front end upgrade musings...

[Nikolas]

So the forks on my bike definately have to be rebuilt, and I'm totally pulling the bike apart for paint anyway.  I have two options as I see it:

1) Original forks with uprated springs (preferably linear, thinking sonic) and a nissin 4 pot gsxr caliper (or maybe a 6 pot busa, just because I can.)

2) Whole Katana front end.

I weigh about 150lbs with gear.  Are the Cano'tuna forks really that much better?  They're still damper rod forks right?

[average]

Yurp

[dgyver]

Advantages:
The Kat tubes are larger diameter so they are stiffer, 41mm vs 37mm.
Better braking with dual 4-pot calipers instead a single 2-pot caliper.
Adjustable 3-position damping.

Disadvantages:
Need new fork mounts for headlight brackets.

[The Buddha]

Dont forget guages and T/S'es. Lots of pain getting those to work.
150 lbs ... you wont feel much positive impact though.
Jared had a nice stock GS front end ... ask him.
Cool.
Srinath.

[frankieG]

upgrade the springs and add braided brake lines...that is more than enough for a gs

[CoyotesFan84]

Personally, I'd change out to the Kat front end. If nothing else, it allows for dual disk rotors without a bunch of jury-rigging a second brake caliper on the front end (which is safer in my mind in regards to stopping power). But that's just me.

[Jay_wolf]

It was my fav mod , it seems moding a gs is more or less unheard off round these parts

[makenzie71]

Advantages:
The Kat tubes are larger diameter so they are stiffer, 41mm vs 37mm.
Better braking with dual 4-pot calipers instead a single 2-pot caliper.
Adjustable 3-position damping.

Disadvantages:
Need new fork mounts for headlight brackets.

You sure the Kat's have 4-pot calipers?  I've got a set of them sitting in the shop and they're definitely 2-pots.  Even SV's have 2 piston assemblies.  I think only the GSXR's and similar "higher end" models had the opposed pistons.  I mean I don't know for certain, and I've onoly ever bought Katana calipers second hand (always 2-piston), but I can't find a single reference to them having four piston calipers.

[pbureau69]

FrankieG:
I was wondering you stated upgrading the brake lines on the GS500 to braided brake lines.

I have seen a few companies that sell them, do you have in your experience a recommendation ?

I have a 2005 GS500F Model, My front end is already upgraded to progressive springs.

I know from the wiki about HEL, the unnamed "oldbikebarn" ones, and the ones, at MAW web site (can these guys use the help of a web programmer or what I really hate seraching on that web site bleh).

I am basically just wondering if there are other choices, that I may have missed, colors tubing is pretty but costly. (black is fine), and a brand name that I can reconized versus some unnamed brand hose would be appreciated.

I dont mind putting prime dollars for brakes..... I just want them to work. cheaping out on brakes can cost your life.

[The Buddha]

Advantages:
The Kat tubes are larger diameter so they are stiffer, 41mm vs 37mm.
Better braking with dual 4-pot calipers instead a single 2-pot caliper.
Adjustable 3-position damping.

Disadvantages:
Need new fork mounts for headlight brackets.

You sure the Kat's have 4-pot calipers?  I've got a set of them sitting in the shop and they're definitely 2-pots.  Even SV's have 2 piston assemblies.  I think only the GSXR's and similar "higher end" models had the opposed pistons.  I mean I don't know for certain, and I've onoly ever bought Katana calipers second hand (always 2-piston), but I can't find a single reference to them having four piston calipers.

Kat calipers are DOP - says right on the caliper. Dual opposed piston. Each caliper has 2 opposed pistons making for 8 total. The GS is 2 pistons and the inside pads slide on pins.
Pretty fine, but the inside pads wear 3-4 times as fast as the outisde, that single brake is so unevenly stressed its short lived as well. Dual opposed X 2 will be great for longevity IMHO.
However the stock forks with better lines etc is fine for performance for a light person.
Cool.
Srinath.

[dgyver]

You sure the Kat's have 4-pot calipers?  I've got a set of them sitting in the shop and they're definitely 2-pots.  Even SV's have 2 piston assemblies.  I think only the GSXR's and similar "higher end" models had the opposed pistons.  I mean I don't know for certain, and I've onoly ever bought Katana calipers second hand (always 2-piston), but I can't find a single reference to them having four piston calipers.

