Fork and Triple Tree Swap for 71 CB350 with a Ninja 250

swensy77

swensy77

New Member
I wanted to put a new front end on my 1st motorcycle build. I have a 71 cb350 and I have an opportunity to buy a late 90's ninja 250 entire front end as well as rear tire and swing arm. I know I cant use the swing arm because it is a monoshock. I am more curious of if the front triple tree with the right bearing from Allballs, would bold right on? Also to have matching tires, would the 205 tire fit in the cb's swing arm? Ok, last question on this topic, are there spoke tires available for the ninja 250 so I could have front and back spoke tires?

The front fork and triple tree question is the most important. thanks for all of you help!
 
you want a happymeal with that?

unless you're a good machinist and have the right tools (wich you don't and thats why you're asking) it's not really possible. In all honesty, i'm an engineer and i would guess the monoshock would be the easiest swap.

The triples won't fit. There's length and diameter (steerer lock) difference in the tube that goes into the frame (dont know how you call that in US).
You could be lucky though, but experience teaches that 9 out of 10, it's cutting, lengtening/shorten the tube and tigging it up STRAIGHT again. Then theres another problem novice builders often miss. The 3 spoked wheels are very small at the middle of the spoke, so the calipers can be positioned very much towards each other. With spoked wheels, there's less space and you will have a problem.

Next, the 205 wheel would probably fit in the stock swinger, but bear in mind some heavy mods need to be done. Machine spacers, change bearings, relocate chain alignment, get the brake working (the new wheel IS a drum brake right?)

my reply to your last question; are you mad? All the non-oem stuff you see on here, blogs and other websites etc. is handcrafted. That's why it looks so good. If it was as easy as swapping parts, there would be no art in it, thus no beauty.

The easiest way to improve your bike is to keep the rear stock. Get those forks, make your wheel fit the forks and be done with it. Listen, thats a LOT OF WORK. I strongly suggest you do the following:

i know, its *ahum* another forum *cough* but damn usefull. read it and take your loss.

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=27159.0
 
I thank you very much for your information. This was interesting and informative. I do have a few more follow up questions on top of this though;
I have read that Honda and the design for the CB's up to the 80's had the same neck and that the triple trees would be interchangeable. With that being in mind I would like to find ones that have disc brakes that would be an improvement over the drums. Would you have any suggestion? I have the opportunity to pick up CB 360 forks that and have cb 550 disc brakes for the front end, only needing that front brake wheel assembly that would be spoke. Do you think this would be my best best?

Thank you,
DS
 
swensy77 said:
I thank you very much for your information. This was interesting and informative. I do have a few more follow up questions on top of this though;
I have read that Honda and the design for the CB's up to the 80's had the same neck and that the triple trees would be interchangeable. With that being in mind I would like to find ones that have disc brakes that would be an improvement over the drums. Would you have any suggestion? I have the opportunity to pick up CB 360 forks that and have cb 550 disc brakes for the front end, only needing that front brake wheel assembly that would be spoke. Do you think this would be my best best?

Thank you,
DS
Click to expand...

im not really understanding what you mean, but a cb550 front caliper is shit. The ninja brakes are waaay better. The cb550 diskbrakes are just as shit as a drum.
 
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