K6 GSXR Fork Retrofit Complete

[DEcosse]

Got my last piece required to finally complete the finished project, the custom Top Triple, back from Anodizer today after being gone overseas for last 2 weeks.

This is a 2006 (K6) GSXR-1000 fork set installed on my '98 T509 Speed Triple.




GSXR parts purchased were
K6 Forks & bottom Yoke/stem
K6 Radial Master Cylinder
K6 Radial Brake Calipers
K6 OEM GSXR Front Fender
K6 OEM GSXR Front Axle

All custom parts were 3D CAD designed by me & fabricated by a friend in his CNC shop.
Custom CNC parts are the
Axle Spacers
Caliper Spacers
Steering StopLock
Top Triple Clamp.

Also required new Steering Stem bearing set
Get the bearings from Kevin Kraft @ All Balls Racing:
Their part numbers are:
CR0643 (custom top bearing) is 99-3521/33-1005 (bearing and Seal). Cost is $18.01 for both
2006 GSXR bottom taper roller bearing is 99-3519/33-1003 (30-55-17 mm) Cost is $15.99 for both.

All Balls Better Bearings & Components
Ph: 610-473-0505, 888-228-3323
www.goallballs.com

The Custom Length Brake Lines are Galfer from CycleBrakes

Mounted up the new Top Triple today & pleased to say all fits & works as expected. Also able to test out my custom digital speedo conversion on the road finally & it seems to be doing the job - may need a minor calibration but pretty close for now (within ~ 10% as measured by an urban radar speed indicator).

Some installation notes:
The rotors were not centered in the calipers which measured at 132mm on centre - the rotors measured only 129mm on center so additionally required 1.5mm shim between each wheel hub & rotor to centre them in the calipers.
The axle spacers centred the wheel perfectly between the calipers with the right spacer setting the primary offset spacing from right fork; the left spacer/sleeve then takes up the remaining space on left side with the OEM GSXR axle which slips partially inside that one.
Note that I eliminated the mechanical speedo drive on my conversion so the right spacer is a plain bush effectively.
I modified & installed an Autometer Procycle gauge details of which are catalogued in
Procycle Digital Speedometer Retrofit

I am well pleased with the handling of the bike now - much improved & have to say well worth the effort (well, I'd have to say that right?)
& it doesn't look too bad either!

Here are some of pics
















Here is the complete spacer & steering stop-lock kit.
It's amazing how some of the simpler things are so rewarding - I am particularly proud of the caliper spacers.
The original GSXR caliper mount utilizes a male locator bush that is pressed into the fork mounting post: I removed these & as you can see made the caliper spacers of a double-ended design to facilitate the process.






I do still need to complete my finished pics portfolio - lots of the detailed ones but not so many of the whole thing!

Acknowldgements:
Note that I used this T595.net thread as a most valuable resource as well as the previous install by our very own Kuhlka
Also thank you to Derek at motolab for his general counsel in reviewing the top triple clamp design from a fabrication perspective and sharing calculations on offset/trail perspective of OEM vs modified.

Update on 12/26/06 (thanks Santa!!!!!!)

OK - the final piece in the front end make-over plan
- aahhh, that's much better!

Braking Wave Rotors and Carbone Lorraine SBK5 pads.
Acknowledgements to PJ's Parts for the fabulous deal on the rotors.

Before:



After:



Started out with by removing calipers of course - I find the top of the radiator is a convenient place to 'park' them so they are not merely hanging on the brake lines



I had to install spacer shims to account for the offset of the GSXR calipers to the rotors on the Triumph wheel - initially had just used 1.5mm shim washers, but made a full circumference spacer this time around - much more practical!

Original OEM Rotor



The temporary spacer shim washers



New full spacer



New spacer installed on hub



New Wave Rotor installed over spacer



The Carbone Lorraine Pads



I need to test it out now! :-D

Will post up full bike pics later.


[ This message was edited by: DEcosse on 2007-05-30 22:18 ]

[MotoRaider]

wow looks great! how difficult was the install? did you get the forks off ebay?

again, the bike looks sick with the usd forks!

[AlaskaS3]

Nicely done. I really like your top triple clamp.

[zooplancton]

nice bike, nice car decoss',

any interest in making some axle sliders? (if so pm me)
thx,
-b

[DEcosse]

On 2006-11-10 20:52, MotoRaider wrote:
... how difficult was the install? did you get the forks off ebay? ...

I did indeed get the forks off E-Bay - mine had zero miles off a brand new bike so I paid a few extra $$$ for them - similarly the brakes were also brand new - the pads weren't even scuffed in!

The install is not at all difficult once you have the custom parts! I took quite a bit longer because I had to take it all apart to get all the measurements to design the parts.
But you could do this in a day easily if you prepared properly by having everything ready to go.

You need to be able to get the front end off the ground to remove the triple tree - see below for how I achieved that (made a stand which supported the front weight of bike on the sliders)
I have a PitBull 'newfront' stand which lifts the front end of bike from under the bottom yoke; however that only gets you as far as wheel & forks removal - but then that allowed adequate space to get the wooden stand in to support the weight from the frame sliders & allow the triple clamp set to be removed.









[ This message was edited by: DEcosse on 2006-11-21 20:48 ]

[MotoRaider]

the home made stand is ingenious! I thought it was supported by the pipes and was wondering it didn't tip over.

Definitely gotta save up for the mod, approximately how much did they cost you if you don't me asking. Will your friend eventually sell some of the custom made parts too?

[ This message was edited by: MotoRaider on 2006-11-10 21:44 ]

[vclune]

Great work! Nice to see people investing in the older models.

[itchin]

Very nice work my friend, looks stock. Good job. Have been loking for one of the older S3 models to fiddle around with and may consider your conversion.

[kuhlka]

Just wondering, does anyone know if I could swap out the bearings from my 03 wheel and use the T509/595 bearings? I'd like to get a set of those wheel spacers from you De, if you're able to get another set made. I think I might prefer to use the GSXR axle instead of my 03's.

[DEcosse]

On 2006-11-11 12:32, kuhlka wrote:
Just wondering, does anyone know if I could swap out the bearings from my 03 wheel and use the T509/595 bearings?

(edited) Unfortunately the wheels are different - the OD as well as ID is different & there is no compatible bearing that has the 97-01 ID with 02-04 OD

- didn't you have a 98-01 wheel at one time going into your project or did you already move it on?

Remember you machined your left leg though K - well at least the fork left leg, otherwise they'd be calling you Eillean (I lean!) :-D - so the left spacer will be different as result of that.
But actually the way this spacer set works it doesn't really matter if you machined the left leg as the right spacer is what sets the wheel centre; then the combination of GSXR axle and inset spacing of the left spacer is what acommodates the left side. With my left spacer as-is there would be a small 2mm gap on yours between the leg & the outside sleeve of the spacer which merely fits over the 'fat' part of the axle and is cosmetic, not functional dimensionally.

As point of note, my first spacer I deliberately made 1mm short on the outside sleeve part as I intentionally did not want it tight between the fork & the wheel bearing, ensuring that the space is driven by the inner dimension and the axle - you couldn't really see that little gap unless you got down on hands & knees! But for my second iteration & final part I eliminated it only leaving a few thou of clearance.

[ This message was edited by: DEcosse on 2006-11-11 13:24 ]