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USD forks?
- Bad Kaw
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- Flying Squirell
I put a ZX9R inverted front end on an '81 'J' and a ZX9R front end on an '82 GPz1100 and am in the process of putting an FZR1000 front end on my '78 Z1R. I guess I should have recorded the results as we (me and a couple friends at a motorcycle shop) weighed everything on scales when we made the swap. We were shocked, but we had a lot more stuff to be concerned about so I don't know if anyone even wrote down the differences. I'm guessing the weight difference is because of materials used and material wall thicknesses. When I do the Z1R I'll make sure to record the differences in the weights, component::component.
The handling results are night and day.
78 Kawasaki Z1R
81 Kawasaki KZ1000J (mods)
82 Kawasaki ELR Clone (1000 J)
82 Kawasaki KZ750R1/GPz750 ELR-ed
70 Kawasaki KV75
83 Honda CB1100F (few mods)
79 Suzuki GS1000 (rolling frame / project / junk)
84 Suzuki GS1150ES (modified project)
83 Yamaha XJ900R (project / junk)
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- iandz500
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badkaw, what year ZX9's did you retrieve the usd front from?
Bikes: 1960 lambretta Li125 sold; 2001 Honda CG125 sold; 2006 Yamaha FZ6 sold; 1980 Kawasaki Z500 sold; 1967 BSA Bantam D10; 2008 Aprilia Shiver sold; 2010 KTM Duke 690R; 1954 BSA Bantam; 1980ish Kawasaki Z200
Location: Buckinghamshire, UK
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- Bad Kaw
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- Flying Squirell
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-KR
78 Kawasaki Z1R
81 Kawasaki KZ1000J (mods)
82 Kawasaki ELR Clone (1000 J)
82 Kawasaki KZ750R1/GPz750 ELR-ed
70 Kawasaki KV75
83 Honda CB1100F (few mods)
79 Suzuki GS1000 (rolling frame / project / junk)
84 Suzuki GS1150ES (modified project)
83 Yamaha XJ900R (project / junk)
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- iandz500
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Bikes: 1960 lambretta Li125 sold; 2001 Honda CG125 sold; 2006 Yamaha FZ6 sold; 1980 Kawasaki Z500 sold; 1967 BSA Bantam D10; 2008 Aprilia Shiver sold; 2010 KTM Duke 690R; 1954 BSA Bantam; 1980ish Kawasaki Z200
Location: Buckinghamshire, UK
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- Bad Kaw
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- Flying Squirell
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does that raise the front end or do you lower it down by putting the forks further through the yokes?
No, actually with the 9 forks I left the top of the forks level with the top of the top triple clamp and it gives me plenty of ground clearance. So much so that my 'J' project has clip ons and I'm able to slide the tubes up enough to mount the clip-ons to the top of the triple clamp. I strongly suspect that it (the USD front end) lowers the front end just slightly; I am certain that the motorcycle itself has been lowered slightly. The stock 'J' rear wheel is an 18" with high bias-ply side-wall; the new wheel is a 17" with low-profile radial, so I suspect the rear to be riding closer to the ground as well.
On my first build (the 'J'...10yrs ago) the wrenches were flying and it happened so fast that I experienced the change to the suspension so fast that I was just extatic about how much better it was.
The Clone (ELR) suspension swap has gone a bit differently and it was only during the build that I even thought of taking before/after measurements ... and I didn't take the measurements b/c the massive improvement that occurred with the first build had no bad side effects ... I just figured it didn't matter.
My third build (I know: I have project-itis:blush: ) will be the Z1R during the spring/summer, swapping an FZR1000 front end and rear onto it. I WILL be taking measurements during this mod (to include ride height and the weight of individual components taken off and installed) ... that way I can give concrete data to those who doubt.
Post edited by: Bad Kaw, at: 2007/12/12 18:54
78 Kawasaki Z1R
81 Kawasaki KZ1000J (mods)
82 Kawasaki ELR Clone (1000 J)
82 Kawasaki KZ750R1/GPz750 ELR-ed
70 Kawasaki KV75
83 Honda CB1100F (few mods)
79 Suzuki GS1000 (rolling frame / project / junk)
84 Suzuki GS1150ES (modified project)
83 Yamaha XJ900R (project / junk)
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- Nelson
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This is because the KZ steering head is higher than most modern sportbikes.
And then- you put modern (longer) shocks on, which raises the back and steepens the rake even more. Seems like a twitchy ride to me...shopping cart handling?
I've got ZRX shocks on mine with stock front end. It's definitely quicker turning than it was with stock shocks.
Anyone?
Restoring and customizing a KZ1000. Click here to read about it.
Plated KTM, DR650, KZ1000, Former MC mechanic (eons ago). 40 yrs. of dirt and street.
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- Bad Kaw
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- Flying Squirell
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But: yes, the front is lowered a bit (how much?...:pinch: ) But, the rear is lowered also due to the 17" wheel being an inch smaller in diameter and the side-wall profile being so much smaller (lower) with a radial than on a bias ply that the rear seems to have been lowered at least as much as the front. Next time I'll take measurements FOR SURE, but as for the two bikes that I've done so far the handling is vastly improved...the stock set up doesn't compare.
-KR
78 Kawasaki Z1R
81 Kawasaki KZ1000J (mods)
82 Kawasaki ELR Clone (1000 J)
82 Kawasaki KZ750R1/GPz750 ELR-ed
70 Kawasaki KV75
83 Honda CB1100F (few mods)
79 Suzuki GS1000 (rolling frame / project / junk)
84 Suzuki GS1150ES (modified project)
83 Yamaha XJ900R (project / junk)
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- Fossil
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- Bad Kaw
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- Flying Squirell
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Fossil, even if that bike is not in your garage now...you still da man! Always loved that ride...
78 Kawasaki Z1R
81 Kawasaki KZ1000J (mods)
82 Kawasaki ELR Clone (1000 J)
82 Kawasaki KZ750R1/GPz750 ELR-ed
70 Kawasaki KV75
83 Honda CB1100F (few mods)
79 Suzuki GS1000 (rolling frame / project / junk)
84 Suzuki GS1150ES (modified project)
83 Yamaha XJ900R (project / junk)
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- Fossil
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People have posted in the past, they didn't understand why go to all that trouble, why not just buy a new bike? Anyone can buy a bike, there's much more satisfaction building and riding your own than plunking down the VISA card. The old air cooled carburated engines are advanced enough to make a lot of power and stay together, but primitive enough to have some character, to have that smell when you shut it off, clicking as it cools down. I refer to built up air cooled motors as "thermal-mechanical violence".
Those who understand, get it. At bike nights, some people asked what year it is and walk away. One night a guy on a Ducati Monster parked beside me and sat there looking at the GPZ for a minute. Asked, is that yours? Yep. Next thing out of his mouth was "holy sh!t".
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- Nelson
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I have a modern SV1000 that's light years faster and better handling. The KZ is more of a funky fun bike. but dangit the modern stuff sure handles better. tough decision - lots more work if I go for it.
Restoring and customizing a KZ1000. Click here to read about it.
Plated KTM, DR650, KZ1000, Former MC mechanic (eons ago). 40 yrs. of dirt and street.
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- rstnick
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Rob
CANADA
Need a key for your Kawasaki? PM me
1978 KZ650 C2, 130K kms, Delkevic ex, EI, CVK32, PMC easy clutch, ATK fork brace, steering damper, braced swingarm, 18" Z1R front wheel.
2000 ZRX1100
2011 Ninja 250R
2005 z750s
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