CBR6RRRider
Well-Known Member
Looks good! How does it feel?
Taking the plunge: R1 Fork Conversion
- Thread starter theWolfTamer
- Start date
At first I thought Lorne adjusted the headlights until I remembered the front is about 2" lower. I don't really have any ride impressions. It was dark so I pretty much went straight home.
I did notice the suspension is really firm now and braking feels...better. I don't know how to describe it but it's a subtle change. It turns even better than before, likely due to the geometry. I'll be interested to see if that feels the same once I get the extensions.
It also holds the lines better. Lorne said he set it up firm and I might want to soften it. I think he's right but I've got to play with the settings to see.
Funny thing is I didn't think I'd notice any of that stuff and I wonder if it's in my head because I know that's what its supposed to do. Either way it's performance isn't disappointing.
I did notice the suspension is really firm now and braking feels...better. I don't know how to describe it but it's a subtle change. It turns even better than before, likely due to the geometry. I'll be interested to see if that feels the same once I get the extensions.
It also holds the lines better. Lorne said he set it up firm and I might want to soften it. I think he's right but I've got to play with the settings to see.
Funny thing is I didn't think I'd notice any of that stuff and I wonder if it's in my head because I know that's what its supposed to do. Either way it's performance isn't disappointing.
Jeffibus
Well-Known Member
Nice work!
Now you get the fun part of messing with your compression settings/rebound settings.
Just don't push cornering too hard and low-side the bike.
Now you get the fun part of messing with your compression settings/rebound settings.
Just don't push cornering too hard and low-side the bike.
Sunday Cruzman and I went for a ride so we could tweak the settings on our suspension. Earlier this year, he serviced his forks and has been trying to get them to feel right since. We both have the FZ-R6R shock upgrade and have been trying different settings since their installs. We've been adjusting the damping in attempts to approve the overall feel and ride.
We didn't have a route planned, beyond going to Blood Mountain and taking as many runs as it took until we were comfortable. We met at 7:30 a.m. for breakfast at Waffle House and to discuss where else we were going. I was leading this ride. Before we even got to Blood Mountain, I knew I wanted things softened up a bit so we stopped across from Turner's Corner to make the first adjustments.
Cruzman was complaining about his bike squatting in the curves so he adjusted the fast compression on the rear shock. I was complaining about the harsh ride and wanted everything softer. He told me to make one adjustment at a time but one of those was overdue and I wanted them both done so he acquiesced. Starting at the front, he softened the compression one click. In the back, he said he changed it to 3 1/4 turns.
It was a quick stop, and we were off to attack the mountain! All right, that's overstating it a bit. We rode up the mountain to see if the changes had the effects we wanted. We chose Blood Mountain because we know it well and it has a variety of curves. Some are very technical and others and nice sweepers. There are areas that require a quick transition left, right, left. The road surface is mostly predictable. There are a few bumps that you can usually see and one right in the wrong spot that will send you off your line if the suspension isn't right or even close to right. It is a good mix of the types of roads we like to ride.
Almost 8 miles of bliss, but don't believe google maps when it says it takes 8 minutes.
During those 8 miles, we made sure to vary our corner entry speed, hit as many bumps as we could and assess the bikes reaction, hard braking to assess front end dive, and kept a running commentary going over the comms.
I'd go through the corner and he'd ask, "Did you feel that bump?"
I'd answer, "What bump?" or "Yes but it didn't affect my line."
He managed to hit the mess-up-your-drawers bump each time we went up. I managed to miss it. I hit it once back in the spring fully loaded and that was enough for me. The first time, it threw him off is line a little.
After the first run, Cruzman decided he was happy with the rear. The squatting was gone but he needed to soften his front compression. I was :cloud9: That's how I dreamed it would feel. It wasn't too harsh and gave me the feed back I was looking for. In fact it was confidence inspiring. I think I'm ready for my track debut. Or not. I'd hate to wreck my bike!
We took a run back down to Turner's for Cruzman to see if he was happy with his front fork adjustment and for me to be sure I'd done everything I needed. When we got to Turner's, we were both :cloud9: so we turned around to explore some other roads. On the way up, he hit the mess-up-your-drawers bump and claimed he felt it but it didn't change his line. I trust him.
Today I just won an eBay auction for a piece of heretofore used unobtanium:
It includes everything pictured except the ignition switch. I only want the upper triple clamp. This'll make my install look a lot cleaner than
I knew using the r1 upper triple would be ugly but seeing how ugly really has an effect. I'd wanted the g2 fz1 upper but could never find a used one and really didn't want to pay nearly $200 for a new one. Since the r1 upper triple was a compromise, I kept my eye open for the used g2 upper. Now it looks like I'll have even more stuff to sell!
I'll get that powdercoated black and will install it at the same time as the extensions (when they show up).
We didn't have a route planned, beyond going to Blood Mountain and taking as many runs as it took until we were comfortable. We met at 7:30 a.m. for breakfast at Waffle House and to discuss where else we were going. I was leading this ride. Before we even got to Blood Mountain, I knew I wanted things softened up a bit so we stopped across from Turner's Corner to make the first adjustments.
