zx-9 front end conversion complete!

[Centex]

I rode the bike pictured above (hey Tom!) at the RWTW up in the north Ga mountains. what I came away with was that it was real easy to ride it fast - I've been trying to keep my bike "sleeper" but I'm starting to think about this zx9 conversion a bit harder... Steve

Steve, in addition to the 4-pots and 320mm rotors, your website says you have the following front suspension mods:
Front - Shortened stock springs, with Cartridge Emulators, 15 WT oil and Murph's fork brace. Currently an Avon Storm 110/70-18 tire is fitted on a stock 3" rim.

Is that where things stand today on Shoodaben?

Maybe similar to what Rick is asking, I'm curious to know the 'baseline' for your feeling that the ZX-9 suspension is maybe a worthwhile upgrade?

Given that you already have equivalent brakes, the areas of improvement left are the 17x3.5 wheel and the ZX-9 springing/damping above the emulator-equipped OEM fork (I shouldn't forget the previously mentioned reduction in trail).

From my reading of Gary's excellent posts/tech pages, the fork leg step involves the biggest set of challenges and likely incremental cost in this progression.

Any of y'all that have ridden these bikes care to offer an opinion .... if we slowly step-up to the springs/emulators, then caliper/rotors, then small wheel .... does that last BIG step to the ZX fork legs make that big a difference?

"Think and answer your own question, Alan: How close are aftermarket springs and emulators to a fork with designed-in separately adjustable compression and rebound damping?  Doh " 

edit question - I'm understanding it is possible to put the ZX-9 forks on the late C10 while retaining the stock cable-drive speedo (maybe not a perfectly calibrated drive at the wheel, but reasonably close), correct?

[GF-in-CA]

Alan,

You are correct, the mechanical speedometer drive is retained when the ZX wheel and speedo drive are used.  My speedo is just as accurate with the ZX speedo drive as it was with the C10 front end.

I asked the same questions about bang for the buck when I was contemplating the fork upgrade.  Now that I've done it, IMO, it is not possible to get the level of feel and responsiveness with the stock C10 front end that you get with the ZX9 and ZRX swaps.  For the ZX9 setup, there are both geometric and structural advantages.  Because of Kawasaki's design decisions for the ZX9, the fork length and offset end up giving trail numbers for the C10 that improve steering quickness beyond what you can get with raised fork tubes and a smaller wheel, yet still provide excellent stability.  Something they weren't trying to do, but it worked out just the same.  The structural stiffness of the fork tubes and larger axle provides feedback and responsiveness that I could not get with my properly sprung and braced stock fork.  It really is like you are holding the ends of the axle when you steer.  My point is, the stock Connie fork can be made to work very well, but the larger cartridge forks are a big step forward, even from Steve's well-modded units.  I know there are bikes that handle better than mine, but I can't imagine my C10 handling any better than it does now.  If we ever cross paths, I would be more than happy to let you try mine and see for yourself.   

[Uglydog56]

While I didn't have the big brakes, but I did have progressive springs, 15w oil, a KB fork brace, HH pads, braided lines, and an Avon roadrider tyre that sticks very well on my stock front end.  While that isn't the best best setup, it certainly isn't stock, and wasn't that bad.  I'm telling you, the difference is significant and measurable.  And I've just started dialing it in.

I am going to be arriving in Amarillo on the 25th of June and staying the 26th at a friend's house and leaving the morning of the 27th.  There's your opportunity to try one out. 

[Centex]

Yeah, as indicated by my italics self-editorial, I realized while typing my question that the forks probably offer a significant improvement.

Thanks again for all the great info and innovation you guys have shared.

Rick, thanks for the offer, enjoy your visit to the panhandle, try to stay cool, but I'll leave that corner of the state to you in late June 

[KenE]

A few pics of fitting a zx9 triple #1...
1-stop fitted
2-the problem
3- clearance for the faring frame
4- up in there
The zx9 stem is cut off proud, I dont recall 3/16"? - it provides a bearing/ seal holder. The zx9 stem is bored/machined for a press fit for the zg stem. I retained the circlip, so a counerbore was cut to clear. Fit was to match the zg stem height, it is well up in there... Red loctite was suggested when we pressed the stem in by the wily old machinist that did the work.  I used a zx7 top triple. There is a boss on the under side that needs to be cut down at the machine shop.  I did the fitting for the key switch with a rotory tool chucked in a drill.
HTH if you are considering the mod.
KenE

[KenE]

I wanted to post these pics of the zx9 install before I lose em...
1- fitting key switch
2-zx7 top machined flat
3- handlebar fab. Pit bike risers for 7/8 bars from ebay/ zrx handlebar cap from same. Ive got helibars, so that completes my picture. 
HTH.
KenE

[gwb1340]

To put the mean streak front wheel on a zx-9 front end, (this should work for zrx front end as well)  you put a zx-12 spacer on the left and machine 3mm off the existing zx-9 right side spacer.  An electronic speedo is required.  Flip the rotors so they angle in.  I just shimmed the caliper in with precision washers, I will get a measurement for the bushings that are going to replace them.  2 70mm 10mmx1.25x50mm and 2 10mmx1.25x45mm allen head bolts to attach the calipers (I just ordered four longer ones, but the bottom two are really close to the rotor).  I already had braided lines on my stock connie brakes and they transferred over.  There you go steve, the recipe for matching wheels!

