Just a quick update, for those who are interested!

Finally, I fixed my choice and I purchased my taller handlebar, they are suppose to arrive for the weekend. I had a lot of dicussion with the seller and I'm 99% sure they will fit well. I'm very impatient to install them...

By the way, I also purchased some CBR1000RR carbon fiber levers from the same seller, as the taller handlebar they are supposed to be high quality items, will see... I got both for 240$ US shipping include, not so bad! Will post more info and link later.

I also finished my paint job yesterday, it was making a while since I do not have touch a paint gun, but I'm nevertheless pretty satisfied of the result!

Of course, I will post some progress pics soon!

 

Hi Mike (a.k.a. IceBud),

pleased to see that it is all coming together for you

Looking forward to seeing the pics (and seeing it in person)

Best of luck with the finishing touches (actually, does it ever really finish? lol)

cheers
Mikstr

 

Thanks Mike ( a.k.a Mikstr )

Hehe, you have so right! I think also it never ended! Too much fun and awesome mods to perform on this bike!

On the other hand, I really hope to be able to finish this front end swap this weekend, like you said on a previous post; the sunny days are now here and I don't want to miss any more of them!

If it doesn't work, next week I will remove all this, put back the VTR fork, sell all the parts on ebay and step into the fork brace group purchase

But, I'm pretty confident it will work...

Thanks again

 

Here's some "in late" news today!

Two week ago news:

Paint process

The CBR1000RR front fender, was stock red at first. I've sanded it with a 320 grid and applied a plastic primer and after a catalized primer. And I've finalized the sanding with a 600 grid water paper.

The Pyramid belly pan and the pyramid hugger was stock yellow. I've decided to paint them to match the new color scheme I've in my mind for my bike but also because the Pyramid yellow doesn't really match the Yellow of the VTR and even if it was not very big as differance, each time I was looking at my bike, I was finding this ugly, so I take this opportunities to repaint them.

When I began to sand, I saw why pyramid have not been able to match the "pearl" yellow of the VTR! There's not paint on their product, it's the final coat of resin they put over the fiberglass who is tint to the bike color!! Thus, like the yellow color of the VTR is a three coat, it was impossible for them to match the color with this process. On the other hand, that give to their product a very hard finish, and even if you make a scratch on them, you only have to sand it a bit and clear them again. For what I've see there at least 1/8 of tinted resing over the fiberglass!

And finally, the Powerbronze twin headlight, I've offered myself at X'mas gift It was black when I purchased it on ebay, but when I sanded it, I saw that it had at least two previous owner because they was two color behind the blak coat!! Anyway, I sand it, applied the same plastic primer and the catalized filling primer and finish the sanding with the 600 water paper.

On all part, I've began to mask the area that will receive after the new color and I've painted the yellow color that one of my friend have mixed for me in first ( thx a lot to him by the way, otherwise I have been obligated to buy the expensive ColorRite paint ) After the yellow was dry, I've masked them and I've applied the new color, a metallic grey that will match the new grey metallic stipe I will put on the bike! I hope it will be nice, will see...

And after, it was the clear coat time! I'm very happy of the final result, even if it was making a very long time I've not touched a paint gun, I'm very satisfied of the fianl result!

Here are some pics, but not of the final result, I will keep the surprise for later, on the bike with the stripes! :wink:

 

Pics

 

Pics

 

Last week news:

Unfortunatelly for me, I was on the 1% chance that the previous handlebar doesn't fit!!

Even if they are very well done, IMO they are better than Heli because they are all aluminum machined ( more light ) but the cool thing with them it's that the handle bar tube are removable, thus in case of a crash ( I touch some wood ) it's not the whole bar that will be scrap!

They was stated at 2" higher than stock CBR1000RR handlebar and they are, but they only give 1/2" rearward instead of 1 1/2" of the 929 heli, thus the clutch and brake master cylinder goes hit my gauge cluster ( sorry no picture here, I was so hanger that taking picture was the last of my concerns! )

I should not say to you that I was very disapointed, it's not the fact that I paid them 200$ US that disapoint me, it's the fact that I must wait another week before to finish this project.

Here are some pictures of the previous handlebar, which are for sale if you know someone who have a CBR1000RR, maybe they can fit also 929 or 954!

Cheers

 

Handlebars

 

Stock CBR1000RR handlebar vs the new aluminum 2" riser.

And some Carbon fiber lever!

 

Hi guys, this is some news of my project from last week when the site was down.

