newer gsxr inverted front end swap

[hotbox05]

I need some info on what size stock is (78 gs750) , what size the new gsxr's are. and where can I find a list of all the sizes inbetween?


I basically just want a lighter , inverted shock setup .
\
I know i'll need the gsxr wheel and brakes I just need to know about fitment and bearings.


thank you everyone!


oh and where's a good resource to find shortened piggyback rear shocks?


- Darren

 

[80GS1000]

Easiest swap is first or second generation GSXR 1100 front ends. Get the complete front end as none of the parts between the GS and GSXR front ends are compatible.

Newer (2000+) front end swaps are possible, but require more work.

What sort of rear suspension upgrades do you have in mind?

 

[hotbox05]

Easiest swap is first or second generation GSXR 1100 front ends. Get the complete front end as none of the parts between the GS and GSXR front ends are compatible.

Newer (2000+) front end swaps are possible, but require more work.

What sort of rear suspension upgrades do you have in mind?

ther'es no way I can find or would ever put those ugly heavy non inverted first and second gen shocks on.


the rear , from what I've been reading a stock katana swingarm will fit relatively easily and let me use a larger rear tire.

i will keep dual rear shock for looks

 

[80GS1000]

So what era front end do you want to put on?

 

[hotbox05]

probably the newest that is remotely affordable.

basically any that are inverted and preferably black in color. wish i could find specs on the front end weights of the different models and years of the gixxer

and apparently the gsxr1100 is inverted. sorry i'm lookin in as many places as possible.


i like the new 43mm pieces off the 600's and the 50's are nice too.

my new bike is an 07 gsxr600 the front end is quite nice.



but hey anything that is remotely light , inverted , and then price and ease of install.

 

[hotbox05]

also i'd like to lower the front of the bike a decent amount so if any of these are a good few inches shorter , all the better.

 

[80GS1000]

If you go current generation, get a GSXR 1000 or Busa front end. The GSXR 600 and 750 front ends are sprung too softly for the weight of a GS.

You'll need to raise the back end of your bike up with longer than stock rear shocks or by monoshocking the frame. This is because the current gen front ends are MUCH shorter than the GS front ends.

Just sent you a PM too.

 

[tone]

I think you will find that the easiest swap is to use gsxr750l or gsxr1100m forks the steering stem can be removed from the gs & after being knurled by a decent engineer to take up the differance pressed into the gsxr yoke,
the other option is to have a new stem made

you may need to alter the lockstops on either the gsxr yoke or on your frame

On average the gsxr front ends are no lighter than the gs & are between 1" & 1 1/2" shorter

hope this helps

 

[Mark M]

probably the newest that is remotely affordable.

<snip>

but hey anything that is remotely light , inverted , and then price and ease of install.

You need to define affordable first. I think you will find that your choice will be "anything that fits". Newer stuff has a stem and bearings that are way too big to fit into a GS steering head. Also, newer GSXR forks are much shorter, probably enough to let the pipe drag over the tiniest bumps.

Your best choice is to get a 90's GSXR1100 front end and install that. It is a very easy swap, will seriously improve performance, and will drop the front several inches between the shorter forks and smaller tire diameter. Then install a 17x4.5 rear with a radial tire, good shocks and call it a day.

Why are you worried about fork weight on a GS? The difference between a mid 90's 1100 front end and an 07 1000 front end will only be a few pounds. Certainly not a big issue on a 500+lb beast.

I don't believe Suzuki made any of the USD forks on the GSXR's in black, they have all been some version of gold/yellow that I can recall. Of course, paint can sort that for you.

As for shocks, if you want piggyback reservoirs there are very limited options. Ohlins comes to mind first, followed by WP and Works Performance. None are cheap and all would likely require reworking by a suspension shop to shorten them if the stock length is no good. Keep in mind that the back end will drop some with the installation of a 17" radial. Not as much as the front, but a bit.

Mark

 

[80GS1000]

You need to define affordable first. I think you will find that your choice will be "anything that fits". Newer stuff has a stem and bearings that are way too big to fit into a GS steering head. Also, newer GSXR forks are much shorter, probably enough to let the pipe drag over the tiniest bumps.

Mark-

The stem is the right length and width for the steering head, it's the bearings that are the issue. A simple bearing swap will sort this however. The loss of front ride height is indeed a major issue... You need to raise the rear end to offset the lowered front end. Raising the rear also makes for quicker steering too. It's a fine balance though. You raise it enough to get a good rake figure plus good forward/aft weight balance, but not so much that it becomes unstable. I'm at 24.5 degrees rake right now and a 51/49 front/rear weight ratio right now.

I completely agree with the rest of what you said.

