well im lookin at doing the katana front fork this winter and im trying to figure out what years will work and what will not work. there is some 99 parts about an hour south he is parting out the bike so im trying to figure out if i can use it or not

I think you can only use '89-'97. But you may want to wait for dgyver to chime in to be sure.

From what I have seen, the 98+ will fit up the same way. I have not messed with them. I do not like the calipers.
Not sure if the GS wheel is compatible or if the 98+ rotors would fit a GS wheel. I have seen 98+ front wheels on a GS, so it may fit.
The 98+ fender is fugly. I do not recall how it mounts to see if another would fit. I know the 98+ fender is wider than the 89-97 forks and will not fit.

You are looking at a bearing swap for sure though. 98+ has ball bearings, GS needs tapered roller.
The rest of it, same concept, get the whole kit and kaboodle ... wheel, disks, calipers etc etc etc and its all easy fit. On an 89-98 FE you can use a GS wheel cos its same as Kat wheel, as is fork brace.
Cool.
Buddha.

well i would be getting the wheel with the front end so my only issue is will if fit onto the frame and do i need the upper and lower tripple from the 99 or will GS stuff move over.

and the bearing im guessing your talking about the bearing in the pivoting part of the front end

cause i need to do a front end swap or put some stiffer springs up front. its way to squisy and i think i have bottomed it out turning into parking lots.  it makes a loud thud bump sounds so now i take it slower and it doesn't do that

You need Katana's upper and lower triple.
That squishy feel and thunk noises ... feature of the GS.
I am talking about the neck bearings - dunno what the "pivoting part" is - its called a stem.
Cool.
Buddha.

ok ya the stem would be what im thinking of i know on bikes its call the headset and didn't know if that the motorcycle term or not.

how much would stiffer springs be for the GS? basicly trying to budget this out

if i use katana triples then i have to go to their clip on style things right?

Quote from: Mdow on July 21, 2008, 10:16:11 AM
if i use katana triples then i have to go to their clip on style things right?

correct

 Might want to try progressives and thicker oil first  as a budget option... ( progressives are what ...60-65$ or something like that now?)

Sell off the forks  with progressives later IF/When  you do the Kat swap.

Oh yea, try that first ... I have a set with new seals (but they still leak) and new oil etc etc, for $125.
Cool.
Buddha.

well i was hoping to get matching front and rear wheels

You run the GS wheel.
Cool.
Buddha.

no i want to get a bigger katana rear wheel and wanted to then just swap the front to get a stiffer front end bigger brakes and to match the bigger katana rear wheel

Quote from: Mdow on July 23, 2008, 12:38:32 PM
no i want to get a bigger katana rear wheel and wanted to then just swap the front to get a stiffer front end bigger brakes and to match the bigger katana rear wheel

...if you want a Katana, buy one. If you want a Katana with a GS engine in it, buy the Katana, swap in the GS engine.

..just what I'm reading between the lines, here. Sure sounds like you want a Katana.

Quote from: Mdow on July 23, 2008, 12:38:32 PM
no i want to get a bigger katana rear wheel and wanted to then just swap the front to get a stiffer front end bigger brakes and to match the bigger katana rear wheel

Katana rear wheel OK and a matching front wheel - yea then you need to get it all from a katana.
Whole katana FE and katana rear wheel. BTW you want kat rear wheel - send me $200 and shipping and I'll drop one off at your door ...  .
Cool.
Buddha.

Quote from: DoD#i on July 23, 2008, 01:41:28 PM

Quote from: Mdow on July 23, 2008, 12:38:32 PM
no i want to get a bigger katana rear wheel and wanted to then just swap the front to get a stiffer front end bigger brakes and to match the bigger katana rear wheel

...if you want a Katana, buy one. If you want a Katana with a GS engine in it, buy the Katana, swap in the GS engine.

..just what I'm reading between the lines, here. Sure sounds like you want a Katana.

Accounting for the price of personal labor and parts it might just be worth a used Katana.

Quote from: DoD#i on July 23, 2008, 01:41:28 PM

Quote from: Mdow on July 23, 2008, 12:38:32 PM
no i want to get a bigger katana rear wheel and wanted to then just swap the front to get a stiffer front end bigger brakes and to match the bigger katana rear wheel

...if you want a Katana, buy one. If you want a Katana with a GS engine in it, buy the Katana, swap in the GS engine.

..just what I'm reading between the lines, here. Sure sounds like you want a Katana.

no not at all.  i just want a bigger rear wheel and a matching front and stuffer springs this is the easyest way its looking to do it

Quote from: The Buddha on July 23, 2008, 01:53:04 PM

Quote from: Mdow on July 23, 2008, 12:38:32 PM
no i want to get a bigger katana rear wheel and wanted to then just swap the front to get a stiffer front end bigger brakes and to match the bigger katana rear wheel

Katana rear wheel OK and a matching front wheel - yea then you need to get it all from a katana.
Whole katana FE and katana rear wheel. BTW you want kat rear wheel - send me $200 and shipping and I'll drop one off at your door ...  .
Cool.
Buddha.

no thanks i can't afford that right now its lookin to be a better deal to buy it all at once