GS450 Scrambler project fork questions

[Diptenkrom]

I have a 1981 GS450 that i got sorta cafe style and will be converting it to scrambler. I have the rear kinda figured out. the front is another story.

i want to keep the factory star wheels on the bike as i like the look. (might try to get an 18" front) would it do me any good to swap the front forks to GS850? I know they are larger diameter, and i can get them reasonably cheap. Or should i try to get katana or GSXR 600 forks? the bike is light, and i am not. 6'5" ~285lbs. would like some travel and some strength out of the front end. will be riding dirtroad and easy trails, and some road use as well, but not long distances. i have bigger bikes for that.

 

[Diptenkrom]

looks like it is a 33mm to 37mm fork. but i do not know the travel distance or height difference. and any other differences in the triple, or axle/braking arena.

 

[teazer]

I have a pair of GS1100E fork legs and a complete set of GSX600 Katana forks that I am about to throw on ebay and the Kat forks are much lighter and better overall. They use top triple clamp mounted clipons which may not be the bars you want to use.

 

[Diptenkrom]

will the katana setup go right on or is there a stem size difference? also does it come with the axle bolt, and is it a 15mm front axle?

what you want for it?

 

[Diptenkrom]

does anyone have a GS850 that can measure the front axle length or fork spacing for me? I'm trying to figure out what direction i want to go with this front end.

 

[Brodie]

I have a '78 GS750 if that info is of any use to you.
If I recall correctly they are 35mm forks though.

 

[Diptenkrom]

Thanks. I just went ahead and bought them. Amazingly it seems the gs450 and gs850 have the same fork spacing, even though the 850 is dual front brake. My plan is a GN400 front wheel on a GS850 fork set with single GS850 brake setup, which looks like it might be the same as the gs450 left.