77 KZ1000 stock to modern fork swap

650 ed, No one cares. Move on...

Yeah, mine sits a little low but only an issue rarely. I chose the ZX9 because the measurements are the same as stock tubes. 17" wheels work perfectly and the ride is firm but not uncomfortable. I am having to use full preload but will take care of that in the future. It's not a lush ride but I'm used to it. Woops, can't wait to hear from peanut gallery about the ride of a Z1... Good luck on your ride!

No anger from here KZ brother. I like to run scared as well and I'm not badmouthing anyone's riding style however when someone takes one opinion out of a paragraph of sharing and wants to make a big deal about it then they're an ass to me like mr. "E.D." Wonder what that stands for? Anyway that's exactly why I normally don't bother posting. There's always a know it all that can't wait to jump on someone else's opinion.

kaw-a-holic wrote:

davido wrote: Not to distract from the handbag swinging going on but,getting back to the ground clearance thing

Kawasakikid wrote: GSXR Swingarm for me. Ground clearance is an issue if you pick up fat chicks in the trailer park. Seriously though, I am real close in tight turns but I run a firmer but not uncomfortable preload and dampening on front and back. I catch flack once in a while however Kzs aren't known for peg dragging anyway so slammed to the ground isn't an issue.

Kawsakikid, Im not so worried about peg dragging and Im not planning on picking up any fat chicks from trailer parks ,or anywhere else,( Im building a mono seat bike for now) what worries me is with the dive of the bike under heavy breaking and potholes and ramps.Things like that.Looking at your photo,your bike look pretty low.Have you had any problems there?

David,
My bike is in the weeds with the GSXR 750 front end. I am going to change it to a GSXR 1100 front end to gain another 1 1/2 inches. Now I have a reasonable drop on the custom triple my brother and I are designing. Should have the 3D model of it shortly.
In regards to your question, I currently only scrap on right handers if I dip to much. Speed bumps are a major issue.

Jon.My question was directed to kawaskikid.Theres a photo earlier on in this thread of him on his bike.It look pretty low to the ground (Like yours and mine) I was wondering what problems,if any,he was having with it (apart from scraping the pegs!). I know weve talked before about how to raise the front ends on our bikes and I know youve been looking at dropped triples but Im still undecided.Im still leaning more to the cheaper fork extension method,(though the whole thing has been shelved for now. Im still waiting on the powdercoater to give my wheels and swingarm back.Im busy with electrics in the meantime * ) I reckon,Ill just put it on the road as is and see how it goes.
I talked with my local bike shop about nose dive under heavy braking but he explained that as the front goes down,the arse comes up.Which makes sense. Though how thatll work in the real world ,Im still not sure. The speed bumps. Yeah,thats another concern.We have a lot of them around here,most Im familiar with,its the ones I dont know that worry me. (Theyre not well marked here and come at you out of nowhere!)
Anyway,kawaskikid. Your bike looks pretty low sitting to the ground and you look like a big fella,Have you still got any chrome (or steel !) on the underneath of your downpipes ??

* While Im waiting on the powdercoater,Im also getting the stuff together for an anodising setup.Another thing Ive not tried before. Looking forward to it and Ill post results in my build thread Hopefully some nice tasty black anodised aluminium parts will be added soon. Ha Ha!!

Hi Divido. No problems because as I said in another reply, I am having to lay heavy on the preload because initially I did have that problem. I plan on putting appropriate springs in so I can back off the preload and have some play there for when I need it. I have the same problem with rear shocks. Sandy at Works Performance shocks worked them out for me and is the "standard" ride height from tire to bottoming out as a Harley because I wanted a prostreet look not ass in the air streetfighter look. But I'm at full preload there as well. Still not an uncomfortable ride as I've done 325 miles in one trip but it could be much better. I plan on going to a 1" longer chock so I can back off preload there as well. It's all in trial and error sometimes because fitting a superbike front end to an old dinosaur (don't bother critics) isn't a perfect world. My KZ is a lot more front heavy than the ZX so there are adjustments to be made. My GSXR swingarm worked out great but took the wheelie fun out of the picture. I can drop the hammer now and it only comes up a foot off the ground and stays there instead of the blood pumping tach over my head, feet off the pegs "OH CRAP" moment but that'so ok too. I'm older and wiser now. lol Ride on!

That's where I 'm at swest! That's why I don't like hearing form the young wannabe street racers who think there good just because they can scrape their mufflers.

Hope you saw my reply. Unless you know someone who has the same bike and has done the homework already, it's a process. I didn't know anyone so trial and error is still in affect though it's very reliable and ride able now, it could use some improvement.

Kawasakikid wrote: Hi Divido. No problems because as I said in another reply, I am having to lay heavy on the preload because initially I did have that problem. I plan on putting appropriate springs in so I can back off the preload and have some play there for when I need it. I have the same problem with rear shocks. Sandy at Works Performance shocks worked them out for me and is the "standard" ride height from tire to bottoming out as a Harley because I wanted a prostreet look not ass in the air streetfighter look. But I'm at full preload there as well. Still not an uncomfortable ride as I've done 325 miles in one trip but it could be much better. I plan on going to a 1" longer chock so I can back off preload there as well. It's all in trial and error sometimes because fitting a superbike front end to an old dinosaur (don't bother critics) isn't a perfect world. My KZ is a lot more front heavy than the ZX so there are adjustments to be made. My GSXR swingarm worked out great but took the wheelie fun out of the picture. I can drop the hammer now and it only comes up a foot off the ground and stays there instead of the blood pumping tach over my head, feet off the pegs "OH CRAP" moment but that'so ok too. I'm older and wiser now. lol Ride on!

Ok,so if I understand it, by playing with the suspension set up ,the bike is high enough to stop the pipe from scraping under heavy braking.How about speed bumps and pot holes,things like that? (slow pedestrians!)

I've done a few zx9 front end swaps, the forks are not the same length as stock, they are the longest USD forks out there tho. If you mod the top clamp you can gain most of the fork length back that way, but lose it again with a 17" wheel

It won't give you additional height. It will keep you from bottoming out because of the shock restriction. Speed bumps with my Kerker have to slowly ridden over but I don't have them in my area enough to worry about it.

The '95 forks that I used are 24" from top triple to top of the fork leg. 31" to center of axle. Close enough for me and I didn't have to modify triples at all other than make the steering stem. You do lose on the 17: wheel and low profile radial but like I said... i got the look I wanted and I have no problem with the ride. And after I make some shock adjustments it will perfect as far as I'm concerned.

floivanus wrote: I've done a few zx9 front end swaps, the forks are not the same length as stock, they are the longest USD forks out there tho. If you mod the top clamp you can gain most of the fork length back that way, but lose it again with a 17" wheel

Thats why Im asking. Ive got the ZX9R front end and 17inch wheels. Ive got about 7cm clearance under the Harris.I saw trhe triple mod,which I liked alot but it looks to only give 1 or 1.5cm which wont translate to much under the pipe.