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Front End Clarity

Started by Big AK, September 27, 2012, 04:50:12 PM

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Big AK

Damn Pat, can't stop laughing and grinning after your post.  :rofl:

I knew that RPM made good stuff, as you all attest to its quality and ease of installation and overall betterment of the old warhorse. I meant no offense to the product but as I said know little about such sporty rides and thought the original forks were best tossed cause of how shitty they were stock. Also wasn't paying attention to the dates of the posts in mods vs RPM's product coming out. If it is that good then Randy looks to be getting some of my cash hopefully sooner rather than later.

Seems that USD gets the girls and many looks, but I am married and want to stay that way, so maybe USD on another FJ should I ever acquire one and truly pimp it out.

Back to standard fork swap or upgraded stock then. I should do some more reading but it is 130 am and need to sleep, but don't I need to swap to 88-ish forks to swap to a 17in front rim? Basically hunt for those, buy RPM kit, get 17in wheel, and ride like I belong here?

Thanks again, and for the laughs Pat.

Big AK

Big AK

Late nights suck was even later than I thought too. Think I found my answers though, need a 89-93 fork set and then Pat Conlon detailed my next few steps it looks like with the following from another thread:

1) If you still have the 20 year old rubber brake lines, start with those, they are long over due for replacement.
2) R1 blue spot calipers will bolt right up to your '92 fork legs, easy peesey.
3) Get a 14mm front brake master cylinder for the best feel.
4) New Fork springs and RPM fork valves are the best bang for the buck for the front.
5) That oem rear shock was weak sauce, the day it rolled off the Yamaha assembly line so a RPM shock would be a major enhancement along with some slightly shorter dogbones (shock links) to get more weight on the front tire.
Finally...
6) A 17" rear rim conversion will allow you to remove that outdated 150/80-16 rear donut and allow a wide selection of modern radial tires.
7) Meantime...Keep a eye out for A 1987 or '88 FZR front rim which is 3.5" wide (vs. your oem 3.0" rim) for better sidewall support of a modern 120/70-17 front tire, and is a direct replacement....like plug and play.


Only bummer is I have a 86 so no dogbones :(

Anyway, guess I got some work to do on ebay.

FJmonkey

Quote from: Big AK on September 28, 2012, 12:21:24 PM
Only bummer is I have a 86 so no dogbones :(
Randy mentioned that he might have a solution for us 84 to 87 year FJs that want to alter the rear wheel height as his shock is not length adjustable. My RPM list is getting longer, I really don't need to eat 3 meals a day, with my current list I need to cut back to 3 meals a week.
The glass is not half full, it was engineered with a 2X safety factor.

'86 Ambulance - Bent frame, cracked case, due for an overhaul
'89 Stormy Blue - Suits my Dark Side

giantkiller

First let me say thank you Randy. For the unbelievable amount of work and dedication you have done. To bring us the best quality and prices.. You have made the resurrection of my 86  possible.

If my stock front end would have been in good shape. I would have used Rpm valves,blocked off antidive and put better brakes and wheel.

I had some work to do to the bike after ECFR. So I pulled the gsxr front end off and weighed it, against stock, fj components. The difference was not as much as I thought. The gsxr was 9.8lbs lighter. But since almost all of that is unsprung weight. Its a significant amount.
Just sayin
86 fj1350r
86 fj1380t turbo drag toy (soon)
87 fj1200 865 miles crashed for parts
89 fj1200 touring 2up
87 fzr1000 crashed
87 fzr750r Human Race teams world endurance champion
93 fzr600 Vance n hines ltd for sale
Custom chopper I built
Mini chopper I built for my daughter just like the big 1