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amnesia
Spanner Monkey
Joined: 21 Sep 2003
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 Posted: 19:13 - 06 Apr 2009  Post subject: Wilma Frankenbike - SV650S + GSXR Front |
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Thought it might fun to post a thread about grafting GSXR suspension onto my SV650S. Its nothing original, plenty of SV owners have done before.
This all came about because I test rode an '05 R1 and absolutely loved it. In fact I very nearly bought it. I even got permission from my boss (aka the fiancee). The handling and brakes were excellent. The thing is that to get the same thrill I get from riding my SV I felt like I would have to break the law all the time - and I am quite fond of my licence!
So, I had a mooch around and came to the following decisions...
 The SV is fast enough 0-60 for me, and that is where most of my riding is done.
Riding position is better for me than the current crop of SS600's. I could raise the bars but I don't need more power at the moment and...
...the SV sounds fantastic. IL4's are kinda cool with a decent can, but I have a soft spot for that low down V-twin rumble 
Insurance is unaffected and relatively cheap.
I get a 'different' bike, but quite cool because only those 'in the know' would realise it was not standard. To the untrained eye I just ride an SV - and thats fine with me.
So...its mod time. I could have gone for new springs in the front, but I thought I would go down the more tarty route and grab myself some USD forks and 4-pots.
So without further ado....welcome to my WILMA-FRANKENBIKE thread...
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"Arguing about the best 125 is like arguing which Spice Girl could sing best" |
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Spanner Monkey
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Spanner Monkey
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Posted: 19:42 - 06 Apr 2009  Post subject: |
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The gregmli link has a table showing compatibility of GSXR parts across years and models - a really useful table when you are looking to buy bits n pieces from breakers and ebay.
First purchase...a pair of GSXR600K4 forks with calipers.
https://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y60/amnesia_stokerockscene/WIlma%20Frankenbike/IMG_0608.jpg
As can be seen one of the fender brackets was snapped and also one of the preload adjusters had been ground off...
https://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y60/amnesia_stokerockscene/WIlma%20Frankenbike/IMG_0638.jpg
...so the breakers gave me a foot section and a fork leg from a GSXR750 which had a decent adjuster on it. What the phot doesn't show so well is how banana shaped the 750 fork was! It wouldn't even compress...still all I wanted was the adjuster, and I got the bonus of having an interesting piece of bike-crash-art to stick on my bands studio wall.
https://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y60/amnesia_stokerockscene/WIlma%20Frankenbike/IMG_0612.jpg
They also gave me these immortal words...
"Yeah, the foot just screws on, its dead easy. No problems mate."
So in my naivity I toddled off with my purchases. 
I later found out that they were right - it did 'just' screw off - with the help of a lathe chuck (wrapped in copper sheet), a blow torch and a trolley jack handle for leverage. 
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"Arguing about the best 125 is like arguing which Spice Girl could sing best" |
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Spanner Monkey
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| Posted: 19:53 - 06 Apr 2009 Post subject: |
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Next on the list - a rear shock. Again, ebay to the rescue - GSXR1000K4 shock - advertised as 1500 dry miles. Now I am a cynic when it comes to this kind of comment, but this it what appeared at my desk...
https://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y60/amnesia_stokerockscene/WIlma%20Frankenbike/IMG_0676.jpg
The only unforseen issue with this shock is that it was wrapped up to look like som weird sex toy.
It has a couple of storage marks on the spring but other than that it was in excellent condition.
Next up, clip-ons.
The GSXR clipons are a bit low for this conversion, and can give clearance issues with the fairing. The accepted alternative is to take a pair of TLS clipons (not the TLR's as they are too low).
I had seen a pair on ebay at £26 each plus shipping...but got this pair for £30 delivered from a breakers. They are pristine apart from a bit of glue.
https://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y60/amnesia_stokerockscene/WIlma%20Frankenbike/IMG_0640.jpg
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McGee
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St0rmer66
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Spanner Monkey
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Posted: 06:45 - 07 Apr 2009  Post subject: |
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Next up, yokes. I bought a full set of GSXR1000K4 yokes for less than I had seen some top yokes go for.
This was because one of the steering locks was broken. I had a chat to a couple of people who said it was no problem to weld it up to size. Since this has no effect on the strength of the yokes I bought them. There are a couple of key marks on the top yoke, but nothing serious. The repair cost me £10.
https://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y60/amnesia_stokerockscene/WIlma%20Frankenbike/IMG_0639.jpg
Anyone want a steering damper?
I found a wheel from a GSXR600K4, that was apparently 'immaculate'. When I got it, it almost was - just that the tyre had been removed by a complete numpty - probably with a screwdriver. Luckily the gouge in the paint is almost completely hidden by the tyre.
I found a pair of 600K4 discs that were not too bad. Checked them at work for flatness and thickness against the service manual and they are fine.
Next up, was all the anciliary bits n bobs - which cost quite a bit...
Spindle
Braided hoses
Brake pads
Brake fluid
Caliper bolts
Rear shock bolt (only one is re-useable)
Fender bolts
Bar end bolts
GSXR fender
Bearings
Hall effect sensor + magents (for the speedo - more about that later)
I think thats the full list - just don't write to your MP if I mention something later that isn't there!
The forks went off to a local dealer (where all the anciliary stuff came from too) for a service and to have damaged adjuster swapped.
