V649HP-Kawasaki's new gravel runner

[freewheeler]

Originally Posted by jdrocks

The DRZ clamp is really only worth about 5mm, less than a 1/4", with fork interference being the bottom clamp, if there's that much travel.

Thanks for taking the time to check it out ... I'm so inquisitive because I have an extra set of DRZ forks w/clamps sitting in my garage ... they were going to be for another project ... however now I think they will be applied to a ninja/versys build ... I still like the Idea of having the DRZ bottom clamp married to the Versys top ... are the stem sizes the same ...?

[jdrocks]

Originally Posted by C-Stain

jdrocks...will you hurry up and make some progress already...I wanna see more pics!

geez, the ADV nation never sleeps.

maybe i can bore the bushings sometime today and get that shock on there.


got a cheap used taillight sent in from the UK too. now the build has some international flavor built in.

[jdrocks]

Originally Posted by SamM

That's good information about Cannon Racecraft.

no problem. Cannon Racecraft people are great to do business with. Tony is top notch, not put off in the least by my request for a custom R1 spring, and then had it done in 2 hours.

[jdrocks]

Originally Posted by freewheeler

Thanks for taking the time to check it out ... I'm so inquisitive because I have an extra set of DRZ forks w/clamps sitting in my garage ... they were going to be for another project ... however now I think they will be applied to a ninja/versys build ... I still like the Idea of having the DRZ bottom clamp married to the Versys top ... are the stem sizes the same ...?

happy to take a look at it for ya.

i thought about the DRZ clamps, and actually contacted a guy that could do the machine work for about $250, but in the end i stuck with what i had. as is usually the case, you would swap the Versys/650R stem to the DRZ clamps. the stem lengths are similar, but in this case it doesn't matter as much because there's plenty of clamping surface on these conventional fork inners. as you know, the DRZ uses a completely different steering bearing arrangement.

by sleeving the Versys clamps, i save the cost, keep the ignition switch in the stock location, and use Versys bar riser.

[JBird]

Couldn't tell from this photo - but do these bushings have a slot or cut down the length to aid in concentric clamping??

[ric678]

JD, I have followed your other builds, all great work I do like the direction of this one the best, I've been inspired to start my own, currently bidding on a 2010 650 with 1500 miles on it...layed down, the right side plastic is all scuffed up, don't need that anyway
Rick

[jdrocks]

Originally Posted by JBird

Couldn't tell from this photo - but do these bushings have a slot or cut down the length to aid in concentric clamping??

astute observation. the sleeves are upside down in the photo. yes there is a slot, but it's turned away from the camera. the sleeves were set in the fork clamp with cylinder sleeve adhesive, and the slot lined up with the slot in the clamp. the lip at the top of the sleeve aligns everything at the top of the clamp and trims it out nice and neat.

[jdrocks]

Originally Posted by ric678

JD, I have followed your other builds, all great work I do like the direction of this one the best, I've been inspired to start my own, currently bidding on a 2010 650 with 1500 miles on it...layed down, the right side plastic is all scuffed up, don't need that anyway
Rick

thanks. the bikes are sure fun to build, and can run from mild to wild. don't be in a hurry to throw anything away. parts can have $ value to someone even if scratched.

hope you get your project bike, time to start building.

[jdrocks]

the weather was so bad around here this afternoon that i couldn't open the garage door without rain and then snow pouring in, so i put off starting the bike.

the needle bearing bushing for the shock was out getting bored, couldn't install that either.

that left the lights. the forks are different, but the Versys fork clamps are the same as last year, so that means that the centers are the same. it gets better yet. the Versys Showa usd outers were 50mm, and the DRZ inners are 49mm, which means that my 50mm ProTek fork tube clamps will work on the new conventional forks.

the second generation light and instrument mount from 2010 came back in good shape, as opposed to the first generation mount in 2009 which came back...well, it came back looking like it got hit by a truck. let's swap in the 2010 mount, see how it works. i swear on a big stack of them bibles that i really did plan all this in advance.

looks like this...



and then this...

[johnwesley]

you really gotta stop this, its making me want to change projects

[KI6HNB]

How much travel do you think you are going to get out of the rear with the new shock and custom spring?

[jdrocks]

Originally Posted by johnwesley

you really gotta stop this, its making me want to change projects

don't change projects, just add another one.

[jdrocks]

Originally Posted by KI6HNB

How much travel do you think you are going to get out of the rear with the new shock and custom spring?

the R1 is the same length as the Versys shock, neither would be considered long travel. on the 650R framed bikes, the 150/70 rear would occasionally hit the fender liner when running hard. the subframe and liner are both different on the Versys, but there doesn't look to be any more room to move. the next step would be a longer shock or a modified lower mount.

[jdrocks]

when i didn't have a 3 axis CNC router to create a plug mold for the little fiberglass sport or rally fairing that i wanted, i used the results of someone else's mold making ability to create the compound curves and details i wanted.

pretty easy, i fished a Saturn bumper cover out the the ditch along the highway and cut off the shapes that i wanted.



the curves on these things are mostly symmetrical on each side of the centerline, so you cut the left and right pieces and then hot glue them together to get the plug mold. it's just plastic, easy to cut and trim, and the process moves quickly. i left plenty on the plug mold so that the piece could be shaped and fitted later.



the female mold was made, and then the little fairing done.



i used this fairing on the 2010 bike, all it is really meant to do is protect the instrument cluster and whatever else is hiding behind there. it looked pretty good on the old bike, so here it is again. i might cut it down some, haven't decided, and it gets repainted the same as the tank.

this...



and this...

[Lesharoturbo]

Originally Posted by jdrocks

Thanks for the write up of your fairing fabrication. I have been wanting to do a similar style design for my thumper, but couldn't figure our how to make a good symmetrical mold. Now to look for a dithec bumper...