How to install a GSXR's USD to an FZ6 fazer

[alkinoos]

This is what i did to my fazer.
I did it all myself in my garage without any help from a technician.
I will try to descripe the mod as best as possible.
My english are not that good and maybe i have several problems with some technical terms but i will do my best.

First of all we need to modify the lower triple clamp of the GSXR so it can be fitted to our FZ6 fazer.
In my case i did something very simple and i resolved the problem very easy.
As you can see in the first picture i've unpressured the central axis from the FZ6 lower triple clamp and i've fitted it to the GSXR's lower triple clamp.
With this way you can use the fz6 ball bearing with gsxr's triple clamp.

After this, we have to remove the old fork stoppers (i couldn't find a better description for this, dont laugh!!!) an create new ones.
After all, we dont want the usd to stop every time we turn on the frame.

After this, i've bought renthal's "ultra low bar" with the code 758. It is ideal for this mode and i also bought a pair of steering bar brackets.
These ones are used and i really dont know from what kind of bike came from.
I did some job with the upper triple clamp too.
The Gsxr's triple clamp has the lock at the middle and there is no way to fit and work properly at the fazer's frame.
There is no way to lock the steering bar on the frame if you are not change the position of the locker.
As you can see at the picture i've moved the lock from the center to the left of the upper triple clamp.

The trickiest part was the disk rotors.
I wanted to keep my original 5 spoke wheel but the space between the disc rotors where smaller than the gsxr's.
That means that if you want to use the radial brake calipers you also need the suzuki's front 3 spoke wheel or you can make spacers (3mm its side) and keep the fazer's wheel.
That was exactly what i did. I've created spacers to a cnc machine, i kept my wheel and my disc rotors.

All this thing with the disc rotors ignites an other problem concerning the brake calipers.
The suzuki has 310mm disc rotors and the fz6 has 298 mm disc rotors.
The brake calipers where 5,5 mm higher than i've expected.
I have to admit that i didn't see this coming!
So, i took out the calipers and i had them lowered 5.5 mm.
At the same picture you can see the fazer's wheel fitted at the suzuki's forks.
I did it using spacers and pressured rings but unfurtunate i dont hae any pictures available. Next time when i will have my front wheel of the bike i will update the post with pictures.

Here you can see the radial brake pump from Nissin and a couple of pictures from the lock.

In this picture you can see the usd fitted in foul working condition.
You can notice the axis bolt from the suzuki fitted to the fazer's axis.

If you have any further guestions, please, be free to ask.

 

[FZ6-ZN]

Flipping nice experiment there alkinoos, well done, your USD conversion is awesome…

FZ6-ZN

 

[tonup]

Did the fz6 steering stem press right into the gsxr triple tree? or was a spacer needed?

 

[Chily]

Hi alkinoos,

What`s the total cost of this mod ..
Front forks are from GSXR which year ?

Thanks ,

Regards,

Chily

 

[fzme]

Wow. Just wow.

A few questions--
Did you come up with this idea yourself or did you see it on another bike?
How do you know that it fits right?
How much did the whole thing cost?
What year forks were they?
Do you know if any other forks work?

This is an awesome mod, and if it works well enough, it'll give more choices for front end upgrades. :cheer::cheer:

Thanks a lot :thumbup:

 

[alkinoos]

The forks came from a suzuki gsxr 1000 2006 model.
It cost me 350 euros to buy it.
I bought it complete with calipers, brake pump, triple clamps etc.
I also needed almost 200 euros for the steering bar, the disc spacers and all the other small things.
The total is 550 euros.
I've sold my old fork, calipers and fender for 600 euros.
I guess that it was a good deal!!!

As far as I remember, the steering crown was the easiest part. It didn't need a spacer or a ring or anything else.
The FZ6 steering crown is made from steel and is ticker than the gsxr's. Beside this, the steering crown of the gsxr
is made from aluminium and its diameter is a little bit thinner.
Its quite easy to do this mod.

I didn't saw it anywhere else.
I've also fitted R1 forks to my brothers tdm900.

 

[proxxx34]

Thanks for your post on this.
After this mode are you still able to lock your bike because you changed the triple?

 

[sonic]

This is great since I race an SV650 with gsxr forks... I have a spare set of 99 GSXR 750 SILVER usd forks with 6-piston calipers. I like these forks because I am familiar with them and already have a set. These are great for projects though because GSXR parts are EVERYWHERE for extremely cheap.

I have some questions for you:

1. Did you modify the GSXR triple clamp in order to press in the stem?

2. Did the front axle diameter fit the FZ6 wheel?

3. Was the wheel's hub width correct for the gsxr forks?

4. Did you drill those triple clamps to accept the bar risers?

5. Did you measure the length of each fork to account for geometry changes?

6. Why the shorter rear shock?

 

[alkinoos]

Thanks for your post on this.
After this mode are you still able to lock your bike because you changed the triple?

of course i can lock the bike! I've modified the triple clamp so the lock can work perfectly.

