USD Fork Conversion - Keep ABS?

I've been doing some research into a front fork conversion (yes, I've read most of the threads already) for my '06 VFR ABS and am trying to stay within the Honda parts family as I get a very nice discount on their parts.

So far, I haven't seen anyone that's tried to keep ABS while swapping the forks.  Has anyone looked deeply into this? I think the original ABS ring could be mounted fairly easily on a new wheel and same for the sensor on a new fork (I'd plan to CNC a custom bracket/adapters for both of these).

Does anyone know if the stock VFR ABS calipers are physically different from the non-ABS calipers at all (besides the color)? I'm leaning towards an RC51 fork w/ custom radial adapters to run the 600/1000RR Tokico calipers, I'd think you could just use standard calipers and retain ABS as long as they're plumbed into the ABS pump like normal, right? Regarding the linked brakes, losing those doesn't really bother me so much, so I'm just assuming I'd delink them.

Any thoughts?

Should be doable.

Keep us posted w/pics!!!

Guess there's a bunch of research to be done. It would be even easier if you could just swap the forks and keep the VFR wheel. You didn't mention what wheel you were going to put on there. I don't think the VFR rotors swap over to many other bikes though.

Why bother with the adaptors to make conventional brakes have radial mountings? Why not save the headache and just use what calipers come with the forks?

Yeah, I'm not certain on which wheel yet...I believe everyone else just uses RC51 wheel/rotors/calipers. I agree that it'd be nice to use the VFR wheel, might just need to sort out the rotors then to make it work with the RC51 forks/calipers?

As for the radial adapters, the 600/1000RR calipers are much bigger and I like the project aspect of it so that's my main motivation. We'll see though, that might be a "phase 2" of sorts?

But will the rotors still fit the calipers once you have your adaptor? That would be my first concern. They are 320mm. Think the VFRs are 296mm.

[image: View Post]YoshiHNS, on 01 June 2012 - 12:28 PM, said:

But will the rotors still fit the calipers once you have your adaptor? That would be my first concern. They are 320mm. Think the VFRs are 296mm.

He doesn't need to use VFR rotors, just be able to mount the Pulse Ring on whatever rotors he uses!
I don't think the calipers play a role in the ABS system, but not sure on that.


I think that starting with a ABS bike is the biggest key, everything else should be very doable!

BR

[image: View Post]Baileyrock, on 01 June 2012 - 02:02 PM, said:

He doesn't need to use VFR rotors, just be able to mount the Pulse Ring on whatever rotors he uses!
I don't think the calipers play a role in the ABS system, but not sure on that.


That was more along the lines if he used the VFR wheel on the RC51 forks. But not sure if the wheel IDs are the same. If they swap over, then your only worry is making sure your calipers match the rotors.


Think the axles are different sizes anyways, so it wouldn't work.

More than likely whatever front end he is using has calipers spaced for rotors bigger than the VFR ones anyway. Probably not worth relocating the calipers too, just to accomodate older braking components.

I don't think the calipers matter for the ABS system either. I mean, I'm not intimate with the VFR ABS system, but if its anything like their cars, you can run whatever rotor/caliper combo you want so long as you have the slotted wheel and sensor hooked up. I would want to take full advantage of the upgrade over the VFR stuff and use what are most likely bigger, better rotors.

I don't know anything about ABS systems, but it would not surprise me to learn that they were carefully calibrated to work with (and only with) the OEM calipers and rotors.  Sure, if you swap everything so that the hydraulics function, the system might work just fine.  Or it might be the same as having no ABS at all.  Hey, its only your front brakes--what could possibly go wrong?

If it were my life on the line, I'd definitely do more research... :sad:

Ciao,

[image: View Post]NakedViffer, on 01 June 2012 - 03:52 PM, said:

More than likely whatever front end he is using has calipers spaced for rotors bigger than the VFR ones anyway. Probably not worth relocating the calipers too, just to accomodate older braking components.

I don't think the calipers matter for the ABS system either. I mean, I'm not intimate with the VFR ABS system, but if its anything like their cars, you can run whatever rotor/caliper combo you want so long as you have the slotted wheel and sensor hooked up. I would want to take full advantage of the upgrade over the VFR stuff and use what are most likely bigger, better rotors.

That's what I was thinking in regards to the ABS and calipers...people throw big brake kits on cars w/ ABS all the time so I'd think the same theory applies to bikes.

I'm thinking it'll be easiest to use an entire RC51 front end (wheel/rotors/fender/forks) and then design some exclusive adapters to convert to radial calipers. I can make the adapters whatever size I need them to be to fit the larger RC51 rotor and I can also incorporate a mounting feature for the VFR wheel speed sensor. Lastly, I'll need some small flange adapter to bolt the VFR wheel speed slotted ring to the RC51 rotor.

I'm a design engineer for an automotive OEM by day so all of this CAD work is fun stuff for me...