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Next Project, Have Questions about Knobbies and USD Forks

Started by Fry, May 11, 2011, 05:28:12 AM

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Fry

Yeah I know I am not even close to finishing my GS project but am already thinking and aquiring parts for my next project, a Hard Tail convereted HD Sporty based loosely on this bike.



First question, I purchased the below set of HD Fat Boy rims, and while I am not at my garage right now I'm a bit curious and bored at work and would like to know if anyone can reccomend or knows what size tires, specifically a Knobby oriented tire would fit on these rims? Are knobbies even available in these sizes? Front and Rear?



Secondly, I'd like to use a modern front end off of a wrecked and or parted out Rice Rocket, speciffically a set of USD Forks, probably off of a GIXXER but any modern day ones would acheive the "Look" I'm after, with that in mind how hard is it to have these modern day USD forks "Cut Down", what would the cost be like? I'm not even sure I would need to do this, just trying to work out some rudimentary ideas and issues in my head while I'm wasting time at work.

Lastly, I have a basic understanding of what it takes to adapt 1 make of forks to a different brand of frame/neck however if anyone has some good practical exeprience or advice, I'd appreciate it. What would it entail to put these on a Sporty frame? I'd suspect I'd need the Stem, both upper and lower clamps and some type of spacers bushings?



Thanks Guys and Gals for the replies.
Have you learned the lessons only of those who admired you, and were tender with you, and stood aside for you? Have you not learned great lessons from those who braced themselves against you, and disputed passage with you?
Walt Whitman

The Buddha

I wouldn't put knobbies on GSXR forks ... why, knobbies imply you are goign to be runnign and jumping over tree trunks and rocks, and the GSXR forks dont have the travel needed to accomodate that.
I dont even know about cutting them down, I'm gonna guess though that it will not be easy.
Cool.
Buddha.
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Fry

Quote from: The Buddha on May 11, 2011, 07:48:23 AM
I wouldn't put knobbies on GSXR forks ... why, knobbies imply you are goign to be runnign and jumping over tree trunks and rocks, and the GSXR forks dont have the travel needed to accomodate that.
I dont even know about cutting them down, I'm gonna guess though that it will not be easy.
Cool.
Buddha.

Knobbies will be purley asthetic and I did not mean to imply that I would be using them for their designated purpose, just chasing a certian look. Do they even make knobby tires big enough for those rims?

I know in the dirt bike world there are shops that can lower suspensions, front and rear and was hoping there was the same available for street forks, wouldnt see why not?
Have you learned the lessons only of those who admired you, and were tender with you, and stood aside for you? Have you not learned great lessons from those who braced themselves against you, and disputed passage with you?
Walt Whitman

The Buddha

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I run a business based on other people's junk.
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Fry

Quote from: The Buddha on May 11, 2011, 11:50:41 AM
K fry, you're begining to worry me.
Cool.
Buddha.

I never claimed to be mentally stable...Why do you think I work in the Psychiatric field, transference of therapy.
Have you learned the lessons only of those who admired you, and were tender with you, and stood aside for you? Have you not learned great lessons from those who braced themselves against you, and disputed passage with you?
Walt Whitman

scratch

Rims are 16" x 3"

I would guess 4wheeler tires would fit.
The motorcycle is no longer the hobby, the skill has become the hobby.

Power does not compare to skill.  What good is power without the skill to use it?

QuoteOriginally posted by Wintermute on BayAreaRidersForum.com
good judgement trumps good skills every time.

Fry

Have you learned the lessons only of those who admired you, and were tender with you, and stood aside for you? Have you not learned great lessons from those who braced themselves against you, and disputed passage with you?
Walt Whitman

Fry

Have you learned the lessons only of those who admired you, and were tender with you, and stood aside for you? Have you not learned great lessons from those who braced themselves against you, and disputed passage with you?
Walt Whitman

Big Rich

Check our www.denniskirk.com for their dual sport tires. But I don't think they will have anything that wide.
83 GR650 (riding / rolling project)

It's opener there in the wide open air...

