So, I finally got a number of parts in! I bought a '99 VFR frame to work on some of the mods without totally disassembling the bike, and I just got my 2009 Kawasaki ZX-10R forks, which are 765mm (longer than the previous generation AND longer than RC51 forks!) so I've been looking at the parts all day, and doing some reading on other fork swaps, and I have a few questions that I was hoping some people could answer.
A lot of people use 929/954 tripples, but I've read that RC51 tripples would work too, so why are the 929 tripples more popular? and what is the difference between the SP1 and SP2 tripples if I chose to take the RC51 route?
Awesome! thanks for the info Veefer! So if I am planning on mounting clip-ons under the top tripple, than I can use the RC51 SP1 upper and lower tripples, and use new but stock VFR bearings?
Here's an idea for ya:
VFR1200 stock clip ons above 929/954 upper triple. The 1200 clip ons are slightly taller than stock '99, but the gullwing upper nets a slightly lower position.
Or, if you're after a taller hand position, go with the flat SP1 upper with 1200 clip ons over it.
[image: View Post]KPerham, on 29 April 2012 - 08:15 PM, said:
Or, if you're after a taller hand position, go with the flat SP1 upper with 1200 clip ons over it.
The forks are short, compared to VFR items, and using a flat triple with clipons above would put the forks slid up so far the front tire would be banging off the cylinder head, and the fairing would be very low. The entire front of the bike would be a lorider.
Clipons above = gullwing triple necessary. IIRC, it's about 19mm for the gullwing on the CBR upper triple, which is 3/4 of an inch.
Important when the forks are already very short as is.
[image: View Post]Veefer800Canuck, on 29 April 2012 - 11:12 PM, said:
[image: View Post]KPerham, on 29 April 2012 - 08:15 PM, said:
Or, if you're after a taller hand position, go with the flat SP1 upper with 1200 clip ons over it.
The forks are short, compared to VFR items, and using a flat triple with clipons above would put the forks slid up so far the front tire would be banging off the cylinder head, and the fairing would be very low. The entire front of the bike would be a lorider.
Clipons above = gullwing triple necessary. IIRC, it's about 19mm for the gullwing on the CBR upper triple, which is 3/4 of an inch.
Important when the forks are already very short as is.
Well, he said they were longer than RC51 forks, and mine is set up with RC51 forks and my clip ons are above the triple. Sure it's a 954, but my front is pretty low and I still have plenty of room above the clip on clamps to use the SP1 triple if I wanted.
The only negative to it is that the tires both touch the ground on the center stand. (5mm shim above the shock, also)
Just a curiousity and for clarification - How is the fork length measured? Centerline of axle to top cap - in a vertical position or laying horizontal on a bench or v- blocks? -Or alternate?
-- Is it with a CMM or steel rule or tape measure?
thxz
[image: View Post]Veefer800Canuck, on 29 April 2012 - 02:36 PM, said:
Yes, if you want undermounted clipons, the RC51 flat top triple clamp is probably your best bet.
The RC51 SP1 lower bearing is needed (different I.D. than VFR), but the VFR and RC51 SP1 upper bearings are identical.
Veefer,
thanks again for the info, I'd really like to use the SP1 set up, but I've been having a very hard time finding the SP1 triple, I even contacted ben at RC51parts.com! ebay has nothing, and suncoastcyclesports doesn't have anything. Any other suggestions??
right after I wrote that I thought about buying new OEM Parts, so got on PowersportsPlus.com, found SP1 lowers, and if I purchase everything on this page (http://www.powerspor...arts.html#uloc7)
it adds up to about $350, which for new parts isn't bad! I see a lower bearing and an upper bearing, think it would work??
[image: View Post]VietHorse, on 30 April 2012 - 11:35 AM, said:
Great looking upside down front forks.
Let' s see how you fit the break calipers and disks to the new front forks.
My hope is to use a lighter wheel from some other bike, probably not the ZX10R, something more similar to the VFR wheel, so it'll be lots of measuring and spacing things out properly, any advice/suggestions from anyone would be greatly appreciated though!
[image: View Post]mello dude, on 30 April 2012 - 05:50 PM, said:
Just a curiousity and for clarification - How is the fork length measured? Centerline of axle to top cap - in a vertical position or laying horizontal on a bench or v- blocks? -Or alternate?
-- Is it with a CMM or steel rule or tape measure?
thxz
I have never measured any of the forks, I am basing all of the numbers that I've used on this post and other posts on Ohlins fork lengths, the only fork length that I have in my fork spreadsheet that is based on someone's measurement is whoever helped me out in aother thread with the stock 5th Gen. VFR fork length, everything else is off the Ohlins catalog
Ordered SP1 parts about a week ago, apparently the steering stem is on back order, but it's hard to get mad at the company that got me OEM parts for about 40% off Bike Bandit's costs. Will update soon
End of thread · 16 posts recoveredWayback Machine snapshot 30 May 2012