Kawasaki Twinpot Brake Modification - who wants parts?

[Suzuki_Don]

The fork leg has to be off of a dual disk bike.
(the caliper mounting boss is lower)

What you have will not work properly. The caliper will mount roughly 12mm too high, meaning the top of the brake pad will not contact the rotor.

OK. Thanks 8TRACK. I worked it out last night when I fitted the caliper. Only have half the pad covering the disc. Will try and chase up some bottom fork legs.
Thanks again.

[8trackmind]

OK. Thanks 8TRACK. I worked it out last night when I fitted the caliper. Only have half the pad covering the disc. Will try and chase up some bottom fork legs.
Thanks again.

The ones I used on my 550 were off a 81 or 82 GS650E. They are 35mm and the same exact length.
(30 and 1/2" inches if I remember right)
GS650G, and the GS750's without the leading axle might work as well

[Suzuki_Don]

The ones I used on my 550 were off a 81 or 82 GS650E. They are 35mm and the same exact length.
(30 and 1/2" inches if I remember right)
GS650G, and the GS750's without the leading axle might work as well

Do you think I need the complete fork leg or would I be able to get the lower fork leg to fit my staunchion. The reason I ask is I will not get the fork leg in OZ and will have to get from the U.S. Weight becomes a factor with freight. Cheaper for aluminium lower legs than the whole thing. What do you think?

Also I noticed on the later models the front axle has been repositioned. On some it is just moved up the fork leg a bit (about 1") and on others it has been moved forward or rear of the leg (I cannot remember which). On my 550B the front axle is right at the bottom of the legs with a bolt on cap to hold them in place. How is handling affected if I fit later model forks with the axle in front of the forks, etc.

Thanks. Don.

[8trackmind]

Do you think I need the complete fork leg or would I be able to get the lower fork leg to fit my staunchion. The reason I ask is I will not get the fork leg in OZ and will have to get from the U.S. Weight becomes a factor with freight. Cheaper for aluminium lower legs than the whole thing. What do you think?

Also I noticed on the later models the front axle has been repositioned. On some it is just moved up the fork leg a bit (about 1") and on others it has been moved forward or rear of the leg (I cannot remember which). On my 550B the front axle is right at the bottom of the legs with a bolt on cap to hold them in place. How is handling affected if I fit later model forks with the axle in front of the forks, etc.

Thanks. Don.

I don't know if the lowers will simply bolt to your 550 uppers or not. I've never tried it.
I do know that while a leading axle fork might work, it will change the fork geometry somewhat. Not a good idea.

[salty_monk]

Don,

If you find a fork leg in the US & want to have it sent to me to take it apart & measure up for you to see what you need from it then I'm happy to do so....

Obviously I'll also post international to you whilst some people are funny about that.

I have a spare fork lower but it's from a 1000 so won't fit.

Whatever I can do to help, I didn't realise you had a 550 or I would have mentioned all this earlier. Sorry!

Jeff - so you have them on the 550 as well? What about the 850?

Cheers,

Dan

[Suzuki_Don]

Don,

If you find a fork leg in the US & want to have it sent to me to take it apart & measure up for you to see what you need from it then I'm happy to do so....

Obviously I'll also post international to you whilst some people are funny about that.

I have a spare fork lower but it's from a 1000 so won't fit.

Whatever I can do to help, I didn't realise you had a 550 or I would have mentioned all this earlier. Sorry!

Jeff - so you have them on the 550 as well? What about the 850?

Cheers,

Dan

Thanks a lot Dan for your kind offer. I have spent most of today (Saturday) trying to work out a solution and I think I can weld a plate to the steel backing plate on the Kwaka caliper. It will swing it back down the radius of the rotor a bit, but should still work OK. I am also looking into obtaining a drilled 320mm rotor which I think should fit right up inside the Kwaka caliper. Alignment looks good and I think it should work.


