Twinpot Brake upgrade on 78 Skunk

[jabcb]

Need a bracket -- PM sent.

[salty_monk]

Back at ya

[salty_monk]

For anyone in the UK who wanted brackets I have some visitors coming in a week or so that could probably be persuaded to take a set back...

[storm 64]

For anyone in the UK who wanted brackets I have some visitors coming in a week or so that could probably be persuaded to take a set back...

Honest airport security man, it's not a Bump Stock. It's a Salty Monk Twin Piston Caliper Bracket! Sir, you're going to have to come with me... 😃

[salty_monk]

Haha - I had to do a prototype review with a customer in Vegas the day after all that stuff.... I took calipers, tape, locking pliers, cutters etc etc in a checked bag.
Surprisingly when I arrived there was a note from TSA saying that they opened it... odd that

For anyone in the UK who wanted brackets I have some visitors coming in a week or so that could probably be persuaded to take a set back...

[limeex2]

I need another set of brackets and spacers. Can you e-mail me? I dont check here every day. limeex2@gmail.com When looking for calipers, what models other than ZG1000's have the calipers we are looking for?

[mmattockx]

When looking for calipers, what models other than ZG1000's have the calipers we are looking for?

I got mine off a ZX600. If you look at EBC's brake pad catalog it will show you all the models/years that use a particular brake pad. That will give you a list of what used the same calipers.


Mark

[Chuck78]

Ninja ZX1000 or 1100, EX250, EX500. Suzuki GSX1100G around 1990, 1993? GS500 first 10-12 years. Several models beyond that. Not certain on years. The Kawasaki part numbers change a lot due to left vs right and three different colors of the same calipers offered on the Kawasaki models, so it is hard to cross reference fully

[Chuck78]

Actually, cross-referencing just the piston seals or the rubber boots on the end of the sliding pins/caliper pin bores would give you the absolute best cross reference amongst Kawasaki models. Those parts are all the same no matter what color caliper, no matter left or right.

[salty_monk]

I have some brackets on the shelf (powdercoated black as usual) for anyone looking for Christmas presents....

[GSXR7ED]

Nice upgrade...and riding pics look great!


Ed

[Chuck78]

The L models do but I'm fairly sure the GK models don't and I'm also fairly sure someone else here used them on a GK.

If they don't work out you can send them back to me if they are not damaged, just pay postage (and any Paypal fees).

One of my good buddies here just picked up several parts bikes and engines, he now has four sets of 41mm GK forks, 4 D-port 1100GK engines, and a 5th 1100G engine...
The GK forks are the widest triples on any GS at 204mm, but on the fork legs aka the sliders, the brake mounting bosses go inboard so much further than any other GS fork, 9.5 mm each side further in board I am assuming based on triple widths. So I would venture to say that the twinpot mod is likely to bolt up all the same as on the 37mm tube size 185mm width forks.

I like this twin pod mod so much on my bike that I have collected approximately 10 or 11 calipers like this off of eBay and more recently since my friends vintage Japanese salvage yard is going out of business, I bought them out of a lot.

If anyone is looking for some deals on calipers, call up Rice Paddy Motorcycles in Columbus Ohio, talk to Grant or Steve, tell them "I need dual disc left and right set of the calipers that your friend Suzuki GS Chuck runs, like the EX500 ninja has with the steel bracket."

They have one spot on the shelves in particular that has like 30 of these calipers, and they are trying to sell off everything dirt cheap now as developers have bought them out and they are closing their doors.

They cater to Kawasaki more than Honda, so they're limited stock on the rotors we need, I have bought most of. I think they have a few left though. The ones that need the bolt pattern redrilled to 78mm

[salty_monk]

Good tip thanks. I've bought parts from those guys via Ebay before without issue. It's a shame they're closing - tough times I guess.

[jabcb]

Good tip thanks. I've bought parts from those guys via Ebay before without issue. It's a shame they're closing - tough times I guess.

Sadly it looks like a lot of the small businesses that cater to our vintage bikes are aging out. The owners+employees are getting old and there is nobody interested in taking over.
The list includes Works Performance & Omar’s DTR. Forking by Frank was close, but the owner’s widow has kept it open. (A short list but its currently 4AM.)


Locally…
A small manufacturer had a sign in their front yard advertising for a CNC machinist for what seemed like forever.
Several car&bike shops can’t find mechanics, service writers, & …
I suspect one old/vintage bike shop will close next year because they are aging out & another shop will do the same in a few years.

[Chuck78]

Good tip thanks. I've bought parts from those guys via Ebay before without issue. It's a shame they're closing - tough times I guess.

Not really tough times, it's the opposite of that. Too good of times for the surrounding urban areas... it was a horrible neighborhood 20+ years ago when they bought the building. Times are a changin', now the adjacent neighborhood which used to be mostly boarded up houses is being bought up by developers, and the abandoned factory next door got bulldozed and they are now building $300,000 houses and condos there (my friend got one of the nicest houses in that neighborhood 8 years ago for $50,000, just sold it for around or over $200,000).

The nature of the business being so specialized and not taking any huge risks beyond the normal business risks had it always just breaking even. The area has changed drastically and the property became a hot topic for developers, who have been trying o push out the vintahe Japanese bike salvage business... I'm surprised the shop has stuck around the past few years even. My friends and I are very saddened by this huge loss to the community here. There was a motorcycle Co-op space, shared garage workshop space basically, and several other shop spaces that other bike builders rented out adjacent in the same complex of old warehouse/garage buildings.

What a shame. It will be very sorely missed. At least there is the internet! I just can no longer go and sift through rows of parts bikes or 20 ft tall industrial shelving filling up an entire warehouse full of awesome old parts...
There are other bike salvage businesses that cater towards our leanings, at least two others in Ohio that I know of, but they just aren't the same, and not nearly of the scale of cool stuff as Rice Paddy. Just bike dismantlers/Internet clerks.. There's not a community built around them, they are more just internet sales. Less overhead, easier to stay afloat, drastic amount more exposure.

Sign of the internet age. Sign of the times.