I am thinking about checking out inverted forks for my 81 GS450L. My question is, can I take the stock forks and just flip them? Or do i need to find a gixxer with inverted to swap it over?
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Full disclosure: I know less than zero about this topic. For the better part of a decade, I thought the main advantage was less unsprung weight!
Having said that, I'll guess it's the harder way. Life's rarely that simple.
1982 GS1100E V&H "SS" exhaust, APE pods, 1150 oil cooler, 140 speedo, 99.3 rear wheel HP, black engine, '83 red
2016 XL883L sigpic Two-tone blue and white. Almost 42 hp! Status: destroyed, now owned by the insurance company. The hole in my memory starts an hour before the accident and ends 24 hours after. -
Thanks for asking the question, but I will just try to say this politely, ...
If you think you can simply turn the forks upside down, you might not want to be working on your bike.
You need to have at least a basic idea of how thing operate before you start modifying. Your current forks work because the oil that is used for damping is in the bottom of the tubes. If you turn them over, the oil will still be at the bottom, but the parts that NEED the oil will be at the top. Also consider that the triple clamps that hold your forks are sized for the upper tubes. The only way to turn the forks over will be to have the tubes rising above the clamps. Finally, consider what is going to hold the wheel in place. The axle clamp will be at the top.
Bottom line: you will need proper forks, along with the triple clamps that will hold them.
What do you hope to accomplish with this modification? If you are trying to improve handling, there are much cheaper ways to do this. If you are going for a "look", this is likely not a cheap project, I hope the "look" is worth it.
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mine: 2000 Honda GoldWing GL1500SE and 1980 GS850G'K' "Junior"
hers: 1982 GS850GL - "Angel" and 1969 Suzuki T250 Scrambler
#1 son: 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale 1300 and 1982 GS650GL "Rat Bagger"
#2 son: 1980 GS1000G
Family Portrait
Siblings and Spouses
Mom's first ride
Want a copy of my valve adjust spreadsheet for your 2-valve per cylinder engine? Send me an e-mail request (not a PM)
(Click on my username in the upper-left corner for e-mail info.)Comment
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I'm thinking about doing a similar thing but not with the forks. I'm thinking about making a front wheel drive GS. Can anyone tell me if all I have to do is switch wheels from front to back and run the chain to the front wheel?
(Steve, I think you got suckered) 😉My Motorcycles:
22 Kawasaki Z900 RS (Candy Tone Blue)
22 BMW K1600GT (Probably been to a town near you)
82 1100e Drag Bike (needs race engine)
81 1100e Street Bike (with race engine)
79 1000e (all original)
82 850g (all original)
80 KZ 650F (needs restored)Comment
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Something tells me we might have drawn some of the viewers from that carb cleaning video that was posted in The Campfire section the other day.
(Steve, I think you got suckered)2001 Kawasaki Voyager XII (Current bike)
1982 GS450txz (former bike)Comment
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Cowboy Up or Quit. - Run Free Lou and Rest in Peace
1981 GS550T - My First
1981 GS550L - My Eldest Daughter's - Now Sold
2007 GSF1250SA Bandit - My touring bike
Sit tall in the saddle Hold your head up high
Keep your eyes fixed where the trail meets the sky and live like you ain't afraid to die
and don't be scared, just enjoy your ride - Chris Ledoux, "The Ride"Comment
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Shoot cowboy, if you put the handlebars on the back of the seat & change the drive wheel to the front, you will still have a rear wheel drive, It'll just be running backards instead of frontards. I can't believe you couldn't see that.1983 GS1100E, 1983 CB1100F, 1991 GSX1100G, 1996 Kaw. ZL600 Eliminator, 1999 Bandit 1200S, 2005 Bandit 1200S, 2000 Kaw. ZRX 1100Comment
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But if you put the handlebars (notice I didn't say move the forks or triple tree) on the back of the seat so that you turn around, the drive wheel is already in the front at that point, right?
Steering would be fun but hey, why not have a different style every now and then
But ultimately yes you are right and was my point originally. Tried to be a little funnier than what you thought I should beLast edited by cowboyup3371; 05-10-2019, 09:51 AM.Cowboy Up or Quit. - Run Free Lou and Rest in Peace
1981 GS550T - My First
1981 GS550L - My Eldest Daughter's - Now Sold
2007 GSF1250SA Bandit - My touring bike
Sit tall in the saddle Hold your head up high
Keep your eyes fixed where the trail meets the sky and live like you ain't afraid to die
and don't be scared, just enjoy your ride - Chris Ledoux, "The Ride"Comment
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Ya never know, Norm.
I looked back through Tinker's other (few) posts, he seemed to have some valid questions and concerns.
I tried to politely explain that his idea was not all that simple. There might have been some "suckering" involved, but I am also trying to educate before switching to ridicule mode.
.sigpic
mine: 2000 Honda GoldWing GL1500SE and 1980 GS850G'K' "Junior"
hers: 1982 GS850GL - "Angel" and 1969 Suzuki T250 Scrambler
#1 son: 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale 1300 and 1982 GS650GL "Rat Bagger"
#2 son: 1980 GS1000G
Family Portrait
Siblings and Spouses
Mom's first ride
Want a copy of my valve adjust spreadsheet for your 2-valve per cylinder engine? Send me an e-mail request (not a PM)
(Click on my username in the upper-left corner for e-mail info.)Comment
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That's what is great about this place, plenty of information & then some humor to go along with it. I love it1983 GS1100E, 1983 CB1100F, 1991 GSX1100G, 1996 Kaw. ZL600 Eliminator, 1999 Bandit 1200S, 2005 Bandit 1200S, 2000 Kaw. ZRX 1100Comment
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On the other hand, there is no stupid question. Tinker is probably just excited about his GS, thinking out loud, making some forum conversation. Certainly don't want to discourage the fellow. He's probably laughing too! 😃My Motorcycles:
22 Kawasaki Z900 RS (Candy Tone Blue)
22 BMW K1600GT (Probably been to a town near you)
82 1100e Drag Bike (needs race engine)
81 1100e Street Bike (with race engine)
79 1000e (all original)
82 850g (all original)
80 KZ 650F (needs restored)Comment
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Well the good thing, is now I can just post upside down pictures of the regular forks I want to sell and make more money.
Seriously I still have a complete set of '07 GSXR 750 forks, triples and brakes that I'm willing to sell if he really want to do this.Last edited by Guest; 05-10-2019, 11:53 AM.Comment
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Yeah I confess. I dont know jack *@%^$*@%^$*@%^$*@%^$ about forks or suspension. Thanks for explaining it politely guys. So the answer would be to redo the entire front end if i want inverted forks, possibly even the treestem (i thinks thats what its called). I think if i found a similar diameter treestem and suspension off a gixxer with inverted forks, i thought it might work. maybe im still being retarded?Comment
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