 

[hotbox05]

well i'm trying to be a complete cheaparse and do the front end swap for less than 300. which is possible but a lil hard.

i can afford more but i can still ride around with the stock susp and brakes for a bit if i need to wait to get a deal of a lifetime , lol

 

[Mark M]

Mark-

The stem is the right length and width for the steering head, it's the bearings that are the issue. A simple bearing swap will sort this however.

Well, when I said newer, I meant late 90's and early 2000's. I have a front end off a (I think) 97 GSXR600 in my garage. It uses really big angular contact bearings (30mm ID x 62mm OD) and I believe that newer stuff is even beefier than that. FYI, those bearings are CHEAP from Suzuki and they have a really nice seal arrangement for only a few $$$ too. They were so reasonable that I was planning on using them in a custom RD400 chassis because I couldn't do better with tapered rollers from a local bearing supply.

If I am wrong on the bearing swap working with that stem, I would be happy to hear it because it would make me more likely to use it for a 17" conversion on my 1100E. But I think that the stock 1100E steering head just won't accommodate that big stem.

Mark

 

[Guest]

91 - 98 gsxr 1100 forks will bolt on but the clipons bolt to the top of the triple which costs you an inch of fork length.

91 - 95 gsxr 750 forks are another bolt on. there are no bearing issues with either of these. They bolt strait on. If you go 93,94,95 the steering stops also work.

You don't have to mess with pulling stems and bearings. "kiss" keep it simple stupid... is my guidline. As far as wheels to a 4.5 or 5.5 is the same diff. the distance from hub bearing to bearing is the same. Only the tire size is diff. get a 5.5 and run a 170 or 180.

300 bucks????? good luck. You need complete front end with brakes wheel rotors, fender, clipons, master cylinder to run the 4 piston calipers, triples, axle, spacers.......you will also need a back end complete with offset sprocket

 

[80GS1000]

The 2000+ front ends will bolt on with a bearing swap. That's all I had to do with my 2004 GSXR 1000 front end to get it on the GS1000. The stem was the same width and length as my GS1000 stem, surprisingly.

 

[Mark M]

The 2000+ front ends will bolt on with a bearing swap. That's all I had to do with my 2004 GSXR 1000 front end to get it on the GS1000. The stem was the same width and length as my GS1000 stem, surprisingly.

Very cool to know that, thanks for that info.

Mark

 

[Mark M]

91 - 98 gsxr 1100 forks will bolt on but the clipons bolt to the top of the triple which costs you an inch of fork length.

The other way to look at this is that you can gain that inch in fork length by sliding them down flush with the top triple and using tubular bars or setting your clipons below the triple.

Mark

 

[Guest]

An important thing to remember: those new components you are putting on that 20 year old frame are designed to take WAY more stress than the frame of your beloved 750. You flog that bike too hard for too long, and trouble could ensue. Thenagain, your riding style might be moderate enough that you will never have a problem. I have done similar mods and haven't had a problem. My riding style is quite sedate, too.

Good luck! :-D

 

[hotbox05]

91 - 98 gsxr 1100 forks will bolt on but the clipons bolt to the top of the triple which costs you an inch of fork length.

91 - 95 gsxr 750 forks are another bolt on. there are no bearing issues with either of these. They bolt strait on. If you go 93,94,95 the steering stops also work.

You don't have to mess with pulling stems and bearings. "kiss" keep it simple stupid... is my guidline. As far as wheels to a 4.5 or 5.5 is the same diff. the distance from hub bearing to bearing is the same. Only the tire size is diff. get a 5.5 and run a 170 or 180.

300 bucks????? good luck. You need complete front end with brakes wheel rotors, fender, clipons, master cylinder to run the 4 piston calipers, triples, axle, spacers.......you will also need a back end complete with offset sprocket

the 300 is just the front budget. but like I said I can spend more but I'm a cheap man , lol

 

[spdjunkie]

I'm putting a set of 2001 GSXR750 usd forks on my '83 1100E via a '92 or '93 (not sure which) GSXR1100 lower & stem, and a CBR954RR upper triple. All I had to do was have 2 aluminum bushings made to adapt the lower to the fork tubes (the triple was about 2.5mm too loose for the forks), and a smaller steel bushing made to go in between the upper triple and the stem, as the stem is too small for the triple. I've gotten most of my info from Katman, though that was over 1-1/2 yrs ago, and I believe he went a little different route. Anyway, the 954 upper is what he recommended because they're a dropped triple, and give you another inch of clearence for those shorter usd forks.

There are some really great threads on this elsewhere in performance mods, and in Katmans "Building an I.C.B.M. Katana" thread.

 

[spdjunkie]

BTW, Katman was also very right about you needing to run an offset countershaft sprocket with a rear tire that wide.