Author Topic: 89 forks swap on too 87  (Read 6848 times)

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Offline Mike Grant

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89 forks swap on too 87
« on: April 02, 2015, 06:30:06 PM »
I was wondering if anyone could tell me if I  could swap an 89 KX 46mm front forks onto my 87 KX 500 without too much problems. I've read that front forks could be swapped with the proper triple clamps but I am not sure if I could use my oem front wheel / rotor setup. I was going to purchase a 89 KX250  front end if I was able to use my oem front wheel without any modifications. I want to keep an OEM style conventional fork to keep the bike close to how it was it sold back in the day.


Also curious if any one has found an oem style footpeg that will improve work on my bike without  a lot work...

Thanks Mike

Offline sandblaster

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Re: 89 forks swap on too 87
« Reply #1 on: April 03, 2015, 03:21:46 AM »
It depends on which version of 89 forks you are wanting to use, US or Non US.
The US didn't get USD forks until 1990.
The rest of the world got them in 1989.
In the mean time check out this link:
http://oem-cycle.com/KAWASAKIKX500BIKEID.shtml
I have fork sizes, axle sizes, bearing sizes, hub sizes ect so you can compare.
All that being said, you could get a complete 2015 kx450f front end, get a new steering stem from EMIG Racing, and bolt the whole thing to your bike.
Can you say Upgrade?  :-D
The four stroke engine: That's one stroke for producing power and three for wearing the engine out.

Offline motopunk

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Re: 89 forks swap on too 87
« Reply #2 on: April 03, 2015, 05:36:10 AM »
It depends on which version of 89 forks you are wanting to use, US or Non US.
The US didn't get USD forks until 1990.
The rest of the world got them in 1989.
In the mean time check out this link:
http://oem-cycle.com/KAWASAKIKX500BIKEID.shtml
I have fork sizes, axle sizes, bearing sizes, hub sizes ect so you can compare.
All that being said, you could get a complete 2015 kx450f front end, get a new steering stem from EMIG Racing, and bolt the whole thing to your bike.
Can you say Upgrade?  :-D
 

..blasta he wrote that he wants to use the us 46mm kayaba conventional forks...   :wink: 

mike grant, all you need is the fork and the 89 brake caliper ... fitting it to the 87 is like playing in the sandpit...  :wink:

i use on my 87 kx250 the wp "extreme" 50mm forks from a 99 husaberg fc501. is a little bit heavier weight than the 89 euro-usd-forks that i used before, but an excellent performance ... sandblaster knows this build...  8-)
here are pics.. first the 89 41mm usd fork


and with the conventional wp- forks..

big 2 stroke bikes are weapons for real men, who don´t fear death or devil. ;O)
´83 kx250, ´87 kx250 (with 360 big bore), 87 kx500, ´93 kx500 sfc

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Offline Foxx4Beaver

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Re: 89 forks swap on too 87
« Reply #3 on: April 03, 2015, 06:03:50 AM »
All that being said, you could get a complete 2015 kx450f front end, get a new steering stem from EMIG Racing, and bolt the whole thing to your bike.
Can you say Upgrade?  :-D

I would love to go that route at some point!
I'm pretty sure KXDINO has been testing them recently...I'd love to hear his thoughts.   
Excuse me, ma'am...but you've got extremely nice legs!!!...what time do they open???                                                                                                               https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8tCgN3aryQ

Offline sandblaster

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Re: 89 forks swap on too 87
« Reply #4 on: April 03, 2015, 06:34:56 AM »

..blasta he wrote that he wants to use the us 46mm kayaba conventional forks...   :wink:  


Doah!
The four stroke engine: That's one stroke for producing power and three for wearing the engine out.

Motorrad

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Re: 89 forks swap on too 87
« Reply #5 on: April 03, 2015, 06:45:52 AM »
I ran 89 conventional forks on my 87 when I had it...  Bolt right on.   All 500 parts though. 

