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Message started by chuck on 06/10/07 at 08:44:40

Title: Front end swap?
Post by chuck on 06/10/07 at 08:44:40

Has anybody done, or does anybody have thoughts on swapping out the front end for something from another bike?

I can imagine stuffing, say, the 38mm fork tubes from a FZR 600 in the existing triple tree but I wonder if the fork tubes are far enough apart (or maybe too far!) to fit the FZR axle and the wheel and the dual disc brakes...

Alternatively I could replace the triple tree as well with something from another bike... then the tube diameter and axle length and all that wouldn't matter. I could even have upside-down forks, which I think would look cool, but I'd need to find a triple tree with a stem length and width --especially-- bearing diameter and angle that would be compatible with the LS650 neck tube.

I don't want to cut up my bike but I do want to make it more cafe-racer like. And I'd prefer to just bolt cheap stuff on that I buy on Ebay instead of custom machining parts.

Any ideas?

Chuck

Title: Re: Front end swap?
Post by LANCER on 06/10/07 at 12:46:35

I am putting a set of 40mm Ceriani forks with sportster aluminum wheels on the front.

Title: Re: Front end swap?
Post by babbalou on 06/10/07 at 15:07:46

That's something that I'd considered awhile back but decided not to. I wanted triple clamps with less offset that would also allow me to raise the forks some. Both changes would have sharpened the steering. Problem was, the forks would have hit the gas tank in turns, requiring me to move the tank back somehow & I ended up dropping the idea. It can be done though, somehow. I just didn't follow through.

Title: Re: Front end swap?
Post by LANCER on 06/10/07 at 16:05:10

My tank is being changed anyway so it is a none issue for me.
It took me a while to get the triple tree stem vs bearing thing worked out so everything would fit properly at the steering head ... not hard but just took time to search out the parts. I ended up finding a new tree stem that more closely matched the stock savage bearing set. There will still need to be a wee bit of machining on the stem for the perfect fit. I sure wish I had a mill/drill/lathe on the bench. It would save a lot of time.

Title: Re: Front end swap?
Post by Paladin on 06/10/07 at 19:40:27

Ducati forks:

http://www.savageriders.com/gallery/London.htm

You might look up the posts of LondonThing

Title: Re: Front end swap?
Post by PerrydaSavage on 06/11/07 at 00:41:25

Thought I read somewhere that the entire VZ800 Marauder front end will swap directly to the Savage ... there's a pic of an LS modded that way on here somewhere?

Title: Re: Front end swap?
Post by klx650sm2002 on 06/11/07 at 01:50:31

I'm using 39mm TZR250 forks with a single 320mm disc on SR.

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o147/klx650sm2002/320mmdisc.jpg

Clive W :D

Title: Re: Front end swap?
Post by chuck on 06/13/07 at 21:28:05

Excellent answers, and thanks for the pic! (How does it handle?) I also found a guide to fork tube diameters and steering stem bearing sizes at:

http://www.ozchopperriders.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=26&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=

I'm now scouring ebay for a suitable front end.

Title: Re: Front end swap?
Post by LANCER on 06/14/07 at 05:47:41

The pic that Clive put up with the front end was of his SR500 project bike.

Title: Re: Front end swap?
Post by klx650sm2002 on 06/14/07 at 08:06:26

The geometry is set to be 26degrees and 96mm front with a wheelbase of 1350mm. 120mm travel front and 110mm rear. Preload adjustable F&R and a bit of rideheight adjust on the pointy end. A long way to go.

Clive W :D