Like I would not take anymore chance, I've ordered some brand new 929 Helibar directly from Heli! 250$ US + shipping + customs and taxes, final amount around 325$ Cdn, like we say: the end justify the way... :O

With the previous taller bar that have not fit, I figured a possible problem I could have, even with the Helibar! I think, the radial brake master cylinder of the CBR1000RR will be too big to fit on bike, at least if I want to keep the top fairing uncut! Thus, I've also buy a CBR954 brake master cylinder ( used of course ) and also some carbon fiber lever to fit the 954 master as the 1000RR is different.

I'm still not sure about which one will fit most well, but one thing is sure, I will have a lot of part for sale after this swap!!!

The end is close, stay tuned for the final news this week!

 

Final news

First feedback:

This is AWESOME, INCREDIBLE, BAD ***, name it!!!!

I've " finally" finish my project and I've do the tests rides and I'm still not beliving it, this is so cool!

The difference is far away from any of my expectation, the 1000RR fork is awesome, it feel like if the front end is welded on the road, and the brake OMG they are so powerfull!! Even that these radial brake will require a long adaptation time... even after one week, I'm still not acoustomed to have such powerfull front brake ( maybe some feedback from the past two years with the poor stock VTR front brake!! )

Last installation news:

Finally, even with the bran new Helibar, I have not been able to install the CBR1000RR radial brake master cylinder, I was obligate to install the 954 one, but even with this, the braking power is awesome!

My first test ride, show me that the steering was a bit quick due to the short lenght of the 1000RR fork, but it was not unstable, even at 260Km I've test it . I was also feeling the front of the bike a bit too low compare to the rear. So I bring back the bike in the garage and I lowered the rear of the bike of 10mm ( thanks to my Wilbers rear shock with ride height adjustable ). After this, the front of the bike seem to be close to stock ( only in position of course ) and maybe a bit to close thus, I removed 5mm from the 10mm I had previously removed on the rear and now this is perfect, at least at my taste.

The Helibar work very well, this is sure that the riding position is a bit more leaned forward compare to the stock VTR setting, but even if the bars is lower, the position is still less radical than a "pure" sport bike. This is sorry that the 929 Helibars are not only 1/2" higher like this they would have been perfect, maybe I will modified them later, will see...

The hardest part of the final modification was to bleed the brake! Because I have been obligated to change the 1000RR master cynlinder by a 954RR one and I've also replace the VTR cluth master cynlinder by the 1000RR even if they seem to be identical, the 1000RR was more "younger" and I though it should not be a bad thing to change it. In fact, the best thing I've do is to change the cluth and brake oil! the "old" oil was so dirty compare to the new one!!! It's sure that just this have make a big difference. Even that I recommend to any pre 2000 VTR owner to also change their brake and clutch oil, it worth the effort for sure.

To make the bleeding more simple, I've bought a little tool on ebay and it work very well!! I would not imagine how it should have been without this! At first I was thinking to buy some Speedbleeder but the bad thing with them it's that they must stay on the bike you are planning to bleed the brake, compare to this little tool that can be used anytime anywhere, I good buy IMO! http://cgi.ebay.com/Aeration-des-fre...QQcmdZViewItem

The throttle cables give me some little trouble, but thx to Superhawk22 for the advise about this, it finally worked well.

In conclusion, this CBR1000RR front and swap is a very great succes, the difference compare to stock is very awesome and worth any penny and any time I put on this, IMO! If this is over for the front end, this is not over for the bike modification, I'm planning some change to my Micron pipes and I will go make change the bike striping next week. But for now, I enjoy any ride like I never do before!

Don't be shy if you have any question about this mod, I will be please to help and/or if you would like to see a particular picture just ask, I've abused of the digital camera during the mods! :-D

Cheers

 

Final pics of the assembly

 

last pics

 

Icebud,

What settings do you have for the preload and dampings on the new forks? I have a 1000RR and I know that these forks like to be run with about 35-40mm of rider sag (with you on bike). On the VTR, you can probably get away with 30-35mm. If you feel the bike is still too low in the front you can add more preload - well, depends on how much you weigh actually. If the preload is at maximum stiffness, you can fabricate a longer spacer for the fork internals. This will require someone with skills and tools to work on inverted forks, since the cap, spacer, spring, and cartriidge come out as a whole assembly.

 

you have a 1000rr? I'm really thinking that's my next bike. The other 1000's don't do much for me looks wise and well the r1 which does is too front end happy. How are you liking it? I'm feeling the 05 or 06. The 06 is supposedly much better suspension wise

 

Yes, there are many improvements on the '06, one of which is a decent weight reduction. This is probably the most significant change. The other changes were to suspension and an increase in power. Overall, they say the bike is more fun to ride, which in essence is saying that it's less stable. You probably can't go wrong either way. If I had to do it all over again I would have another 600RR in RED next to my wife's in silver. Except mine would be tricked out like my 1000RR, not stock like my wife's.

