GS750 forks on T500

[Tangent]

I have a spare '77 GS750B front end - forks & spoked single-disc wheel - and wondered whether anybody had any experience with fitting it to a T500?

They're 35mm diameter, so a new steering stem and triple clamps required - GT bits are too uncommon/difficult/expensive to acquire in NZ, so I was curious as to whether GS500 clamps and stem would do - don't know the width GS500 fork/clamp width to tell whether it is suitable for the hub.

GS750 forks are (I think) similar specification to GT750 ones - i.e. about 50mm longer (total length) than the T500.

Broadly imagining the GS500 triple clamps, 750 tubes and wheel, with SaltyMonk adaptor plates to fit a ZZR600 twin-pot caliper - largely because I have most of the bits lying about.....

GS500 forks mount the disc on the right side, while the GS750 disc is on the left, so using the GS500 forks in their entirety won't work.

Any advice gratefully received!!

[jabcb]

Am doing something similar, but haven’t gotten very far on the build.
A 1973 T500 with a GT500 motor. Using a GT500 triple tree & 81 GS550 fork assemblies. Am shortening the fork assemblies by about an inch.
Build topic: viewtopic.php?f=21&t=13126

[daxman]

I have a spare '77 GS750B front end - forks & spoked single-disc wheel - and wondered whether anybody had any experience with fitting it to a T500?

They're 35mm diameter, so a new steering stem and triple clamps required - GT bits are too uncommon/difficult/expensive to acquire in NZ, so I was curious as to whether GS500 clamps and stem would do - don't know the width GS500 fork/clamp width to tell whether it is suitable for the hub.

GS750 forks are (I think) similar specification to GT750 ones - i.e. about 50mm longer (total length) than the T500.

Broadly imagining the GS500 triple clamps, 750 tubes and wheel, with SaltyMonk adaptor plates to fit a ZZR600 twin-pot caliper - largely because I have most of the bits lying about.....

GS500 forks mount the disc on the right side, while the GS750 disc is on the left, so using the GS500 forks in their entirety won't work.

Any advice gratefully received!!

Do you mean the 'modern' GS500 twin? I have one that is part of a project. Although thinking about it I might have chucked out the yokes already, having pressed the stem out.
I could still measure the wheel though.

[jabcb]

A list of fork tube diameters is here: http://www.ohiocaferacers.com/OCRTubeSizes.pdf

My T500 had GT500 forks & triple tree when I bought it.
When working on the cafe build, I found three generations of Suzuki 35mm forks:
1) two-stroke GT series forks: no top out springs & no friction reducing bushes
see 77 GT500: https://www.partzilla.com/catalog/suzuk ... front-fork

2) early GS series forks: top out springs & no friction reducing bushes
see 77 GS750 (part # 7): https://www.partzilla.com/catalog/suzuk ... ork-gs750b

3) later GS series forks: top out springs & friction reducing bushes
see 81 GS550T (part # 19 & 21): h[url]ttps://www.partzilla.com/catalog/suzuki/motorc ... front-fork[/url]

I have two 75 GT750s: one has stock forks & the other has later GS forks. The later GS forks are way better, so I went with later GS forks on the T500 cafe build.

The fork lower kits that I’ve seen use longer top out springs to shorten the tube assembly & spacers above the fork springs to get the proper preload.
On the cafe build, I’m using longer top out springs, aftermarket fork springs & spacers to shorten the GS550T assemblies to roughly match the length of the GT500 assemblies.

[Tangent]

Thanks guys - I hadn't realised that Suzuki made a 500 version of the GS550, so yes, when I mention the GS500 I mean the later twin-cylinder version.

They're readily available, and I've read that they are a straight 'drop-in' replacement option for the T500 - so, as long as the tube offset doesn't alter trail too much, they could be a good starting point.

The info on the variations in earlier/later generations of GS is interesting - getting a later set sounds a worthwhile improvement. Again, by 'later', do you mean the 4-valve series? (The 4-valve series are known as GSX's here, but the US kept the GS prefix).

The build is a way off, so I'll have some time to see what I can find available - but it sounds like Jabcb's plan of using shortened GS forks is worth following.

[jabcb]

For early GS, I’m referring to the first generation of four stroke bikes that Suzuki produced.
For later GS, I’m referring to the next generation when Suzuki started using bushes on the fork inner tube — that was around 1980.

The two stroke GT models have 35mm fork tubes. Suzuki started using larger OD fork tubes in the late 1970s.
Per the cafe racer link, the four-stroke two-cylinder GS500 from 89-00 has 37mm fork tubes.

All Balls Racing & some other companies sell a range of taper roller bearings that allow the use of a wide range of front ends on any given bike.
See: https://www.allballsracing.com/forkconversion/

The fork assemblies I’m using are from an 81 GS550T, which has four cylinders. Suzuki made just a few models that have 35mm fork tubes & fork inner tube bushes.
A good description of the Suzuki product range is here: http://www.suzukicycles.org