Push on Hard Corners
- larrycavan
- Visitor
Definitely, lowering the ass end along with the leading axle is detrimental for any kind of handling. This is why I used Goldwing shocks which are longer, to raise the ass end back to stock height,(or little beyond). Basically you made a "sled" out of the bike with the changes you made, and the way you made them. The bike with the leading axle has too much caster to begin with as I mentioned before. You made it even worse, by lowering the ass end.
Exactly....
Found one possible set on fleabay...lots of leading axle and modern sport bike forks.....
cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1982-KAWASAKI-KZ...ssories#ht_499wt_957
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- otakar
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74 Z1-A stock
76 KZ-900 Totaly stock vice MAC pipe
77 KZ-1000A stock
78 Z1-R 100%MINT 500 original Mi.
78 Z1-R Yoshi 1103 kit stage 1 cams Yoshi pipe. Etc
79 KZ-1300 (1400)
80 KZ-1300
81 Scratch built GPz1150R
82 KZ1000
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- hocbj23
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- 650ed
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OK,but in my defense,the 2 inch drop made it possible for me to put my feet flat on the ground at stops--instead of tippy-toes....
Here's how some of the younger members deal with that problem.....
1977 KZ650-C1 Original Owner - Stock (with additional invisible FIAMM horn)
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- hocbj23
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- hocbj23
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Can u see a set of those on a 70 year+ old fart -"Wake me early ,for Im to be Queen of the May"LMAO.bjhocbj23 wrote:
OK,but in my defense,the 2 inch drop made it possible for me to put my feet flat on the ground at stops--instead of tippy-toes....
Here's how some of the younger members deal with that problem.....
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- 650ed
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"Can u see a set of those on a 70 year+ old fart -"Wake me early ,for Im to be Queen of the May"LMAO.bj"
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
1977 KZ650-C1 Original Owner - Stock (with additional invisible FIAMM horn)
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- hocbj23
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Damn it would pee me off to have to buy a different set of forks since I just completely rebuilt the stock ones.Oh well its just $.Thanks O.bjUnfortunately they are not as stated. Those will not fit without mods. These however will.
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- 893cv
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Did you change the triple clamps when you built this bike?
otakar wrote:
This bike started out life as a 1981 1000CSR. The frame is still stock and so are the wheel sizes. I changed the front end to a "J" front end and a Tarozzi brace,
1980 kz1000 LTD
1978 Z1R
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- otakar
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74 Z1-A stock
76 KZ-900 Totaly stock vice MAC pipe
77 KZ-1000A stock
78 Z1-R 100%MINT 500 original Mi.
78 Z1-R Yoshi 1103 kit stage 1 cams Yoshi pipe. Etc
79 KZ-1300 (1400)
80 KZ-1300
81 Scratch built GPz1150R
82 KZ1000
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- Polar_Bus
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OK,but in my defense,the 2 inch drop made it possible for me to put my feet flat on the ground at stops--instead of tippy-toes.The Dunlops are new and I am not going to get rid of them quite yet.The Zuki rear shocks are 1 inch longer than the Kawi shocks they replaced so that doesnt seem to play in the equation.Putting the rake back an inch or so seems reasonable however.Maybe the answer to at least part of the problem.Issue may have been there all along but this is first time I have pushed the bike really hard on a road that demands really great handling.If u ever get to SE Tennessee look me up and we will go ride the "Suck Creek Mountain Road" and u will see what I mean.Thanks gentlemen.bj
Do you have the ability to slide the forks up higher in the tripple tree ? This lowers the front ride height, and shifts your center of gravity weight foreward, placing more weight on the front end. Everything is a compramise, as lowering the ride height may cause front end in-stability, but you also commented you have a steering dampener...
do some searching under adjusting "rake and trail" in some of the sportbike forums. Here's a link that i've used in the past as a great reference :
www.sportrider.com/tech/146_0310_art/index.html
Bikes:
'84 GPz1100
'06 HD Fatboy
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- mjg15
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I would say that the most reliable and effective method to correct your handling problem is to restore the rear ride height to stock height. Perhaps you could get some forum members to take some measurement of their stock bikes for you.
Dramatic reduction in trail (changing to straight forks and keeping the stock triple clamps) will quicken the steering, but wont reduce the rake.
'80 Z750fx
'81 KZ550A
'81 GPz550's, Too many!
'82 KZ1000R
'82 GPz750
'90 ZR550
Project photo album: s163.photobucket.com/albums/t289/mg15_ph...GPz-ZR550%20project/
s163.photobucket.com/albums/t289/mg15_ph...current=DSC01286.jpg
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