R1 Front End Cost Estimates

[Stupid Luke]

Winter is coming and the urge to tinker grows stronger so I have been reading up on front end conversions. So I am hoping to gain wisdom from those that have gone before.


I would be looking to add the radial calipers so I guess my choice is either 08 on 4c8 model or latest 14b model. Does any one know if the extra 19mm of fork length is worth the  likely extra money and hassle in finding the latest model forks?


In either instance I seem to be in for the following estimated costs


Forks 4-500 quid
calipers 100-150 quid
R1 lower yoke 40 quid
fz1 top yolk 40 quid
Late R1 fr wheel 200 quid
Discs 150 quid
spindle 25 quid
fr mudguard 50 quid
radial master cylinder 100 quid?


Total 1255 on the guessometer. Hopefully a good bit less as I have seen some US breakers selling complete front ends for 500 quid plus shipping and VAT.


Anything I have missed? What sort of money should I allow for machining the steering stem? Any recommendations on who to use?


Anyone sold or bought a converted front end complete? Obviously it isnt something I would include should I sell the bike for current market value so it would be useful to know if I could recoup most of my costs by selling the ready to fit front end should I change bikes.


Finally, if I end up buying a pair of wheels, how much should I allow for the conversion kit to fit the 6 inch rear?


Thanks

[devilsyam]

Forks 4-500 quid                 £350 on ebay now
calipers 100-150 quid           £90 ebay now
R1 lower yoke 40 quid         no chance
fz1 top yolk 40 quid             even less chance
Late R1 fr wheel 200 quid    got pair here with tyres 350
Discs 150 quid                    maybe
spindle 25 quid                   yep
fr mudguard 50 quid           eer
radial master cylinder 100 quid?    £80 but not needed

engineering of bottom yoke inc spacer -for top yoke £185

r6 rear hanger £40 spacers and pinning of r6 cALIPER TO LOWER POSITION TO fit r1 rear disc £150

you may need these if you want to keep origial fork length



£160

been there done that and have shipped this mod all over the world

[Hedgetrimmer]

Think it's time for me to get off my arse and get this done too 

[Falcon 269]

Got to ask, is it worth dropping over £1200 into a new front end for a bike that's worth maybe £3,500 tops?  Even if it's a keeper, that's a big outlay.

FWIW, if you go for earlier model R1 forks you can do this for a lot less than half that price and still benefit from improved steering and road-holding.  Would you really feel the benefit from radial brakes?  Is the rest of the Fazer chassis good enough to go with a high-spec R1 fork and wheel combo?

[Hedgetrimmer]

That's exactly what I'm thinking Mike (cos I'm a tight-arse  ). 4XV or 5PW for me.
Yam blue spot calipers are still sought after bits for many specials builders, with good reason. Can't say I've ever found them lacking.

If, on the other hand, you were building a really tip-top show bike, I can see why folk would spend the money. Some of Luke's projects have been really stunning (crawl, crawl!  ).

[NorthWestern]

I went for the older 4xv forks because I don't think radial brakes suit the look of the fazer.  That's my excuse anyway...

[Stupid Luke]

Got to ask, is it worth dropping over £1200 into a new front end for a bike that's worth maybe £3,500 tops?  Even if it's a keeper, that's a big outlay.

That is pretty much my worry too. I could justify the outlay if I was confident I could just unbolt the front end and sell it on for a good part of my initial outlay but as you say, it isnt going to add much value to an old bike.


Am I correct in thinking that the 5VY (04-06)  model forks also have radial calipers (albeit 4 pot)? Would that be a cheaper conversion? I imagine forks and calipers would be a bit cheaper to buy, yokes and stem engineering the same price but could i then use std wheels and just buy 320mm discs?

[devilsyam]

its down to cost and choice

mikes way well documented elseware works fine i just opened up a different approach

to use the fz1 top yoke to give that factory look but this will not work with the early bottom yoke

you need either the 2008 or fz1 bottom yoke this has to be modded in a differnt way to mikes version

ps i have a stock of top yoke mk1 justy bushes if you need them pm me

[Falcon 269]

Not really my way, Luke - you did the original R1 fork front end before most of us before moving on to the newer model forks and FZ1 top yoke.

The latter option is neater but finding an FZ1 yoke is very difficult and pricey.

For me, the key to keeping costs - and complexity - down is to use R1 forks that take the Fazer front wheel.  You can always have the fork internals tweaked if you want/need. 

[devilsyam]

Mike you can use fazer wheel with later fork but you need r6 discs
Also fz8 top yoke is same as fz1 just no badge

[Falcon 269]

And even harder to find ...

R1 forks, R6 discs, Fazer wheel - I like simple, me.

