GSX600F katana forks

[trifgeorge]

Hy guys. I have the chance to trade a 4x17 inch rear wheel with some 1992 gsx600f katana forks. The forks size for the inner tube is 41mm, but i will get them with the triples, so i will only have to press the fzr 600 fork stem into the katana ones.As far as i know the forks are fully adjustable. Do you think that this would be a good upgrade for my bike?

[shredex]

I wouldn't really consider that an upgrade. But if you are going to go through the trouble of having the stem pressed, then I would greatly suggest investing in some later year USD forks.

Just my

[apsolus]

probably better than what your working with now. im thinking cause the katana is prob a heavier bike than yours so the springs will be stiffer, you get full adjustments, and its free. go for it son,

[trifgeorge]

Thank you for your opinions Apsolus and Shredex. Shredex, why do you say that about pressing the stem? Is it really that hard to do it? I don't have the funds to buy some USD forks, that is why i'm taking these katana forks in trade for the 17 inch wheel. I don't know if the stems are the same, but as i asked, is it that really hard to press the fzr one into the katana triple, if i need to ?

[blensen]

Trifgeorge, pressing the stem isn't that difficult, it just requires access to a hydraulic press. when I pressed out my stem to use the first gen r6 forks, the actually pressing only took ten minutes once I tracked down a guy that would do it for free. I think shred is just saying that if you're going to go through the effort of swapping forks, go for the blingier (and spendier) USD's. Either way it should be a significant upgrade over the stock forks.

Just make sure you get the whole front end, or you're going to have to go on a scavenger hunt for bearings and spacers to run the stock wheel.

[yamaha_george]

I don't know if the stems are the same, but as i asked, is it that really hard to press the fzr one into the katana triple, if i need to ?

T_G,
I would not worry about that at this moment just get the forks they are way better than stock !
One you have the forks you can do the measuring and comparing. I have done a lot of swaps of front ends and only one did I press out a stem. the rest i did by cutting & welding or cutting & adding or if I felt truly lazy I did the threaded rod mod. Lots of stuff here on the site about all this fork swapping every which way.

[trifgeorge]

YG.........i took the forks today.
They mate very well with the frame, and there is no need to press the stem out as it is long enough. The only thing that i have to do, is to put the fzr stem bearings onto the katana one as the upper bearing is to small in comparison with the frame neck and the lower bearing is quite shot. I took the measurements and the bearings seem to slide right on. The top one it sure does slide right on; the lower one i have not been able to pull out, but i hope that will fit as well (i took some measurements with the micrometer and looks like it might work). The katana forks are shorter than the fzr one with about 1 cm (more or less).
Blensen, the fzr front wheel will not fit the katana forks even if i take all the spacers out because the forks hit the rotors. The guy told me that he will give me the front wheel as well and the calipers if he still has them for free. If he doesn't has the calipers anymore, i will find a way to use the fzr ones. The down on this change is that the katana front rotors are 290 mm instead of 298 mm as the fzr are, and i think that the calipers are smaller and less powerfull (if i can say so. i rode a katana once and it seemed quite odd with the front brake = the response from the brakes was not as powerfull and fast as the fzr response was, but he had stock rubber brake hoses and i had stainless braided ones).
Even so, i took the forks apart and cleaned them. Now i have to buy new oil and dust seals and new oil.

What grade oil do you guys think that i should put in them?

[yamaha_george]

T-G,
cool,
I had a funny suspicion they would be ok, oil wt depends on your weight I am about 90Kg and use 15wt oil and that seems to work well enough for me. One thing about Kat forks that i seem to remember is the quantity is quite fussy so take care they are as equal as possible.

The kat rotors are smaller but that just means that you make brake plates for the calipers to sit on.

For ideas take a look at the two stroke gallery of my bikes to see ways i tackled mating big calipers & shocks to rotors.
http://www.saltmine.org.uk

[ragedigital]

I would not worry about that at this moment just get the forks they are way better than stock !

Not 100% certain that "1992" Katana forks are that much better than the FZR forks. If you can, take a pic for us.

Late model "USD" forks really are the way to go, but they do cost. However; they are far superior to anything else out there.

[yamaha_george]

I would not worry about that at this moment just get the forks they are way better than stock !

Not 100% certain that "1992" Katana forks are that much better than the FZR forks. If you can, take a pic for us.

Late model "USD" forks really are the way to go, but they do cost. However; they are far superior to anything else out there.

RD,
T_G is in Romania and what he has available to him is severely limited, the one thing is that the Kat forks are FULLY adjustable which only the 1K FZR 's & the limited edition 750 had. So for him that is a major step up.


USD forks here are reasonably priced BUT shipping and the Customs/thieves over there are beyond belief. can you say "MAFIA"

[trifgeorge]

YG is correct. I cannot afford to buy USD forks right now.Maybe next winter i will upgrade to USD forks. I will take a picture of the forks today and post it here.
YG, the things with the import customs have become a little bit better because we do not have to pay taxes anymore for the goods that are bought from EU. USD forks cost around 200-250 EUROS in Romania, so they are not that much more expensive in comparison with the ones that can be bought from UK, but the sallary in my country is the thing that keeps me from buying USD forks. My sallary is 200 pounds/ month, so i'll save money for the next winter project (USD forks) . Nice to have you guys helping me out with advices. One more question: what thickness (in mm) should the caliper adaptor plate have?
Thanks! I'll be back with the pictures.

[trifgeorge]

I'm back with the pictures. Sorry for the quality. The pics have been taken with the phone camera. The forks have 3 level of adjustment as far as i can see.

[shredex]

I'm back with the pictures. Sorry for the quality. The pics have been taken with the phone camera. The forks have 3 level of adjustment as far as i can see.

What are the measurements of the upper tubes? The FZR clip-ons might or might not fit on them and you might have to go searching for some Katana clip-ons.

[trifgeorge]

I allready installed the katana forks. I had the bars and the clip ons from the suzuki. I'll post some pictures.

[yamaha_george]

I'm back with the pictures. Sorry for the quality. The pics have been taken with the phone camera. The forks have 3 level of adjustment as far as i can see.

T_G,
yup three adjustments from the outside and you can "tune" them for you with oil wt and volume of oil. which is more than can be said for FZR 600 forks !

USD forks for a months salary I doubt either myself or any one else here would rush out and do this.

As to caliper adapter plates make them first out of plywood OR MDF (chipboard) to get the fit and shape right then with that as templates make it out of 6016 T6 alloy plate (if you cannot find it let me know by PM ) thickness no thinner than 6mm is what is the minimum I have used and I do prefer 10mm so the amount of flex is reduced.

as a tip the calipers should be made to sit as close to the fork legs as possible to reduce the flex that I mentioned, you can see what I have done in the saltmine links