larger tire

sounds like too much fing work....expecially since i have powder coated my frame allready. maybe the next kz i build

200 sounds pretty good for all that.

just came across a gs1100 arm locally i might pick up and weld 2 tabs for double shocks.

ok, with a gs arm, what tire could i for in there even with a offset sprocket? also, what would my rim options be as for using a gs arm? is there alot of options? thanks.

Here you go. This is some info I read quite some time ago by BothicaBob a member on this site. You can search for his posts by user name.


s3.photobucket.com/albums/y56/bohicabob/...view=slideshow#/grid

Checkout my "Z1-900 Stage II" link below for some pictures of what I did to fit a GS1100 swingarm to my '73 Z1-900. The rear tire is 166 mm wide by the way.

I considered putting a 180 mm X 17" rear tire on my '73 Z1-900 with a '82 GS1100 swingarm. But I stuck with an Avon 160 X 17" rear tire that's actually 166 mm wide. I did not use an offset countershaft sprocket. But I had to use offset spacers (1.25 mm) on the countershaft sprocket and on the rear sprocket. See my link to this project for some pictures. My rear wheel is centered in my '82 GS1100 swingarm by the way.

"To fit a 180 X 17" rear tire, I would have had to use an offset sprocket (10 mm) and an offset spacer (10 mm) on the rear sprocket (which I have by the way). With this setup, the chain will come very close to the frame and I would have had to cut some of the bottom stud/bolt that supports the stock left footpeg to clear the chain. You would have had to cut away the inside of the countershaft cover to clear the countershaft sprocket and chain. Also, I would have had to use a somewhat longer chain in order to have the 180 mm tire clear the front of the GS1100 swingarm. Hope this helps give you an idea of what's involved."

"The '82 GS1100 swingarm will bolt on to a '78 KZ1000 with no problem and with no frame interference (not true for Z1's and KZ900s).

Mount the GS1100 swingarm in the frame (with its rubber/steel end caps in place), carefully shift the swingarm to one side, measure the gap on the other side, divide by two, go to ACE Hardware with a vernier dial caliper and find some washers (possibly sets of two washers) that match this figure so that you end up with two (sets) of spacers or washers of the correct dimensions.

Now, get old Z1 and/or KZ1000 rear axle spacers. You will need two extra ones to center the rear wheel in the '82 GS1100 swingarm (or you can simply replace the two stock ones with two 'new' ones of the right dimensions). I kept the stock two and created two extra ones: I used the hole in the rear rim/wheel as a base to figure out the proper width of the extra left and the extra right spacers should be. First I used PVC pipe as templates since they are easier to cut with a tube cutter. I cut and measured the PVC spacers until I got them just right, bolted up the whole rear wheel with the PVC spacers to ensure that the rear wheel was centered after sufficient torquing. When done, I cut the two old Z1/KZ rear axle spacers to size. I found that I had to cut away a small portion of the GS1100 swingarm on the sprocket side in order to be able to move the rear wheel assembly closer to the front of the swingarm; otherwise, the rear wheel would sit very near the outer limit of the swingarm's rear wheel range and limit the chain's adjustable range far too much.

The rear disc brake torque link arm the connects the KZ1000 rear caliper to the KZ1000 swingarm will work on the '82 GS1100 swingarm -- you will just have to grind down the KZ1000 torque link arm at the swingarm end to fit in the narrower GS1100 swingarm torque link arm hole.

Now the stock KZ chain line will be maintained if you're using a KZ rear wheel. Not so with wider tires/rims however that incorporate a different chain centerline. I am using a Klasmo 10 mm offset countershaft sprocket and a Klasmo 10 mm offset rear sprocket spacer (for a stock '78 KZ1000 rear hub) because I will be mounting a 160 mm (actually 166 mm) X 17" rear tire on a Excel 4.25" X 17" aluminum rim.

Hope I was of some help."

thank you.

This is mine. 88 gixxer 750 arm. Had to machine an insert to press into the gsxr swingarm bearing inside races in order to use the stock KZ pivot axle. Frame spacing was bang on, no mods. Brake pedal and plunger had to be modded and shock mounts welded on. Had to have wheel spacers machined and an axle made, however you could use the stock Suz one. I wanted to use the smaller gsxr brake disk and caliper with the stock KZ hub so I had an adapter machined. (not recommended!!)

This swingarm is about 2 inches longer than the stock one and waaaay stiffer. I think the largest tire that would fit is a 170, but I run a 160.

Late model Busa and gsxr 1000 parts are fairly easy to adapt. Look for Irishwill's threads on the subject. He's a bit of an expert on what fits.

kz1k wrote:

just came across a gs1100 arm locally i might pick up and weld 2 tabs for double shocks.

150 on mine but I've been told 160 w/o offset but damn that would be close those arm will allegedly do more on size but I'm sure some much more significant frame mods would gave to be done

I have two Kz's that are/will be running early Gsxr arms.

First is a '78 Kz1000 with a '86-88 Gsxr1100 swingarm. Currently running 5/8" offset front sprocket and a 4.5" rim with 160mm tire.


Second, is a '76 Kz900 with a '89-92 Gsxr750 arm with custom extensions that will be running a 5/8" offset front sprocket and a 190mm tire on a 6" rim.


Later, Doug

(Second, is a '76 Kz900 with a '89-92 Gsxr750 arm with custom extensions that will be running a 5/8" offset front sprocket and a 190mm tire on a 6" rim.)


doug...what is the custom extentions? thats not just the gsxr 750 stock arm? thanks joe. btw looks great!

also are these the only years gsxr arms that fit?

doug...what is the custom extensions? that's not just the gsxr 750 stock arm? thanks joe. btw looks great!

The extensions lengthen the stock Gsxr arm. In my case they move the axle between 4.5-9.5" further back.



Here's a stock Gsxr750 arm on the same bike.


Oil-cooled and early water-cooled Gsxr will be close to bolt on (save for shock mounts). Later Gsxr and Busa arms will work but they take more fabrication to fit.

Later, Doug

will a 1985 gsxr750 arm work?