yzf 600 forks

[SILVERGOAT]

 I just finished installing 95 YZF600R forks,speedometer drive,spacers, wheel and rotors to my 89 FJ. The forks were sent to Race Tech for polishing of the legs(a little pitting),95kg springs and emulators as well as bushings and seals. These forks are the same length and diameter as the FJ's as well as having awesome looking lowers. I know they are not state of the art, but they ride nice and look cool. Also added 05 FZ1 calipers,lines and master cylinder. I had to use 5mm spacers on the inboard side of each fork leg to make up for the FJ having a wider space between the forks, which also meant adding 5mm spacers between the fork lowers and calipers to center the caliper over the rotors. An 85 Suzuki GS700ES(previous ride) rear axle was also used because the YZF axle is too shortand the stock FJ axle is too small in diameter. This combination also requires a 5mm spacer on the outside of each fork leg as the Suzuki axle is a bit long. After torquing it altogether, it works well. Sounds worse than it looks.

[Travis398]

where are all the pics? we want to see.

[SILVERGOAT]

I am not much of a picture taker, but I will do my best to get some this weekend. Hoping to get it registered  this week.

[Pat Conlon]

First off, congrats. Please do not take this the wrong way but....I gotta ask.
Why the hell did you do all that work for damper rod forks?
The whole point of the YZF600 fork swap exercise is to get CARTRIDGE forks, which started on the YZF600 in '96

I just finished installing 95 YZF600R forks,speedometer drive,spacers, wheel and rotors to my 89 FJ. The forks were sent to Race Tech for polishing of the legs(a little pitting),95kg springs and emulators as well as bushings and seals. These forks are the same length and diameter as the FJ's as well as having awesome looking lowers. I know they are not state of the art, but they ride nice and look cool. Also added 05 FZ1 calipers,lines and master cylinder. I had to use 5mm spacers on the inboard side of each fork leg to make up for the FJ having a wider space between the forks, which also meant adding 5mm spacers between the fork lowers and calipers to center the caliper over the rotors. An 85 Suzuki GS700ES(previous ride) rear axle was also used because the YZF axle is too shortand the stock FJ axle is too small in diameter. This combination also requires a 5mm spacer on the outside of each fork leg as the Suzuki axle is a bit long. After torquing it altogether, it works well. Sounds worse than it looks.

[SILVERGOAT]

I have damper rod forks on my Bandit S and SV650S and i like the ride, pretty supple. I have cartridge forks om my VTR(Race Tech worked over) and my FZ1. Both seem to ride pretty hard. My FJ is strictly a long distance cruiser, not a corner carver plus I pulled all the parts from the same bike and I really dig how the lowers look on these particular forks. Using the parts from this particular model allows more interchange of parts i.e. the front rotors are fully interchangeable but not on a 97-up model. Blue dot calipers fit perfectly into the cutouts on these lowers looking totally factory. The front fender is kinda ugly, but works for now. Anyway having adjustable suspension on two of my other bikes, I found once I settle on a setting I pretty much leave it.

[SILVERGOAT]

I forgot to mention, I knew about the suspension difference in 96 but trying to find a 96 was not feasible

[Pat Conlon]

Hey Jeff, ok fair enough. You knew the '95 YZF600 had damper rod forks, no worries. We have been harping about the Jon Cain inspired  YZF600 swap for over ten years. On the Yahoo forum several years back IIRC two different folks bought '95 and earlier YZF600 forks off eBay only to find out that they did not have cartridges.

I do understand what you mean by setting it and forgetting it, like the Ronco oven. With my Honda F3 Race Tech cartridges I liked the ability to set the compression shim stack to where I wanted it (the rebound is adjustable via a needle in the fork cap) but you're right, once I set it, I ended up leaving it alone.

It is not really talked about much, but (other than the cartridges) the one major advantage of the YZF600 swap is the stiffer 17mm axle. On our heavy bikes that, IMHO, is a big deal. That coupled with a 3.5" wide rim and the ability to use larger 320mm rotors.

Take some pictures for us, show us how it looks!   Cheers.   Pat

[simi_ed]

OK, I could really use some help here:
<snip>

It's done!  It lives!!!  Strange thing though ...  It seems that a bunch of my favorite roads have been resurfaced to remove all those nasty bumps I've been feeling.  Unless there REALLY is something to these cartridge forks ...
I did a short shake down run this morning that became an all-day, 250 miles (relatively) high speed joy ride.  Front end feels great, solidly planted, no more jolts through the bars, just nice suspension doing it job.  What a pleasure!!!

For the record:RaceTech GoldValve Rebound & Compression Valves; RaceTech 1.0 Kg/mm springs; Amsoil Shock Therapy Suspension Fluid #5 Light (STL).  Good stuff, good results!


Thanks to Jon Cain, Bill Prodoehl, Randy Thompson, Arnie Robbins, Gary Mastro and Mike Kolstad for the assistance and guidance to help me get this together & make it right.  And it RIGHT and it's GREAT!

[racerman_27410]

just nice suspension doing it job.  What a pleasure!!!

Quality suspension really does turn the FJ into a different motorcycle   

where are the pictures ? 

KOokaloo! 

[simi_ed]

Sorry, I only had my cellphone.  I was only out for a test ride, not an all day adventure.  Best I could do with the tools at hand

[Mark Olson]

way to go Ed

smooth is good.

happy trails.

[Yamifj1200]

Well done Ed. Im glad your happy with the end result. A little bit of work makes our bikes a whole new beast. Enjoy the miles of smiles...

Eric M

[JCainFJ]

 Well Done!

[FJmonkey]

Ed, maybe we can take that old goat trail again to test your new set up?

[simi_ed]

I almost did that on Tuesday.  Instead, from my house I did Mulholland past the Rock Store, up Stunt Rd, down Piuma Rd, then balance of Mulholland to the Valley.  After lunch I felt so good & comfortable that I went up Angeles Forest, Upper Big T, Angeles Crest to Wrightwood, then home.  My little test became a 250 mi.  grin-fest!!!

Let's go.  You have the number.  San Dimas Mike, 3JagSteve, Mazza, who else?

Ed