Racing skins are one of the first key things needed to turn any street-going motorcycle into a true racing machine. These eliminate the lights, mirrors and other road necessities and replace the stock plastics with easier-mounting fiberglass (carbon fiber if you have deep pockets) replacements that follow the stock lines but reduce weight and provide areas on which to put numbers and other racing needs.

When it comes to racing bodywork there are very two distinct categories: High-end, quality stuff that fits, is durable and takes paint well; and price-point products that are very inexpensive but require a lot of fabrication to fit and can barely withstand a minor low side or parking lot tip-over.

For our Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbike project we went with Catalyst Racing Composites bodywork, which the price tag suggests would fit into the higher-end category. The question is, do they perform well enough to justify a retail price of roughly $1000? We had kicked around the idea of going with one of the less expensive brands, just to keep costs down, but for something this important we decided to error on the side of quality. And we’re happy we did.

While we thankfully haven’t tested their crashworthiness, the first thing we noticed upon receiving the bodywork was its solid feel and visible strength. Unlike some of the others we have used that flex and wobble when simply holding them in the air, the Catalyst stuff is structurally sound and rigid feeling. At the same time it’s not overly heavy. Some of the other bodywork manufacturers simply use extra layers of fiberglass all over to obtain the desired rigidity, which brings along with it a good deal of weight, but Catalyst only reinforce the areas that bear structural load, making for a solid yet still lightweight product.

The skins come primed and ready to paint and, according to our painter Chad at MC Pro Designs, Catalyst are some of the easiest in the industry to work with. The base coat of primer is compatible with all kinds of paint and the finish is smooth enough that only a quick wet sanding is needed prior to applying the final finishes.

After getting the beautifully-painted bodywork back from MC, it was time to mount everything. We always recommend doing a pre-fitting before drilling any holes, just to make sure everything is in the right spots. This is especially important with some of the cheaper brands, as the mounting points on these rarely line up properly. With the Catalyst stuff we actually could have just drilled the holes in the existing mounting points and it would have fit perfectly, as everything lined up spot-on. But we still always recommend a pre-fit, as not every set is identical.

For our racing purposes we went with what is called a Superbike tail. What this means is that the original equipment seat is replaced by the fiberglass tail section, on top of which you typically put a stick-on foam pad of some sort. While this is quite uncomfortable, as you are basically sitting on the subframe and some fiberglass, it provides a more direct contact for the rider to what is happening at the back tire.

Until using one I had no idea what I was missing, as I typically raced on a stock seat. That was until I bought a race-ready Suzuki GSX-R750 that had a Superbike tail. Ever since I’ve been a convert and will always opt for one if possible. Most all professional racers use them, as comfort comes second when racing, and the feel they provide is stellar. Also, most clubs and AMA pro racing allow them in Supersport and Superstock classes as well.

One minor issue we had was that due to the steep curvature of the tail in the seat pan area it was difficult to get the thick foam seat pad to stick down on the sides. So what we did was shave the sides, tapering them by half the width along the curve of the seat area, which allowed the foam to bend over the edges much easier and stay stuck in place. This was literally the biggest issue when it came to the bodywork’s fit and finish, something we were very much impressed with.

As for how it performs on the track, the quality make-up and its strong build keep it rigid and in place very well while riding. Upper race fairings can sometimes get stressed due to the high wind-speeds which they are consistently exposed to, causing them to flex and crack. The Catalyst did no such thing, staying in place with only the few mounting screws and Dzus fasteners provided.

They are also very easy to take on and off, the lower section removable in a matter of seconds and the rest following suit in mere minutes. This makes working on the bike much easier, as next to no time is wasted putting on and taking off the skins. So far we have two race weekends and several testing days on the main set of bodywork and after a quick cleaning it looks good as new. Some of this is down to the durable and extremely well-done paint my MC Pro Designs, but the bodywork underneath is equally as critical. We have not done enough riding to consider its long-term abuse, but stay tuned as we have more planned for the Suzuki Superbike and will update you to how they last over the course of the season.

What complaints do we have, if any? The only area one could potentially gripe is the cost. At roughly a grand for a set ($1027 for the full Suzuki GSX-R1000 kit, including Superbike tail, air intakes and fender), those budget-minded club racers and trackday guys trying to save pennies may not opt for Catalyst. But when you consider this bodywork is easily twice as durable as some of the cheaper brands which cost only a couple hundred less, if you are going through two sets to one then the price starts to look much more affordable. Not to mention, compared to the lawyer on the World Superbike-spec Ducati who parked his Ranger Rover next to you at the last trackday and spend six grand on a set of carbon fiber skins and another three grand to have it painted to look like Troy Bayliss’ bike, a thousand bucks plus paint really starts to look cheap. Especially when you consider the two or three pounds the big-buck carbon fiber saved him probably could have been achieved by simply eating a smaller breakfast.

Catalyst also has special licensed racer pricing and accepts a select number of rider resumes for sponsorship every year, so better pricing than you think may be available.

Like we said in the beginning, there are two distinct quality levels of bodywork. Without question Catalyst fits well within the higher quality group, leading the way as one of the best fitting, durable, and well-made sets of skins we have ever used.

Catalyst Racing Composites Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbike bodywork
Available from: www.catalystracingcomposites.com  
MSRP (full Superbike set w/ front fender): $1027.00