - Modifications
