GSXR front end on a...Harley?

[JulesMaximus]

A friend of mine picked this 2006 Sportster 1200 up for $4,000 with only 260 miles on it. He hated the brakes and the way the front end felt so he put a GSXR front end on it. Looks kind of cool I think. I got a chance to ride it briefly and it rides nicely, very smooth, lots of torque. Brakes are fantastic!

He is going to have the rear wheel powder coated black along with the rest of the non-black parts back there.

 

[Fenixgoon]

He is going to have the rear wheel powder coated black along with the rest of the non-black parts back there.

good call on the powder coating. the silver wheel, gold calipers/forks look kinda funny

great deal on the bike :thumbsup:!

 

[satyajitmenon]

The conversion looks pretty good - almost like it shoulda come that way from the factory.

Is that a stock front tire? Looks unusually large

 

[BoberFett]

So what all came from the GXSR? Everything on the triple tree on down? (Save for the fender of course)

 

[DVad3r]

Looks good. I have the same exhaust except it's on a DX and it's black. Sounds good

 

[mwmorph]

how did e do the swap and does it change the geometry of the bike?

 

[JulesMaximus]

how did e do the swap and does it change the geometry of the bike?

I'm not sure but I rode the bike briefly and it felt fine.

Boberfett-Yes, the triple tree, forks, brakes, and wheel are all GSXR. I'd really like to take this bike up in the canyons but he was having an issue with the left brake caliper. Every time we stopped it was very hot so he turned back and I rode on with his friend. We rode up through Mt Laguna, down through Julian and then I split off and went back home.

Here's a nice pic from one of the places we stopped. Rode about 180 miles today and my butt is sore.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

I'm no suspension expert but there has to be something wrong with that. There is no balance between front and back. When a suspension guy tunes your suspension they press on the footpeg and they are looking for the front and rear suspension to go down in sync (balance). I hope he doesn't plan on taking any corners at speed or he could be looking at a trip to the hospital.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I'm no suspension expert but there has to be something wrong with that. There is no balance between front and back. When a suspension guy tunes your suspension they press on the footpeg and they are looking for the front and rear suspension to go down in sync (balance). I hope he doesn't plan on taking any corners at speed or he could be looking at a trip to the hospital.

Really? Better brakes and suspension is somehow a problem?

I rode the bike briefly and it felt great.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Really? Better brakes and suspension is somehow a problem?

I rode the bike briefly and it felt great.

It's about the equivalent of me lowering the rear suspension on my zx6r all the way down and putting a stiff ass drag racing spring on it and leaving the front as is. Don't see a problem with that? I personally wouldn't ride that bike at any speed. Not only that that fork was made for a totally different frame, different weight, rake, etc..

 

[JulesMaximus]

It's about the equivalent of me lowering the rear suspension on my zx6r all the way down and putting a stiff ass drag racing spring on it and leaving the front as is. Don't see a problem with that? I personally wouldn't ride that bike at any speed. Not only that that fork was made for a totally different frame, different weight, rake, etc..

I rode the bike a couple miles today after following the guy who did the swap for about 50 miles on the freeway at 70+ mph. It looked completely stable on the freeway and in the corners and it felt rock solid when I rode it. A common mod on my bike is to swap the entire front end off a GSXR.

Really, it is a cruiser...it's not a race bike.

 

[SooperDave]

It's about the equivalent of me lowering the rear suspension on my zx6r all the way down and putting a stiff ass drag racing spring on it and leaving the front as is. Don't see a problem with that? I personally wouldn't ride that bike at any speed. Not only that that fork was made for a totally different frame, different weight, rake, etc..

Not even close. For starters rebound and dampening are adjustable on that. If the length of the fork is different then turn in will be different as well.

 

[Greenman]

It's about the equivalent of me lowering the rear suspension on my zx6r all the way down and putting a stiff ass drag racing spring on it and leaving the front as is. Don't see a problem with that? I personally wouldn't ride that bike at any speed. Not only that that fork was made for a totally different frame, different weight, rake, etc..

Actually, it's nothing like that at all. As long the rake and trail are correct, and the forks are rated for the weight they're carrying, it should work just fine. It wouldn't be all that tough to do the math. The other thing to consider is that it isn't a race bike, top end is in the 120mph area.
I've seen a V-Rod with the entire neck cut off and the frame extended up about a foot, the guy then put on a long springer front end and apes that were over his head. This was all "in the garage eyeball work". It was every bit as hideous as it sounds, but he could, and did, ride it.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

I'm sure it's rideable and probably more cushy feeling in the front but I don't see the point. It still weighs a ton and the rear suspension is still horrible. I am just wondering what it feels like in a corner with that horrible rear suspension and the gsxr forks. Is the front end gonna get sketchy really fast? Or is it the rear? Because regardless of how much you can adjust rebound and dampening on the rear suspension it is still totally out of wack with the gsxr forks. Like I said I'm no suspension guy so I could be totally wrong.

 

[Zenmervolt]

It still weighs a ton and the rear suspension is still horrible.

Right there with you on the weight (it's a cruiser, after all), but judging from the photo the rear shocks on that thing are adjustable Ohlins units with piggyback reservoirs. Hardly a "horrible" rear suspension.

ZV

 

[andylawcc]

was it a direct swap? I mean, did the triple tree bolt somewhat perfectly onto the Sporter's frame?

i am curious, cuz the Suzuki SV650 can also benefit from a direct GSX-R front end swap; is there something to the GSX-R that it is so compatible?

 

[JulesMaximus]

was it a direct swap? I mean, did the triple tree bolt somewhat perfectly onto the Sporter's frame?

i am curious, cuz the Suzuki SV650 can also benefit from a direct GSX-R front end swap; is there something to the GSX-R that it is so compatible?

The GSXR suspension is good quality and fully adjustable with excellent brakes. The only thing he had to do was have the head on the Harley frame milled to accept the GSXR bearings. He paid $300 for the complete front end and sold the Harley front end to some guy who wrecked his for $300 so he broke even on that. I'm not sure about the length of the stock Harley front end but eyeballing it, it doesn't appear that this bike is sitting any lower than a stock Harley Sportster.

As for compatibility, the GSXR 600, 750, and the 1000 all have the same bearings so they are interchangeable, the only difference is in the coatings and the color of the shock tubes. Plus, there are a lot of wrecked Gixxers because n00bs buy them and then wreck them. You can always find these parts for sale on ebay and craigslist.

 

[andylawcc]

$300 bucks? that's cheap! i can't even get a used triple tree + straight forks on my old 250 for that..... plus wheels, brakes calipers, and possibly handle bars+controls, I expect to drop at least 600 for all that.