Front fork swap with a more modern bike

[Pat Kelly]

Get the front end with too little trail and rake and the bike will be too twitchy to ride. Front-end wobble could be terrible.
I notice a difference on my E just from sliding the fork legs up in the TT (can only go about an inch).

[50gary]

pggg, I would like to post a photo of the brake set up if I only knew how to post pictures on this board?
Hobby man, ha, I call my garage "the motorcycle room" I was reading at a Japanese bike site once and that's what they called their shop, so I thought that's pretty neat?
Going to bead blast the parts today and install, and bleed the rear caliper. Nearly there.
Cheers, 50gary

[pggg]

Hey gar, if you do get some pics sometime, email them to patrickk@slingshot.co.nz I'll stick them on the page, meanwhile I'm about to swap my XS 19" front wheel to an XJ900 18" wheel, because I'm using the thicker XS axle in the XJ wheel, that long XS spacer needs a 3.5mm shim added to match the XJ's spacer length, and the thin collar needs trimming, also the smaller spacer needs skimming down on a lathe to 22mm O.D. to fit the XJ oil seal.

[pggg]

[50gary]

Excellent, that 18" will help the cause a lot. Did you weigh it yet? I try to weigh everything I can, my 19" front weighs 39.5# with rotors. The SV dual piston caliper and bracket weigh 3# less than the XS11 original. To some that may not sound like much but the XS is sinple piston and it's all unsprung weight! As I memtioned before the new set-up is below the axle too. The most challanging part was welding the anchor tab on the underside while the swingarm was still on the bike. Looks like you're well on your way.
Cheers, 50gary

[pggg]

On bathroom scales weighed without axle, bolts etc...

XS rim/tyre/rotors 35.05 lbs
XJ9 rim/tyre/rotors 28.6 lbs

[pggg]

Here's the XJ9 18" wheel tweaked and fitted to the XS forks, axle and spacers, didn't need to reshape the XS outer spacer as I found an oil seal compatible to both XJ wheel and XS spacer. Now, the XS calipers only clamp 2/3rds of the slightly smaller XJ9 discs, (they still work tho) but a set of modern 4 pot calipers, R1 or similar, is the next step

Here's auxtians R1 caliper setup, he had custom brackets rigged to nicely fit the XS forks.

[50gary]

Great looking wheel, lighter, smaller and more tire choices. The R1 calipers will make a super package, I see you've already installed S/S lines. Keep up the good work. I'll try email my rear brake set-up.
Cheers, 50gary

[xschop]

more front end choices

Ran across more info. A complete front end to a 92 gsxr750 would bolt right onto the xs11 frame with a modified top bearing. Those are some beefy forks with a factory fork brace....JAT...chop

[50gary]

BTW, I checked the weight of my R1 wheel/tire/rotors combo and it's 25.25# that's 14.25# (6.47k) less than the 39.5# XS11. That equates to tonnes of weight at speed.
Cheers, 50gary

[xschop]

good to know

Wonder what the diff is from the Busa front change?

[xschop]

weight reduction

after getting the Front tire put on, I weighed the wheel/tire/ rotor from the 'busa.....26 lbs compared to almost 40 lbs xs11 setup....

[AlanB]

Hi Guys,

I have put this link up before, so I won't make a big deal of it. I did the conversion about 10 years ago, and have no regrets. Springs are stock, oil is heavier, wheel in the pics is an 18"
http://www.benefiscal.co.uk/forum/in...sg6139#msg6139

Feel free to ask questions!

AlanB

[pggg]

Here's where I'm at for brakes on XS11 forks, 90's GSXR/blade nissins & GSXR750 cylinder/lever, carving adapter brackets from one-piece chunks of alloy, using chizel, saw, file, sandpaper. Ain't throwing wads of cash at machinists thank you, I can get them exact, even make em' look pretty, just takes time, XS11 calipers only cover 3/4's of my XJ9 discs, if that, but still strong with steel hoses, the gixxer setup should give some bite

[Yamaniac]

Here are some bikes with same size forks as XS. Length and axles size not known.

