front end swap?

merc4now

merc4now

Been Around the Block
Bare with me I'm trying to read all I can about how it might change the geometry and such. But I'm really looking to ask some seasoned guys about how much machine shop would charge to match up a front end like classified moto does for $500. I've read through alot of builds and appreantly 90% of you have your own full blown machine shop or have a great buddy who does it for a few beers and the fun of it. I'm not so lucky, and was hoping to get some honest answers before actually asking a few local shops who mainly only do local stinger and dirt track racing stuff, to give me a quote. If $500 sounds about right so be it, like I said just kinda trying to ask you guys first. I'm a sucker for those colors of raw steel tank and some gold forks. not to mention all the upgrades.

FYI classified moto machines everything down for you while you provide all the parts and shipping too them.+$500.
 
It's hard to give you a straight forward answer on $500 being value for money because there's too many variables with front end swaps. Some donor front ends slot in easily with just a bearing swap and a spacer or two, others require stem swaps / custom stems and a whole lot of other tweaking to make it happen.

I've done front end swaps myself and I don't have a machine shop - but it depends on what skills you have as to how much work you can do yourself to keep the costs down.
 
Thanks Hillsy I understand lots of varibles I know it can't be answered excuatly. I mean for those guys who do get stuff machined how much would say a triple being machine down to fit in an older frame entail? the example I was saying about classified moto they don't modifiy your frame, just your triples right? I've been looking over the bearings and such through the great list provided here on the help section and guess I just need to sit down and figure it out itd just be nice to have some help, but not be the one constantly asking every question. Not knocking machinist I know those tools and equiptment training cost money but if I was to ask to get a tube trimed down and a few sleeves or bearing caps would that run me to close to $500?
 
$500 is a lot of money (2 me) I have a couple bikes right now that didn't run me that much.....That being said what kind of Front end are you planning for and on which bike do you plan on putting it on? Some times You can get away without having a machinist do anything.....But sometimes you need Tons of machine work.... You may find that a 636 front end will work perfect with a bearing swap but an R1 will need machining or vice versa.....Def Do some research the answers are out there, and people here are always happy to help out....and to answer your question yes a few hours of machine work could cost you $500+.....or beers depending on who you know
 
it's partly about the willingness to fail. You can certainly figure it out and do it yourself. but if you waste $50-$70-$200 on the wrong parts, or make mistakes that add up to over $500, are you ok with that? It may be worth $500 to save yourself time and frustration, but it may not. Plenty of people have done it and it's not rocket science. I'm sure you can find a good machine shop who will do the machining for less than $500 but some need you to be super specific and charge you if they have to figure it out.

I'm sure if didn't help too much, but that's my two cents.
 
really comes down to what you got, i didnt see what bike your doing this with mentioned yet.. but for example and to help put things in perspective.. i have a 72 cb450, and im not at the front suspension part of my project, although i came accross a smoking deal on a set of front forks, triples, and calipers off a 07 GSXR for under 200 dollars.. and it was literally a matter of pressing out the old bearing runners with some good old elbow grease (hammer and long punch), and giving all balls a call to double check the conversion.. bingo bango and im done with 40 bucks in bearings... and if your wanting to just run a GSXR wheel, throw it in there and your done, now you have a nice front fork swap, and oodles and noodles of front brake power. the real challenge is modifying a front hub with adapters to keep a spoked wheel up there...
 
Wow guess thisjust needed to be up for a day or so started to think no one else was gonna put any input on it. I have two (three?) projects right now. a 83 yamaha xt550, 84 kawasaki kz550 and 83 gpz. I'm one of those guys who is really feeling the golden shocks with raw steel look and the mad max look at the same time so I'm kinda pulled in so many ways guess thats why I'm ok with picking up three different bikes, for three different styles. ofcourse the one I wanted seems to be an elusive unicorn. Virago xv920 Chain driven version, moto classified really set that thing off to me, I never even noticed until that bike that some chassis use the engine as an structual piece. I've seen others but the Vtwin to me just looks mean as hell. None the less I have what I have right now and plan on messing with these. I was debating swapping all the suspension parts of the xt with a local 250 ninja parts bike for sale, just can't seem to get a decent price from the guy for a torn down ninja with no title. Once I find some kinda direction and settle on the first build I'll set up a build thread. Kinda pissed I missed out on a loca buy of a complete front end entire set up wheels controls ect triple tree and rear wheel and tire all for $200 of a 636.Oh well
Appreciate the response guys
 