yamahonkawazuki

rear i believe is a 17", front is a 16" can use any tire that will fit an HD with teh FL designation. fatboy is FLSTF FL = wheel size , ST= softtail , F = fatboy. cant use fx. or xl
Jan 14 2010 0310 I miss you mom
Vielen dank Patrick. Vielen dank
".
A proud Mormon
"if you come in with the bottom of your cast black,
neither one of us will be happy"- Alan Silverman MD

tt_four

Forks can be lowered, so you're going to make the ride really harsh though because sportbike suspensions are already stiff, and you're going to have to make them even more so. Depending on the forks it might be easier to slip them through the triples a little, or they may even work at their normal length. I wouldn't think sportbike forks would really be that much longer than normal cruiser forks. I know sportsbikes sit taller, but cruisers usually have more rake so I bet they're pretty close.

I bet you can find wheels if you look around. Even if they're not full on off road tires there are enough dual sport tires and everything else out there now that'll give you a similar look and might even be better for a street bike. The one thing that would take a little bit of crafting would probably be the axle. I bet the hole through the HD rims is way smaller than the gsxr axle so you'll have to make adapters or a new axle.

Fry

tt-four, thanks for the advice.

I too thought that it might be more benifical and easier to just slide the fork tubes up in the top triple clamp, perhaps an inch or so. And your right about them being stiffer/harsher to begin with but with my thoughts on this next project I'm kinda throwing out most conventions and concessions to comfort or practicality for something "I" think looks cool.

I havent done a complete search yet but I'm sure to come up with a suitable tire, where I think my issues will come is placing the rim and fatter tire within the confines of the Gixxer forks, not sure how wide that space is with the stock triple clamps? Again though I am so early in this stage I'm only running thoughts through my head and will do a ton of research prior to purchasing anything.

I have local HD orientated machine shop that would be able to fab up spacers/axle to fit the HD Mag to the Jap forks, and I'm sure they could also adapt/creat some types of spacers sleeves to get the stem to fit the neck.

All pie in the sky stuff at this point, all I have are the rims, still hitting swap meets and craigslist, currently looking for a Sporster Frame with Title or a cheap complete bike.


But keep the ideas and tips and thoughts coming, keeps the brain active and thinking.
Have you learned the lessons only of those who admired you, and were tender with you, and stood aside for you? Have you not learned great lessons from those who braced themselves against you, and disputed passage with you?
Walt Whitman

Big Rich

What size are those wheels Fry? I've been looking at 16" dual sport tires for a while and the biggest I can come up with are 120/90 (good for a 2.15" wide wheel). If they are 17", that would open all sorts of possibilities.
83 GR650 (riding / rolling project)

It's opener there in the wide open air...

Fry

They are I think 3" wide, haven't looked at them in a while, probably 16"x3"
Have you learned the lessons only of those who admired you, and were tender with you, and stood aside for you? Have you not learned great lessons from those who braced themselves against you, and disputed passage with you?
Walt Whitman

yamahonkawazuki

Quote from: Fry on May 12, 2011, 05:41:06 AM
tt-four, thanks for the advice.

I too thought that it might be more benifical and easier to just slide the fork tubes up in the top triple clamp, perhaps an inch or so. And your right about them being stiffer/harsher to begin with but with my thoughts on this next project I'm kinda throwing out most conventions and concessions to comfort or practicality for something "I" think looks cool.

I havent done a complete search yet but I'm sure to come up with a suitable tire, where I think my issues will come is placing the rim and fatter tire within the confines of the Gixxer forks, not sure how wide that space is with the stock triple clamps? Again though I am so early in this stage I'm only running thoughts through my head and will do a ton of research prior to purchasing anything.

I have local HD orientated machine shop that would be able to fab up spacers/axle to fit the HD Mag to the Jap forks, and I'm sure they could also adapt/creat some types of spacers sleeves to get the stem to fit the neck.

All pie in the sky stuff at this point, all I have are the rims, still hitting swap meets and craigslist, currently looking for a Sporster Frame with Title or a cheap complete bike.


