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Looks like it coming together nicely for you, congrats! I am working on a KZ1000 cafe project too, had hopes of riding in May, but in reality I'll be lucky to turn a wheel in 2007!

Tank and seat combo is great. You *made* the triples? Wow very cool. I'd love a set of 2 degree de-rake triples made for my CSR. Later!

Sorry, I myself didn't make it, I designed it with a friend, who is a pro cad guy, and he know another guy who do the machine part.
But we call it home made !

NEX

Very, very nice! Modern yet traditionally styled.
So, a featherbed tank will fit the Kawasaki frame? - that opens up a whole new realm of possibilities.....
Your front end is a '98 SRAD, mine is a '96 and it's an USD. Is there a chance it's an '88?
Keep us posted, this is one of the most interesting projects I've seen. I'm partial to cafe racers - I've a had a few BSA cafe racers, a Velocette Clubman and a featherbed special (a Triton which ended up a NorBSA).

Post edited by: Fossil, at: 2007/01/13 10:49

Very nice love that look.

Hey Fossil..
Thanks for the nice responce..
Im shure it's 1998 600 SRAD, i bourght the hole bike, with papers saying 1998 SRAD.. But I dont know if there is any differense in the european vs american market..



I'll post more pictures soon..

NEx

Hi Nex, bike is really going to be sweet, dont see many cafe racers with norton tanks these days, well done!!

NEX wrote:

Hey Fossil..
Thanks for the nice responce..
Im shure it's 1998 600 SRAD, i bourght the hole bike, with papers saying 1998 SRAD.. But I dont know if there is any differense in the european vs american market..

I'll post more pictures soon..

NEx

There most definitely IS a difference in Suzi's US and EU issue bikes.

You're better off without the USD forks anyhow. You have to brace a hell of a lot more with USD's because the front of a KZ frame wasn't designed to take a ton of pressure.

The USD forks focus MORE of the pressure at the exact point (which is the reason for using USD forks on sportbikes... the flex is up top, instead of on the bottom.... great for a boxed aluminum frame... but not so great for a puny tubed frame. )

caffcruiser wrote:

NEX wrote:

Hey Fossil..
Thanks for the nice responce..
Im shure it's 1998 600 SRAD, i bourght the hole bike, with papers saying 1998 SRAD.. But I dont know if there is any differense in the european vs american market..

I'll post more pictures soon..

NEx

There most definitely IS a difference in Suzi's US and EU issue bikes.

You're better off without the USD forks anyhow. You have to brace a hell of a lot more with USD's because the front of a KZ frame wasn't designed to take a ton of pressure.

The USD forks focus MORE of the pressure at the exact point (which is the reason for using USD forks on sportbikes... the flex is up top, instead of on the bottom.... great for a boxed aluminum frame... but not so great for a puny tubed frame. )

now that you put it that way it does tend to make sense.i can see where the usd forks would have less unspung weight compared to a conventional frontend but you have to add a lot of extra gusseting to support it which is on top side of bike which is where you dont want it,im guessing the forktubes are also adding more weight up top also;)

wireman wrote:

caffcruiser wrote:

NEX wrote:

Hey Fossil..
Thanks for the nice responce..
Im shure it's 1998 600 SRAD, i bourght the hole bike, with papers saying 1998 SRAD.. But I dont know if there is any differense in the european vs american market..

I'll post more pictures soon..

NEx

There most definitely IS a difference in Suzi's US and EU issue bikes.

You're better off without the USD forks anyhow. You have to brace a hell of a lot more with USD's because the front of a KZ frame wasn't designed to take a ton of pressure.

The USD forks focus MORE of the pressure at the exact point (which is the reason for using USD forks on sportbikes... the flex is up top, instead of on the bottom.... great for a boxed aluminum frame... but not so great for a puny tubed frame. )

now that you put it that way it does tend to make sense.i can see where the usd forks would have less unspung weight compared to a conventional frontend but you have to add a lot of extra gusseting to support it which is on top side of bike which is where you dont want it,im guessing the forktubes are also adding more weight up top also;)

That doesn't make any sense.

Nice Cafe... like the look.

which part doesnt make sense?you are reducing the unsprung weight but you are increasing the weight up high which affects center of gravity.

wireman wrote:

which part doesnt make sense?you are reducing the unsprung weight but you are increasing the weight up high which affects center of gravity.

The upper tubes and triple clamps are aluminum, even the steerer tube is aluminum. The weight isn't any more up top than conventional forks, probably less. Also, the overall weight of USD forks is actually lighter.
The comments re: stiffness suitable for boxed frame sport bikes only doesn't take into the fact that Bandits and Ducati Monsters etc are steel tubing. Many older steel tube frame bikes have been converted to USD with no ill effects, both racers and street bikes.