Cruzman was complaining about his bike squatting in the curves so he adjusted the fast compression on the rear shock. I was complaining about the harsh ride and wanted everything softer. He told me to make one adjustment at a time but one of those was overdue and I wanted them both done so he acquiesced. Starting at the front, he softened the compression one click. In the back, he said he changed it to 3 1/4 turns.
It was a quick stop, and we were off to attack the mountain! All right, that's overstating it a bit. We rode up the mountain to see if the changes had the effects we wanted. We chose Blood Mountain because we know it well and it has a variety of curves. Some are very technical and others and nice sweepers. There are areas that require a quick transition left, right, left. The road surface is mostly predictable. There are a few bumps that you can usually see and one right in the wrong spot that will send you off your line if the suspension isn't right or even close to right. It is a good mix of the types of roads we like to ride.
Almost 8 miles of bliss, but don't believe google maps when it says it takes 8 minutes.
During those 8 miles, we made sure to vary our corner entry speed, hit as many bumps as we could and assess the bikes reaction, hard braking to assess front end dive, and kept a running commentary going over the comms.
I'd go through the corner and he'd ask, "Did you feel that bump?"
I'd answer, "What bump?" or "Yes but it didn't affect my line."
He managed to hit the mess-up-your-drawers bump each time we went up. I managed to miss it. I hit it once back in the spring fully loaded and that was enough for me. The first time, it threw him off is line a little.
After the first run, Cruzman decided he was happy with the rear. The squatting was gone but he needed to soften his front compression. I was :cloud9: That's how I dreamed it would feel. It wasn't too harsh and gave me the feed back I was looking for. In fact it was confidence inspiring. I think I'm ready for my track debut. Or not. I'd hate to wreck my bike!
We took a run back down to Turner's for Cruzman to see if he was happy with his front fork adjustment and for me to be sure I'd done everything I needed. When we got to Turner's, we were both :cloud9: so we turned around to explore some other roads. On the way up, he hit the mess-up-your-drawers bump and claimed he felt it but it didn't change his line. I trust him.
Today I just won an eBay auction for a piece of heretofore used unobtanium:
It includes everything pictured except the ignition switch. I only want the upper triple clamp. This'll make my install look a lot cleaner than
I knew using the r1 upper triple would be ugly but seeing how ugly really has an effect. I'd wanted the g2 fz1 upper but could never find a used one and really didn't want to pay nearly $200 for a new one. Since the r1 upper triple was a compromise, I kept my eye open for the used g2 upper. Now it looks like I'll have even more stuff to sell!
I'll get that powdercoated black and will install it at the same time as the extensions (when they show up).
Hellgate
Wizard
Very cool
Sent from my LG-P925 using Tapatalk
Sent from my LG-P925 using Tapatalk
Extensions have arrived!
They're here, they're here! Thank you Devilsyam for your perseverance. These are 10x better than what I was expecting and worth the wait.
Now I just need to decide if I want to the g2 upper black or not. I think I can paint it. I did an okay job with the g2 bars I painted (until I spilt brake fluid on them :cuss so I think I can paint this just fine. Right now, the g2 upper has the vx risers in them
and I need to get the proper length bolts.
I've also ordered some blue carbon fiber vinyl for the front fender. The pic looks like this
and I'm hoping that blue matches/contrasts with the yamaha blue well. I got a piece that should be big enough to cover the fender and if it's a good match I'll get more to cover some of the other parts.
They're here, they're here! Thank you Devilsyam for your perseverance. These are 10x better than what I was expecting and worth the wait.
Now I just need to decide if I want to the g2 upper black or not. I think I can paint it. I did an okay job with the g2 bars I painted (until I spilt brake fluid on them :cuss
so I think I can paint this just fine. Right now, the g2 upper has the vx risers in them
and I need to get the proper length bolts.
I've also ordered some blue carbon fiber vinyl for the front fender. The pic looks like this
and I'm hoping that blue matches/contrasts with the yamaha blue well. I got a piece that should be big enough to cover the fender and if it's a good match I'll get more to cover some of the other parts.
loosenut
Wizard
You might want to paint the area around the ignition switch with plasti-dip.
Just about done with installing the extensions. It's supposed to be a test fit but it'll likely be a while before I remove these again.
It took a "persuader" to get them on.
Plus a few times of loosening/tightening bolts until the fork met the stop.
I think it being cold in the garage aided in how snug they were but other than that they're a perfect fit.
I need to readjust how much they go through the upper because I can't get the calipers back on with them at only 7mm:
It took a "persuader" to get them on.
Plus a few times of loosening/tightening bolts until the fork met the stop.
I think it being cold in the garage aided in how snug they were but other than that they're a perfect fit.
I need to readjust how much they go through the upper because I can't get the calipers back on with them at only 7mm:
CrazyBiker
Wizard
Problem with those is that you can't change the fork preload easily now. How much are they lowered now?
FZ1inTX
Adminstrator
Are those just press-fit to the forks? Thus the lower triple clamps the fork and the upper clamps the extension? Looks like it is very effective! CrazyBiker, adjustments simply mean longer tools.
