Project Superhawk motard "SuMoHawk" begins

[Audacious Nick]

So I decided I'm going to try to turn my Superhawk into a "Motard". Why? I don't know, I just felt like it. Yes it's not going to be nearly as light, but I have 100hp so it's okay.

Plan:
Front: WR250 forks with Superhawk front wheel and a RC51 caliper.
Rear: See how the bike sits, fashion linkage so I can use equal shock travel for more wheel travel. Possibly pull the stock shock out altogether and go with a LT shock.
Bodywork: Still deciding if I will pull the fairing or not. Will decide this once the suspension has been done. I will be replacing the rear tail piece with dirt bike pieces most likely.
Exhaust: I'm probably going to turn them into high-mount/underseat exhausts.

Anyways, just got the forks in today and so I the project has begun.
The bike, before:

WR250 forks:

Still a ways to go:

Initial wheel fitment test:
The axle from the superhawk fits the forks perfectly, which means I don't need to buy an axle. The wheel does not fit with both rotors installed, however it fits with a single rotor. This is perfect, since I can only use one anyways.
I also found that these forks have little tabs to hold the speedo sensor housing in place. I just ground them off, and I will be trying to put the wheel on tomorrow. Pictures will follow.

If you're wondering why it has Suzuki stickers, I really don't know. For shits and giggles I guess.

 

[VTRZA]

already done it

 

[Audacious Nick]

already done it

Pics or ban.

 

[FreeRyde]

How much crack was in your Halloween candy?

 

[Audacious Nick]

How much crack was in your Halloween candy?

This project started before halloween.

 

[Audacious Nick]

Victory, front wheel mounted on forks:

 

[Junkie]

Looks to me like you'll have to play with the wheelspacers a bit. Hell, if it's possible I'd find a wider set of triples with the same bore.

 

[Audacious Nick]

That has no wheel spacers and isn't centered, it's just mocked up. I'm going to center it so it clears the forks.

 

[Junkie]

ah, ok. look out for rotor interference with the forks, too.

 

[FreeRyde]

The real question still stands. Why not just buy a motard?
Your killing a perfectly good Superhawk.

 

[VTRZA]

Pics or ban.

NO U

 

[Audacious Nick]

The real question still stands. Why not just buy a motard?
Your killing a perfectly good Superhawk.

Because this is cooler. And motards suck for highways. And I want one of the Aprilias, but I can't afford them at the moment.

 

[jdubau]

I thinks your trying to build a Vstrom not a tard. Have you calculated your rake and trail? Those leading axle forks will def play factor in changing that.

 

[Audacious Nick]

I will be calculating rake and trail once I get the front end on.

 

[PhaTeLeSS]

how much longer (from bottom of steerer to tip of fork) is the new fork than the old? Are you sure you won't rip off your head tube?

 

[Audacious Nick]

how much longer (from bottom of steerer to tip of fork) is the new fork than the old? Are you sure you won't rip off your head tube?

The difference between the top of the bottom triples is 7 inches.

 

[PhaTeLeSS]

Surprisingly it is only a couple inches longer.

Two inches is a big difference in leverage. Have you ever used a breaker bar?

 

[Audacious Nick]

Two inches is a big difference in leverage. Have you ever used a breaker bar?

Actually it's 7 inches difference. And yes I know that a longer lever puts more stress on the head. However the head on the SH is supposedly pretty damn strong.

 

[FreeRyde]

Actually it's 7 inches difference. And yes I know that a longer lever puts more stress on the head. However the head on the SH is supposedly pretty damn strong.

We shall see :cool

 

[PhaTeLeSS]

Actually it's 7 inches difference. And yes I know that a longer lever puts more stress on the head. However the head on the SH is supposedly pretty damn strong.

Dude. That's a pretty big difference. I wouldn't feel safe riding that thing. You have health insurance?