Yamaha forks on a BMW F650GS Dakar

[Gravel Seeker]

Originally Posted by JDLuke

LOL - not me, I'm sitting about 200 clicks away from my bike right now, waiting for my family to wake up so we can head home... In a cage.

Mine is right outside the door, maybe 30 feet away at the most

[JDLuke]

Originally Posted by Gravel Seeker

Mine is right outside the door, maybe 30 feet away at the most

I bow before your ultimate laziness!

[Gravel Seeker]

Originally Posted by JDLuke

I bow before your ultimate laziness!

[drivenbydiscovery]

hey GS, if i can get the adapter bracket and axle for my Yamaha forks, the stock bottom triple can be all yours.




on another note (and i know this is a long shot but what the hell, i'll ask anyway), if anybody bought the bracket + axle from JDRadman and maybe won't need it soon, would you kindly sell it to me. please.

[Gravel Seeker]

Originally Posted by drivenbydiscovery

hey GS, if i can get the adapter bracket and axle for my Yamaha forks, the stock bottom triple can be all yours.

I'm actually beginning to wonder if it's my chain alignment that's off....either that ot the frame was bent when I laid down a challenge and the pine forest won.....

[Gravel Seeker]

Acutally picked up the rebuilt forks on wednesday, but didn't have the time to install them until today. Esp1tech Racing Suspension reworked the stock forks for me. We were hoping he could do a prototype build with these, but the parts needed and work nescessary was just to much to much to be economically sane. Instead we went for option 2 - a complete gutting and rebuild. These can now sort of be compared to emulsion kits, but a bit more sophisticated.



A quick write up, mostly because of the fork boots, but also because if this little gem:



The taper on the top is done by a lathe and the difference between left and right is actually quite big with the left being 6,5mm and the right 7,6mm (= 1,1mm). Japs are renowned for being "within specs", but never more precise than that
I mounted mine at 6,5mm.

Espen (Esp1) made a couple of marks in the forks for later use;
1. A dot where maximum compression is and a rubber ring that moves up so you can see how much it has compressed (mute for me)
2. A number in each outer tube under where the forkbrace goes for future reference as to what has been done to these forks



When it comes to the forkboots and forkbrace I've taken step by step pics to show how I solved this dilemma today. This was discussed in the Forkboots thread and I will post this in both threads.

I've cut away some rubber where the fork brace will go. You can see where the old zip tie has gone because of the brace, I've relocated the zips this time (pics further down.

• First I slid down the boots as far as I could
• Then I fastened the left side of the brace. Put in the back bolt first. Needs a bit of persuasion to compress the rubber.
  
  
  
• I only fastened the bolts a few turns
  
  
  
• Then I twisted the other leg to where I could get the back bolt fastened
  
  
  
• Now this wasn't something I knew would work or even be very smart as it could maybe damage the forks ??
• Brace, twist and "KLANK".
  
  
  
  It snapped into place just like that
  
  
  
• Got the wheel on and everything's just dandy
  
  
  
• Oh yeah, the new zip tie location. Went between the spacers and the forklegs. Much improved to where they were before !
  
  

So, tomorrow it's time to do the shock

[Gravel Seeker]

Originally Posted by JDLuke

I bow before your ultimate laziness!

Alright

As far as I can tell, these are the stock measurements (mine's a bit bent so it might not be 100% accurate)

Both C and D was difficult to measure.

A: 750 mm (Renthals 740 mm)
C: 60 mm (85 mm) (Seems to me the added height would be great when standing)
D: 150 mm (165 mm)

[notmybikemodelname]

Originally Posted by john_aero

... heard some very good stories about pro taper bars and they are heck lot cheaper over here, so might see if i can get the heated grips off without damaging them and put them one new set of bars

I have np bar ends on my Protapers and have np problems with vibration....also remounted my heated grips with very little effort, and slight machining of the bar end with grinder. Be sure not to overheat the aluminum, it changes the alloying.

[WayneC1]

There is no problem mounting Renthal bars, including heated grips & handguards, it is simply a question of adaptors

I have Renthals fitted with both hand guards & heated grips

The height of most Renthals is lower than stock and there is less rake, to accommodate this and clear the instruments & fairing risers need to be used.

In my case a 25mm riser was used which brought bar height back to 1/2 inch lower than stock which is what I wanted and I shaved a little out of the Dakar fairing to give clearance

I had alloy bar ends machined up simply as spacers to handle the handguards ptherwise they are not needed. Vibration without them is marginally above stock, with them fitted vibration is pretty much nil

[Brute]

Sounds like a lot of people have fitted the Yamaha steering stem bearings into the BMW cups . Will a set of Yamaha bearing cups fit into the BMW frame ?
Farkle face , your Beemer looks great .

[john_aero]

Originally Posted by notmybikemodelname

I have np bar ends on my Protapers and have np problems with vibration....also remounted my heated grips with very little effort, and slight machining of the bar end with grinder. Be sure not to overheat the aluminum, it changes the alloying.

thanks for the tip, will try it when i am swopping them over

[Gravel Seeker]

Originally Posted by WayneC1

There is no problem mounting Renthal bars, including heated grips & handguards, it is simply a question of adaptors

I have Renthals fitted with both hand guards & heated grips

The height of most Renthals is lower than stock and there is less rake, to accommodate this and clear the instruments & fairing risers need to be used.

In my case a 25mm riser was used which brought bar height back to 1/2 inch lower than stock which is what I wanted and I shaved a little out of the Dakar fairing to give clearance

I had alloy bar ends machined up simply as spacers to handle the handguards ptherwise they are not needed. Vibration without them is marginally above stock, with them fitted vibration is pretty much nil

Frack..... If anything I want mine a tad higher than stock (am using risers already). Don't have the instrument nor fairing so that shouldn't be an issue

[drivenbydiscovery]

hey guys, if you're like me and missed the first time the axles and brackets were offered, post up here (or pm me)!

IF WE GET A BIG ENOUGH GROUP TOGETHER, MR. JDRADMAN WILL HOPEFULLY DO ANOTHER RUN!

(but we have to have enough interest in this to make it worthwhile for him)

so far i have:

1. drivenbydiscovery
2. john_aero
3. AllOrds
4. Aries71
5. southbound
6. tmotten (* not 100% sure, but interested)
7. tmotten (for his 2nd bike)
8. TrainedChimp (90% sure)
9. Roughshod
10. voomvoom
11. punkamp


so post up, and let's get this list filled!!

[john_aero]

will this possible be the version that has the abs sensor mount

[johnnycombat]

Sweet , i just caught wind of this thread. Cant wait to make this happen. Lookin at a set of forks/triples now.....the parts here should make this a heck of a lot easier.
Count me in!!!