Forks

[Dieselman7.3]

Has anyone used non Fj forks? Thinking of maybe r1 forks from the same generation of the gold dot brakes. I know the fork tubes are bigger but if you used the triple tree to? I like the inverted fork design and the adjustability of the forks. Any thoughts ? Thanks

[Millietant]

Lots of different option for USD forks have been used by members on here as well as people using YZF 600 R and early FZ1 forks.

Fred has GSXR 1000 forks, but most of us have used FZR 1000 RU forks, or YZF 750 forks.

My 92 FZR RU set was a full front end that came (bought off eBay) with the matching wheel/discs, shaft, spacers, triple trees and mudguard etc - which because the steering stems are the same as the FJ made it pretty much a plug and play conversion. I also used a set of FZ1 (2001-2005 model, not the Gen 2 version) risers and handlebars bolted through the holes in the top triple clamp (drilled out to take the riser bolt, and then I used steel washers of the right diameter/thickness in the recesses on the top) - which gave me exactly the same handlebar position as my original FJ bars - again, almost a plug and play fit. I also kept the original FJ brake hose splitter and made up a simple bracket using my angle grinder, out of 2" mild steel angle bar for the lock stops, which also helped me keep the brake splitter in the same location.

The only other mods I made were to use slightly stiffer fork springs (0.95's), fit new wavy discs (folks on here recommend ArashI) and I also had early R1 monoblock calipers which I fitted, with new braided steel brake hoses (the banjo angles are slightly different) and a FZS 600 master cylinder - I'm sure you could use a FZ1 master cyl - and adjustable brake lever.

Admittedly, the cost of the new discs (my FZR wheel came fitted with standard discs), calipers and master cylinder etc were not factored into the conversion cost, as I could just as easily have used the original FJ and FZR parts that I had, but IMHO, I think the extra expense was worth it.

I'll post a couple of pics of the various bits shortly.

[aviationfred]

Here is my write up on the 1st USD conversion that I did with 2008 GSX-R1000 forks.

http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=16432.0


Fred

[Dieselman7.3]

Thank you I'm gonna look for complete front ends and see what I can find that way I can have extra parts and see what I can make work.  Pictures would be appreciated militetant

[Millietant]

Thank you I'm gonna look for complete front ends and see what I can find that way I can have extra parts and see what I can make work.  Pictures would be appreciated militetant

Here's are a few, sorry not too much detail - will try to get some tomorrow morning showing the lock stop bracket and brake splitter mounting.

The bike with the FZR RU front forks wheel etc in place (I think it's the way Yamaha should have made them in the 90's anyway).



The wheel, brakes, fork bottoms, fender etc.



The FZ1 handlebars etc with risers, in place on the FZR top clamp on the FJ - all cables are standard length and nothing contacts the fairing parts on full lock either side (there's about a 2mm gap on each side)

[Pat Conlon]

R-1 you want, R-1 you get...http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=3148.0

[red]

Thank you I'm gonna look for complete front ends and see what I can find that way I can have extra parts and see what I can make work.  Pictures would be appreciated militetant

Dieselman,

Yep, a complete front end assembly is usually cheaper, newer, stronger, and better in every way (brakes, wheel size, conversion to standard handlebars, hardware).  I would ditch the front hydraulic brake line splitter entirely, in favor of two separate hydraulic lines from the master cylinder; that is done by using a two-line banjo bolt, going into the master cylinder outlet.  Always use new hydraulic washers with any brake line work.
.

[Dieselman7.3]

Thank you guys for the input as always very informative. Millietant that looks beautiful and I like the bars you have on the bike as well.... time to spend lots of money on eBay

[Millietant]

Thank you guys for the input as always very informative. Millietant that looks beautiful and I like the bars you have on the bike as well.... time to spend lots of money on eBay

Thanks Dieselman, I got my FZR front forks, triples, wheel (with discs), spindle, spacers, speedo drive etc complete for £275 (about $350).

If I'd stuck with the original discs and used my existing FJ calipers, master cyl etc the only other cost would have been the FZ1 bars (£15), FZ1 risers (£10), new head bearing set (£15), fork springs (£80) and fork oil (plus a bit of paint, a small piece of 2"angle (free from a local steel stockist) and some elbow grease.

All up, less than £400.

