USD fork conversion advice

[Pat Conlon]

Coming back to this, with the FZR front end, will it accept gold dots from a '03 R1?

Yes...
 I needed to grind a very small relief on the forks to clear the cast hose line fitting on the R-1 caliper body.
You've got to look closely to notice it.
 

Pat, do you think FZR 92 USD fork set is better than Thunder Ace big conventional fork?

There is a reason you have never seen an oem or aftermarket fork brace for USD forks.
Yes, USD's are superior to conventional forks...even the TAce beefy tostada (48mm) forks.

Just as cartridge forks are always superior to damper rod forks.

[MarioR]

Coming back to this, with the FZR front end, will it accept gold dots from a '03 R1?

Yes...
 I needed to grind a very small relief on the forks to clear the cast hose line fitting on the R-1 caliper body.
You've got to look closely to notice it.
 

Pat, do you think FZR 92 USD fork set is better than Thunder Ace big conventional fork?

There is a reason you have never seen an oem or aftermarket fork brace for USD forks.
Yes, USD's are superior to conventional forks...even the TAce beefy tostada (48mm) forks.

Just as cartridge forks are always superior to damper rod forks.

Pat,

Did some homework and you are right. I was wrong about tostadas....  They are not bad fork especially they are adjustable but cartridge is way better. Can't cheat on physics.... I have FZR 1000 92 USD full front end still on the bike so this is what I will use moving forward. What will be the best for the top clamp to use/modify in your experience?

Never to late to learn something new...

Thanks

[Pat Conlon]

I used the oem FZR top clamp with 7/8" dia. aftermarket handle bar clamps and a FZ-1 bar.

 

[Millietant]

I used a pair of 2001-2005 Yamaha FZ1 handlebar risers (need to drill the 2 holes in the FZR top clamp out an extra 2mm), with a couple of penny washers sitting in the recesses on the top of the top clamps (and under the rubber pad that goes under the risers).

A perfect mount for the FZ1 bars to get the same hand grip position as the original FJ grips.

[MarioR]

I used a pair of 2001-2005 Yamaha FZ1 handlebar risers (need to drill the 2 holes in the FZR top clamp out an extra 2mm), with a couple of penny washers sitting in the recesses on the top of the top clamps (and under the rubber pad that goes under the risers).

A perfect mount for the FZ1 bars to get the same hand grip position as the original FJ grips.

Only one issue that I have, I prefer stock handlebar mounts. Not fan of the FZ1 style. Any other options for US conversion and stock mounting? Or lags are to short to pursue this way??

[giantkiller]

I made my bars. Using the clamps off of the gixxer clip ons and made them to match the fj clip ons with risers. On my 2008 gsxr1000 front-ends.
I don't like the tube bars either.  They look like dirt bike bars to me. Lol.

[MarioR]

I made my bars. Using the clamps off of the gixxer clip ons and made them to match the fj clip ons with risers. On my 2008 gsxr1000 front-ends.
I don't like the tube bars either.  They look like dirt bike bars to me. Lol.

How they secured to the tubes? Just with one Allen bolt or there is another to the top triple?

Yes, you are right with the cross bike look.....

[giantkiller]

It's just the clamp with the one alen. They have a pin that sticks down into a hole. On the top of the triple clamp. I fabricated spacers. So I could raise them up on the extensions. For touring. And remove them when riding the curves. I don't really think the alignment is really needed.  If you  tighten the clamps they aren't going anywhere. If you're worried about it you could mount them under the triple. Like they are on the gixxer. The pins originally stuck up under the gixxer triple. I flipped them over when I fabricated mine because I wanted to slide them up on the extensions I designed for the gixxer forks. So I could sit up a little. For highway miles.

[fj1289]

Motocross bars!  The horrors!   

[MarioR]

Motocross bars!  The horrors!   

For sure not my cup of tea......

[Millietant]

Motocross bars!  The horrors!   

For sure not my cup of tea......

My 2001-2005 FZ1 bars and risers match my original FJ bars for width and can be adjusted to match for height and hand position too - they're not high and wide, like motocross bars. I found the greater range of adjustment in hand position (forward and rearward) helped me find an ultimately more comfortable riding position.