Machining out the triple tree --> 43mm forks
 

Just something to consider:

http://forum.svrider.com/showthread....0+modification

Thoughts?

Alternatively, you could use the F4 triple -- which is set up for 43mm RSU forks -- and mill that out the difference...? How much thicker are the USD CBR9XX/1000 forks at the top where they're clamped down?

Just daydreaming, really... CBR F4 triple trees are VERY cheap, though. If the RSU R6 forks were LONGER, going with some odd combo of F4 triple, R6 rim might work, too. But then you'd have wheel spacer issues, I'm sure.

USD forks generally are 50mm at the top.. so not enough material to do this.

Right. I should remember that from the days when I was trying to mate the GSXR USD forks to my RZ350 and needed to find headlight ears.

I wonder if the R6 forks are longer...? The other idea in my head today involves the YZF600R (Thundercat) front end, which is a RSU 41mm with a good reputation and R1 calipers. Not sure how much of an improvement it would provide.

I will probably just piecemeal this thing together over the winter. Does anyone have a list of which front end weighs the least?

yzf600 forks would be too short, and no better. All you would get is calipers. Just go with rc51, f4, or gsxr 6 pots. Racetech the stockers and your golden.

Stock vtr forks, racetech'd, are an excellent upgrade for vfr750's ;)

929 forks are really light, but the huge rotors are not.

Just my opinion, but I would not suggest machining out Ø41mm triples to Ø43mm like the guy describes on the SV forum. That significantly reduces the strength of those parts. Not that they are holding up the front end or anything.....

As mentioned, F4 triples are cheap and bolt right in. If someone wanted to swap larger forks to the VTR that would be the way to go. In fact, some years 900RR forks are Ø45mm, that would be even better!

Yup, I just installed the RC51 calipers and am waiting on a matching master to get less weird feel at the lever. Whether I then get RT stuff and a fork brace or upgrade to something else is the question.

It seems like early on some folks who knew what they were doing were swapping in F4 front ends, but there was some suggestion that the forks were too short. The RC / CBR 9XXX / CBR1000 appear to have become the default and I was just scratching around to see if anything else was viable -- trapped-inside-on-my-day-off sort of thing.

The YZF600R were the trick upgrade for my old VFR700, but that's not saying much as it had 38mm air assist forks, I think. If you have a naked VTR, it vseems like the CBR100ORR are a pretty good choice, since you don't have anything to trim. But of course that would make the RC51 calipers / master I got useless. The CBR900RR actually might be the first front-end mod I do since parts are less expensive and seem to drop in pretty easily. I'll have to see if a 17" rim would bolt onto the front...

Got to spend some money on the girl :)

I wouldn't waste money on non-usd forks anyways. The ZRX also uses 43mm forks and triples, and are fully adjustable, and come with 6-pot brakes.

You're probably right, Nick. It's just good to know the options. Realistically, the F4 43mm RSU front end would probably be fine for most people and is wicked cheap. A former member who knows his sh*t (Superbling) went this way, which says a lot. But for another couple hundred you can get a lot more...

I don't recall a ZRX swap, though... Did you do this one?

Yes you can run a 17" wheel with a 900rr front end. ;)

I know, right? I was reading about the mod here: http://www.vtwo.demon.co.uk/firestorm/firestorm.htm and realized you can use the SH wheels.

BUT! I just got a CBR1000RR triple WICKED cheap, so it looks like I'll be doing some version of the 50mm USD front end... Now someone tell me it's a bad idea to machine the triple to fit Buell forks ;)