[Millietant]

Thank you I'm gonna look for complete front ends and see what I can find that way I can have extra parts and see what I can make work.  Pictures would be appreciated militetant

Dieselman,

Yep, a complete front end assembly is usually cheaper, newer, stronger, and better in every way (brakes, wheel size, conversion to standard handlebars, hardware).  I would ditch the front hydraulic brake line splitter entirely, in favor of two separate hydraulic lines from the master cylinder; that is done by using a two-line banjo bolt, going into the master cylinder outlet.  Always use new hydraulic washers with any brake line work.
.

I know what you mean about the brake splitter Red, but I wanted my bike to look as if Yamaha made it like that at the factory and even their recent sports tourers have the brake splitters, so I thought I'd keep it. With the newer matching master cyl, R1 calipers, 320mm discs and Earls Performance hoses, the braking performance is dramatically better than the original FJ, even with the splitter 

[Millietant]

Here you go Dieselman, a few starters  I found on eBay in 5 minutes of looking (although you might have better luck finding a complete front end through one of the US FZR Owners forums).

https://www.ebay.com/itm/95-94-FZR1000-FZR-1000-TRIPLE-TREE-FORK-HOLDER-FRONT-SUSPENSION-BRIDGE-YAMAHA/192893068248?fits=Model%3AFZR1000%7CMake%3AYamaha&hash=item2ce952a3d8:g:TWYAAOSwbedcuMQB

https://www.ebay.com/itm/94-Yamaha-FZR1000-FZR-1000-Front-Forks-Shocks-Tubes/401423204214?hash=item5d76afff76:g:NVMAAOSw8C9Z4Ntt

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1995-YAMAHA-FZR1000F-FZR1000-RIGHT-FRONT-FORK-SHOCK-22764/192628575880?hash=item2cd98ece88:g:0jcAAOSwIShbgEEB

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1995-YAMAHA-FZR1000F-FZR1000-LEFT-FRONT-FORK-SHOCK-22765/372465039511?hash=item56b8a57897:g:F-wAAOSwdrpcHUQq

It looks like the bits are still out there for us !!

[Dieselman7.3]

Here you go Dieselman, a few starters  I found on eBay in 5 minutes of looking (although you might have better luck finding a complete front end through one of the US FZR Owners forums).

https://www.ebay.com/itm/95-94-FZR1000-FZR-1000-TRIPLE-TREE-FORK-HOLDER-FRONT-SUSPENSION-BRIDGE-YAMAHA/192893068248?fits=Model%3AFZR1000%7CMake%3AYamaha&hash=item2ce952a3d8:g:TWYAAOSwbedcuMQB

https://www.ebay.com/itm/94-Yamaha-FZR1000-FZR-1000-Front-Forks-Shocks-Tubes/401423204214?hash=item5d76afff76:g:NVMAAOSw8C9Z4Ntt

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1995-YAMAHA-FZR1000F-FZR1000-RIGHT-FRONT-FORK-SHOCK-22764/192628575880?hash=item2cd98ece88:g:0jcAAOSwIShbgEEB

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1995-YAMAHA-FZR1000F-FZR1000-LEFT-FRONT-FORK-SHOCK-22765/372465039511?hash=item56b8a57897:g:F-wAAOSwdrpcHUQq

It looks like the bits are still out there for us !!

Thanks a lot guys. I'm also going to look for any local bikes to me for parts maybe I can find one someone blew up or something

[Dieselman7.3]

R-1 you want, R-1 you get...http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=3148.0

So reading through this post I've learned a lot and thought quite a bit for now just focusing on the front end. The r1 forks are bigger in diameter but shorter in length. Can the bottom mount of the fjs triple tree be safely bored out to take the forks of 50mm? (Please correct that measurement if I'm wrong) and the one off spacers used to maintain ride  height, why not make them stepped down to 41mm (again correct me if I'm wrong) to sit in the Fj top triple mount ?   Would also be able to make them to take stock bars or make risers for them. 

[giantkiller]

I added extra too the extensions I designed. So you have built in risers. Used the clamps from the Gixxer clippons. And hand made bars to mach the stock Fj handle bars. Then you can just loosen the clamps and slide them up for slabbing. Slide them back down for the twisties.

Or if you have a good welder and machinist. Just weld extensions to the top caps.

[giantkiller]

If I had it to do all over again I would use the more modern big piston inverted forks. But you have to find triple's with a lowered bottom clamp. Because the big piston forks tapered lower.

Like the fzr triple that militant posted. Has the lowered bottom clamp. Would be enough for the big piston forks.