89-97 Kat 600/750 are dual 4-pots.
98+ Kat 600/750 are dual 2-pots. They use the same pads as the 1st gen SV.

[makenzie71]

What year, Srinath?  Because Suzuki says that they were 2-piston up to 2001 (lasat year I checked).

Just like this:

http://www.motorbikes.be/en/Suzuki_GSX_600_F_(Katana)_2001.aspx

Sportrider says 2-piston:

http://www.sportrider.com/bikes/146_9908_suzuki_gsx_katanas/

totalmotorcycle says 2:

http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/motorcyclespecshandbook/suzuki/1997-suzuki-GSX750FKatana.htm

Google Katana "piston calipers" and you get all kinds of sites that say 2 piston.

I'm just saying I have yet to see a Katana specified with opposed pistons.  If it wasn't Sunday I'd go to the dealer and look at the newest ones and see.  And really thinking of it I tried to adapt a tokico 6-piston caliper from a TLR to a Kat front end and there wasn't room...not wide enough between the rotor and the spokes.  If there wasn't room for that 6-pot there isn't enough room for the tokico 4 (same width).  Maybe there's a Nissin 4-pot that's narrower, I don't know.

dgyver...I just looked at a couple 89 year model references and they say 2-piston as well.

http://www.motorbikes.be/en/Suzuki_GSX_750_F_(Katana)_1989.aspx

Not saying you're wrong...just can't find a reference other than some of you guys saying they're 4-pots.  All I've seen were 2-piston, though it's possible that all I've seen have been 1998 and newer.

[dgyver]

The factory fiches say.....

89 600:
http://www.ronayers.com/fiche/300_0040/front_calipers/front_calipers.cfm?man=su&groupid=4870&parent=4850

97 600:
http://www.ronayers.com/fiche/300_0286/front_calipers/front_calipers.cfm?man=su&groupid=4990&parent=4850

Not like I really care what some online rag says.

[frankieG]

on any bike i have had in the last 10 years or so i have put braided lines front and rear on them.  even my old 89 gs and yes on the new one, one finger front braking and light tap of the rear.  it is just as good a duals with standard rubber lines in my opinion having had both.  at work we did the valves on a tls1000 with stock lines, i took it out to make sure everything was A-OK and could not get over how the brakes sucked compared to my little gs with the good lines

[ben2go]

What year, Srinath?  Because Suzuki says that they were 2-piston up to 2001 (lasat year I checked).

Just like this:

http://www.motorbikes.be/en/Suzuki_GSX_600_F_(Katana)_2001.aspx

Sportrider says 2-piston:

http://www.sportrider.com/bikes/146_9908_suzuki_gsx_katanas/

totalmotorcycle says 2:

http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/motorcyclespecshandbook/suzuki/1997-suzuki-GSX750FKatana.htm

Google Katana "piston calipers" and you get all kinds of sites that say 2 piston.

I'm just saying I have yet to see a Katana specified with opposed pistons.  If it wasn't Sunday I'd go to the dealer and look at the newest ones and see.  And really thinking of it I tried to adapt a tokico 6-piston caliper from a TLR to a Kat front end and there wasn't room...not wide enough between the rotor and the spokes.  If there wasn't room for that 6-pot there isn't enough room for the tokico 4 (same width).  Maybe there's a Nissin 4-pot that's narrower, I don't know.

dgyver...I just looked at a couple 89 year model references and they say 2-piston as well.

http://www.motorbikes.be/en/Suzuki_GSX_750_F_(Katana)_1989.aspx

Not saying you're wrong...just can't find a reference other than some of you guys saying they're 4-pots.  All I've seen were 2-piston, though it's possible that all I've seen have been 1998 and newer.

I was at dgyver's house to day all the 89-97 Katana front ends he has,have factory 4 piston calipers.My 95 Katana front end has factory 4 piston calipers.Maybe we're just some lucky ones. 

[makenzie71]

I just think it's odd that even Suzuki says 2-piston.  Doesn't matter to me, though.

Ben are yours Tokico or something else? 

[ben2go]

I just think it's odd that even Suzuki says 2-piston.  Doesn't matter to me, though.

Ben are yours Tokico or something else? 

Dgyver's and mine are both tokico.Remember our FE's are 88-97.98 up are different.

[makenzie71]

I think it was a set of 99 forks we tried the 6-pots on but there wasn't room. Crazy.