USD fork swap questions..

[JES_vfr]

I've been searching through the threads on usd forks for gs700's and have a couple of questions.
First, I see that Billy Ricks and a couple of others say to use the Honda cbr954 triples for the dropped top clamps, which makes sense.
Why not use the entire 954 front end?.
Is someone making those headlight brackets or are they off another bike?

And what about the 4.5" rear tire and swing arm that is on Billy's bike?

last question, does an instrument panel from another Suzuki bolt up or do I have to look at something aftermarket?
I remember seeing a really nice and compact set of instruments on a ducati forum, but can't remember their name right now.

[haztoys]

Stack instrument cluster ......?

Rocking peace of kit ... Have got to play with them in some of my racing work ...

[81GS750]

You probably could use a 954 front end, but GSXR forks seem to be a dime a dozen. I think someone here has done that swap. The swing arm most people use is from a Kat or GS1100. I used an instrument cluster from a 79 GS when I did my swap, just had to make some extensions to get everything to line up. A popular thing to do is use the gauges from a GSXR.

[JES_vfr]

Stack instrument cluster ......?
Rocking peace of kit ... Have got to play with them in some of my racing work ...

Actually I was thinking about a koso unit, one of the gauge units not the digital meters. I don't trust the lcd digital bar tachometers much, since my rc51's digital tach lags behind when I chop throttle.
Still, we will have to see how the original panel looks after a good cleaning, lens polishing and fitting with LED bulbs. If its too far gone, we are probably looking at either the gsxr gauges or this one:

You probably could use a 954 front end, but GSXR forks seem to be a dime a dozen. I think someone here has done that swap. The swing arm most people use is from a Kat or GS1100. I used an instrument cluster from a 79 GS when I did my swap, just had to make some extensions to get everything to line up. A popular thing to do is use the gauges from a GSXR.

Okay I guess I'll just have to keep my eyes peeled for a good kat swing arm (and I assume the kat rear wheel as well) and not wrecked gsxr forks (95% of the gsxr's in the local wreckers around here have totally trashed front ends).
I was just asking because I know where there are two complete cbr954 front ends, that I could get much easier and cheaper than a healthy gsxr forks.
For some reason around here all the crazy squids get gsxr's and crash them, but the smarter saner riders bought the cbr954's and they only end up at the wreckers after low sides or rear end collisions. I just saw a gsxr600 that was crashed so violently that the frame was completely ripped apart behind the steering stem.

[81GS750]

Well, If you can get good CBR front ends cheap, give it a try. If it looks to be too much work you can resell the parts and probably make your money back. Not sure where your at, but there is a guy who posts regularly in the San Antonio CL that races GSXR and has several good front ends in the $450 range. I'd be willing to pick one up and ship it to you, you pay for the parts and shipping obviously. Also, there is a large motorcycle wrecking yard in Laredo TX. I work in the area and plan on visiting them in the next two weeks, I could look there too.

Check the for sale ads here on the GSR. A member here was selling GSXR parts not too long ago.

[kingofvenus]

Billys' bike and mine both have a '89 17x4.5 wheel in the stock swingarm. You have to spread the arm out a little wider with a jack or somthing simular.

[kingofvenus]

Mine with gauges from a gsxr.

[JES_vfr]

Well, If you can get good CBR front ends cheap, give it a try. If it looks to be too much work you can resell the parts and probably make your money back. Not sure where your at, but there is a guy who posts regularly in the San Antonio CL that races GSXR and has several good front ends in the $450 range. I'd be willing to pick one up and ship it to you, you pay for the parts and shipping obviously. Also, there is a large motorcycle wrecking yard in Laredo TX. I work in the area and plan on visiting them in the next two weeks, I could look there too.

Check the for sale ads here on the GSR. A member here was selling GSXR parts not too long ago.

Well I'm in New Jersey, Southern NJ to be exact. I live just across the river from Philadelphia, and safely outside the war zone known as Camden.
Around here the GSXR's tend to get grabbed by the speed crazed squids, that hit things with the front of the bike, so good GSXR forks have always been harder to find than others. Any Honda/Yamaha/Kawasaki forks are cheaper than gsxr forks.
It doesn't matter, I'm back to looking for the gsxr forks as there is a possibility that the 954 forks are too short (they are either .75 or 1.5 inches shorter than the forks in my r51).
I'll still pickup the triple clamps from the 954 for the dropped upper clamp (then send it off to get it machined for bar clamps) and get the gsxr usd's for the gs.
I've already ordered the one of a kind upper steering head bearing to make Fitting the usd stem a bolt in.

