FZRSupport: the FZROnline Archive

Ok, so 10 miles isn't much, but I'm fighting off a nasty sinus infection and cold so having gone 10 miles, though making my heart and soul feel alive and free, probably set my physical recovery back two days.

Anyway...

1981 GS750 with 1991 Yamaha FZR600 forks, triples, wheel, brakes, and clip-ons...ignition, too, since my GS piece was buggered.

Changes from my previous setup:

Turn-in is a bit sharper, but not shockingly so.

Braking is actually a little weaker, but I'm now running smaller rotors (298mm vs 310mm) with slightly smaller calipers. I'll be putting braided lines on soon and that may make up some of the difference, but I'm actually pleased with it. A little more forgiveness is good while I still acquaint myself to the new suspension.

You can definitely tell the bike wasn't meant to have clip-ons. I'll have to be doing some modifications to the tank for clearance, but I don't mind...the tank is already beat up pretty good so this isn't a concern at all.

Riding position, with the clip-ons and stock pegs, is pretty tame by my reckoning, but my point of view is a bit skewed since all of my first streetbikes were ex-racebikes. For reference, I'll post my "showoff" folder at the bottom and you guys can see how low the bars were on my CX and I thought they were tolerable.

It's so nice to have forks that work really well. My old showa forks were nice by 1979 standards, but these? It's amazing what a difference 12 years made.

Biggest concern with going to dedicated sportbike suspension is ride height...the FZR forks are no different. Clearance went from 5.10" to 4.08". It's not too bad...If my math is right my suspension bottoms out before I see that, but not by far. I'm going to give it a shot. My header is already a bit dinged on the bottom, so I'll see if I hit anything new. If so, then I'm going to...well...change something. I may stab the FZR swingarm in there and weld new tabs for the shocks closer to the pivot to add some height, but I don't know yet. I'd at least be able to stab in my YZF600 wheel later and run a 160.

The short version, though, is I LOVE IT I LOVE IT I LOVE IT!

Dirty pics...I'm too sick to wash the bike...bite me...













http://www.kaleesphotography.com/photoartclub/showoff/

Now, to recap for anyone interested:

The FZR front wasn't exactly a direct bolt on to the GS750. You have to have the whole assembly, triples and clip-ons. I had to to remove the bottom bearing and add a 5mm spacer beneath it...which is kind of ghetto right now but when I get some time on a lathe again I'll be cutting out a proper grease-bucket style spacer. Then it's a bolt-on mod. The FZR uses the same bearings as the GS750. I was kind of hoping it would be a bolt on thing for the GS500 as well, but bearing differences abound...

GS750/FZR600 = 17X42X13 and 15X42X13
GS500 = 30X55X17 and 25X47X15

Of course if you could find bearings that measure 17X55X17 and 15X47X15 respectively it would work fine...anyway...

Have fun.

Next projects: Gettign rid of the tail plastic and doing something a bit more simplistic in the back, doing something about that battery though it is nice to be able to ride 100 miles if your stator ****s, and clean the girl up.

Thats awesome! Front suspension was a big improvement I bet.

Oh yes...my '79 SHowas worked "ok" but they were soft for my tastes. I think if I added another 25mm of preload spacer, some 1kg springs, and 15w or 20w oil they may have come up to my standards, but I also wanted clip-ons and I wanted forks that have a viable aftermarket.

The bike looks great by the way. How do you like your gauge?

It's a great little piece. For $100 it does everything I need...motor temp, air temp, accurate tach, accurate speed, and it has the basic warning lights. It looked a bit better on my GS front end because it calmped easily to the handlebar, but I still dig it.

makenzie71 wrote:It's a great little piece. For $100 it does everything I need...motor temp, air temp, accurate tach, accurate speed, and it has the basic warning lights. It looked a bit better on my GS front end because it calmped easily to the handlebar, but I still dig it.

Looks good the way you have it mounted.

Thanks maestro!

Very nice project you got there. Should come out pretty nice. You should consider swapping over a yzf or R6 front master cylinder to improve your brakes.

Wait til George sees this. He'll love it for sure. Yeah like Mega said going with a YZF600, R6, or R1 master (even the radial master cylinders) will provide a much better improvement on the blue spot calipers you have. Can we ask that you update this thread every now and then with anything new you've done to this bike? I dig it.

haven't seen this before

I think it has a YZF master...the way I understand things is the FZR had a 1/2" master. I have a 5/8" master on the bars. I've got a slick Brembo 11/16 radial master I might run with, but I'll have to pick up a brake switch for it. Seems a bit odd to put parts on it that are a bit too "trick" though haha.

That's my old CX, mega. I LOVED that bike. It wasn't the most exciting bike, but it was quite enjoyable. Running from Cripple Creek to Pueblo (Colorado) I had a couple GSXR600's try and shake me and they just couldn't manage it. It's one of the most under-rated bikes ever made.

makenzie71 wrote:I think it has a YZF master...the way I understand things is the FZR had a 1/2" master. I have a 5/8" master on the bars. I've got a slick Brembo 11/16 radial master I might run with, but I'll have to pick up a brake switch for it. Seems a bit odd to put parts on it that are a bit too "trick" though haha.

You have the FZR one on there. Those have the square reservoir integrated into the master. The YZF and all the others I mentioned have the reservoir as a separate bottle. The brembo you have should be better.

Isn't the stock FZR piece 1/2?

makenzie71 wrote:Isn't the stock FZR piece 1/2?

Front i remember it's a 5/8. Someone with a 600 should be able to verify that for you.

thats hot.

if you shortened the rear a lil bit it would look really sweet