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Fork upgrade

8K views 39 replies 17 participants last post by  TrialsRider 
#1 ·
Hi, I have a 1982 GS850gl. I'd like to upgrade my fork suspension to something more modern like the inverted ones. anyone know what would fit my GS?
 
#2 · (Edited)
if you have to ask...;.
there is nothing wrong with your forks ,besides sportbike forks are too short and they look stupid because they are completely out of placeon a fine example of a 1980's sport touring machine
oh wait you have the ll model
suzuki's answer to a cruiser
that is some of the most hideous styling the japs ever foisted on us
no way in hell will invertted forks work unless you
lots of idiots do it because they are morons to boot
diont tell us you are going to build a cafe racer from that bike
impossoible to do
you need a twin or single no newer than 1970 to have a cafe racer
GIVE UP ride the bike
 
#3 ·
Thanks for your insight. no one said there was anything wrong with my forks; just looking to upgrade the look of the bike. clearly you wouldn't know anything about what I'm referring to because you probably ride some contraction you built yourself with plumbing supply equipment and a leaf blower engine. I didn't come to this forum to be insulted; just looking for someone who perhaps shares an interest in old café racers and their mods. Whether you agree with the look or not is your business. As far as I'm concerned, only an "idiot" or "moron" would respond as you did. Don't blow any fingers off tomorrow! you'll need them for your moss covered three handled family gradunza! View attachment 94041
 
#4 ·
lol you want to upgrade the look but are not concerned about downgrading performance ?
because thats what you get putting on forks that are 5-6'' too short
you get engine cases grinding on the floor in curves and you get a machine with unsafe steering geometry and upset balance with underspung forks to boot
you cannot make am l model be anything at all like a vintage cafe racer
please find an example poicture of an L model modified to your tastes for me to ridicule
 
#5 ·
Look XB has some valid points, but along with a modern front end you need to use the 17" rim then you'll put on good sticky tires that the frame most likely cannot handle, along with changing the steering geometry. If you want to upgrade and not just for looks, here's how to save time money and headaches. Get a set of Race Tech springs and emulators. There I just saved you a boat load of cash. There's a reason you don't see a lot of USD forks on GS850s, they are too short
 
#11 ·
I wouldn't pay attention to the people immediately slamming your ideas, they don't build anything, just trash people who do. Check out cognito moto, they sell a variety of kits to swap to a modern front end, other than that, make sure you don't change the trail too much, there are a lot of articles out there on how to calculate trail, so it's a good thing to understand. frankly, there's plenty wrong with your stock front end, namely the technology is a compromise allowing for inexpensive manufacturing, modern front ends require a lot more precisely machined parts, and in that era, would have been ridiculously expensive, the technology in them isn't rocket science though. a newer front end, properly sprung and valved, will keep your front tire on the ground and more consistently loaded than your old front end, which allows for safer braking without locking the wheel.
 
#12 ·
Ahhh, "cafe builders".

Quote Originally Posted by roccitycafe View Post
.... same thing with furniture, it doesn't have to be straight or not wobble, or keep thing from rolling off it, or not collapse when sat upon, it's personal taste man... if I want a dining room set that endangers the life of my dinner party guests, then it doesn't need second hand approval
 
#14 ·
I'll stand by that man, he's asking about putting a front end on an old bike, not showing us how he reduced his bike's curb weight by strategically removing material from the frame and swingarm. now, I'm no nasa engineer, but my guess is that most technologies have improved in the last 40 years, front suspension included, he may not know all the details, but improving the front suspension on these old bikes is a big improvement, having ridden many as well as built and designed many front ends incorporating cartridge forks, I can personally attest to that, know any stock gs850 front ends that can get the back wheel off the ground under braking without tucking under and eating shit? instead of sitting here and waiting to get trolled, and also imagining trolling where it isn't, maybe offer some help, I see lots of valid posts with valid questions just get buried with the most popular posts, which basically read as a bunch of grumpy old farts shitting on anyone doing anything to motorcycles other than filing the flash off the cooling fins or changing the oil.
 
#13 ·
Freakin posers! They don't build anything either, they paint shit, tart it, chop bits off, leave things missing and reassemble mismatched model suspensions wrapped around an antiquated frame and VIN.
What they do well is to promote theft of modern sport bikes unless you figure gold USD forks just fall off the Ducati delivery truck on a regular basis.