Offline 81cr450

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Re: 89 forks swap on too 87
« Reply #6 on: April 03, 2015, 06:51:04 AM »
I like conventionals cause they seem to eat seals less. Wondering though if anybody has tried emulators on the 89 K5 forks yet?
if I only had a pair, I could actually ride this thing

& to the people I like  FYYFF

Offline KXDINO

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Re: 89 forks swap on too 87
« Reply #7 on: April 03, 2015, 09:07:36 AM »
Never seen the kx 89 46mm , we never got them in Australia , only the first up side down.I did ride a 89 rm125 sling shot that had the 46mm fork , it was good , I preferred the forks on the 88 kx 250 over the 89 kx 250 any day . Emulaters gold valves only go in forks that have damper rods, 89 k5 have piston and shim stack which can be replaced with a normal gold valve, if anybody changes to 13 /14 air forks or the new 15 fork , these forks benefit from a new gold valve both mid and compression valve , big improvement , not trying to sell  any one race tech stuff , im sure there other stuff just as good out there , I get most of my stuff for suspension from the distributor in aust , at discount prices .

Offline 81cr450

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Re: 89 forks swap on too 87
« Reply #8 on: April 03, 2015, 11:06:40 AM »
Thanks for the enlightenment KXDINO, no wonder I could not find them.  :oops:
if I only had a pair, I could actually ride this thing

& to the people I like  FYYFF

Offline Mike Grant

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Re: 89 forks swap on too 87
« Reply #9 on: April 03, 2015, 02:10:27 PM »
The other option I was looking at was having race tech gold valve installed. Still leaves me with the crummy single piston brake setup though. 

Offline motopunk

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Re: 89 forks swap on too 87
« Reply #10 on: April 03, 2015, 08:55:53 PM »
The other option I was looking at was having race tech gold valve installed. Still leaves me with the crummy single piston brake setup though. 


at this point i show you one of my bikes again...
 83 kx250 with 88 forklegs , 1990 double piston caliper and my handmade bracket for this nissin caliper...
the build of the bike with detailed fotos of the bracket made: http://der-motopunk.de.tl/kx250c1_1983-die-wiedergeburt-.htm

the double piston nissin caliper on the 88 fork...
 
big 2 stroke bikes are weapons for real men, who don´t fear death or devil. ;O)
´83 kx250, ´87 kx250 (with 360 big bore), 87 kx500, ´93 kx500 sfc

---  www.der-motopunk.de.tl  ---

Offline motopunk

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Re: 89 forks swap on too 87
« Reply #11 on: April 03, 2015, 09:00:09 PM »
in the meantime i started another 87 kx-project and found out that with little modifying you could fit in some honda pegs...  thats what i do at the moment...   8-)
big 2 stroke bikes are weapons for real men, who don´t fear death or devil. ;O)
´83 kx250, ´87 kx250 (with 360 big bore), 87 kx500, ´93 kx500 sfc

---  www.der-motopunk.de.tl  ---

Offline Foxx4Beaver

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Re: 89 forks swap on too 87
« Reply #12 on: April 03, 2015, 09:18:05 PM »
Never seen the kx 89 46mm , we never got them in Australia , only the first up side down.I did ride a 89 rm125 sling shot that had the 46mm fork , it was good , I preferred the forks on the 88 kx 250 over the 89 kx 250 any day . Emulaters gold valves only go in forks that have damper rods, 89 k5 have piston and shim stack which can be replaced with a normal gold valve, if anybody changes to 13 /14 air forks or the new 15 fork , these forks benefit from a new gold valve both mid and compression valve , big improvement , not trying to sell  any one race tech stuff , im sure there other stuff just as good out there , I get most of my stuff for suspension from the distributor in aust , at discount prices .

thanks for your input KXDINO.
Excuse me, ma'am...but you've got extremely nice legs!!!...what time do they open???                                                                                                               https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8tCgN3aryQ

Offline Mike Grant

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Re: 89 forks swap on too 87
« Reply #13 on: April 05, 2015, 04:29:03 PM »
Hey motopunk show some pictures of those pegs would love to see them. I was also looking on KLR650 sites as they use the same front caliper and a few of them have upgraded too a Suzuki SV650 front caliper which is a 2 piston Tokico.

Offline KXDINO

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Re: 89 forks swap on too 87
« Reply #14 on: April 05, 2015, 07:56:56 PM »
Thanks foxy.