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Main Area => General GS500 Discussion => Topic started by: armanire on February 24, 2018, 04:40:57 AM

Title: fork upgrade
Post by: armanire on February 24, 2018, 04:40:57 AM
hi anyone know of a fork upgrade for the gs500e maybe from a different make or model bike more modern specs ???? thxs
Title: Re: fork upgrade
Post by: The Buddha on February 24, 2018, 07:32:23 AM
Katana 600 is the easiest swap. I've done a few of these. You need to machine the stem a bit and use spacers, but the lock wont work then and you have no way to mount gauges.
I made a couple of brackets for the gauges and I actually cut threads in the stem and not use spacers and ended up with everything working and looking like stock. If you want I can get you pics later today.
Cool.
Buddha.
Title: Re: fork upgrade
Post by: gregjet on February 24, 2018, 12:53:00 PM
What's you reason for swapping?
If it is just to have better forks, then Gold Valve ( or equivalent) and decent springs will do most of what you need.
If for cosmetic reasons , then , if you are going to go to all the trouble of fork swapping, a set of USD's would be interesting. Most will work way better, and, can be made very much better.
I always wondered about Hyosung forks. Lots of connections between Hyo and Suzuki so may be a path.  The Hyo wheel is an elephant though, very heavy.
I watch with interest.
Title: Re: fork upgrade
Post by: armanire on February 25, 2018, 04:33:45 AM
hi pics would be great thanks. the reason i want to change them is that the bike has gsx400 ?? forks on it now using a gs wheel and caliper and a home rigged up adapter which don't look safe .
trying to do this change on a budget will start to look out for katana forks a wheel
Title: Re: fork upgrade
Post by: The Buddha on February 25, 2018, 04:40:37 AM
GSX400 ??? bandit 400 ??? That actually saves you a bit of trouble. The Bandit has the disk on the other side compared to the GS. I believe the rest are all the same. What you might need I think is to get a bandit disc ... wait a sec, show me pics of the "adapter" Home rigged adapters have been used in several cases for years, some of those are extremely good if made by a 1/2 decent machinist.

A Kat FE is a rather large undertaking. I used to make these as a kit but well ... my machinist died and I never found another good enough to go this type of work.

Cool.
Buddha.
Title: Re: fork upgrade
Post by: J_Walker on February 25, 2018, 12:27:57 PM
Long time ago there was a list of all the bikes out there and their fork sizes [tube sizing and total length mainly] I remember like at least 50 bikes having the same tube dia as the GS500.

if you got the Spanish style forks, INTO THE TRASH THEY GO. don't bother TRYING to rebuild them.
Title: Re: fork upgrade
Post by: armanire on February 27, 2018, 06:35:31 AM
unable to post pic for some reason ??  help the pic is 1.3mb.  the bikes are form England so they must be built in Spain .  rusty