I used the FZR400 swingarm on the H1 frame because I used to have both an FZR400 and an FZR600 when they were just throw away used bikes. Being plugged into the yahoo FZR400 group allowed me to score an entire fzr400 rear setup wheel to pivot, and having the fzr400 bke around allowed me to measure stuff before I bought anything. I knew I wanted the 400 because alloy.
The fzr600 arm is easier to work with because...steel. I personally kept it twin shock because I really didn't want to reinvent the wheel with this and I really wanted an otherwise stock looking bike and even wanted to retain the side covers. At one point this was the first h1 with the fzr swingarm swap (I knew of one other h2 and that guy gave me advice), but looking at it now some of the plans I had for it seem dated and cafe cliches (CEV speedo headlight bucket off an italian bike? so 2005).
To be honest this project taught me a lot more about what not to do than what to do and be successful. The h1 I bought was even missing it's title. The only good thing I did was get the junkyard h1 running before I tore the whole thing apart (literally all apart) to do the suspension. Every Newbie mistake that you could possibly make with a bike I have made it and learned the hard lesson. It was a doomed project from the start and as such I have reduced the bikes to a pile of parts in a storage locker and reformulated a plan...which I will get to in a minute.
If I had to do this all over again, there is a GSXR front end the kawi 2 stroke guys use that is a direct bolt on with bearings. the FZR stem used the same lower diameter as the h1 but the stem was much longer and tapered and I couldn't find a top bearing in the odd size it was which is why I did the stem swap. I wouldn't do it again, I would just chase down that GSXR front end.
so my new plan is a 1971 frame, 1969 bodywork, 1974 h2 engine, and the FZR suspension parts. I am going to have to build the harness from scratch but I am going to try to use stock h2 CDI components. The biggest issue I am dealing with now is that it may require offset shocks because the mounts on the shock mounts on the 74 frame are wider spaced than on the 71 frame. I could just redo the shock mounts but that was a lot more work and besides I think there is a harley sportster that used offset mount shocks in the amount of offset I need (about 1/4"). All this is moot because the projects I want to get to in front of it are: the dunstall norton, the rickman cr750, and my old drag bike kh500.
The fzr600 arm is easier to work with because...steel. I personally kept it twin shock because I really didn't want to reinvent the wheel with this and I really wanted an otherwise stock looking bike and even wanted to retain the side covers. At one point this was the first h1 with the fzr swingarm swap (I knew of one other h2 and that guy gave me advice), but looking at it now some of the plans I had for it seem dated and cafe cliches (CEV speedo headlight bucket off an italian bike? so 2005).
To be honest this project taught me a lot more about what not to do than what to do and be successful. The h1 I bought was even missing it's title. The only good thing I did was get the junkyard h1 running before I tore the whole thing apart (literally all apart) to do the suspension. Every Newbie mistake that you could possibly make with a bike I have made it and learned the hard lesson. It was a doomed project from the start and as such I have reduced the bikes to a pile of parts in a storage locker and reformulated a plan...which I will get to in a minute.
If I had to do this all over again, there is a GSXR front end the kawi 2 stroke guys use that is a direct bolt on with bearings. the FZR stem used the same lower diameter as the h1 but the stem was much longer and tapered and I couldn't find a top bearing in the odd size it was which is why I did the stem swap. I wouldn't do it again, I would just chase down that GSXR front end.
so my new plan is a 1971 frame, 1969 bodywork, 1974 h2 engine, and the FZR suspension parts. I am going to have to build the harness from scratch but I am going to try to use stock h2 CDI components. The biggest issue I am dealing with now is that it may require offset shocks because the mounts on the shock mounts on the 74 frame are wider spaced than on the 71 frame. I could just redo the shock mounts but that was a lot more work and besides I think there is a harley sportster that used offset mount shocks in the amount of offset I need (about 1/4"). All this is moot because the projects I want to get to in front of it are: the dunstall norton, the rickman cr750, and my old drag bike kh500.