South West Bikers | Motorcycle Forum

Basically, my best mate has got a 91 slingshot, and the front forks have had it. He's been trying to get the bike back on the road for the last 5 years, but he's not very mechanical minded. With a bit of encouragement though, he's sourced a set of slabside front forks and wheel, but he doesn't know if the slingshot callipers will fit on the slabside discs/brackets. Anyone here have any idea? He doesn't have time at the mo to fit them up and find out, and i can't get over to him for a couple of weeks (he lives in barnstaple, i'm near newton abbot).

Cheers in advance

First question, which model 1100 is it hes got? 1991 should be (i think) an "M" if the current model for the year ..... But the '89 "K" was the first slingshot.

To answer the question simply, No they won't, and to be honest that's a crap move regarding forkswaps. From the 1990 "L" model onwards the 1100 had upside down forks, whilst Slabbies had right way up forks with different size wheel spindles, yokes, etc., so little if any of the original front end will fit. I'm pretty certain the slabbie forks are a fair bit longer too. Also be careful comparing 750 to 1100 model years - the 750 tended to get things a year ahead of the 1100.

I had late slabbie forks (1988 GSXR1100J) forks on my Katana at one point, and to fit the latter dual piston Nissin callipers off an 1100k ( and all later oil coiled gixxers) took a lot of work.

He'll also be saddled with the remains of the electric anti-dive fitted to slabbies (1100's, anyway) which will either be a pig to get working or ignored.

He'd be far better off getting some 1100L or later upside downies which will be a bolt-on fit.

Oh, and the slabbies were designed to run a 18" front wheel, whereas from the K model on the were all 17", so the mudguard gap will look a little strange to say the least .......

I knew this'd be a good place to ask

His is the 1100M, he's also had it suggested to him that some of the later GSXR forks might fit? Is the 1100L a newer model?

The reason for all this messing about is that one of his stanchions (think that's spelled right ) is knackered, so it either needs refurbishing, repairing or replacing. Replacing is £££, repairing or refurbing is still £££ but the lower end We've been trying to find someone that can repair them both (stupid to do just one), but so far we've come up blank. I'm going to ask CMS Exeter if they know anyone, and I'm going to see brian Loram on Monday with m bike so i'll ask him about it too.

There are variances, but fundamentally anything from an 1100L to an 1100WR share broadly similar front ends. The gixxer 1000 front ends are quite similar. The big thing to watch is whether the fork length varies, which will obviously have an impact on handling.

To be honest I would have thought you could pick up a set of Gixxer 11 forks for around £100 or less, and Iccan't see you returning a damaged set for less ......

I'm sure Derek & the guys at CMS will be able to point you n the right direction for returning if that's what you want.

I'll give CMS a shout tomorrow. When you say returning, do you mean buy a set from them and send his back on an exchange kind of basis? CMS in Plymouth have told him that 'nobody repairs them anymore' ?

What need repairing on them?

Steve at peak performance did a strip and rebuild on my better half's forks on her zx7r for sensible money,
Might be work a call?

sorry, I meant CMS in Exeter, not Plymouth. They're simple forks to work on, so shouldn't be difficult to strip and rebuild for someone with basic mechanical skills.

What you were told is right, in many respects - older forks are so cheap secondhand it becomes pointless refurbing with new parts. You could also upgrade to later forks, but this brings complications.

It's the stanchions that are knackered, if they're fairly simple things to deal with, I'd do it for him. I'm pretty mechanically minded, I've been fixing my own cars for as long as I can remember. Bikes I'm not so sure about, but I figure it out as I go. It's just a case of getting the replacement stanchions. Any suggestions for a supplier then?

Best bet is to check on the 'Bay' for a decent second hand pair, although new stanchions can be got for around £100 a leg, maybe even a bit less depending on their diameter, so be careful of late night bidding wars ;) . Either way you'll be wanting to put new oil seals in and possibly new dust seals depending on the condition of the existing ones. If your mate has a Haynes manual or the original workshop manual, then doing the new stanchions, seals etc. is pretty simple if you follow the instructions. Right way up's are definitely easier than upside downs, you can do them without spring compressors etc., so if you are doing upside downs you need to look into either borrowing a spring compressor or making your own if you have a mind to it. I made my own out of bits and pieces in the workshop so I'll post some pics and details if you are interested.

A word of warning with second hand forks though, be careful to ask plenty of questions and get as many photo's as possible, I bought a set of forks for my old bandit once, in the photo's they looked mint, but when they arrived they had a chip in the chrome right where the seals sat, rendering them useless. Its a pain but unfortunately with something as important as suspension then cheap isn't always, well, cheap in the long run.

We've been looking on ebay funny enough, not many come up. I spoke to CMS Exeter today though, and they've quoted £180 for the one stanchion fitted, including new oil and seals, and new oil in the other fork.

Here's a couple of pics to give you an idea of how bad it is..

Is that for the pair? If so, perhaps that's not bad for 2 new stanchions, seals, etc., ready to fit?

Shame, I got rid of a pair of legs from my TL just a while back and whilst not identical would have fitted straight in....

It's for one stanchion, seals and oil fitted, and the other fork just gets new oil. I doesn't seem a bad price to be honest, I just need to get over to Barnstaple and pull his bike apart, lol.

If you're not in the position to fit the new stanchion yourself then tbh £180 isn't bad, considering how knackered the current one is and the corrosion on the foot of the fork. Removing the tiny grub screw that holds the foot in place will be a right pain especially if you don't have the right tools for the job.

Both front forks are currently in CMS Exeter, one is having the stanchion replaced, and both are having new seals and oil. They're going to look at the bushes too, and if they need doing, then so be it.

Cheers for the info folks

Under the circumstances I think that's the best way forward, !