Best Front End

[jlappa]

Looking to replace the front end on my 88. I am leaning towards the inverted front forks but I'm not sure which would be the best/easiest swap?

I read somewhere that the RC-51 front end and the 91' GSXR front end will work but...

Also, I have no idea where I might find the parts...

Lil help?

-J

[MrDude_1]

i bought the forks and SP1 triple tree off ebay... and the wheel/calipers/lines/rotors/ect... off of a cycle salvage shop.

[jaysun0ne]

i got a set of 05cbr1000 forks and still need a triple from a sp1 or cbr1000
got everything off ebay

just need to wait till they come up, and hope they done go out of your price range

[slo1]

91 - 93 gsxr is inverted AND has a speedo drive. If the speedo drive is not an issue, 929/954 is the bomb, and cheaper than sp's.

dale

[ovlovder]

I have heard bad things about he early inverted gsxr forks, mainly that they were mostly a gimmic, not perfected at all, heavy with no real advantage, on the other hand I have heard the rc51 fork referred to as the finest oem fork short of an Ohlins...

Early rc51 stem/triple clamp setups bolt up, the only mod is steering stops.

[4g63mightymax]

I am going to sound like a noob here, but if I were to use an RC51 front end, do I need to swap bearings/bearing races? or is it pretty much bolt on swap? I assume a 954 RR would be easier and cheaper?
-Jeremy

[jaysun0ne]

ya just make sure the lower triple is an sp1
and the bearings are the same

[4g63mightymax]

Once again, I am new to this. Sp1 is the earlier model RC51's? like 02-03?
Thanks
-Jeremy

[ovlovder]

SP1 refers to 2001 or older if I remember correctly.

[jaysun0ne]

thare ya go

http://www.hawkgtforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=690&highlight=sp2+sp1

[ovlovder]

The upper triple clamp must also be an SP1, as the opening for the steering stem is smaller. Really, the lower clamp/stem/upper clamp must all be SP1 if you want a simple install...

The 954/929 forks will be slightly less expensive, but I believe they do not have external compression adj. and are slightly shorter, which will throw all kinds of things off...

[plumberpat]

Has anyone looked into the weight diff going from stock to a complete 51 / 954 929 setup? I'm thinking the larger & heavier rim/tire combo would slow down the steering and feel. Yes? No?

[MrDude_1]

Has anyone looked into the weight diff going from stock to a complete 51 / 954 929 setup? I'm thinking the larger & heavier rim/tire combo would slow down the steering and feel. Yes? No?

i havent ridden mine yet, but i cant say theres a big weight diff... id guess it would be identical to any other hawk that has a 120 front tire...

[jaysun0ne]

i want to weigh the f2 front end and the 05 cbr 1000 front i got
need to put them together first
let you know what i find out.

[ovlovder]

I would say, with the rc51 front end, the bike does everything better, feels much more "planted", is quicker steering, most likely due to a combination of more aggressive rake/trail, and torsional rigidity in the front end, as well as much better dampening/spring rates. There are moments it feels a little edgy when unweighting in turns, which Im sure is more drastic on the 954/929 front end, as it is shorter. Until recently, I never considered a steering damper for my Hawk, there are moments recently where I feel very close to wanting one.

I am sure that the RC51 fork out of the box is far off from a perfect setup, as far as dampening/spring rates, but it is absolutely, for myself, a street rider, a vast improvement over stock, plus it looks bitchin'.

Also, I would note that I dont think I would go with either of these from ends, or even a gsxr, or whatever, without addressing the rear shock, i.e. Ohlins, Penske, Wilbers, etc. Not 900rr...

...Just my opinion.