need help with 82 1100G fork swap options

[miked]

doing some searching but coming up pretty empty. Wanting to swap the forks/triple on the 82 1100G for something more modern, say post-2006 with more adjustability and have better brake options.

wondering if anybody knows what makes/model/years might be viable swaps given fork length. the steering stem swap isn't an issue, it's more that I want the geometry to stay intact.

tia

Mike

eta: rake: 28*, trail 118mm, wheelbase 1495mm

Bearings:
Upper: 25 x 47 x 15
Lower: 30 x 55 x 17

Fork Length (free sag, axle CL to fork cap): 796mm

 

[Joe Garfield]

There is a brake mod on this forum somewhere - it's a bracket and double cylinder brakes from a newer bike. I don't know if that's the kind of thing you're looking for though.

 

[Dogma]

The twin-pot brake mod is a huge upgrade. However, you still have the damper rod forks which leave a lot to be desired. Better springs with proper preload help, and cartridge emulators even more. For adjustability though, you'd have to swap on a whole front end, including the wheel. I don't know what that would be, especially when trying to retain stock handling characteristics. I'm curious about this myself.

 

[miked]

I'm interested in an entire front end swap, but trying to find a donor with the right fork length seems like the logical place to start. I can pop the forks up in the triple for lengths that are longer, but can't do much with shorter forks...

 

[bwringer]

A front end from a V-Strom (DL1000 or DL650) or perhaps a similar "ADV" bike might be long enough and come with a 19" wheel. They have about 6 inches of travel, so you'd have to do some measuring and ciphering to figure out if they'd work and how to shorten the travel.

Not sure it would be much of an upgrade, either. They're 43mm, and DL1000 forks are cartridge, but honestly you could spend a lot less time and money putting Racetech cartridge emulators, good straight rate springs, and a fork brace on the stock forks and end up better off.

Straight DL forks are pretty rare (people tend to hit things with the front of the bike, oddly enough). Good DL front wheels are even rarer, and sell for crazy prices (lots of people bend them off-road).

None of the multi-adjustable sportbike forks are long enough. I've seen pictures of an extender that threads in to the top of a nice set of upside-down forks (sort of like a tall replacement for the fork cap). Seemed sketchy to me, but then again it could work if you have enough area to work with.

And then you have to figure out what to do with the wheel. Most modern bikes have 17" front wheels with different bearings, so you have to figure out whether to adapt your old wheel or try to use a modern one.

I've seen WAY too many modern fork conversions where someone just slaps a modern front end on a GS without worrying about the fact that they've reduced front ride height by three inches. And then the first time you even look at a decent corner, the engine digs into the road...

 

[miked]

all correct. hunting around for a fork conversion chart showing all the various fork sizes/lengths/rates/etc for various models over the recent years. I don't mind going down on wheel size to a 17, but I'd have to compensate for that with longer shocks which reduces the possible options down drastically. I've thought about running the stock wheel with some sort of spacer/shim setup for side to side, as well as for running the stock axle. Won't do this without ensuing that the geometry will be correct. I'm anticipating purchasing an entire front end - triples, brakes, forks, wheels, fender - and then figuring out if a stem swap is viable, or if the new triple mounts are farther apart which will require someone turning a custom stem for me. Doable, it's selecting the forks themselves which present the current roadblock

http://www.svrider.com/forum/showthread.php?t=135430