TOPIC:

I am starting a 1978 KZ650 cafe racer project this winter. So far the biggest progress has been the front end swap, I chose a front end off a 2001 GSXR750. After trying to make the stock gixxer stem work I opted to swap the steering stems...first I grinded the weld off the bottom of the lower triple. The stem then tapped out easily. From there I took the pieces to a machinist where he pressed out the stem from the lower GSXR triple, then a type of sleeve was made that copied the GSXR stems stepped design then welded to the kz650 stem and pressed into the GSXR triple.

Then the opening in the GSXR upper triple had to be machined larger to accept the KZ stem. We opted to bore it a little larger than needed and need fabricate a metal press fit sleeve. Now the stem is secured in metal instead of aluminum. However, the only issue is that the kz stem does not line up flush with the upper triple. I thought about milling material off the bottom to close the gap, but there is not enough material there. Heres what I mean about the gap.

I am not sure if this is an issue or not...I am thinking it will be fine because the nut under the triple seems to do most of the securing and besides the bolt on top engages most of the threads anyhow. What do you guys think?
Here it is bolted up.

Hmmm...those are pretty small let me try again.


The gap I was talking about.

You might want to use a longer bolt. Do you remember if the hole was flush with the top triple on the stock set up? If it was or even close you could measure how far down the threads are and find a longer bolt. You may have to cut it off or use a spacer but having more threads holding a critical part on is better than having to worry about it whenever you ride.

Hard to see in the images but it seems the top triple is not down all the way onto the bearing raceway... Maybe just deceiving.

If you where to loosen the top fork clamps, will the top triple go down further (rubber mallet)?

OMR

Good idea Don, I should see how the original one lined up. Old man, the upper triple is resting on the nut that secures the stem. Thanks alot for the write up on how you did yours it helped me out a ton.

Looks good so far. I see your tank is still not painted, you may want to dent it in the front for fork clearance then smooth it out with some filler. I wish I did on my 650 with a ZX7 front forks.

Keep the progress pix coming.

to dent it in the front for fork clearance

My buddy Drew's bike showing how he had his dented:

There's a write up on some of his build here:
dotheton.com/index.php?topic=2735.0

Mark, your bike was mentioned in the above post as well.

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