 

[alkinoos]

This is great since I race an SV650 with gsxr forks... I have a spare set of 99 GSXR 750 SILVER usd forks with 6-piston calipers. I like these forks because I am familiar with them and already have a set. These are great for projects though because GSXR parts are EVERYWHERE for extremely cheap.

I have some questions for you:

1. Did you modify the GSXR triple clamp in order to press in the stem?

The only thing that i did was that i've unpressed the GSXR's stem and i pressed in the fazer's stem. It was quite easy.

2. Did the front axle diameter fit the FZ6 wheel?

No, i used the fazer's axle. The GSXR's axle is too tick and it cannot pass through the fazer's wheel bearing.

3. Was the wheel's hub width correct for the gsxr forks?

Yes, but you are gonna have to create a couple of new spacers for the wheel and the axle.

4. Did you drill those triple clamps to accept the bar risers?

Yes. I did drill the triple clamp. There is enough space for drilling but first you must find the right spot. Its easy to do that. You only have to look above the triple clamp.

5. Did you measure the length of each fork to account for geometry changes?

6. Why the shorter rear shock?

Of course there was a geometry change. The bike was sharper and the weight balance was in front of the bike. The rear shorter shock maybe is shorter but is harder too. With a shorter rear shock the sag adjustment it is easier for me. The bike is more agresive know and has a supersport feeling.
It is fan to drive!

 

[Wolfman]

Nice job....have always thought of maybe doing something like this...go upside down forks with full adjustability, with radial calipers...very nice!

As you have just shown, it aint that hard to do, you just need to be able to fabricate the spacers, etc..

Well impressed!

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

 

[alkinoos]

The most difficult part is to make the lock work right and the most expensive part was the disk rotors spacers.

The first one is difficult because the Gsxrs upper clamp has the lock mounted at the center but the fazer needs the lock at the left side of the clamp.
Its difficult to do this mod because you dont have enough space to work at this spot.

The second one is expensive because i choose to make them from hard aluminium and they are quite big.
I've chosen aluminium because it is light and you can work with it easy.

Next week i will have my wheels painted and i can take some more detailed pictures from my work if you wish.

 

[sonic]

The most difficult part is to make the lock work right and the most expensive part was the disk rotors spacers.

I wouldn't hesitate a bit to use smaller, individual spacers to move the rotors out. I'm really getting into this. Only problem is, it is hard to move the calipers in towards the rotors on a non-radial braking setup. Do any other yamahas use 320mm brake disks in the front that might bolt up to our wheel?

 

[alkinoos]

Yes, i see what you mean. I had the same idea for the smaller individual spacers but after some thinking i've decided to use one solid spacer.

 

[alkinoos]

Yes, i see what you mean. I had the same idea for the smaller individual spacers but after some thinking i've decided to use one solid spacer.
I cannot explain this much more because i'm not familiar with enough technical words in english.
To keep it simple, i was afraid that if one bolt of the disc rotor was unscrewed or one of the tiny spacers was just a little bit smaller or bigger than one of the others, the vibrations would be too much.


The disc rotor of 320mm that you can use is from a yamaha r1 2008 model.
The cheaper solution is to use your disc rotors and have the radial calipers shorted.

 

[sonic]

The disc rotor of 320mm that you can use is from a yamaha r1 2008 model.
The cheaper solution is to use your disc rotors and have the radial calipers shorted.

The problem for me there is that I do not have radial calipers. These are older forks. Thanks for the information on the rotors!

 

[Geoff]

Very nice job, make sure you show us a picture when you have it all back together!

 

[alkinoos]

The problem for me there is that I do not have radial calipers. These are older forks. Thanks for the information on the rotors!

I think that if you dont have radial calipers it is much easier to do it.
Check the photos below.
The first one is exactly the same thing as the fazer to my previous bike, Kawasaki Z750 04-06.
The only difference is that i had to make the disc rotors to come closer to the center of the wheel (the opposite thing than the fazer) and at the second picture is my brother's Yamaha TDM900 with R1 front end install compined with non radial calipers from a SUZUKI Hayabusa 1300.
It is much cheaper to use non radial calipers and a lot less trouble to do it.

 

[skooter65]

...

The trickiest part was the disk rotors.
I wanted to keep my original 5 spoke wheel but the space between the disc rotors where smaller than the gsxr's.
That means that if you want to use the radial brake calipers you also need the suzuki's front 3 spoke wheel or you can make spacers (3mm its side) and keep the fazer's wheel.
That was exactly what i did. I've created spacers to a cnc machine, i kept my wheel and my disc rotors.

...

I am in the process of fitting a set of ZX6R USD forks to the FZ and have a similar problem with the disc rotor spacing. I was wondering if you used extended shoulder bolts when you added the spacer.

Thank you!

-Scott-

 

[alkinoos]

to tell you the truth, i dont remember!
i will check it out tommorow morning and i will get back to you.