gsxr forks for my 1150 efe

[Billy Ricks]

Gerry,
I just cut and spliced into the wires that connect to the stock plug for the guages. Your Gixxer tach should have a black/white ground. Hook it up to its own ground, otherwise the tach won't work right for some reason. Then you have a black/orange wire on the new tach. Hook that wire up to a constant switched power supply. Then you will have a black/red wire. That is the tach signal wire, hook it up to either one of the coil wires that is not common to both coils. You should have one of them connected to your existing guage plug, mine was black with a yellow tracer. The only other thing you will have is instrument lights which I'm sure you can figure out. If not let me know and I can tell you how. You will have other idiot lights if you got the entire guage set, bracket and all. You'll just have to look at your wiring diagram to figure out what to hook up where.

[Gerry]

Thanks Billy, that gives me some direction on this. Yes I got the whole set up and I should be able to wire every thing up.

Once again Thanks, Gerry

[Dink]

Gerry dont forget the photos. Lots and lots of photos.
Dink

[Gerry]

Gerry dont forget the photos. Lots and lots of photos.
Dink

Hey Dink,

Yep, taken some but they are the old style and have to finish the roll up. I will post them when I get them done.

Gerry

[Gerry]

The transplant of the 89 gsxr front end is now officially done. Only been out for two short rides but it feels great so far. The new riding position with the different bars is a great improvement. I have the Gsxr instrument cluster in place and everything is working great. Suzuki was nice enough to use the same color wiring on the ef as the gsxr, just three or four wires were different. I have a hole where the old cluster was but in the future I would like mount a fuel gauge and the gear indicator there. The bike isn't the best looking thing with a yellow rim, grey fender and blue body but hey it's almost ready to ride. Do a valve check and give it the once over. Install the bodywork and bring on the summer. Southwestern Ontario is still in the winter mode.

Just want to say thanks for all the help I received from this site and Billy Ricks. I will post some pictures when I finish the roll of film.

Gerry

[Billy Ricks]

Just want to say thanks for all the help I received from this site and Billy Ricks. I will post some pictures when I finish the roll of film.

Glad to help Gerry. If you go to the General Discussion area and click on the Texas Hill Country Ride thread there is a link to some photos of the ride on the first page of the thread. Focus frenzy was kind enough to get some pictures of my bike posted there, thanks Leon.

[Gerry]

Hey Billy your bike is way cool, love the rims and the shortened rear fender. Your bike has a real aggressive look to it. Great job!!!!

I think I've seen the front end somewhere before

You have to love that one of a kind look that you have there. Once again thanks for all your help in my upgrade. I might have to do the rear next year after seeing how great yours looks.

Gerry

[Billy Ricks]

I think I've seen the front end somewhere before

I wonder where that might be?

[Anonymous]

The transplant of the 89 gsxr front end is now officially done. Only been out for two short rides but it feels great so far. The new riding position with the different bars is a great improvement.

Gerry

*** I`m close to finishing my GSXR transplant too. It takes much longer than expected, because of small things ( like the same colour for both wheels, 530 chain conversion, retorque and changing of engine rubber mounting pieces, I also tried to contained an oil leak from my engine sprocket). Everything takes time and money ( unfortunatly).
But its really close now. Rear end is installed, looking really good - front end is installed too, but needs some finishing - front fender painting ( I found this ice blue color of our bikes in Canadian Tire, covered with clear coat looks pretty close to original ) putting the right bolts in caliper brackets, installing a handlebar. One thing I didnt figure yet is what cable I can use to connect GS speedometer to Katana front wheel, and what chainguard would fit my chain conversion.
I hope this transplant would work much better than stock suspension / tires aspecially with BT010 / 020 tires I will use on it.
After all is done and working I will try to post some pictures too.

I`d also like to thank Billy and everybody else, who took part in this very long upgrade story. Knowing of somebody who allready did this upgrade in his machine was a great thing and encouragement for both of us.
Once again THANK YOU BILLY.

Adam M.

[Billy Ricks]

Adam,

Use the Kat speedo cable. And trust me, you are not going to believe the difference in handling. Just last week I went on a ride with other forum regulars in the Hill Country outside San Antonio. I hadn't ridden those roads since the conversion. The difference was like night and day. Things that used to upset the stock suspension didn't faze the bike one bit now.

I know exactly what you mean about the details. Last fall I started polishing my wheels and spent close to 60 hours on that little project. The results were worth it though. Check my response to Gerry's post for the link to some photos of my bike. And congratulations for having the gumption to take on the project. It breaths a bit of new life into our old bikes.

[Gerry]

Hey Adam,

Glad to hear your almost done. The project you took on is a big one and like Billy said you won't believe the difference.

I agree with you that it's great when someone else does an upgrade and others can learn from it. Did I mention I was doing the rear next year .

You said that you did the rubber mounts on your motor. I assume that that was to get rid of the vibration that our bikes are known for. I read the post that Dink left about getting rid of the vibration and one things that was pointed out was the balancing of the carbs. I had two worn busings on my carbs and when they were replaced and the carbs balanced (not by me). Wow, next to no vibration. I was out last night for an hour and my hand was awake the hole ride and no sine of a nap in sight. This is rare for my bike. It could be the new front end or bars but I don't think so. Just thought I send this bit of information to you.

Good luck and hope your on two wheels soon, Gerry

[Anonymous]

[quote="Gerry"]Hey Adam,

Did I mention I was doing the rear next year .

*** I did it ( front and rear) together - coudn`t stand a look of different wheels on my bike)) Rear was easyier than expected by using Katana 600 / 750 sprocket carrier with 4.5`` wheel. It`s much flatter then original, gave me enough space to work only with 2 new spacers.
I didnt have all the hassles with buying GSXR rear brake and widening a swingarm. Just shortened my original caliper carrier.

I had two worn busings on my carbs and when they were replaced and the carbs balanced (not by me). Wow, next to no vibration.

*** What bushings are you talking about?

Adam M.

[Gerry]

This is what the guy that built the motor said. He wasn't abel to balance two of the carbs because of the worn busings. I assume they are on the part that opens all the slides where you adjust to balance them. These are 38mm mikuni flat slides. Once the bushings were replaced he was abel to dial in the last two carbs. This is his story and I didn't question him because the bike is working great. He said the busings were next to nothing.

Are the Kat wheels three spoke? And did you have to make the two spacers or are they from the kat rim?

Gerry

[Dink]

Gerry I seem to recall you mentioning you had a custom made fox shock in the rear of your 1150? if I am remembering correctly can you give me somemore details please.
Dink

[Anonymous]

These are 38mm mikuni flat slides.

*** I forgot your carbs aren`t stock.

Are the Kat wheels three spoke? And did you have to make the two spacers or are they from the kat rim?

*** They look exactly like GSXR, but are slimmer front 3``, and rear 3.5``. From 1998 they are 3.5 and 4.5`` so are ideal for our application.
These new wheels have different spokes like newer GSXR.
I used some spacers from my bike and Kat rim and made them shorter.
The inner spacer between sprocket carrier and a wheel was original Kat spacer.
Adam M.