There are dudes on this site building frames, competitive race bikes and world land speed record attempt machines from scratch, those are the bike builders!
... ask those guys what they think about your project
 
#17 ·
nope, don't work for showa, but have taken bikes with front ends I build and designed to the track and actually run them as hard as I could. this is pretty much the funnies thing about this site, I come on here and defend someone who is asking a question and it stirs a hornets nest, if I come on here and ask a technical question, I get zero response, this site could have been a nice resource but the negativity and curmudgeons here really trashed it. why not get off the computer and go build something, go try something you're not sure of, see how it works or doesn't, go build a custom bike and actually finish it, do that a few times and you'll probably shut up and stop criticizing all the "poser custom builds" out there, I have a lot of respect for people who build a show quality bike that's actually finished, maybe it's not my taste, maybe the frame couldn't be thrown around a corner at 80mph and 40 degree lean, but they actually did something, that counts for a lot in my book.
 
#20 · (Edited)
nope, don't work for showa, but have taken bikes with front ends I build and designed to the track and actually run them as hard as I could. ...
Really? As hard as you could???
Then you would know a USD front end would be a BAD idea on a 70's and early 80's cradle frame.
Unless hard-as-you-can means to Starbucks and back.

A good motorcycle should be more than the sum of it's pretty parts.
 
#24 ·
how did this thread end up in the dumpster. The issue raised, though not very clearly, was that USD forks are usually shorter than stock old school forks and that fitting them to an old bike could very well cause handling, braking and safety to deteriorate.

Next point was that fitting modern forks with a modern 3.0" or 3.5" front 17" wheel would look a little odd on a bike with a 2.15" rear rim and on a shaft drive bike that isn't an easy problem to fix for most people.

Admittedly, some of the comments are framed in less than helpful terms, but this site tends to be a bit like that.

As for me, I have lowered, lengthened, shortened and raised bikes and in one case I have tried all the above on the same bike... I have fitted USD forks and monoshock rear ends to old bikes and braced the frames and although they will never beat a modern bike around a corner, they are better than stock IMHO. And I tend to reduce engine width if I lower the motor to avoid levering a wheel off the deck when cornering on the way to get coffee.

All that said, if I had a GS850, I would be wary of fitting modern suspension and wheels and would probably try a less radical approach to improving brakes and handling. Relatively modern calipers can be fitted and if it needed stiffer forks, a set of larger diameter GS1100 forks would probably drop straight it with little modification. There are ways to improve the looks and performance of that bike, but it's not the most suitable place to start to build a radical cafe racer.

If that's what you have, think in terms of suitable changes and forget what you see on pipeburn and other sites for art projects.
 
#25 ·
I'm going to just answer his question....

First generation GSXR1100 USD forks are the longest you will find (91-94, I think). That's probably your biggest concern as in getting the longest ones to maintain your ground clearance. They also run the same steering head bearings so the swap is as easy as it will get if you get an entire front end.

The only problem will be they are over 25 years old and not that easy to find anymore.
 
#26 ·
Shorter forks can occasionally be lengthened safely or paired with custom drop triples, stock rims can be spaced on the front axle with new bearings and spacers or a custom axle. Rear rims can be widened if you have $$$ burning a hole in your pocket.

But, I think the stiffer structure just is a poor match for the rest of a 70's and early 80's cradle frame unless it comes with additional modifications.

Nothing wrong with pointing that out to people.

- - - Updated - - -

IThey also run the same steering head bearings so the swap is as easy as it will get if you get an entire front end.

The only problem will be they are over 25 years old and not that easy to find anymore.
Don't forget the stem length...
 
#31 ·
You missed the memo: Motivation for installing modern USD forks on a heavy old 4 cylinder bike has been fully explained, the USD fork upgrades are imperative so they can get the back wheel off the ground under braking without tucking under and eating shit.
 
#38 ·
Its all good, the GS850 is a not a bad shaft drive tourer, its not an old sports tourer and to improve it a good service and refurb to bring it back to it's original spec, new bushes, oil, seals along with new (progressive) springs will be a good and easier route. Inverted forks where a fashion statement when first fitted to road bikes, heavier with poorer damping then the conventional forks they replaced. They are better now but without the high performance to go with them they are a waste of time and money, oh and yes they will be too short. If you really want later hardware look at maybe the 1200 bandit front end? But consider carefully, measure and then think again, and then check before laying out cash. Its the start of a process, with a new front end the front and rear wheels and worse the tyres will be mismatched so then you'll be faced with modifying the rear to fit the later wheel, then new rear suspension...By the time you've done all that you could have bought a later better faster bike! Good luck whatever you choose to do.
 
#39 ·
fork guess



I kinda think I got on the wrong forum from XB3...s response. The longest quality sportbike forks I can find would probably be from a Ducati Multistrada or KTM ADV bike. Allballs sells a lot of conversion kits for races and bearings. Put as long a strut as your chain or shaft will take and see where the numbers fall. An angle finder, laser pointer and a plumb line will give you some numbers of rake and trail. Compare them to some bikes of similar length and weight that you would like your bike to handle like. Forget that crap of gotta be a single or twin of 60s 70s vintage, bent over, shaky stuff. Build what you like, ride like you want and have fun.
 
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