I want things to enhance/ruin/treat/maltreat my ST - Linky to wanted area

markjackson

markjackson

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http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showth...wheels-tank-n-stuff-amp-G-S-or-RS-or-RT-forks

Don't judge me!:D



Actually feel free to be openly and humorously judgemental; I've already been told that under no account should I:

a - modify anything from standard, as it'll be ruined and can never be the same again, and

b - leave anything standard, as if it doesn't look like Gaston Rahier's 87 Dakar bike it'll stay small and horrid.

So my modest, easily reversible attempts to add a little versatility and fun will be upsetting at least two people already.:blast

I'm sure I saw post recently where someone in here said they had some standard G/S forks, but can't find it. Anyone?
 
Twas me I think with the G/S front end. However, if I was looking to make the bike more fun/versatile it would be the last front end that I would consider fitting. There are lots of options for the ST, the simplest probably being the GS paralever forks. These are fairly readily available and and fit straight in although you'd probably need a longer rear shock.

If it were me I would fit a different front wheel as the paralever wheel is hard to come by and better brake options are limited and expensive. A drz wheel, for example, could be fitted with suitable bearings and spacers and a 320mm disc to fit is relatively cheap.
 
Cheers Chas,

I've got a G/S shock already and had thought about DRZ or XR front ends, (and have a friend badgering me to fit mega forks and go all desert racer) but I've got an XR6 for 'proper off-road' anyway, and quite fancy the modest, period look with standard G/S stuff. *


I'm also kicking myself as I sold a pair of suitable forks (for somewhere around £100 I think) just a few months ago.:blast

Are you thinking of selling your standard bits?


* I fully expect to be dragging this post from an archive in 3 years time to say I was wrong, and need better forks!:D
 
The G/S forks are by no means an "upgrade" and frankly are so similar to the ST ones that I wouldnt bother. And it wont take you 3 years to find that out I can assure you! Go later GS, or almost anything else, seriously.

And also, of you are G/Sing your ST, PLEASE do the intrument binnacle - no one ever seems to bother with it and A. its a dead givaway that you want a G/S but for whatever reason you can thave one, and B it just looks wrong. And a bit ugly.

All IMHO of course, feel free to tell me to F off!
 
solidstate100 said:
The G/S forks are by no means an "upgrade" and frankly are so similar to the ST ones that I wouldnt bother.
Click to expand...

Interesting… My hope was to do so at a very realistic price (assuming I paid for some forks a price akin to what I recently sold some for) so at least the ST ones (similar springing and damping at present to my 1970 Honda Dax :D) could sit bubble-wrapped in the garage attic until I saw sense.

I remember that Rob cracked the lowers on his after it did stunts, and know that standard springs are soggy, but Shirley they are longer than the ST, so I can ride over molehills, rather than around them?
 
There is very little difference in length, if any. The GS forks are much longer. Both the G/S and GS forks have the axle fitted in front of the forks to give reduced trail as is normal with 'off road' bikes. the ST forks are 'road' bike forks so you get more trail and better stability at speed - just as in a Tesco shopping trolley!
 
Front suspension travel - which is what matters, g/s 200mm and st 175mm. Ground clearance g/s 175mm, st is 5mm less.

If you want to drive over the molehills fit some longer forks but to be fair if you want to 'upgrade' the bike there are a dozen reasons why you should not fit g/s forks, not the least of which is that they are crap and very expensive (as are all original g/s parts).
 
Hmmm… I'm guessing the G/S must have more sag at each end to make sense of the relative difference in shock & fork length without much increase in ground clearance?

If so, I'm probably not going to have the bigger wheel rubbing on the bottom yoke under what would on any non-airhead be referred to as 'Braking' :D
 
The G/s forks use the RS/RT springs and have a 20mm spacer that sits under the spring to give the illusion of longer travel.


I got rid of most of my mono G/s parts a while back. The only things I have left are an ST wheel and a pair of forks. I'm using the forks in my current project bike though.

The butchers bill for the wheelie session was a snapped for leg and a trashed gearbox :D

wheelie.jpg
 
solidstate100 said:
PLEASE do the intrument binnacle !
Click to expand...

Comparing a Basic speedo out of its binnacle to the ST one still in the ST console, it looks like they are the same dimensions at the top, but the ST one goes deeper with the speedo take-off stub at a different angle, which suggests it may clout the headlamp if I used it in a G/S binnacle (still if, not when, as I think it could be an expensive change to make, unless someone had all the bits for sale).

Has anyone:

a - used an ST speedo in a G/S binnacle and/or

b - got any related advice*


* I know… "Don't wreck a perfectly lovely ST!" :D but I'm considering nothing that can't be reversed.:thumb
 
markjackson said:
).

Has anyone:

a - used an ST speedo in a G/S binnacle and/or

b - got any related advice*


* I know… "Don't wreck a perfectly lovely ST!" :D but I'm considering nothing that can't be reversed.:thumb
Click to expand...

There's a genuine BMW R65/ST nose fairing that was an optional extra back in the day which iv'e seen used on a couple GS specials built in the past, works very well ..... Finding one might be the biggest problem. I've got two in my boxes of old parts but they aren't for sale :D
 
Damn our rubbish GBP!

Looks like I'll have to wait until Trump's election win does the same to the US Dollar as the Brexit vote vote did to sterling, then I can slightly more readily afford what looks like a lovely toy.

For £145 there's the 'design your own speedo' service at Greengauges, which I used on my old car. In that application it takes a signal from a magnet on the front prop/UJ flange and is simple to commission.

Reusing the ST speedo would be ideal, but I don't want to have to find a cowl and light and lamps panel etc, then find it's too deep/wrongly shaped.

Obviously a sensible person would leave perfectly adequate ST gauges in place and put their money towards their wife's new car.:blast:D
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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