But keep the ideas and tips and thoughts coming, keeps the brain active and thinking.
maybe, but youd have to use the sportie powertrain as well. because they title the engine/trans as well as the frame
Jan 14 2010 0310 I miss you mom
Vielen dank Patrick. Vielen dank
".
A proud Mormon
"if you come in with the bottom of your cast black,
neither one of us will be happy"- Alan Silverman MD

Fry

Yeah I plan on using the Sportie engine as well, so I guess I am looking for a complete bike, running or not.

On second thought, and I know each and every state has their own laws governing this type of stuff, how would one go about buying a frame with tile yet no motor, build a bike, and then try to title/register it? Lots of stripped frames on e-bay right now, cash burning a whole in my pocket.
Have you learned the lessons only of those who admired you, and were tender with you, and stood aside for you? Have you not learned great lessons from those who braced themselves against you, and disputed passage with you?
Walt Whitman

The Buddha

Title goes with the frame, most states dont feature the engine number in the title, CA is one state that does, however the engine number isn't used for anything, its just there.
Cool.
Buddha.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I run a business based on other people's junk.
-----------------------------------------------------------------

yamahonkawazuki

Quote from: The Buddha on May 13, 2011, 06:22:53 AM
Title goes with the frame, most states dont feature the engine number in the title, CA is one state that does, however the engine number isn't used for anything, its just there.
Cool.
Buddha.
but harley davidson uses the engine and case numbers in the vin/titles. swapping the engine out of a harley will ruin hte title. IF cop is really being a bastard. ill have to find the paperwork in the 5k plus pages of notes i took from MMI. its covered in there. there is a provision in most if not all locations, you can upgrade the engine but have to pull the cases, harley takes them destroys them, and you get a new set with same numbers stamped on it. BTW fry. that sportie engine pull the heads off. take cylinders and pistons from a 1340 ( up to) place them on it. then put original heads back on. instant bumpup. hell if you were close by, id do it for you so it could be warrantied by HD
Jan 14 2010 0310 I miss you mom
Vielen dank Patrick. Vielen dank
".
A proud Mormon
"if you come in with the bottom of your cast black,
neither one of us will be happy"- Alan Silverman MD

yamahonkawazuki

i had 1340  cylinders and pistons on the 883 rods, and stock heads. briefly had a supercharger on it. but mods ;) could be removed for warranty work inside an hours time. except for the engine. i had the receipts of my work so it was covered by the motor company. teh supercharger setup wasnt tho. so it had to coem off. supercharger came off of a 1340 i rigged it to be driven by teh crankcase . not hard to do. at all. the cylinders and pistons came from an HD swap meet. maybe 100 in it. a carb from same engine 15.  and gaskets for base and valvecover and heads. etc. not much at all. still have a few HD parts in my toolbox from last time i worked on it. 5 years ago lol.
Jan 14 2010 0310 I miss you mom
Vielen dank Patrick. Vielen dank
".
A proud Mormon
"if you come in with the bottom of your cast black,
neither one of us will be happy"- Alan Silverman MD

Fry

Quote from: yamahonkawazuki on May 13, 2011, 08:54:03 PM
Quote from: The Buddha on May 13, 2011, 06:22:53 AM
Title goes with the frame, most states dont feature the engine number in the title, CA is one state that does, however the engine number isn't used for anything, its just there.
Cool.
Buddha.
but harley davidson uses the engine and case numbers in the vin/titles. swapping the engine out of a harley will ruin hte title. IF cop is really being a bastard. ill have to find the paperwork in the 5k plus pages of notes i took from MMI. its covered in there. there is a provision in most if not all locations, you can upgrade the engine but have to pull the cases, harley takes them destroys them, and you get a new set with same numbers stamped on it. BTW fry. that sportie engine pull the heads off. take cylinders and pistons from a 1340 ( up to) place them on it. then put original heads back on. instant bumpup. hell if you were close by, id do it for you so it could be warrantied by HD

Thanks for the info. on the vin stuff and motor parts stuff, Im sure I will be talking to you again about doing motor work when I get to that point.
Have you learned the lessons only of those who admired you, and were tender with you, and stood aside for you? Have you not learned great lessons from those who braced themselves against you, and disputed passage with you?
Walt Whitman

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