Sorry about the hijacked thread, icebud.

 

Maybe you might be able to solve your throttle clearance probs by adjusting the housing the way I did when I installed my Two Brothers Racing clip-ons.... I centered the brake handle between the housing cable tubes, after re-routing the entire assembly from between the fork tubes to outside of the right fork tube.... this gave me at least a exta inch of slack in order to rotate that houseing assy upwards to clear the fairing. I have a few pics, but they are too large to put in this post, so let me know if you wanna see, and I will email them to you...

 

Dear Greg,

For now, I'm still searching the "right" settings for my suspension ( front and rear ) I saw your post on your website about the spring change on the 1000RR fork, very interesting and very well done! ( your website is very cool by the way! ) But, I don't think I will step on this right now as the fork swap have cost me enough money for now, thus I will try to make set the fork to a good compromise but for now, even stock the 1000RR fork is an awesome upgrade compare to the VTR1000 fork!

Next week, I'm suppose to go on a specialized suspension shop near my area ( this is the first time I will go there ) they will change the spring of my rear shock because I was finding the rear spring of my Wilbers a bit too stiff and Klaush from Wilbers USA give me a good deal on a "softer" spring. I will make change it and after we will re-set both sag ( front and rear ). Will see...


Many thanks for the advise 2Phaast, I've already tried to put the brake lever between the two throttle cable but in my case that was impossible because all this new assemblies is very more "low" than the standard VTR setting and the lower cable on the throttle assemblies goes hit the fairing if he is not routed the more upward possible, and with the lever in the middle, this is impossible.

And unfortunatelly, it's also impossible to route the throttle cable outside the fork because the 50mm USD fork are much wider than the stock 41mm one. Thus, the throttle cable are too bend outside the fork, but this is not so bad, it work great as this nevertheless.


I will see later if I modify the Helibar to rise them a bit or if I buy a set of Convertibars, but for now that will stay like this otherwise the wife will kill me, you know!!

Thanks for your comments guys.

Cia

 

I forgot to tell you Icebud, you should have gotten the TL1000s bars because they're a little higher then the 929 bars. I thought I mentioned that but maybe not, I think it's about 1/2 inch higher. It's on here somewhere I think the 929 conversion post. Looks good though, I told you it would be worth it in the end. I really believe the front end mod is the best mod you can do if your looking for more sport out of the hawk.

 

Seem that I've miss this information, but this is not a big deal as the 929 are working well and that I'm sure that they will be easier to sell if I decide to replace the bars for some Convertibars in the future!

I've just find the post of Vvtromey about is front end swap ( end of 2005 ) with the TL1000 Helibars, I don't know why but the search engine on the forum seem to not give 100% of the result on a key word search!?

Anyway, the job is done, now I enjoy it! :-D

Cheers

 

wow great write up. Congrats on being brave enough to take on the project.

 

Thx, this is appreciated!

But you know, all this work have been possible because of many of you guys that have posted their modifications thread before! To be honest, I never thought to make that kind of modification before I saw the 929 swap here on this forum! So, I take no merit for this, I only follow the guidelines... ok maybe I ran out of the beaten path "a bit" but hey, what would be life without some risk! :-D

Cheers

 

Same thinking I had when I used GSXR forks and RC51 wheel. I thought it was kind of fun figuring out all the bumps in the road along the way.

 

look the gear mate keep the pics comming

 

i am collecting the bits needed for this swap. what bars did you find were the
best and where might i find them? is the bike stable on the freeway? i am
assuming yes as i have begun to measure and have found that the CBR forks
are essentially the same height ( axle center to top of clamp ) as my current
setup.

as you have so throughly docemented, the clip on clearance seems the main obstacle.

what should i use?

did you find any issues with the radiator relocation?

was there any room to space them out rather than back?

how are the stock springs? may opt for the RaceTech springs as i
know that they make a huge difference in any fork.

have done this operation on a few different bikes: RZ500, Hawk GT. hence
have decided to collect all the bits before attempting the swap.

any help would be great.

 

Here's what I did about bars. I fabricated spacers out of 1.5" aluminum bar stock and used a tubular bar instead of clipons. This is a 954 front end, but the to triple is a "gull wing" design just like the 100RR. Scroll down to the last few posts.

https://www.superhawkforum.com/forum...?t=3895&page=2

 

Is there a reason you can't use the 1000 tripple clamps.

 

why did u use 929 top triple clamp and 954 lower triple clamp? couldnt u use cbr 1000 upper and lower triple clamps instead?

 

taking the new jig (cbr1000rr front end) on a its maiden ride. wish me luck!