forks

[wilbur42]

HI can anyone tell me if forks from a GPz 900 fit the 1100 from the same year if anyone would be great to hear from you as this my first Kawasaki thanks. frown Wilbur42

[Gosling1]

no they won't bolt straight up. The early GPz9's ran 16" wheels, the ZX1100A3/4 models ran 18" front wheels. You can still buy replacement fork springs for the 1100, if your are a bit soggy. A good set of springs, new oil and new fork seals does wonders for the ZX front ends. Best front tyre is a Lasertec ME33.

[Strika]

I used to run ME33's on my GSXR1100H Gos. You could run them off the edge before they let go. PFG for an old tyre.

[Gosling1]

......I used to run ME33's on my GSXR1100H Gos. You could run them off the edge before they let go. PFG for an old tyre.......

Amen to that brother !! <slight thread hijack> - back in early 1994 when I got the Black Pearl back from my mate who I sold it to in 1984....it had an ME33 Laser fitted to the front. They weren't called Lasertech's back then - but basically the same tyre.....

I set the bike up almost immediately for one of the very first track days at Wakefield Park. Very wet behind the ears, had no tyre warmers or anything and totally failed to have a decent look at the front tyre. Anyway - did the track day - and will never forget passing some dickhead on a ZXR750 through Turn 2 - around the outside he was down and dragging a knee and all that modern palaver but was actually slow as fuck. I just rolled the old girl around the outside and dissapeared. At the end of the day - that ME33 was practically bald - but it still hung on really well. I was walking on air for a week after that trackday - first one ever.

PFG for an old tyre !! most definitely

Here is a pic of the Pearl as it was set up on that day ....check out that front tyre !!




<end thread hijack>

Wilbur - how bad are your current forks ? Are they rusted and pitted ??

[wilbur42]

My forks are full rust not long got the bike went to get seals redone thats when we found it

[wilbur42]

all so i have the GPZ 1100 A1 1983 model

[Gosling1]

OK no probs - the forks were the same from A1 to A4 in this model. But they are specific to the ZX1100 - 37mm staunchions (inners) - the earlier GPz's used 38mm forks with thinner walls - they flexed too much so Kawasaki went back to 37mm for the ZX range, with thicker walls.

You can also still get fork braces for this model from Precision Performance Motorcycle Parts - just click the link. These are Tarozzi braces from Italy, good quality, about $150 posted.

I have a few sets of forks for the 1100 model - will see what is in the shed and maybe could work something out....

[Strika]

My forks are full rust not long got the bike went to get seals redone thats when we found it

Can rechrome them. Mob in Qld does a good job. Just held the local car mechanics hand to do a set of GL1500 wing forks. Re chrome was a great job. PM me if you want the details.

[wilbur42]

yeah thanks Gosling1 let me know what you have Cheers wilbur42

[wilbur42]

this is what was found in side of both forks legs when i went have new seals fitted

5524_10201548207482256_209876633_n.jpg (31.98 KiB) Viewed 5730 times

[bonester]

that looks like just the caps rusting. forks might be ok. There is an o-ring to keep that crud out of the insides of the fork.

[wilbur42]

that would be nice i have the bike in the shop the guy who doing the work told me there stuffed

[h.b.bear]

Need to take it out of the shop and pull the forks off yourself if your that way inclined and then take them back to the shop to have inners replaced or let the guru forum members walk you through it. If they were mine I would find some one with a sand blaster just to give that a quick hit to rid all that rust which looks like it will come of easy, if your outside chrome isn't rusty and pitted job should be right and as Bonester states there is a o - ring there that will protect the inners. A lot of mechanics now days will tell u they are stuffed as they couldn't be bothered because it needs a bit of attention to remove a bolt or whatever

[wilbur42]

ok Down Melbourne for the next few days will look at getting it back when i get home then cheers for that

[Gosling1]

yeh that picture is a pretty common sight for most ZX1100 owners - the stock fork cap-covers are shithouse and let water in. Over time - it does rust really badly. There is probably nothing wrong with the inside of the forks though, as per Bonesters advice.

If the outer surface of the staunchions is still in good nick - it is worth trying to save those forks. What is hiding under that rust is a 1/2" drive socket hole. You need to soak the fuck out of that whole area with Penetrene or something similiar. Most mechanics would take one look at that mess and just run away - but let the Penetrene do the work and the fork cap should come out. If you round off the socket hole though......be prepared to lose the entire fork. If you round off the 1/2" drive fitting in the top cap - the only thing worth saving on the fork is the anti-dive unit - and even then only if the a/d unit is in good nick.

The set of forks I have in the shed which I was thinking about for you - have exactly the same problem. I have tried several times to get these fork caps off, but they just won't budge. I still fill the caps up with Penetrene though - eventually they will buckle and I am no hurry . These forks won't be much use to you as I thought your problem was with the chrome staunchions being pitted ?

You can still get these 1100 forks as parts from US ebay - pretty cheap too. Could be worth a look ?