I spoke to one of the mechanics and said that I had bought the 750 fork because the breaker said it would be fine if it was hammered straight. A breif moment of stupidity that couldn't be missed.
The clipons were cleaned up with water and a sponge (like I said...great condition) and sent off for powder coat. I didn't want to have a black yoke, black controls and silver bars. Its just vanity.
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Spanner Monkey
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Posted: 15:39 - 07 Apr 2009  Post subject: |
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The GSXR shock re-uses the SV's own upper bolt, but needs a GSXR bolt for the lower mounting (the SV shock is threaded, where the GSXR shock has a clearance hole)
It also requires a bit of hacking to the battery box and raising the battery up. This caused the battery to clash with the underside of the seat - something that my research hadn't shown up.
I fashioned some blocks out of GPO3 (polyester delmat) to raise the battery, and replaced the standard battery with a smaller but equally rated gel unit. £50 I hadn't planned to spend but its only money after all  
Old shock...
https://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y60/amnesia_stokerockscene/WIlma%20Frankenbike/IMG_0701.jpg
New shock...
https://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y60/amnesia_stokerockscene/WIlma%20Frankenbike/IMG_0709.jpg
https://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y60/amnesia_stokerockscene/WIlma%20Frankenbike/IMG_0708.jpg
I rebuilt the back end of the bike and took it for a quick ride just to check that nothing was going to fall off - without changing the settings it was delivered with.
I would probably have got a better response from a piece of scaffolding pole!
I got home and checked the settings. All were two clicks from hardest. With the settings softened, the rear improved dramatically.
Editted for battery box bits...
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25/7 I'm a God-damn Rock Star
"Arguing about the best 125 is like arguing which Spice Girl could sing best"
Last edited by amnesia on 19:43 - 07 Apr 2009; edited 2 times in total |
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Blue_SV650S
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Posted: 16:09 - 07 Apr 2009  Post subject: |
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Cool, thanks for the report.
All seems like a lot of hassle and expense to me!! ... but I think your logic for doing so that you posted is perfectly sound!!
How much is the running total at the mo?
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| Posted: 19:59 - 07 Apr 2009 Post subject: |
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| Posted: 06:37 - 08 Apr 2009 Post subject: |
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The observant amongst you might have noticed that the front end was supported with a stand located in the bottom yoke.
Since this was being replaced I was left with a slight problem - how do I support the bike while I replace the head bearings and fit the new yokes?
The choices...
Sky hooks - a good solution, but not easy to find locally
Hold it with one hand, fit the bearings and yokes with the other - a good solution, but we were out of spinach so a bit of a non starter
set on a brace of umpa-lumpa's on minimum wage to hold the bike up - another interesting solution, but I ain't apying them lazy orange bastards for anything!
trolley jack - under the engine, jobs a good 'un.
https://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y60/amnesia_stokerockscene/WIlma%20Frankenbike/IMG_0765.jpg
New bearings going in...
https://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y60/amnesia_stokerockscene/WIlma%20Frankenbike/IMG_0767.jpg
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Spanner Monkey
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| Posted: 06:54 - 08 Apr 2009 Post subject: |
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A note about the speedo...
The SV uses a spindle based measurement, with either 4 or 8 pulses per revolution depending on the year of manufacture. The GSXR uses a gearbox based system (I think). So, a simple soultion is to replicate the SV version by fitting magnets (either 4 or 8) on the brake discs and then fitting a hall effect sensor to the fork leg somewhere.
The first sensor I bought was fitted to a bracket mounted out of sight under the front fender...
https://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y60/amnesia_stokerockscene/WIlma%20Frankenbike/IMG_0778.jpg
I later found out that my speedo was rubbish...more about that later...
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| Posted: 06:57 - 08 Apr 2009 Post subject: |
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Spanner Monkey
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| Posted: 11:28 - 08 Apr 2009 Post subject: |
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I got the brakes bled - sort of - and fitted the controls and grips properly.
The conversion allows the original controls to be reused, with a small modification to the clutch perch to clear a squared section on the new clipon.
I didn't bother refitting lights or plastics for my first ride, just a slow one around the cul de sac. Nothing dropped off, fouled or felt strange - apart from the speedo. Its low speed performance was shockingly bad. With a constant speed, it was reporting all over the place.
I got the bike back on its stands and managed to replicate the dodgy reporting by spinning the front wheel by hand.
With a lot of pratting around I worked out that the gap bewteen the sensor and magnets was too small. Since the sensor was too big to move and increase the gap, a new sensor was needed.
Once replaced, the sensor gave me a stable and accurate speedo reading.
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KevTM
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| Posted: 12:04 - 08 Apr 2009 Post subject: |
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Nice work man, looking much better than stock already. A lot of faffing around required but as you say it's all good experience, plus, it'll be really nice once it's all completed. |
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yankeedoodle
Nearly there...
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| Posted: 19:04 - 08 Apr 2009 Post subject: |
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sweet.looking very good.
the gsxr suspension is alot better than the budget suzuki stuff. Im currently replacing the forks and shock in my bandit, so I know all about budget 
anyway, SVs look great with usds, so i cant wait to see the finished thing
I love the colour of the bike too
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Old Thread Alert!
The last post was made 16 years, 353 days ago. Instead of replying here, would creating a new thread be more useful? |
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