You will have to measure stem lengths, but it looks like USD's from a mid 90's GSXR1100 will fit if you get the entire front end. All-balls has a great tool http://www.allballsracing.com/index.php/forkconversion that shows what bikes use the same bearings. If you measure your stems, and get the measurements of the stem of the bike you want to cannibalize, you might get lucky and find they are the same length or close to it. I mentioned the GSXR1100 specifically because they had longer forks than most modern bikes and, at least on my bike, I need all the length I can get (amirite?). A lot of modern bikes have shorter forks and smaller front tires, so when you swap them over it will be way lower than stock (again, judging by MY bike, yours may not have this issue).
 
check my build thread, was going to do my front forks black, but after i got em on the bike, realized gold was the way to go, so ive changed the original black/red theme over to black/gold.

http://www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=36042.msg464919#msg464919
 
Nice Mjpriceisright, can't I see how I missed that one, and your reply 54 post is the same picture I stumbled across and fell in love with then found a few more with monsterly looking tires and flipped!

Hey Mjpriceisright, just how good of a deal was the gsxr Front you found. if you don't mind me asking? I'm gonna keep my eyes out for a decent set and would like to know the norm versus getting jipped as I've never bought supension stuff before for street bikes.
 
If you are considering using Kawi 636 forks for a conversion just take into account that the stem is a larger diameter then most sport bike front ends (35mm I think) which limits the bearing choice for the conversion. I used kawi 636 forks (which can be bought fairly cheaply) on my T500 project but if I was doing it over I would have paid more and bought GSXR forks which I could have just swapped bearings and called it good. I had to machine the stem on the 636 forks. Check the size of the outside diameter on the bearing from your project bike then compare it with bearings that can be used with say a GSXR front end from the chart on here.

I would rather look around and find suitable forks (even if they cost a little more) that will work with your donor bike than spend $500 on machining which in my opinion is too much unless you are getting completely new custom triples.
 
Merc the guy wanted 200 for the forks, lower triple, stem, and the calipers, which was a steal in my book to begin with, but i had to drive like two hours so he just said 140 and you can have it all.. Then when I got there, the guy gave me a steering damper and both front rotors. Guy was legit, totally lucked out.
 
Hey tommyrocker any ideal how I would use the allballs tool to swap a street front end ontop a dirt frame? another project I have is 83 xt550 and I have a local guy saling a yamaha fzr 1000 1990 whole frame really cheap. Its not gold but figure start some where, or a local seller selling a ninja 250 95 but he's trying to nickel and dime every part and wants full running price for a bike that's in pieces with no carb or title. but I figured 95 ninja 250 would still be decent setup for the xt550.
 
Putting a sportbike front end on an offroad is a TON of work. First and foremost the street forks will be way shorter, as will your front wheel. Drastically changes the bimes geometry.
 
VonYinzer said:
Putting a sportbike front end on an offroad is a TON of work. First and foremost the street forks will be way shorter, as will your front wheel. Drastically changes the bimes geometry.
Click to expand...

Honeslty I'm a shorter guy so bringing it down alot would be great to me kinda why I hate dualsports so high. 5'5 but I don't want to build a midget bike too kinda kills the attitude of the bike IMO
 
Swivel said:
If Classified Moto charge $500 to fit a supplied front end and parts that is a total rip.

What front end and what bike do you want to do a swap on? You have mentioned three bikes here in this thread.

Don't get too excited about Viragos:they are better to look at than to ride.Boring slug motor and flexy weird frame.
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Sorry Swivel I'm trying to decice which bike would be easiest to convert for a novice like me.

The Xt550 I wanted to convert to something like this, but my 84 already has a monoshock and kinda kills the whole light and mean classic look
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=plLIXZfTHYw


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnD0kI5wTDU&feature=relmfu

and maybe make the gpz550 a frekenstien deal.
I've heard the same thing about the virago but this just looks mean to me

tumblr_lpoqmquRer1qjtvg7o1_500.jpg
 
yeah but the virago thing seems so far away as I have never seen a vx one (chain driven) and all thats for sale are the shaft driven ones. So I guess I should focus on what I have for now. As far as the Xt550 any ideals where to start? I asked before on another thread how would I go about matching my tires/rims to that set up? different rims and such and I guess I'd need disc conversion.. this is where swapping these rolling sportbike frames just start looking easier, but Id really like to get my xt looking like that one.

So is the virago consider brat style? I'm still learning the "styles" I guess I get rat and brat confused
 
Swivel said:
Don't get too excited about Viragos:they are better to look at than to ride.Boring slug motor and flexy weird frame.
Click to expand...

Booking my ski vacation in hell because I actually agree. Classified Moto has done a great job of marketing their Virago customs. They look better than what they were originally but it's still a bottom rung Virago with a butt ugly engine.
 
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