37 Honda CR-80R (96-98)
37 Honda CR-80R (99-02)
37 Honda CR-85R (03-04)
37 Honda CR-125R "Elsinore" (79)
37 Honda CR-125R "Elsinore" (79)
37 Honda CR-125R "Elsinore" (80)
37 Honda CR-125R "Elsinore" (80)
37 Honda CR-250R "Elsinore" (78-80)
37 Honda CR-250R "Elsinore" (78-80)
37 Honda NX-250 (88-90)
37 Honda XR-250R (81-82)
37 Honda CMX-450C (86-87)
37 Honda CX-500TC (82)
37 Honda FT-500 "Ascot" (82-83)
37 Honda VF-500C "Magna" (84-85)
37 Honda VT-500C "Shadow" (83-84)
37 Honda VT-500C "Shadow" (85-86)
37 Honda XL-500R (82)
37 Honda CB-550SC (83)
37 Honda CBR-600F "Hurricane" (87-90)
37 Honda CB-650SC "Nighthawk 650" (82)
37 Honda CX-650T "Turbo" (83)
37 Honda VF-700C "Magna" (84)
37 Honda VFR-700F "Interceptor" (86)
37 Honda CB-750F (81-82)
37 Honda VF-750C "V45 Magna" (82-83)
37 Honda VF-750S "Sabre" (82-83)
37 Honda VFR-750F "Interceptor 750" (86)
37 Honda CB-900C "Custom" (80-82)
37 Honda GL-1000/K "Goldwing" (75-79)
37 Honda GL-1000/K "Goldwing" (75-79)
37 Kawasaki EX-500D1-D11 "Ninja 500R" (94-04)
37 Kawasaki ZL-600A1/A2 (86-87)
37 Kawasaki ZX-600A1-A3 "Ninja" (85-87)
37 Kawasaki ZX-750A1-A3 "GPz" (83-85)
37 Kawasaki ZX-750E1/E2 "Turbo" (84-85)
37 Kawasaki ZX-1100A1 "GPz" (83)
37 Kawasaki ZX-1100A2 "GPz" (84)
37 Suzuki RM-85 K2-K4 (02-04)
37 Suzuki XN-85 D "Turbo" (83)
37 Suzuki GS-500 EK/EL/EM/EN/EP/ER/ES/ET (89-96)
37 Suzuki GS-500 EV/EW/EX/EY (97-00)
37 Suzuki GS-550 LD/LF (83, 85)
37 Suzuki GS-550 ED/ESD/ES3/ ESE/ EF/ESF/ESG (83-86)
37 Suzuki GS-650 MD "Katana" (83)
37 Suzuki GS-700 EF/ESF (85)
37 Suzuki VS-700 GLFG/GLEFG/ GLFH/GLEFH "Intruder" (85-87)
37 Suzuki VS-700 GLPG/GLEPG/ GLPH/GLEPH "Intruder" (85-87)
37 Suzuki GS-750 ED/ESD (83)
37 Suzuki GS-750 LN (79)
37 Suzuki GS-750 SD "Katana" (83)
37 Suzuki GS-850 GN/GT/GX/GZ (79-82)
37 Suzuki GS-850 GD (83)
37 Suzuki GS-1000 C/EC/N/EN/ET (78-80)
37 Suzuki GS-1000GT/GLT/GX/GLX (80-81)
37 Suzuki GS-1100 ET/EX/EZ (80-82)
37 Suzuki GS-1100 ED/ESD (83)
37 Suzuki GS-1100 GZ/GLZ (82)
37 Suzuki GS-1100 LT (80)
37 Suzuki GS-1150 ES3/ESE/EF/ESF/EF2/EG/ESG (83-86)
37 Yamaha XJ-650 LK "Seca Turbo" (83)
37 Yamaha XJ-900 RK "Seca" (83)
37 Yamaha XV-920 RH/RJ "Virago" (81-82)
37 Yamaha XJ-1100 J "Maxim" (82)
37 Yamaha XS-1100 E/F/G/H (78-81)
37 Yamaha XS-1100 LG/LH (80-81)
37 Yamaha XS-1100 LG/LH "Midnight Special" (80-81)
37 Yamaha XS-1100 SF (79)
37 Yamaha XS-1100 SF (79)