Raptor Chapter

The forks are very harsh without changing the whole front end whats the best way to keep my filling in

Theres lots of posts about the forks being crap and changing oil to lighter, differant size spacers/re-valving and changing springs is the cheapest options.

More than that costs a good bit more but a set of other secondhand forks can be found at reasonable price.

Like all things it depends on yer budget...................

Budget not much so cheap option oil and springs it is
what is it with the std forks they just feel like they should be on a much bigger bike no damping no give at all !

The stock forks, for me, feel under sprung, and over damped, there are some threads on here about this, and a spring spacer and oil grade and level change improving things.

Another option, which I am taking, is to fit yammy r1 4xv forks and brake calipers, I am yet to fit mine, but it seems a yammy spindle is needed,and spacers made up, and maybe some simple shims to set the callipers, not to mention mudguard, I'm hoping an r1 guard will fit nicely.

These parts can be bought for two or three hundred quid, and give you a fully adjustable front end.

Others have fitted suzuki or ducati monster front ends on here.

If you decide to follow that route, I can save you a few pounds by turning up the spacers, with r1 forks from a 4xv or 5jj I will have the dimensions having made my own, anything else and a few simple dimentions will suffice.

If anyone has made up the fork spring spacers for stock forks and has the dimensions I can turn a few sets up if there is demand for them, I won't need paying for it.

Sorry to blather on, and I'm no old hand with these bikes, but if I can save you a few quid and help the offer is there.

Thats very kind of you Geoff and a very useful offer.

Not at all CT, I enjoy these little projects, and my partner encourages me, ever since I turned up a little extension for her rampant rabbit, she says it's one of my finer qualities and redeeming features ....

geoff wrote:55 years agoNot at all CT, I enjoy these little projects, and my partner encourages me, ever since I turned up a little extension for her rampant rabbit, she says it's one of my finer qualities and redeeming features ....

Just spat the coffee all over the keyboard!!!! lol
That could be an interesting business opportunity........................

Might have to put the offer up on a different sort of forum though....

I (not personally - paid a professional) have made up spacers for an 04 GSXR600/750 for conversion.
Retaining the Cagiva front rim but running Ducati 320mm rotors.

I'm yet to make up spacers for the brake callipers though - as you can run R1 mono bloc or GSXR600/750/1000 which all slightly vary but will match up with a spacer.

One thing... I'm yet to fit any of it up yet - but it was based on another Raptor with the same setup.

If anyone is interested I can measure up the sizes.

It would be handy to have the sizes in case someone else does this conversion, very kind of you sir.

If anyone has made up the fork spring spacers for stock forks and has the dimensions I can turn a few sets up if there is demand for them, I won't need paying for it

Geoff, I've being messing with preload spacers and bought a short length of 22mm diameter 3mm thick alu tubing off ebay. This was the closest size I could get so had to file a chamfer on the botttom to allow it to fit the last 2mm in the cup washer that sits on top of the spring. So I suspect 20mm would be ideal.

I've finally got the forks working reasonably well for me - 11 stone in all gear. 8mm preload, 130mm air gap with the bottom spacer fitted & 5wt oil. This gave 124mm free travel with somewhere around 33/35 mm rider sag and a much less harsh action although if I can be arsed I might lighten the oil & add 5mm to the air gap as I still have around 20 mm unused travel.

Thanks for the info Andy, I might whip the tops off the stock forks and take some dims to help if someone wants some knocked up.