[nickodemon]

I will look out the total costs for my 4c8 front end, but i remember most of the costs.. So i should only be out a max of £50 4C8 forks and yokes £300, radial calipers £100, wheel and discs £120, steering stem made in America $100 + shipping and import duties worked out abot £100,steering head bearings £35, Lsl top yoke rl 2002/3) £120, Bottom yoke (r1 2002/3) £30,R1 carbon front mudguard £70. Total £875. I sold the R1 yokes to get some money back And i sill have the original front end i could sell if i needed to. Here is a pic

[Stupid Luke]

Thanks Nick,


That looks great and I would be happy to spend that sort of money on mine. Once it starts getting up over a grand though I tend to favour using the early R1 forks to keep costs down.


I guess I will have to keep watching e bay for suitable yokes and haggle hard on the rest. Is the the guy that did your steering stem still around and does he do them to order. It may be that I could get that made now so that it is one less thing to wait for when I start getting bits together.

[nickodemon]

Hi Luke, here is the thread for the steering stem. The guy you want to contact is brian g (who makes them) There are several pages on how it was made and how to fit.  http://www.yamahafz1oa.com/forum/showthread.php?t=131607&highlight=steering+stem

[Hedgetrimmer]

I will look out the total costs for my 4c8 front end, but i remember most of the costs.. So i should only be out a max of £50 4C8 forks and yokes £300, radial calipers £100, wheel and discs £120, steering stem made in America $100 + shipping and import duties worked out abot £100,steering head bearings £35, Lsl top yoke rl 2002/3) £120, Bottom yoke (r1 2002/3) £30,R1 carbon front mudguard £70. Total £875. I sold the R1 yokes to get some money back And i sill have the original front end i could sell if i needed to. Here is a pic

Looks great Nick 
The gold on the forks lifts the look of yours nicely, but would look terrible with the bright yellow paint on mine. Very pleased to say I have bought some black 2003 forks (with K-Tech internals, don't know yet whether that's gonna be a good thing as I don't know if they're parts more suitable for R1 use, but can always change them) from Luke - bloody good man as always! 

Have you any kind of ride-height compensation on there, or wasn't it necessary with the later set-up? I'm a little concerned that having the lower ride height of uncompensated forks might throw a bit more weight on my dodgy shoulder. Dropping the bike 10mm on the standard forks hasn't caused me any grief though. Got to let Luke know if I want the adjusters.

[nickodemon]

my bike has an r6 rear shock with dog bones to match the original ride height and the front end is slightly lower (Not Too Much tho) The 2007-8 R1 forks are shorter than the fazers but the steering angle is steeper to compensate a little. Handling is sublime. Gets better the faster you go   it has completely changed my fazer into a very modern handling and braking bike. Well worth doing the R1 front end mod no matter, which model of R1 front end you use. (The later the better, but more expensive)

[Hedgetrimmer]

Well, I know Mike hasn't used the ride height adjusters on his (4XV forks?), and hasn't lost stability or otherwise had any problems, so I think I'll go without to start with. As Luke says, can always add them later.

I might be imagining it, but since having mine dropped on the forks, I think it might be ever so slightly more "flighty" at very high speed. But since it's very rare that I hit those kind of speeds, and can always compensate by a firmer grip on the bars (picture death-grip and hanging on for dear life  ), it hasn't been a problem.

[bigbluebear]

Just bumping this up so I don't need to keep searching for it 

[devilsyam]

Bump

[bigbluebear]

Will the gen2 forks fit and are they the same length.....will the gen2 yolks fit along with gen1 wheel and brake callipers or will they need changing too....or am I opening up a new can of worms

[devilsyam]

simple

if you fit gen 2 upper and modified gen 2 lower then any fork leg from 98 to current

inc gen 2 legs

there are combo's that dont work

r1 98 to 04 wont work with gen2 upper you have to use the r1 top yoke and mod for risers or buy after market

wheel and disc cobos are the same unless you use 6 pots as you will need 310mm discs

next question

[bigbluebear]

Are the Gen2 forks the same length or will they too need spacers to bring them back to original gen1 length. Or is the R1 fork just a better fork than any gen2 fork, if so its easier just to stick to R1 fork.

Reason is I was at my local Bikeshop who would do the work and it was a question from them as they have forks from a 06 Gen2

There is 07-08 R1 4C8 forks not far from me. Would I be limited in my options for these

[devilsyam]

answer there all shorter and its a matter of preferance so love the forward ass up stance some dont
hence i make the extensions to return to stock height
gen 2s wont work because of bolt pattern
so you could try with out if you dony like it fit extenders

this is not difficult a job and paying a shop to do it would be expensive

any of the fork options discussed will be better according to lee at traxxion the 07-08 for was the best yam made

next question

[devilsyam]

these b nice

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171631157627?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

[bigbluebear]

With this R1 fork do I need the R1 wheel and radial brakes, or will it work with gen1 wheel and blue spot brakes and then able to upgrade to full R1 front end later. Do all R1 forks require R1 unmodified yolks on both these options. Will I need new front mudguard for both options