Goldwing Chopper

[scarlson]

Yes, I'm nuts...

I just found this website and signed on for the first time. I am not too familiar with how this works, so here it goes.

I have been looking for a 6" inch extension for the fork pipes of my 1977 GL1000. I have scoured ebay and several other sites looking for such an animal and have had no luck. I did find a complete fork and tree assembly for an 83 GL1100, but after careful review of my Clymer, have discovered that the '83 is a completely different assembly than the rest of the bikes cover in the book because it has anti-dive.

I need to know if minor adjustments to this '83 will make it work on my '77, or if I can purchase the pipes made for my bike...

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Any help is always appreciated.

[QUEEENlE]

Welcome scarlson ....to Naked GoldWings... Im sure that someone (many) will be along shortly with help, advice, comments and suggestions ...this a great place for the help you are looking for ... someone may just even have exactly what you are needing or looking for... hangon ..im sure you ll get your answers... again welcome ..stay safe and ride naked... i do.

Q

[quakeholio]

I've done some looking in the area you are talking about. I can tell you that the CB900C, GL1100, GL1200, and the GL1500 all use the same bearings in the tripple tree. Simply what this tells is that the bottom of the tripple tree will fit into the frame. The only question is how tall is that piece.

You can get on bikebandit.com and look up the years and see if the bearings are the same number. If they didn't change the bearings for three models then they might have used them for four models. I would ask someone that has the 83 and the 77 to measure the lenght of the frame there.

If it will fit then the upgrade should be a pretty good one. Good luck on the project.

[scarlson]

The head pipe lower bearing is part #91016-371-000 for both bikes. However the head pipe upper bearing are different and the steering stem component numbers are different.

If this would still work, I would be happy to go with it, but this presents a new problem. Will the headlight, turn signals, axel/wheel, brakes, and speedometer cable all still hook up, or do I have to go out and find the rest of the front end?

I appreciate the help...

[Zryder]

Welcome to our site scarison , I found pretty well the same info as quakeholio has , but here's a idea , these people have a custom triple tree for the GL and if you are looking around can find a longer aftermarket fork tubes the same size that fit in these triple trees , or this Gents may have the answer you seek http://www.kw-enterprises.com/catalog.html the triple trees drop the front of the GL down 3/4" but with longer fork tubs that may be available can be longer the triple trees look like as you see here the third item down in that on line catalogue they have .
( Z )

[Beezer]

I have been looking for a 6" inch extension for the fork pipes of my 1977 GL1000.

I know you want to, but please don't. Those extensions were made in the seventies for many bikes as a cheap alternative to extended forks. They seem like a good idea except for one little problem, they kill people.

Fork tube extensions will make your forks longer, but they concentrate the entire load, both the constant as well as the instantanious loads encountered in a bump, into about a one inch space at the top of the origional fork, where it's threaded.

It's not a question of IF, but of WHEN they will fail and your entire front end decides to turn left while the rest of the bike continues forward.

If you insist on using fork extensions go ahead, but if you have any dependants, stock up on a good life insurance policy.

OK. Not the popular reply, but I know for a fact it's the truth.
Ask any REAL chopper builder and not the Hollywood idiots on the cable TV channel about fork extensions. They'll tell ya all about them.

[quakeholio]

If you can take the top of the system off might be just as easy to get a top bearing of the 83 and see how it fits in the frame. I would probably go with a complete front end swap if you went in the 83 direction if you could. The 83's susspension and brakine equipment should be better then the 77. If the buget thing has got a good hold on you I can understand.

I originally got the idea of a front end swap from http://www.thegsresources.com/. You can take the front end off a GSXR and put it onto the much older GS1100. Anyway, you guys might want to have a look around there, lots of people doing restoration on the GS line, and some bike building, so they have some usefull info.

[QUEEENlE]

, lots of people doing restoration on the GS line, and some bike building, so they have some usefull info.

Probably in their livingrooms. ggggggs
Hugs
Q

[BIG T]

try http://www.frankmain.qpg.com/
this forking by frank. he does a lot of over length tubes for both metric and h.d....................T.

[Bandanna]

I AGREE WITH BEEZER........
why not have some girders made up for the wing??

i think extensions are dangerous,and personally wouldnt use..
but everyone to their own...........

safe riding...................all

[4banger]

Please do not use extensions. If you must have longer forks get one peice extended tubes. Extensions are very dangerous.Many years ago I had a 1958 BSA Goldstar which had extensions on it when I bought it. Looked cool. One day when I was cleaning it I noticed a crack in the fork tube where the extensions screwed in. Immdiately installed stock lenght tubes. Handeled much better, much safer to ride too.