Front end upgrade

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Ckennedy
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Location: Leicestershire

Front end upgrade

Post by Ckennedy »

This is for anyone vagly interested as I know there are a couple of rsv owners on here now.

This winter is seeing the whole front end swapped and upgraded on the mille. Out with the old showa axial forks and calipers and in with a pair of showa radial rsv4 forks with all the nice bits.

This week has seen me spend a small fortune, though it could have been worse, on all the parts needed for the swap. I have had to buy: forks, calipers, bars, top yoke, wheel spacers, braided lines, pads, titanium caliper mount bolts (ok I didn't need to buy titanium but sod it :biggrin ) and a master cylinder.

The master has come from a ducati 1098, the calipers from an aprilia dursordo (sp?) and the forks from a rsv4. So a bit of a mix match but should add to a nice brake and suspension set up.

Currently waiting for the rest of the parts to arrive (fork oil, calipers and bars but the bars will be towards the end of the month) but so far I've had this little lot delivered

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It's pretty much a straight swap. The top yoke it for a set of ohlins forks (-2mm diameter) the spacers are to space the discs from the wheel so the calipers fit and the bars for the same reason as the top yoke. There is the option of fitting a layer model lower triple clamp but as this changes the geometry a little I decided against it.

The forks have been stripped down today and fork oil ordered. The calipers will receive a strip down and clean and all will be ready to be fitted when the bars arrive at the end of the month.

The main reason for doing this? Because I can, I want something different and believe me when it's all done it will be (massive thanks to those involved) and better brakes :thumbup:

I shall keep you informed whether you like it or not :lol: all I need next is new leathers, helmet, boots and gloves so I can ride it haha!

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Sir-knob-head
Posts: 224
Joined: Sun Nov 15, 2015 10:58 am

Re: Front end upgrade

Post by Sir-knob-head »

I'm ramming a Ducati 796 monster front end in my storm fighter

Good luck buddy. Nice to see someone tinkering
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tony.mon
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Joined: Wed Jul 25, 2007 10:46 pm
Location: Norf Kent

Re: Front end upgrade

Post by tony.mon »

Should work well. What's the fork length compared to the storm ones?
You won't want to go much shorter as it reduces ground clearance....
It's not falling off, it's an upgrade opportunity.
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Z28DUNC
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Joined: Mon Jan 16, 2012 2:51 pm
Location: Shrewsbury

Re: Front end upgrade

Post by Z28DUNC »

oooohhh, fancy pants! :mrgreen:

Very nice mate, looking forward to seeing them fitted. Do you think it will make a noticeable difference to the handling?
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AMCQ46
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Location: Worcestershire / Warwickshire border

Re: Front end upgrade

Post by AMCQ46 »

is this to help with the off road ability of the Touno? to help getting out of the gravel traps :D


no seriously, they look the dogs nuts, cant beat a bit of Brembo lettering on your front end
AMcQ
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Ckennedy
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Re: Front end upgrade

Post by Ckennedy »

Handling wise they probably won't be a lot of difference. I think there is a slight difference with the internals of the forks over the usd showa's that at fitted at the moment but the brakes should be a lot better. Better feel and braking power. That's what it's mainly for. That way when on the track I can go a little hotter into corners and slow down in time.

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agentpineapple
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Re: Front end upgrade

Post by agentpineapple »

Ckennedy wrote:Handling wise they probably won't be a lot of difference. I think there is a slight difference with the internals of the forks over the usd showa's that at fitted at the moment but the brakes should be a lot better. Better feel and braking power. That's what it's mainly for. That way when on the track I can go a little hotter into corners and slow down in time.

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also thru tunnels................ :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
I hope it all goes smoothly mate... :thumbup:
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Ckennedy
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Re: Front end upgrade

Post by Ckennedy »

I need to invent some special HUD for tunnels, I may call it tunnel vision :wink: :lol:

Just messaged the seller of the calipers as they should have been here by today. And there not :( the bars should be here sooner than expected as the bloke has managed to post them before he thought he would :) just hope it's all here by Saturday.

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sirch345
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Re: Front end upgrade

Post by sirch345 »

Some nice goodies there 8) good luck with the conversion, fingers crossed the parts arrive for tomorrow :thumbup:

Chris.
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Ckennedy
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Re: Front end upgrade

Post by Ckennedy »

Good news and bad news.......

Good news. Bars and fork oil have arrived :biggrin

Bad news. Was looking on the web this morning at random aprilia based stuff and found a post which I hadn't seen before I ordered the calipers, 3 days researching calipers and what will fit and what won't. So anyway this post turned that upside down. The calipers I've ordered won't fit as the hole centres are the wrong bloomin size :cry: I've messaged the seller as he hasn't posted yet (nearly a week later) to see if he will be nice and refund as I wombles up but no reply yet :(

So I currently have everything apart from the calipers needed with calipers on the way which won't fit :(

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Steve6088
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Re: Front end upgrade

Post by Steve6088 »

You found problems with the standard rsv brembos? I'm finding them really good.
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Ckennedy
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Re: Front end upgrade

Post by Ckennedy »

Nah there good but these are better :wink:

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mik_str
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Re: Front end upgrade

Post by mik_str »

Ckennedy wrote:Good news and bad news.......

Good news. Bars and fork oil have arrived :biggrin

Bad news. Was looking on the web this morning at random aprilia based stuff and found a post which I hadn't seen before I ordered the calipers, 3 days researching calipers and what will fit and what won't. So anyway this post turned that upside down. The calipers I've ordered won't fit as the hole centres are the wrong bloomin size :cry: I've messaged the seller as he hasn't posted yet (nearly a week later) to see if he will be nice and refund as I fooked up but no reply yet :(

So I currently have everything apart from the calipers needed with calipers on the way which won't fit :(

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Most Euro bikes use 100mm bolt spacing on calipers, whereas Japanese typically use 108mm (though 6-piston R1s used 130mm)..... though you likely know that.... now... :thumbdown:
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MacV2
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Re: Front end upgrade

Post by MacV2 »

Ckennedy wrote:Nah there good but these are better :wink:

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Well technically they are not better as they wont fit so therefore they is 100% worse...

Unhelpful of Grain... :wink:
Making up since 2007, sometimes it's true...Honest...
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Ckennedy
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Re: Front end upgrade

Post by Ckennedy »

Yes mik that info I found really early on? The calipers I'd ordered were from an aprilia 750 but the mount points are 85mm. A bit of info I didn't come across until yesterday while half asleep browsing other stuff :lol:

The seller had posted them before he picked up my message so there on there way but so are a correct fitting pair :biggrin
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