K3 front end

[rowdy]

It depends if you buy a complete front end, or if you can source the parts separately as I did. Mine didn’t work out that expensive to be fair, a little while ago but probably came in less than £500.
I managed to get the forks, yokes and wheel in one lot from a gsxr1000k2. can’t remember how much now but I know it was less than £250. I then got callipers from a pre radial mount gsxr 750 (600’s are the same) for about £100. I then had to get tl1000 clip ons as the gsxr ones foul the tank, but you won’t need those for a straight bar conversion. And a mudguard but I bought an expensive Harris carbon fibre one and could have got a plastic one for significantly less.

You will need to cut the speedo wires and splice them to a sensor that will need mounting inside the mudguard and then you will need to bond some magnets in the rings on the floating front disc to make the speedo work.

Or you can get the internals on the original forks uprated as bibio says, but the chrome on the fork tubes started pitting and rusting pretty quickly on mine, I always had knocking through the headstock from new, and the standard brakes are not really up to the job in my opinion which is why I decided to go the gixxer front end swap.

[Fazer Fail]

Sorry to jump on an old thread but I about to try and overhaul the front end of my sons K3.

Have linear 9.0 springs from racetecch and was going to fit YSS PD valves (emulators) but see some say not needed just weld up the small bleed hole on the damper rod?

I have also seen a lot said about fork oil I have Putoline HPX R 10W, that was recommended when i purchases the springs , had no idea fork oil was the wild west!

For a 9.0 linear spring is Putoline 10W going to be to thin? I see most recommend Silkoline RSF 10W as it more like 15W. Should I not use the Putoline or get some 15 or 20 to mix with the 10?

[glang]

The change of springs is usually done if the rider weighs more than the original springs were specced for. Then you have to verify the rate of the new springs needed for that rider. The best way to do this a sag test ie. check how much of the suspension travel is used up when the rider is on the bike and, if too much, higher rate springs are required.
Ive closed the small holes in my damper tubes and the difference is minimal. I have also gone to a thicker oil and prefer the feel but its always a trade off as the suspension has become harsher over big bumps. This is where the PD valves would help as they open with bigger impacts so reducing the damping and absorbing the force....

[Fazer Fail]

The front end was very soft even with full preload it was soft, using his weight and racetech calculator etc it recommended 0.90 springs.

yes the rider sag on front was on the large side, the K3 seems really soft at the front

[glang]

You mean the bike wouldnt sit at the right height even with full preload? This is easy to fix with a stiffer spring as indicated by the calculator although dont think 0.90 is much different from standard....
Soft as in diving on braking and bouncing is down to insufficient damping and is more difficult to improve. As said thicker oil helps but is a trade off without other modifications.

[glang]

Originally Posted by Fazer Fail

The front end was very soft even with full preload it was soft, using his weight and racetech calculator etc it recommended 0.90 springs.

Yes I see the Racetech site lists the stock spring to be 0.69 but Im not sure of that value as unlike their replacement its a progressive spring so as compressed becomes harder....

[keny676]

Fork oil advice always sounds like you need a chemistry degree and black magic to get it right.

[glang]

yes in a way it is as you need a magical fluid that is thin over potholes and speed humps but thick the rest of the time

[Fazer Fail]

After a bit a of research the Silkoline does have way better stability, but still like all oils very different when hot, and SKF 10 is like 15 to others

[Fazer Fail]

What is the factory spec for the amount of fork showing through the yoke?

My son has converted his K3 back to clip ons and oem yoke it had an aftermarket yoke and bars.

Currently the clip ons are slightly below the surface of the yoke making me think the front may be too high?

When I service the forks I would like to reset the height to correct level and start from there.

Apologies if this has been covered before