Advice on upgrading wheels and brakes

Hey everyone, I have been slowly modernizing my KZ440 and what I want to do next is upgrade the wheels and brakes. Currently mine has disc in the front and drum in the back. For the front, I believe I will have to change the forks to be able to use more modern callipers, which I am fine with. My main problem is with the rear brakes. I want to get a new wheel however I am at a loss on how to mount a calliper, a master cylinder and foot pedal. My welding skills are non-existent so I was wondering someone else had done something similar with adapters or some way else.

Howdy. What wheels do you currently have? wire spoked wheels or cast alloy?  

For a dual disk conversion often times the entire front end is swapped:  triple tree, forks, wheel, brakes...
First thing to do would be to go to the All-Balls-Racing site to see what other models use the same steering bearing kit, then go from there. 

I've never heard of anyone doing a rear disk conversion on a 440, but you're going to need to swap swing arms & probably do some welding for a master cylinder mount and maybe for the brake pedal &/or brake light switch. guessing.  Possible problem is the 440 frame might be too narrow for the donor swing arm. another guess.  

The path of least resistance is to make some adapter plates and install a Ninja EX650 Tokico caliper.  This caliper has dual pistons, both outboard of the wheel side.  Opposing piston calipers are typically too deep, and can hit the wheel spokes.  While you are at it, an aftermarket disc can also be used.  

On the rear, where there is very little braking force generated, there isn't much advantage to installing a disc.  Particularly on a small and light 440.  I'd leave  well enough alone, other than getting some quality brake pads.

This thread from the Suzuki site should get the juices flowing and define the path... www.thegsresources.com/_forum/forum/tech...pgrade-on-78-Skunk/=

I have cast alloy wheels, but want to change to some spoked wheels as well. Swapping the swing arm is an idea that I had not had before thanks!

The KZ650-CSR had 48-spoke wheels w aluminum rims, single disk Fr brake & Rr drum. 19" Fr & 16" Rr. 
The Fr might be a direct swap, but not sure about the Rr.   
The KZ1000-CSR had basically the same 48-spoke wheels but triple disks (dual disk Fr brake w Rr disk ).  The disks on those CSR models are unique to each & both had a fat rear tire which might be too wide for the 440 swing arm. a narrower tire might work, though.
There was also a 750-CSR w wire spoke wheels but I think they're 40-spoke w maybe steel rims. single disk Fr w Rr drum brake.
The 440B had 18" wire spoke wheels but Front drum brake. 
 

If you are really serious about modernizing, then mixing and matching old parts is not the way to get there. 

If you want modern, order some Ohlins forks in the appropriate length and with proper spring rates and damping. Add custom billet triple clamps, Brembo radial brakes and a carbon fiber 17 inch wheel and a sticky hyper sport tire. Out back you will need a custom swingarm that is light and strong, a mono shock conversion with a properly set up Ohlins shock, and the afore mentioned brake and tire setup. That is modern.

TexasKZ wrote:

If you are really serious about modernizing, then mixing and matching old parts is not the way to get there. 

If you want modern, order some Ohlins forks in the appropriate length and with proper spring rates and damping. Add custom billet triple clamps, Brembo radial brakes and a carbon fiber 17 inch wheel and a sticky hyper sport tire. Out back you will need a custom swingarm that is light and strong, a mono shock conversion with a properly set up Ohlins shock, and the afore mentioned brake and tire setup. That is modern.

Or, buy a MotoGP bike, and shoehorn in a 440 engine!  

Nessism wrote:

TexasKZ wrote:

If you are really serious about modernizing, then mixing and matching old parts is not the way to get there. 

If you want modern, order some Ohlins forks in the appropriate length and with proper spring rates and damping. Add custom billet triple clamps, Brembo radial brakes and a carbon fiber 17 inch wheel and a sticky hyper sport tire. Out back you will need a custom swingarm that is light and strong, a mono shock conversion with a properly set up Ohlins shock, and the afore mentioned brake and tire setup. That is modern.

Or, buy a MotoGP bike, and shoehorn in a 440 engine!  

Or for fewer shekels,   www.kawasaki.com/en-us/motorcycle/ninja/...TGROUPLIST-_-VEHICLE

TexasKZ wrote:

If you are really serious about modernizing, then mixing and matching old parts is not the way to get there. 

If you want modern, order some Ohlins forks in the appropriate length and with proper spring rates and damping. Add custom billet triple clamps, Brembo radial brakes and a carbon fiber 17 inch wheel and a sticky hyper sport tire. Out back you will need a custom swingarm that is light and strong, a mono shock conversion with a properly set up Ohlins shock, and the afore mentioned brake and tire setup. That is modern.

I guess I best "plead the 5th" on the above 

Wookie58 wrote:

TexasKZ wrote:

If you are really serious about modernizing, then mixing and matching old parts is not the way to get there. 

If you want modern, order some Ohlins forks in the appropriate length and with proper spring rates and damping. Add custom billet triple clamps, Brembo radial brakes and a carbon fiber 17 inch wheel and a sticky hyper sport tire. Out back you will need a custom swingarm that is light and strong, a mono shock conversion with a properly set up Ohlins shock, and the afore mentioned brake and tire setup. That is modern.

I guess I best "plead the 5th" on the above 

As should most of us. I have no qualms about mixing and matching old and oldish parts in the hope of making some improvements in performance, comfort or esthetics, and a large depletion of funds.  However, adding thirty five year old parts to a forty year old motorcycle hardly seems like modernizing to me.

TexasKZ wrote:

Wookie58 wrote:

TexasKZ wrote:

If you are really serious about modernizing, then mixing and matching old parts is not the way to get there. 

If you want modern, order some Ohlins forks in the appropriate length and with proper spring rates and damping. Add custom billet triple clamps, Brembo radial brakes and a carbon fiber 17 inch wheel and a sticky hyper sport tire. Out back you will need a custom swingarm that is light and strong, a mono shock conversion with a properly set up Ohlins shock, and the afore mentioned brake and tire setup. That is modern.

I guess I best "plead the 5th" on the above 

As should most of us. I have no qualms about mixing and matching old and oldish parts in the hope of making some improvements in performance, comfort or esthetics, and a large depletion of funds.

 However, adding thirty five year old parts to a forty year old motorcycle hardly seems like modernizing to me.


Yeah but it's still fun to do.

 

Kelly E wrote:

TexasKZ wrote:

Wookie58 wrote:

TexasKZ wrote:

If you are really serious about modernizing, then mixing and matching old parts is not the way to get there. 

If you want modern, order some Ohlins forks in the appropriate length and with proper spring rates and damping. Add custom billet triple clamps, Brembo radial brakes and a carbon fiber 17 inch wheel and a sticky hyper sport tire. Out back you will need a custom swingarm that is light and strong, a mono shock conversion with a properly set up Ohlins shock, and the afore mentioned brake and tire setup. That is modern.

I guess I best "plead the 5th" on the above 

As should most of us. I have no qualms about mixing and matching old and oldish parts in the hope of making some improvements in performance, comfort or esthetics, and a large depletion of funds.

 However, adding thirty five year old parts to a forty year old motorcycle hardly seems like modernizing to me.


Yeah but it's still fun to do.

 

Yup.