[81GS750]

Also, if you don't want to put a bottle jack to your swingarm, I have an extra one from a 85 or 86 750 (mono shock) your welcome to. It's in good shape, needs bearings and adjusters. shoot me an offer on it, I'll never use it.

[JES_vfr]

Also, if you don't want to put a bottle jack to your swingarm, I have an extra one from a 85 or 86 750 (mono shock) your welcome to. It's in good shape, needs bearings and adjusters. shoot me an offer on it, I'll never use it.

Well the swing arm on the gs is in good shape, the bearings have been kept in grease and all that. The only plans we had for the rear was to swap in a fresh modern shock (like a hyperpro 3d), use a spring strong enough for Alex's weight, and add a wider oem wheel to go with the updated front end.

[JES_vfr]

Billys' bike and mine both have a '89 17x4.5 wheel in the stock swingarm. You have to spread the arm out a little wider with a jack or somthing simular.

From looking at this picture

I thought that Billy was using a different swing arm. If I'm wrong then my only question is how do you ensure that you spread it symmetrically?

And you say its a '89 17x4.5 wheel.. Forgive me I'm not following this, a 1989 what gsxr, katana??

Your gauges look great on your bike, but we don't have the 1/4 fairing to work with. Did you bury any wiring work in the gauges? or is it all just plug in??


Isn't there anybody that made a 4 into 1 header that works with the stock centerstand?
I'd hate to loose that just to have an exhaust on the bike.

[kingofvenus]

Billy was going to install a different arm until he procured (ebay, i think) a nice aftermarket shock, i stayed with the stock arm for the same reason. My rear wheel is from an '89 gsxr 1100. '90 went to 5.5 wide and '88's were 18x4.5. The '89 gsxr 750 was also 17x4.5 but used a different sprocket carrier, 750 5 bolt and 1100 6 bolt. I think the 750 carrier is slightly narrower, placing the spocket closer to the tire? Gauge wiring is external, almost straight up color to color. There were some headers that allowed the centerstand to stay on, mine is not one of them. Some early oil-cooled 750 gsxr pipes will fit with some mods, mid section of pipe or switching to rear-set pegs.

[JES_vfr]

Billy was going to install a different arm until he procured (ebay, i think) a nice aftermarket shock, i stayed with the stock arm for the same reason. My rear wheel is from an '89 gsxr 1100. '90 went to 5.5 wide and '88's were 18x4.5. The '89 gsxr 750 was also 17x4.5 but used a different sprocket carrier, 750 5 bolt and 1100 6 bolt. I think the 750 carrier is slightly narrower, placing the spocket closer to the tire? Gauge wiring is external, almost straight up color to color. There were some headers that allowed the centerstand to stay on, mine is not one of them. Some early oil-cooled 750 gsxr pipes will fit with some mods, mid section of pipe or switching to rear-set pegs.

What brand of shocks are you guys using?.
I need to look for a 89 gsxr1100 rear wheel,.. Got it.
As for the gauges, as I said, We will have to wait and see how the original gauges clean up, before we jump there.

I'll badger my buddy Axle, he has access to a bunch of early gsxr stuff and might have a header that will let us keep the centerstand.
If not I'm sure he has one I can get someone to copy for me.

[81GS750]

I'll shoot a pic for you when I get back home in a couple of weeks, but I had the swing arm spread and braced to fit a 5.5 GSXR wheel. I'm running the GSXR carrier and have a 180 tire fitted. It's snug, but it works and looks nice.

[JES_vfr]

I'll shoot a pic for you when I get back home in a couple of weeks, but I had the swing arm spread and braced to fit a 5.5 GSXR wheel. I'm running the GSXR carrier and have a 180 tire fitted. It's snug, but it works and looks nice.

Thanks that would be a big help.
I have nothing against the oem swing arm and have already been looking at a couple of possibilities for replacing the rear shock (I know I'll need to so I change the spring for someone of Alex's weight and a female passenger).

It would be really nice to be able to fit modern sized tires to the gs, Some thing like the Avon Storm II's or the Pirelli Angel ST's.
I'm assuming your running a 180/55/17 size tire, not some odd ball like a 180/60/17..

How did you spread the swing arm? I guess I could call a favor and get the arm spread, braced & powder coated, if it needs a big press or anything like that.
Are you using the 750 carrier or the 1000 carrier.