Cheers

Don


P.S. No need to apologise, my fault for not doing the research properly. I should have read 8TRACKMIND's posts more carefully.

Cheers

[8trackmind]

Jeff - so you have them on the 550 as well? What about the 850?

I only have this set up on my 1000. The 550 was converted to dual (small) disks a couple years back.
I may do the 850 in the near future, but it has other things that need attention first.

[buttonhook]

FYI I saw were you guys were using the 250/500 ninja calipers.
I saw someone on my other forum site has a pair of nearly new twin piston Kawasaki Ninja 650R calipers and pads for sale (asking $75). They are not mine but I never heard of a problem with this seller. I'm not sure what you guy are paying for them now. But I do know the 650R will do a stoppie anytime I want(sometimes when I don't ), so I know they have plenty of stopping force.

http://www.riderforums.com/showthread.php?t=43475

I believe they are nearly the same size as the 250/500 calipers but with larger pistons for more force and should be ok for your upgrade I believe. (someone please correct me if I'm wrong)

Just passing it along for those of you looking for more parts

[salty_monk]

If it's these ones.... http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Kawas...QQcmdZViewItem
Then yes there's some possibility that they will work as they are not opposed type. The 2nd piston does look bigger so I think they would be more powerful but *maybe* the modulation is not so good (usually the main reason for using different size pistons).

Dan

[salty_monk]

Thanks a lot Dan for your kind offer. I have spent most of today (Saturday) trying to work out a solution and I think I can weld a plate to the steel backing plate on the Kwaka caliper. It will swing it back down the radius of the rotor a bit, but should still work OK. I am also looking into obtaining a drilled 320mm rotor which I think should fit right up inside the Kwaka caliper. Alignment looks good and I think it should work.


Cheers

Don


P.S. No need to apologise, my fault for not doing the research properly. I should have read 8TRACKMIND's posts more carefully.

Cheers

Don,

Be careful with welding onto the caliper bracket, I don't know what grade steel it is but I would bet it's not simple mild steel. If it's a high carbon content steel such as quarter hard or EN8 or something welding to it would either "let it down" meaning it could bend easily or make it even harder (especially if you quench it with water or oil) & that could lead to cracking as it would be too brittle.

The Honda CBR900 RR disk from the 97-98 period is a 310mm disk with the right offset & hole PCD, you'd just have to enlarge the holes. I have a left one on Ebay at the moment. (I bought it to see if it would work with the dual disk... it doesn't - too big at 310mm).

Cheers,

Dan

[buttonhook]

If it's these ones.... http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Kawas...QQcmdZViewItem
Then yes there's some possibility that they will work as they are not opposed type. The 2nd piston does look bigger so I think they would be more powerful but *maybe* the modulation is not so good (usually the main reason for using different size pistons).

Dan

Those would be the same type(not same pair). I have not had any problems with modulation but I'm not using them in a different application than designed. I just wanted to throw out a possible different source for parts for your projects

[Mark M]

The 2nd piston does look bigger so I think they would be more powerful but *maybe* the modulation is not so good (usually the main reason for using different size pistons).

Dan

The main reason that two different pistons sizes are used is that the leading edge of the pad wears faster than the rest. A smaller piston is used on the leading edge to balance that off and provide even pad wear.

Mark

[salty_monk]

It would be interesting to find out if the mounting holes are in the same location... they are much more pricey but some of the ZX ones need a rebuild by now, these would likely be ok as there are only a couple of years old.

Dan

[buttonhook]

It would be interesting to find out if the mounting holes are in the same location... they are much more pricey but some of the ZX ones need a rebuild by now, these would likely be ok as there are only a couple of years old.

Dan

there are some on ebay right now for under $30.
search for EX650, EX650R, 650R ninja, or ER6(all the same bike)

[8trackmind]

Finally got a Pic.
Dan, they work fine. The spacing was exactly the same as my homemade brackets, so there were no alignment issues. I'm still running the 50mm bolts with the washers for now.

Thanks again, Jeff