To Fork or not to Fork

[Sandy H]

i am in desperate need of forks for a 82 xj1100j maxim
does any one know where i can get them

[TopCatGr58]

Check out This Thread , it has the link to where you can get newly custom made forks!

Or....you can take a chance on Ebay!
T.C.

[threebanger]

How desperate?

[Brian_D]

rake change

hey TC, can't seem to find the thread(s) related to increasing the rake angle on the XS11 for those longer forks.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Brian,

There aren't any. It was just a statement about how the longer forks will definitely raise the bike considerably, and so a person may want to make that angle change, but adjusting the side and centerstand lengths are probably much easier. I remember someone posting a reply about how to do a rake increase adjustment with the engine still in the frame, but I don't know exactly who, I think it was to AudiJunky or one of his threads?

Thanks for Fred's teachings, longer forks would actually increase the trail due to tilting the frame neck up at the bottom, which would make the steering even heavier than stock! However, I did an accidental rake angle adjustment, but the other way, reducing the angle which has made my steering very nimble! I do like running the twisties!
T.C.

[Sandy H]

to fork or not to fork

i have found a place that that will take the pitting off.
and do a hard chrome since i can't find forks.
these are stock forks and are a 150 a pc
there are a lot od different opinions on this.
as long as they last for 5 to 10 yrs that;s great

[TopCatGr58]

Sandy,

The forks by Frank can be OEM length, OR Xtended! They run about $250.00 a PAIR, so would be cheaper than what you are talking about with yours. But it's your $$!
T.C.

[Dennyz]

The rake can be altered by using XS11 '78 -'81 Standard triple clamps with Special (or XJ) forks . It also works the other way if a person wanted to shorten up the rake, by installing Specal triple clamps with Standard forks.

Handle bar and instrument mounting would be a problem on a XJ.

I am not sure what the actual angle change would be. It would move the front wheel the distance between the center of the shock (Special) to the center of the axle bolt (~1.5").

I have concidered giving this a try on my Standard to quicken up the steering.

With all geomerty modification, be careful. Strange side effects can develop.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey DennyZ,

Fredintoon and I had this discussion a short while back, and he got me thinking correctly about this.

The Specials and Standards have the SAME RAKE, the angle is not changed between them. What is changed is the TRAIL, with the location of the leading axle vs. the bottom axle, and the closer position of the forks to the steering line with the Specials vs. Standard TT's.

Surprisingly, after diagraming it out, putting on the Special TT's on the Standard lengthens the trail actually increasing the stability as well as making is even more harder to turn.

But, yes, the Standard TT's on a Special frame does shorten the Trail making it easier to steer.

With my reduced rake angle, I had thought about doing the Standard TT to my Special when I was thinking that putting the forks farther away from the steering line would make it more stable, but turns out it would make it even more unstable than it already is!
T.C.

[Dennyz]

The stearing angle on the frame and the trail at the front axle is the same on both models. The Special has a leading axle, while the Standard has it's axle at the bottom of the shock. To maintain the same trail, the Special's tube are slanted back to place the axle in the same geometric location as the Standard. This slant is done at the triple clamps.

So, if Standard forks are put in Special triple clamps, the axle location will be moved aft by about 1.5". If Special forks are placed in Standard triple clamps, the axle location will be move forward by about 1.5".