Simple old school + new school, call it pre skool

[posplayr]

I appreciate your concern, the relief is only a 16th or so less than the ID of the race, just enough to give purchase to a punch. It is what the maker of the adapter bearing recommends and is apparently what is factory on the SV headstock, which is the larger market for these GSXR swap bearings.

I have removed races with heat and cold before as well. To tell the truth, I don't think I am going to put the kind of miles on this that will ever require changing this, who knows?

Cheers, Erick

Oh i see; it is just a short groove, not completely under the race. I guess that works.

[posplayr]

I used to have the source bookmarked but can't find it anymore. Do you have a link?

Billy,

It's in his Siggy

Erick ,
Hope you get that swinger sorted. I'm clueless but it does look awesome.
Jim

[80GS1000]

Well, 80GS1000, it seems from my searches that raising links and lowering links seem to be a common mod, some for looks, some for retrofits (seems GSXR shocks into SV650s seem popular and usually requires a set of 1/2 to 1 inch shorter raising links to raise the rear to accommodate the shorter shock) and some to vary the steering angle to suite their riding style. I am definitly trying to keep the geometry as close to as Suzuki intended.

Speaking of steering head angle, I seem to remember in your build you determined a value. What made you choose that particular value, and now that you have put some miles on it, do you still feel you made the right choice? I don't really see track days in my future, but I do go out of my way to find the twisty routes. I would like to end up with something quick, but not so twitchy I fear releasing a grip to raise my visor.

How does one account for sag without loading a comparable set of weights on the seat area? Is it just trial and error, tack it it up and then sit on it?

Cheers, Erick

Ah, gotcha, you're planning on using aftermarket linkages to make it work. A 2005/2006 swingarm/linkage may be cheaper/easier - they seem to go for $40-60 on eBay all the time. The fabrication required seems a bit simpler.

I found that 24.5 degrees rake at the headstock gave me a quick steering bike that rails through corners without being nervous. This also allowed for a good trail number of ~4" while allowing the linkage and shock angles to be at the stock angles.

Are you planning on bracing your frame?

I used to have the source bookmarked but can't find it anymore. Do you have a link?

http://www.twfracing.com/zparts.html

[salty_monk]

There's a good free digital angle measuring app on I phone if you have one...

Dan

[TheCafeKid]

There's a good free digital angle measuring app on I phone if you have one...

Dan

No kidding? Off to find that one.... Thanks! You're a fount of info tonight Dan! Lol

[Zweihammer]

80GS1000, I am trying to find K7 or K8 GSXRs to photo, but to tell you the truth, I need to study them more to tell them apart, they all look the same to me. The few I have walked up to have been older and of no help.

I am probably going to end up using the stock linkage, it is quite a bit shorter than the links on the arm I have slotted in there right now. I made a quick template to check my options ad it looks like it will work with the link positioned on the top of the former center stand spreader. My quandry is wither it is going to be easier to mod the existing spreader (removing the center stand bits and adding my tabs) or replace it with something I fabricate. I am glad the link is in tension, but my planned mounting tabs position will put that tube in torsion and I am uncertain of it's wall thickness as well as I am generally unimpressed with the weld quality of this frame.

The K7/K8 swinger set has been done by at least one other member on the board here, and through a snafu with the company I got them from I ended up with two for the price of one and they told me to keep it. I think it won't be too bad over the K5/K6, just a different approach. I will definitely document the fabrication for anyone who may be interested. One other difference with this swinger, it appears the shock will be much more vertical than the others, away from the center down tubes. This will be a more challenging mount than the earlier swingers that place the clevis closer to the frame, I plan to trellis a heavy wall tube vertically to the existing frame to utilize the stock upper shock clevis mount.

I will definitely be bracing the frame, especially in the area under the rear of the tank as that is where I predict a majority of the new forces will be directed. Those of you who have braced your frame, did you ride your bike before to see if you notice a tangible difference?

Thanks for the feedback everybody. This week doesn't look like I will have much opportunity to get into the shop. I will try to make time.

Cheers, Erick

[Zweihammer]

Hello Everyone!

I was able to make a couple hours to get into the shop tonight. I had been waiting on a machinist friend of mine to make up my top hat spacers for my GSXR swinger with the GS pivot shaft. I have an old 10x24 Jet lathe, but it is very worn and I don’t use it if I need anything accurate. My friend hadn’t even gotten the dimensions from me yet, so I wasn’t sure how long I would have to wait.

Last weekend I was looking at the stock GSXR pivot shaft and noticed it was hollow as well as had an ID close to the dimension of the GS pivot. I thought, what did I have to loose? I wasn’t planning on using either the top hat bearing races or swing arm pivot. So I decided to try to make them up with what I had on hand.

First, I cut up the GSXR swinger pivot shaft on the bandsaw. I made them about 30mm longer than the top hats so they would center the inner spacer as well.




After cutting them up, I measured the ID at 15.65 mm and I just needed to take it out to slip over the 16.01 mm GS swinger pivot.




