Front wheel swap.

[fintip]

What are all the relevant factors that come into play when figuring out what rim will work with what forks?

I can think of these:

Rim's axle -- diameter and length (fit into fork or not?)
Rotor -- fits bolt pattern of rim and lines up with calipers

Trying to figure out if this '02 R6 rim might somehow fit, and when I think about it (knowing nothing) I can't see why it shouldn't be possible. As far as I can tell, no one has tried it... Whether it's because I'm missing something obvious or no one has had the particular inclination, I have no idea. Can't seem to find a guide teaching about coming up with your own swaps, just guides to particular swaps.

As it is, though, the rotors should be perfectly fine, since they work with the blue spots they come with (right?).

Aaaaand, if they would work with the 88/later forks, they should work with the 87/earlier forks with the bracket, no?

I'm a less-than-amateur at this part of the process, so I'm still assuming that I'm just missing something stupid-obvious here, but after sleeping on it and searching around for a while, I can't figure out what that might be. Maybe I'm wrong about the rotor fit? It's possible the rotors sit differently on this rim than the rotors on an '89 rim sit, and that the bolt-on-ability of the R6 blue-spots just happens to be due to a standardized spacing between forks and rotors that will be thrown off by the mount points on different forks? But that's just conjecture for me and I don't really know how to check that yet (without, I guess, just trying it and seeing what happens--would be easier if it weren't my only vehicle and I had a garage).

IF I'm making a stupid blunder here, sorry! 

And if anyone has a guide that teaches how to play with all the relevant factors on your own, I'd love to have it so I don't have to ask stupid questions.

Thanks,

Kyle

[Arnie]

Guiding principal after you've found what information you can, and looked at the bits for (too) long a time, measured and tried to account for all the various sizes and offsets, is to:



SUCK IT AND SEE !!!

You can't rely on someone else being the first to try.
Get outa your head, pick up your tools and give it a try.
Then let us others know if it works or not.

Arnie

[93fj1200]

Guiding principal after you've found what information you can, and looked at the bits for (too) long a time, measured and tried to account for all the various sizes and offsets, is to:SUCK IT AND SEE !!!
You can't rely on someone else being the first to try.Get outa your head, pick up your tools and give it a try.Then let us others know if it works or not.Arnie

I agree with Arnie 100%. I got other people to help me out but most of the time, they were not as interested in modifications as I am.  Almost every time, I ended up doing it all over again and fixing it properly myself.  When I did the rear wheel, I used the chain alignment tool and an average of the number of shims used by other members (what was available to me)  and it worked great for me.

[fj11.5]

if you have the cash kyle buy it, , if its cheap enough be worth the fun factor making it work,,

[Pat Conlon]

Why don't you go to the Yamaha YZF R6 forum and ask them the info. you need about the R6?

[Firehawk068]

Rotor diameter would play  probably the biggest factor here..........If it's the same as the FJ rotor(89-up) then should work just fine.
Blue spots will bolt right up to 89-up fork lowers, and use stock FJ rotors. Not so much on the 87-earlier ones..........But if you are insisting on using the 87-earlier forks, then some sort of adapter bracket will have to be fabbed/bought/aquired somehow. In that case, you could probably use any wheel/rotor combination you can find as long as it fits in between the fork legs.
The other thing to keep in mind would be some sort of speedometer drive if you want to use the stock speedometer.
most later model wheels don't have any provision for this.  Others have used the magnet-trigger electronic digital type of speedometer in it's place.

But dare to be different!
You have already proved you are not afraid of a challenge 

[movenon]

"Build and they will come"  Its only time and money. You are young and hopefully have the time, the money, well you weren't born with any and you will probably die without any, so it just shit you use in between   

[SlowOldGuy]

Just because they can be made to fit doesn't necessarily mean they will be better.  You'll have to spend quite a bit of money and time experimenting with the springs and shim stack in order to get a set of forks that were designed for a lightweight 600 to work well on a pig like the FJ.

But others in the past have blazed their own trail so feel free to do the same.  The mods documented on this site are known to work either trust them and copy or do your own thing.  

Simply putting an '89 FJ front end on my '85 transformed the handling of the bike.  Others have seen the same results.  As Pat said, we've been through this way too many times.  I had a huge discussion with another member a long time ago when I updated my front end.  He "chose" to not believe my results  because I couldn't explain technically what made it better.  My response back then was that I couldn't explain why the universe rotates in the direction that it does, but me not being able to explain it doesn't change anything.  If you don't want to believe the experiences of others, then don't, but don't question the well documented results just because no one on this list has a doctorate in motorcycle chassis design.  
I've posted it a hundred times.  If I had to chose only one mod, it would be the 17 inch front wheel change.  I'd ammend that now and include using appropriate straight rate springs and RPM valves.

