What cartridge internal front ends have people swapped over to GSs?
I'm looking at buying a cheap one (looks like I can get it for 5-6 with a V&H full exhaust/K&N lunchbox/rejetted carbs and a Corbin seat) with a slightly bent front end. I'm gonna be doing a lot of miles for a while, and need something a lot cheaper to ride than my CBR929... but I can put some money into it at first, although I'd prefer minimizing that, too.
Problem is, I've gotten spoiled by good suspension. I've had cartridge front ends for the last... 30k? miles that I've put on bikes, and would be rather disappointed with damping rods.
I'd like to keep the bike looking relatively stock, so at least sticking with right side up forks. The ideas that pop into my head are CBR600F3/F4/F4i/03-04RR, 99-04 R6/any R6s, 97-03 GSXR600... what have people done, and what is relatively easy? I've got friends with machine shops, so it's possible to get items machined - a steering stem wouldn't be unreasonable - but I'd prefer not having to do so.
Shock swap would also have to happen, as well as a 4.25 or 4.5" rear wheel so that I could run proper radial tires and have them fit right, but those have been well documented here.
i've read that the cbr f1 tubes are the same diameter so they can be swapped in. i dont know the details about what to do for the wheel/rotor/brakes and whatnot though.
I thought there was a lot of that information in the FAQ?
I know the CBR600F1 and the BMW F650 forks have the same diameter tubes (37mm), and that the forks, rims, and brakes are off the previous year's model GSXR750 (1988; GS was introduced in '89).
The F1 still uses damping rods, it wasn't until the 94 F2 that Honda went to cartridges (maybe earlier on the fireblade, but that will be sprung/valved way too stiff).
Not sure about the BMW, but I don't imagine finding them will be too easy.
Also, while it may be possible to use 88-90 GSXR750 stuff, it certainly isn't conventional cartridge stuff - Racetech is indicating that only the right fork has real valving in it.
Sounds more like you will be swapping the front end then. I can only suggest doing a search for SV650 or GSXR front end swap. Something that only requires the pressing out of the old stem, and pressing in the stem for the GS.
The SV also uses damping rod forks, similar to the tech (or lack thereof) on the GS. The modern GSXR swaps are upside down forks, which I would prefer avoiding - I want the bike to look fairly stock.
And yes, the plan was swapping an entire front end, not just the forks.
Not sure whats in what im converting, but its a kawi 2001 ZX6R front end
That's got cartridge forks, what does it take to make it fit?
I haven't started yet, just getting together parts. I believe you will need a donor stem from a GS, your current or buy another to prevent down time. And obviously the kawi front end(triples, bars, wheel, brakes with master & reservoir,calipers, rotors and forks). Best to get a complete front end. Most others on the forum have the GS stem pressed into the triple that you will be using and have a spacer made to be able to use the stem bolt off the GS. Bob B is who has done most of the spacers I have seen. I think they send him the triples, top and bottom, of the new front end, along with the GS stem/bottom triple and he will fit it to one of his GS's to make the spacer. Check out Tywash's build, there is a nice pic of a spacer.
heres the link
http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?action=profile;u=10443;sa=showPosts
where are you located?
i might have most of what you want/need
but not worth shipping
There's a lot more to having a good front end than just slapping cartridge forks from another bike on it. It's important to know what the difference in length and triple clamp offset is compared to the stock forks, and to understand how those changes are going to affect the bike.
Over in the SV world there's a lot of very fast guys who prefer the stock, "low tech" forks to any of the GSXR conversions. Properly set up with the right springs, oil and emulators dialed in correctly the stock forks can work amazingly well. The GS forks suffer a bit by comparison because they're smaller diameter, but they can still be dramatically improved from stock.
The one big improvement you will get with a fork swap is brakes.
Agreed. Emulators, springs, oil, and a Buddha fork brace work very well on this bike... I'd say comparable to many cartage forks.
With that said, a full front end swap does have the advantage of upgrading the front brakes. If you want to go this route, I'd recommend you measure your front ride height so that you can get the same basic geometry, and simply have a new steering stem machined for whatever cartage fork you happen to be able to find inexpensively.
Keep in mind that if you're building a street bike, you'll have to figure out how to mount the instrument cluster and headlight on the new forks. I suspect you could fabricate a brace for the light, or install an aftermarket unit. For the cluster, either fab up a bracket, find a donor with a compatible cluster, or go with an aftermarket unit.
To be honest, a full front end swap is probably more trouble than it's worth on a street bike.
How is buying a second bike, registering it, paying insurance on it, doing a whole front end swap, new rear shock, wheel swap and decent tires supposed to be much cheaper than just riding a bike you already have to save 5mpg?
5mpg? more like 15mpg, plus the difference in tire wear. I get around 30-35 on my 929, and do enough trackdays on it that I like to keep sticky tires on... which adds up to an operating cost north of $.25/mile. While it's true that I could simply run harder tires on the 929, I really don't like doing so on a bike making triple the power of a GS.
I believe I can get the GS set up how I want it, with F3 forks and a shock pilfered off another sportbike, for around $8-900, with an expected operating cost around $.15/mile. I currently ride around 1500-2000 miles a month on the 929, if I do most of that on the GS I'll save a fair bit.
It's also an excuse to learn how to maintain corner speed, my 929 makes it too easy not to.
Quote from: burning1 on May 12, 2010, 07:48:20 PM
Agreed. Emulators, springs, oil, and a Buddha fork brace work very well on this bike... I'd say comparable to many cartridge forks.
With that said, a full front end swap does have the advantage of upgrading the front brakes.
:2guns: Brakes only slow you down, and you say your goal is to work on maintaining corner speed.