Rick,
How did you set up your tach and speedometer? It is hard to tell from your picture.

Thanks,
Glenn

[Uglydog56]

That is a Koso RX-1N on the left, cheapy Tom-Tom GPS on the right.  I got a spare plastic from SISF and glassed in the hole where the stock gauge cluster went.  I soldered up an adaptor harness and plugged the gage panel into my stock wiring harness.  The only things I had to add outside of the short adaptor harness was a separate memory power line from aux fuse panel for the digital, and I couldn't use the factory temp wire - Koso sensor is 2 wire so I had to string that.  Although it did screw right into the hole for the kawi temp sensor.  Probably a spendy way to get your speedo back, but it works well.  I had to epoxy 3 magnets on the front wheel and mount a sensor behind the fork for the speedo.  I think I have a pic of that too, it's pretty discrete.

[Steve in Sunny Fla]

  wow, some nice work going on there.

  Late to the party, but i just saw Centex's question about my take on comparing the hopped up stock front end to the zx9. I've ridden all 3 of the viable front setups, modded stock, zrx, and the zx9. I found the zrx front end to feel the same as mine, with the springs/ tuned emulators/ fork brace / avon storm. The zx9 was really a diffenernt animal, still sucked up the bumps better and razor sharp handling. Easy to ride fast in the mountains, very light steering input needed. Now that particular bike did have the rear end way high with a c-14 shock on a stock rocker, and I'm sure that played into it also. Still, Alan answered his own question, the zx9 is the superior setup of the 3, IMO. the way I'm currently thinking though, my next big suspension upgrade may be attached to a c-14.    Steve

[gwb1340]

Steve,

Here's my list of the required parts from the old forum.  I know you wouldn't need all the parts, but I've included everything for the sake of completeness:



-  Forks from a ZX9, model year 1994 thru 1997 model (B1 thru B4).
-  Upper and lower triple clamps from a 1994 thru 1995 ZX7, or a lower triple clamp from a 1994 thru 1997 ZX9 and the upper triple clamp from a 1994 thru 2001 ZX7
-  Wheel, axle, speedo drive, and 320 mm rotors from a donor compatible with the ZX9
-  Calipers compatible with the ZX9.  For the 1994 thru 1996 zx9 these would be 4 piston Tokicos or Nissins, and for the 1997 they would be 6 piston Tokicos.
-  Some way of mounting handlebars to the ZX7 top triple clamp, since the ZX9 used clip-on handlebars, which would not clear the Concours tank.  I bought some dirt bike handlebar risers that I adapted to the top triple clamp.
-  A fender from a ZX9 or ZX7, or an adapted fender.

Here is the list of donors that cross over or are compatible with the ZX9 front end.

The following bikes have interchangeable brakes/ wheels/ axle/ speedo:

ZX7    1993-1996  1997-2003 had different calipers but otherwise compatible
ZX9B  1994-1996  1997 had different calipers but otherwise compatible
ZX11D 1993-2001

Wheels/ axle/ speedo from the following will fit:

ZZR1200
ZRX1100/ 1200

Rotors:

Ninja ZX-750 J1/J2/L1-L3 (ZX-7) 91-95
Ninja ZX 7R (ZX750 K1/K2/M1/M2) 91-95
Ninja ZX 7R (ZX 750 P1-P8) 96-03
Ninja ZX-7RR (ZX750 N1/N2) 96-99
ZX-9R B1-B4 Ninja 94-97
ZX-9R F1/F2 Ninja 02-03
ZX 1100 D1-D9 Ninja 93-01
ZX 12 R A1/A2/B1/B2 00-03
ZX 1200 C1/C2/C3/C4 (ZZR 1200) 02-05
VN 1500 P1/P2 Vulcan Mean Streak 02-03
VZ 1600 K4/K5 04-05
VN 1600 B1/B2/B6F/B7F/B7FA/B8F/B8FA 04-08

Fender from 1994-1997 ZX9 or 1993-2003 ZX7, though the ZX7 fender will require some minor fabrication to fit.

Your GSXR/ ZZR calipers will work, but they use a smaller bolt than the ZX9 calipers, so you would probably want to make some sleeves to make up the difference.

You can pretty much source things in whatever way works the best for you.  The most cost effective way is to source a complete front end from a ZX9.  Then the only thing left is the top triple and your handlebar arrangement.  I bought my forks with the lower triple included, but sourced everthing else piecemeal.  Again, it depends on whether you have contacts, or are at the mercy of eBay.

I've got a lot more info, but hopefully that will get you started.   

HTH,

Are you able to use the steering lock?

[Uglydog56]

I personally did not attempt to retain the steering lock functional as I have never used one ever.  I think someone did on the old board but I don't recall the details.

[GF-in-CA]

Are you able to use the steering lock?

Like Uglydog, I didn't make any effort to keep the steering lock, but I know of one person who attached a tab to the top of the fairing stay for the lock to engage on.  You would have to do something similar, but it is possible.

HTH,