Let me know if you ever get to the Dallas area and I'll try to arrange a ride on one of my FJs.  Since you're currently riding a basically stock '86, I can guarantee you will be impressed with either one.

DavidR.

[fintip]

Rod: I already bought it. I was planning to sell it for profit, now I'm wondering if it's practical to make it work.

David, others:

To clarify, I'm not asking about using the whole front end, just sticking the R6 rim onto the 86 forks (which would ASAP be upgraded with cartridge emulators) (firehawkand with blue spots mounted with brackets, yes--I know where they can be bought, have contacted the vendor before, they are still available). Using the R6 forks doesn't sound like an idea worth pursuing, and I totally get the reason for that. I never seriously considered that an option.

If the rim would fit, however, that would mean a lightweight, 17" rim, blue spot calipers, and updated forks--all of the advantages of the '89 front end swap. I'd love to do the '89 front end swap, I'm just trying to work with what I have, since I already own the rim.

Speedo drive not being in wheel is obstacle #1 I guess, need to figure that out. Not like I have a great speedo anyways as-is, might be worthwhile to customize the dash and do a digital one... I really do love analog gauges, though.

Arnie: I get your point, haha. I just really don't know what I am doing and was wondering if there was something obvious I was missing that would save my time. I really don't know what I'm doing when it comes to this. I also didn't really find any information, so now I was trying to figure out what I should be looking for to figure things out myself. If no huge objections come up (none have so far), I'll be glad to give it a shot and see if I can make it work and report back. I've just never replaced a front rim with anything other than a stock front rim, so it's all new territory.

Pat: That's a great idea. I'll stop by there.

Thanks for the helpful responses.

[movenon]

I am pondering what changes to do to my 1990 front end also. It will not happen till next fall/winter but after a lot of reading I have to agree with David's statement:
  "If I had to chose only one mod, it would be the 17 inch front wheel change.  I'd ammend that now and include using appropriate straight rate springs and RPM valves. "
My front wheel is already 17" but 3" wide I might consider a 3.5 wide wheel but for sure the springs and valves.
You can't do much to an FJ that hasn't been done by someone else. There advice is priceless. 
George

[fintip]

Well, after a day on the R6 forums, I have zero responses.

I found the parts diagram for the R6 front wheel, with no measurement numbers. http://www.yamaha-motor.com/partviewer/default.aspx?ls=sport#/Yamaha/YZFR6_-_YZFR6PC_-_2002/FRONT_WHEEL/YZFR6PC_(2002_MOTORCYCLE)/FRONT_WHEEL_(YZFR6PC_-_2002)

Looks like there's no provision for speedo drive. Expected.

I think I'm just going to go out with a tape measure this weekend and see if I can't find some stupid obvious reason it won't work. Then I'm going to see what happens when I try attaching it. I don't expect it to work, since I don't know what I'm doing and can't seem to find much advice on how to go about this process. But whatever, I'll have some information to report, will help the next guy.

[yamaha fj rider]

How about selling the R6 front wheel and buying the correct one. Problem solved.

Kurt

[fintip]

I suppose. That was the original plan. I'm kind of curious, but if I'm feeling lazy I'll go that route.

[93fj1200]

Well, after a day on the R6 forums, I have zero responses.I found the parts diagram for the R6 front wheel, with no measurement numbers. http://www.yamaha-motor.com/partviewer/default.aspx?ls=sport#/Yamaha/YZFR6_-_YZFR6PC_-_2002/FRONT_WHEEL/YZFR6PC_(2002_MOTORCYCLE)/FRONT_WHEEL_(YZFR6PC_-_2002)Looks like there's no provision for speedo drive. Expected. I think I'm just going to go out with a tape measure this weekend and see if I can't find some stupid obvious reason it won't work. Then I'm going to see what happens when I try attaching it. I don't expect it to work, since I don't know what I'm doing and can't seem to find much advice on how to go about this process. But whatever, I'll have some information to report, will help the next guy.

I had the same non-response whenever I use other Forums to try and learn something new.  I just put it up to it not being as good a Forum as ours here.  I have been on GSX-R Forums, Kawasaki, Gixxer and a few others and never received a response from any of them except from some smartass know-it-all who knew nothing.  Made me appreciate the comaderie and support we give and get here all the more.  When I talk to other bikers, they really don´t get moditis, maybe they do not think it is worth the time or effort to make something so good even better.

[bcguide]

check out custom fighters for fork swap info heres a link  http://www.customfighters.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=326
The 1989 -90 fzr has 43mm front forks see if the center to center distance is the same as the r6 then check fj fork swaps