SuzukiSavage.com - Modern forks and big brakes

SpamyToo Full Member Offline Posts: 233	Modern forks and big brakes 01/27/20 at 16:15:36 Is there any interest in putting better forks and brakes on the LS650? Currently I am making kits to put Showa upside down forks with dual disk brembo brakes for some classic bikes. Any interest in using something like that on the Savage? If so Ill see what a kit for the bike would look like.
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Dennisgb Full Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 176 Maplewood MN Gender:	Re: Modern forks and big brakes Reply #1 - 01/27/20 at 16:55:03 Sounds cool but expensive.
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ohiomoto Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 2778	Re: Modern forks and big brakes Reply #2 - 01/27/20 at 19:15:12 Not much left of the original thread, but we've seen it done and it was cool! Maybe more people would do it if your kit were available??? http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1495634152/0
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SpamyToo

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Re: Modern forks and big brakes
Reply #3 - 01/27/20 at 20:07:47

It would be something similar to that, but with a spoke wheel up front for the main option.

Kit would probably be around $1k, maybe a bit less if your good at parts finding.

But that includes a bunch of stuff,
1. New custom top triple, spacers and misc hardware
2. Used forks
3. Used Brembo brake calipers, new disks
4. New wheel and stem bearings
5. Used donor hub
6. New spokes and rim
7. Used fender from donor bike

All the parts add up quick. Its easy to say that you can buy a fork set for $300 bucks, but in reality all the other stuff is hard to fit and adds up. A lot of trial and error without a kit.

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Gary_in_NJ

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Re: Modern forks and big brakes
Reply #4 - 01/28/20 at 06:55:22

What forks? Are we talking USD Cartridge forks? Off which donor bike?

After the "new" forks are resprung, revalved, new bushings and seals...it might add another $500.

The Brembo brake will need a new master. Will the new master fit 1-inch bars? The only bike that I can think of that would have a master with the proper reservoir would be a Harley...and Harley parts aren't known for their affordability.

This sounds like a rabbit hole to me.

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A life-time student of motorcycling.
LS650 Cafe, DRZ400SM, FZ6N, SV650S, CB900C, Ducati ST2, CB550F-SS
My LS650=> http://suzukisavage.com/yabb2.2/Attachments/Left.JPG

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Armen Serious Thumper Offline Half-Witted Wrench-Jockey from Jersey Posts: 1452	Re: Modern forks and big brakes Reply #5 - 01/28/20 at 07:03:16 Cognito Moto makes steering stems for all sorts of bikes to mount USD forks. They used to have a CB350 Honda on their site with such a set-up. Great comic appeal! I can imagine the frame on the piece of crap bending when you grab a fistful of brakes :-0
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Dave YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 18112 Camp Springs, Kentucky Gender:	Re: Modern forks and big brakes Reply #6 - 01/28/20 at 14:07:15 Seems to me that a 30 HP bike doesn't really need dual discs......and maybe forks from a similarly sized and powered bike might be more in line with the available performance. The Savage crowd really doesn't have deep pockets (in most cases).
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SpamyToo

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Re: Modern forks and big brakes
Reply #7 - 01/28/20 at 23:23:17

Yeah Dave I agree with your statements. I had only paid $800 for my savage to begin with.

But I think this is more of a customizing thing than a need. Hobbies are always a waste of money, right?

Shoot tons of people are changing out their entire electrical systems for hundreds of dollars for a Zero increase in performance and an item that you will never see on the bike normally. So you never know till you inquire.

Good points Gary. The donor forks have options. They are upside down Showa cartridge forks from Ducati's. Bike is close to LS650 in weight. Any one of them is going to be way better than the Savage forks.

The stock LS650 brake caliper is something like a single 43mm piston. So going to 4-30mm pistons is bound to have an affect. About twice the volume will be needed. It might pull in too far and need a bigger master cylinder piston. I think the stock is 13mm, which might actually be ok. Just have to try and see. Brake fluid volume shouldnt be an issue. You can get 1" bar 14mm master cylinders on Ebay pretty easy for less than $50.

Anyways Im already making kits for other bikes, so I might put something together for the Suk.

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Armen

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Re: Modern forks and big brakes
Reply #8 - 01/29/20 at 05:44:41

Hey Spammy,
Gung Ho on your efforts. Love to see progress.
I did the oversize rotor and R6 caliper on my Savage. re-valved, restrung, did the lower tree as top tree thing, and a fork brace. Not exactly cheap and fast to do all that. And I made a different axle with a different spacer set-up.
Point is, there are those of us willing to waste time and money for the fun of it.
Good on you!

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In theory, theory and reality are the same. In reality, they aren't...

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srinath Serious Thumper Offline I love YaBB 1G - SP1! Posts: 5349	Re: Modern forks and big brakes Reply #9 - 01/30/20 at 05:22:23 That s4r fork project - what was the tank he used, or how did he get the forks to not hit the tank - anyone know/remember cos all the tinypic's are well gonepics now. Cool. Srinath.
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