snakebitten

Killer thread!

Wish I would have found this info 5 years ago.

That is when I bought a fresh set of 929 forks from a fella that had sent them off to PPS (Petterrson Performance Suspension) to have them built for his Superhawk Track Bike. But while they were building them he got a great deal on an RC51 and abandoned the SH project.

Anyways, I bought them from him still packaged in the PPS shipping materials and converted my VTR along with an Ohlins shock. With a few track sessions and some tweaking of the front and rear dampning adjustments, I got the machine PERFECT for my big ole 50 year old butt on Texas World Speedway and the machine has stayed setup this way for the last few years.

Now I am putting it back on the street (re-licensing) and need to address a couple of things this thread has brought to mind.

First, I never even thought I might have set things up wrong based on different length of forks. I believe I have 929 triples, but my top clamp is flat. (doesn't "gull wing" up or down) ANd, I have the forks flush with the top clamp and have multi-adjustable clipons below the triple. (I think they are 2 bros clip-ons. adjustable on all 3 planes)

I believe I was "advised" to mount the forks flush and I never felt turn in wasn't enough. (I'm not a fast A rider though)

Also, I have a slightly blown fork seal and it is time to service the forks anyways. But since I haven't ever been into them, I don't know the difference between the stock innards of the 929 and what PPS might have done to them during the "build". Would OEM 929 specs even apply for oil viscosity and volume? I realize I can measure the amount that is in them now for getting a close idea of where to keep them.....but how would I know if I should go with a 5 or 7.5 or 10 weight?

Anyways, again....great thread! Maybe one of you CBR fork experts can make an educated guess as to what I might find in these forks that would tell you what was done to them and then you could advise on oil.

And even though I LOVE the setup how it is, (for track riding) maybe I will experiment with raising them up through the triples a bit.

Cheers

lazn

Well if your top triple is flat, then it isn't a 929 or 954 top. It is some other 50mm triple, possibly a custom one. This means that having the forks level is probably pretty close to correct, so you probably don't want to shift the forks any higher.

As for fluid levels and weights, I really have no clue. Luckily for me the 954 forks I purchased were just rebuilt when I purchased them (as in when I picked them up from the seller he was just tightening it all back together) so I shouldn't have to worry about that for a while.

Hawkrider

Your best bet on fork work is to have them serviced by PPS. Only they know how they revalved them and what oil they used.

snakebitten

Excellent advice, I'm sure. But a visit to their current website leaves you with the impression they aren't soliciting busness like they used to. At least not via their website. Probably a California local thing.

Anybody here live around Anaheim and seen his place?

Note, I did send an email to the one contact on the website. No reply yet.

Worst case scenario I replace the seals and fill to current volume with fresh 7.5 Couldn't possibly miss by much.

Thanks

snakebitten

Oh, and the top triple isn't custom...it is Honda (logo on board) and likely one generation before 929?...since I got them in about 2002. The lower triple and stem ARE 929 (my memory) because I purchased them from Honda.

I can take a pic of the upper and you guys would know in seconds. But doesn't matter really.

Cheers

lazn

Well before the 929 was the 900RR and it didn't have Upside Down Forks.. They were standard like the VTR so that upper wouldn't have worked.

Hmm a mystery

edit: probably a CBR1000 or 1100XX from what I can find with a little searching.

snakebitten

Nope....You NAILED it!
My front end is ALL 900RR

LOL Will I ever live this down? Do I need to re-register and hide behind a new nickname?

Cut me some slack. You will be 50 someday too!

I was so happy to find the 2 awesome threads (forks and brake swaps) and I thought I was a member of the club! To make matters more hilarious, I have some nice Ebay Brake kit coming! Go figure.

(I thought the 929\954 was pre USD forks. My alzheimer bad)

I really must have had one of the best handling VTR SH back then! I was 900RR front and Ohlins rear BEFORE any of you young wippersnappers had a clue. LOL

I am so embarressed.

inderocker

Lazn... did you get the steering lock to function properly?

yruyur

Yeah he did only needed a few washers to change the offset a little. It did sink the key into the housing a little more but still looks fine.

lazn

As yruyur said, yep.. Two washers per side to shim the ignition down got that working just fine.

lazn

No worries, the 900rr still is an upgrade

snakebitten

Yes they are quite an upgrade! I imagine PPS did a total re-work on the innards because it really does handle quite well. Very well behaved at 9/10nths. (My 9/10ths of course) I couldn't go much faster with pure Ohlins on BOTH ends!

As for changing my nick........LoL I'm snakebit or snakebitten on every motorcycle forum I have ever joined in the last 9 years. So hiding, at this point, seems........well, pointless.

I'll just have to suffer my humility. I've been dumber.

boxs21

yuo, have a workshop, you is a mechanic, & you can modiyf its motor honda,.