I had a 21/32” drill bit, a wee bit larger than I was looking for, but once this is bolted up tight, a few extra thousandths radial won’t be much of a factor. So I put them in my lathe to drill them out, I suppose you could drill them out freehand if you had to. Hell, a brake hone would take them out (after an hour or so).




After I opened them up, I chamfered them for weld penetration and tried to sand off most of the plating on both parts.



On to Part Two! (due to the 4 image limit)

[Zweihammer]

Now, I TIG welded the top hats to the spacers on the flange side so that the stack up with the inner spacer and the roller bearings would not be changed from stock GSXR dimensions.



Put them back into the lathe to face off the weld, as well run the drill through again to open up the end shrunk by the weld heat.




Here is how they look, bushed down to 16mm next to an original 22mm. Actually pretty simple if you have the tools. I would expect anyone attempting to mono a GS would have, or have access to a welder. So here is another way to do it. I would have preferred to make to some out of 400 series stainless not to have to worry about corrosion, but I think greasing the crap out of everything at assembly will be fine.




I don’t know if I will get another night in the shop before this weekend, but my next project will be the lower link.

Cheers, Erick

[Zweihammer]

Hi All!

Made some more progress this past weekend. I received a new GS lower steering stem bearing and seal for GSXR triples. Tried to get the old ball bearing race off with heat, no luck. Ended up grinding it down on one side, then flipped it over to help drive on the new bearing.

Then I put in my newly bushed swing arm bearing races. Spent a couple more hours grinding down more bits and I am still not done! Some are going to have to wait till I tear it all down for paint. The swing arm bosses in the frame needed to be ground down equal to the flange of the top hat bearing races. Took a bit off and checked fit a few times until it slid in snug. As you can see it is close to the cases, probably would fit without any changes but I sanded off the bosses at the case split anyway.







I put the original seat back on and using only the finest in hardwood strut technology coupled with a zip tie shock mount, I determined a comfortable seat height. I haven’t checked the steering angle yet, but it seems comparable to what others have done. It also allowed me to see that with a stock lower link I will be able to mount it to the top of the old center stand spreader, I will only have about a mm clearance, but it looks about perfect from what I can tell.




I now have a roller again, so I pushed her outside to sweep out the shop and snap a few. I wish I had mad photochop skillz like everyone under 20 seems to, so I can shop in a seat and side rails, but I am old. My plan still is for a blue, white and black scheme as of now, but the red tank and rear wheel are starting to grow on me. The stock seat even without a tail looks like a diving board to me.




on to part 2..

[Zweihammer]

Continued..





I have raised the tail on my mock up to place the lower edge even with and parallel to the frame. It might end up easier for me to make a new tail section incorporating the seat base, battery and electrics tray and side rails up to the tank out of aluminum. I will still keep the tail light and profile as it is now. I really like it.










I will begin bracing the frame and building the connecting link and shock mounts next.

Perhaps this is too amateur compared to some of the nicer high end builds, but it seems achievable for most. I hope this will be of use to someone, as others were for me.

Cheers, Erick

[jwhelan65]

Great job! seems like there are more and more oldskool builds showing up here, very cool..

[posplayr]

Continued..

Perhaps this is too amateur compared to some of the nicer high end builds, but it seems achievable for most. I hope this will be of use to someone, as others were for me.

Cheers, Erick

I dont think doing a mono shock conversion is "amateur" unless perhaps you travel in circles with only expert machinist type maybe.

Keep it up. Nice work on the top hat spacers. Cant even tell they were welded.

[Charlie G]

Zweihammer,

Your build is really interesting to me. I like that tail cowl. I'll be watching. Thanks.

Charlie G.

[Mindless]

Been following your progress here and on OSS. Looks really neat I think.

The forks are sexy, almost wish I had a those instead of my Hayabusa forks.

[Zweihammer]

Thanks for the encouragement; I don’t have anyone around me very interested in my particular build to bounce ideas off, outside of “wow, that looks neat, but why are you putting so much into that?” The guys I am around who ride fall mostly into two categories. The older guys, my age, typically on cruisers. Who can’t imagine not getting a Harley and hanging every chrome cover or dangling bit in the catalog off it. And it must be bolt-on, no fab involved.

To them, I am wasting my time.

And the young guys on stock sports bikes, outside of a slip on and a fender eliminator. Who are encouraging, if only for the opportunity to “school me” when I am done. I tell them I am way past feeling a need to prove myself to strangers or taking stupid risks. I have a wife, a child and a mortgage. Six months ago, one of the young married guys in the shop was killed in a spectacularly horrific way racing two other guys from the shop at night. They both believe it was his fault for trying to keep up with their superior skills. One of these two dropped his girlfriend off the back of his ’08 GSXR 1000 pulling a wheelie on a highway last year. She was in surgery for hours, the hospital for days. He insists it was her fault for not paying attention and holding on, so he dumped her. Jackass.

To them, I am wasting my time.

So I do this just for myself, which is fine. It makes me happy. I just wondered if my build was a case of “we have seen this all before”. In which case, I would hold off posting until I am finished. Seems like we all like pics and details, so I will keep it up. Thanks again.

Cheers, Erick