Not true, just need a socket on the screwdriver and it's the same (after the caps are removed). Right now I think I'm right at stock height. I can't really lower them because they're so dang tall above the upper. Ideally that part should be shorter. That said, it's the ride height I said I wanted in the beginning.
The bike sits like it should on the side stand (I'll post pics of that later) and is a lot easier to get on the center stand. That is just like it was before the front was lowered so much by the swap.
Are those just press-fit to the forks? Thus the lower triple clamps the fork and the upper clamps the extension? Looks like it is very effective! CrazyBiker, adjustments simply mean longer tools.
Yes. There's a stop on the inside that the forks are pressed to and the stop on the outside so they will only go so far "into" the upper triple. To take the forks off, you'd have to remove the extension then the upper part will slide out of the lower triple.
loosenut
Wizard
Once you have you fork height set, you can trim the adapters to be only a few(5) mm above thetop clamp, OR attach clipons.
CrazyBiker
Wizard
If you can easily take of those extensions then fine otherwise servicing could be a PITA in the future.
Gonna get them trimmed so they are exactly as you suggest. I just need to find someone who can do that.
If they could be taken off as easily as you suggest, the design would not be as stable as it is. Yes, servicing will be a PITA. Forks were serviced prior to install so that's a worry a few more miles down the road.
I just got back from a short ride. I really like the feel of the bike better with the extensions. The shorter front felt a little twitchy before but now it feels more FZ1 like.
CrazyBiker
Wizard
Yeah, any metal that is press fit requires either a ton of force or ingenuity to separate. The inner sleeves that came with the my 08 calipers were impossible to remove with heat/force until I started thinking out of the box.
If those sleeves are press fit, that means the fork anodizing will be gone when you take them off.
Hellgate
Wizard
I've got that very same mallet. My father bought it in the 1970's some time...
So the extensions are required so you can use your stock top triple?
How do the extensions press into/onto the folk legs?
BTW...I love projects like this! :shoot:
NJFZ1
Moderator
I think the extensions are used to make up the R1 forks as tall as the stock FZ1 ones. This maintains the same front end geometry as before.
Well from what I gather they just slip over the top of the R1 forks. As long as it's a nice tight fit it shouldn't be a problem as the upper and lower triple trees will hold everything in place.
That's the mallet that's always been in the tool box so maybe it's the same kind.
Originally I wanted to re-use the gen1 upper triple but after Devilsyam consulted with the engineer he came up with this design and suggested I get the gen2 fz1 or r1 upper so that's what I did.
The extensions are not a required part of this conversion. I wanted/got them because they will allow me to retain the OEM front ride height. Many people do this swap without extensions.
Some more pics from the install:
First I had to loosen the retaining bolts on both triples and lower the leg enough to be able to slide the extension into the upper triple and secure it.
Then I slid the fork into the extension until it wasn't as easy to slide.
I used the "persuader" to get it on the rest of the way. Pic posted in earlier post.
I probably should have sanded it a bit more for an easier fit but I was concerned about it being too loose. I'm not concerned about the anodization on that part because mine will always be in the extensions. I'm waiting on the caps now.
I'll go by OTC this week and see if they know someone who can shorten them so that so much isn't above the triple and how much for powder coating.
This is pretty close to what the stock height is and it's 10mm below the triple to the stop of the extension, the max I'd want to raise the forks in the triple.
It's odd, but I think I like the silver bit there.
I almost forgot, pic of it on the side stand:
from my last ride
From Today
from before swap
Last edited:
Saturday I took the chance to ride with some FJR guys and Cruzman figuring that trying to keep up with them would be a good way to see if I truly liked the extensions. We rode with them until lunch then Cruzman and I rode Hwy 28 N from Clayton, GA.
At no point during the day did I even think about those extensions! I was pleased when I was on the way home around dusk to see that my head lights were where they were "supposed" to be. I couldn't tell any noticeable difference in the handling with forks + extensions vs forks only. Transitions in tight stuff was just as easy, turn in was not as quick but quicker than with stock forks.
I'll be pulling them off to have the tops cut down. After that I can raise the forks in the triples a little more to get the turn in where I want it. Without extensions it was a little too quick, with them it's about right.
For some reason I forgot to take better pictures of the bike with the extensions. I guess that means I'll have to ride a bit tomorrow just to find a good spot for photos.
At no point during the day did I even think about those extensions! I was pleased when I was on the way home around dusk to see that my head lights were where they were "supposed" to be. I couldn't tell any noticeable difference in the handling with forks + extensions vs forks only. Transitions in tight stuff was just as easy, turn in was not as quick but quicker than with stock forks.
I'll be pulling them off to have the tops cut down. After that I can raise the forks in the triples a little more to get the turn in where I want it. Without extensions it was a little too quick, with them it's about right.
For some reason I forgot to take better pictures of the bike with the extensions. I guess that means I'll have to ride a bit tomorrow just to find a good spot for photos.
Devilsyam
Well-Known Member
wolfie you black frame plug fork caps been shipped to ya bud