upgrading my stock 83 gs750e rims to new wider rims

[83GS750efrankenstein]

i have a 1983 gs750e that is really nice looking but i think i am in need of a new set of wider rims. I have seen people on this site that have newer gsxr rims that are wider. I can't seem to find any information on this procedure, what parts are needed, where to get them, how much $ etc. any of this info will really help me out. The bikes i have seen have looked as if the have diffrent front forks, so i am assuming thas a givin but how was this done will only certain forks work with my bike? There is a picture of it in the "pics of E's" in appereance section post on page 12.

[kingofvenus]

I've answered numerous posts on this subject, do a search of my posts. Mine has '89 to '97 600 Katana (gsx600) forks and wheels. The only drawback to it is the rear wheel is only 3.5 in. (150 max on tire width) Later kats are wider and will also work. Billy Ricks has GSXR pieces on his utterly fantastic 700. Either way is a great and easy swap that is worth every penny. Radial tires rock.

[Billy Ricks]

The best way to get a 3.5" wheel up front is to swap the entire front end. '88 and up fronts are what you want. You run into bearing size problems and caliper clearance issues if you try to use the GSXR wheel in the GS fork. I was running an '88 GSXR750 front end but in the last few weeks as time has allowed I switched to a '95 GSXR750 fork in Honda CBR954RR triples. I still have guages and headlight mounting to finish up so no new pics yet. The 954 triples worked fine and the top triple is stepped down to give a little extra clearance. I had to grind the inside of the upper bearing to fit the 954 triple.

On the rear I used a '90 4.5" GSXR wheel. You have to knock out the GSXR bearings and use the stock GS size bearings. Use the GS bearing supports and spacers. The bearing support inside the wheel hub has to be lengthened to match the length of the Gixxer piece to keep the bearings from binding. I just used a piece of a hydraulic jack handle epoxied to the GS support. Use GSXR rotor and caliper mounted to a Kat 600 caliper hanger. I used to squeeze the wheel into the swingarm by prying the rear of the swingarm apart. Later I used a hydraulic jack to spead the swingarm enough so it gave more clearance to slide the wheel in. The front sprocket has to be shimmed to get the chain aligned. With the 4.5" wheel you can run a 160 width tire. The wheels you see on my bike took about 60 hours to polish.

[Cassius086]

'88 gsxr front end on mine. Front and rear rims are '87.
Mods neccessary:

1.) Mill down sprocket carrier 1/2", add 1/8" spacer behind front sprocket to get the sprockets lined up. You'll have to measure the width of your stock rim in the center with the sprocket carrier installed, and the width of the rim you want to use (again, with sprocket carrier installed) to determine the amount of offset you'll need). I used my stock swing arm, gsxr rear axle and spacers. Since the gsxr axle is a bit longer than the stock GS axle, I did have to use a couple 1/8" washers between the chain adjuster and the axle nut.

2.) Had to make adapters to get my stock ignition and gauges to mount up. Had to grind down the tab on the front of the steering head about 1/4" so I could use my stock igniton. They are decent, but want to refine them a bit more, perhaps make one solid piece....

3.) I installed Racetech 1.0 kg springs and cartridge emulators in the frond end. WOW. Completely different bike. Handles so much better now, and dual4 piston calipers up front....stopping power!!

4.) Had to weld a mounting tab for the brake arm; gsxr caliper hangs upside down, so I had to make a brake arm mount for the bottom of the swingarm. Used my stock GS brake arm. Welded the new tab in the same spot as the stock tab (but on the under-side), and made sure it was welded at the same angle as the stock tab.

[Billy Ricks]

You'll need to bend the brake torque arm to clear the tire if you go with a 160 on a 4.5" wheel.

[Cassius086]

My rear rim is a 4.0" so I did not have to that, but it is kinda close to the edge of the tire......

[83GS750efrankenstein]

Thank you all for the great advice.

I think my options that i will be deciding on shortly, will be a set of rims from a 89-95 gsxr750 3.5 17" front and 5.5" 17" rear, i know i will need a new swingarm for a 5.5" so i was told from 01-04 1200 bandit swingarms are the best to use but they are a pretty penny and hard to find, or i was looking at a 95 gsxr750 complete swingarm for dirt cheap i was told these are not as easy and can run into issues with the peg stays and bosses on the frame( they need to be ground off), which i don't even know what these are. I will use armless brake hanger from a gsxr 750 89-95(that eliminates the brake arm clearenece issue). As for the frontend i have found a set of 95 gsxr750 inverted forks that i am going to get(sticking with stock 89-95 gsxr tripples). the only thing i am not sure of is what brake calipers to use in the front. Can i use 1100 brake calipers on 750 forks?(from 89-95)... All of you have been a great help thank you.

[Cassius086]

I THINK that your stock swing arm will accomodate a 5.5" rim & 180 series tire. I may well be mistaken. My stock 82 1100EZ swing arm will hold a 5.5" rim, I am told.

[83GS750efrankenstein]

swingarm selection

I was told that the sqaure frames rear swing arm will not as your 82. Trying to get a 5.5" gsxr rim from 89-95 on my 83 gs750e. i have a 95 gsxr750 rear swing arm, and a 92 katana 1100 swingarm setup to choose from, any idea on which is the better one the 95 seem to have extra support on the top.