Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

hi all, i just got a pair of forks which are off a zx9r E2 (2001) model and am having some trouble getting the brake calipers to fit. bike is a 2000 zx9r E1

The problem is that the mounting holes dont align because the brake caliper assembly hits the disc. Just off by about 5mil

If any one could shed some light as to confirm that there are differences between the E1 and E2 models as its driving me nuts (im sure its assembled properly).

Also if someone could dvise of the cheapest and easiest thing to do that would be great!!
as far as i can tell my options are:
1. get smaller discs
2. somehow mchine the parts of caliper that are hitting disc
3. or reinforce fork mounting holes so i can reallign the to suit (best option??)
4. just buy a 2001 model wheel

OK... that's a bit odd... obvious question, are you sure-sure the forks you got are from an E-model?

have you held them up against your existing forks?

Are they the same length? If the forks you just got are a bit longer, they'll be off a C-model, which ran smaller discs (290mm vs 310mm), and will, thus, have the caliper mounting points a smidge closer to the bottom of the sliders.

Are the caliper mounting points identical between the two? If the forks are the same length, your new forks could be from an F-model, which ran four-piston Nissin calipers instead of the six-piston Tokicos of the previous two models, so the caliper mounting points will, again, be different.

hi i-k that makes sense, they must be from a c-model...everything is exactly the same except forks a bit longer and mounting points are a smidge lower (which causes calipers to hit with the e-model discs)

So do you think the best option would be too get a set of c model discs? also would c-model discs be a straight fit onto my wheel?

Lykaois wrote:hi i-k that makes sense, they must be from a c-model...everything is exactly the same except mounting points are a smidge lower (which causes calipers to hit with the e-model discs)

If they're the same length as your forks, then they can't be off a C-model. C-model forks are about 30-40mm longer, so as to protrude past the top triple clamp so the clipons can attach to them (later models have dogleg clipon clamps, which attach to the forks below the top triple clamp, so the forklegs can be shorter and lighter).

Also, the C-model runs a thinner front wheel axle; urm, 16mm vs 24mm, or so. There'll be differences there, too.

Note, also, the front guard changed between the E and F-models. Do the guard mounting points line up with yours?
(Note: that doesn't pin these forks down that precisely; they could still be off a ZX6. Despite the guards looking identical, a G-model ZX6 guard won't fit a C-model ZX9 or a J-model ZX6...)

So do you think the best option would be too get a set of c model calipers?

Well, there's that, or the two of us can get busy with our measuring calipers when the set of 46mm rwu Kayabas I just got off Ebay arrives.

They were also claimed as being off a ZX-9R-E2, but as they were put up alongside a whole bunch of other parts which were definitely E-model ZX9 (h-bracket, red/black ducktail...), there's a fair chance this would be true.

As I only want these forks for a project (a VFR800 which doesn't wobble and which doesn't weigh 240kg... bugger off; that V4 is one hell of an evocative engine, regardless of who built it), it doesn't really matter what model of ZX9 they come from.

We can just do a straight swap.

thanks mate, i forgot too mention that the axle was also smaller (fixed by getting a sleeve to fit make u the diference)... thanks SNR.

thanks for the offer of a trade... but today i got stuck into my caliers with a file and grinder and took off just enough from the meat at the back so that they fit over the discs fine.

So im happy to say that they fit great now!!

Now i just gotta reallign my brake lines so that they can cover the extra distance of the forks

- still dont know exctly what fork year they are but i guess that sometimes happens when you buy from EBAY

Lykaois wrote:thanks mate, i forgot too mention that the axle was also smaller (fixed by getting a sleeve to fit make u the diference)... thanks SNR.

Ah, you got the axle with them, as well. Yeh?

today i got stuck into my caliers with a file and grinder and took off just enough from the meat at the back so that they fit over the discs fine.

Do the pads still line up with the rotors ok? Every chance I'm telling you something you already know, but it's too important to leave it unsaid.

How much material needed to be taken off?

Now i just gotta reallign my brake lines so that they can cover the extra distance of the forks

That screeching sound you hear is from me reefing on the handbrake... did you mount the new forks *exactly* like your old forks; flush, give or take a couple of mm, with the top of the top triple clamp?

Remember what I mentioned about the C-model ZX9 having longer forklegs because the clipons attach above the top triple clamp?

If you've mounted your new forks *without* there being 40mm or so sticking out past the top triple clamp, and if your brakelines now have less slack in them than with the old forks it sounds like you have, there's a chance you've just become the owner of the world's second-ever[1] choppered ZX9.

Does the bike sit funny on the sidestand?

[1]the first was a bloke in the US who fitted what looked like 2-foot over stanchions to a B-model; AMCN had a pic of him posing by the sign at the start of Deals Gap.

If you've mounted your new forks *without* there being 40mm or so sticking out past the top triple clamp, and if your brakelines now have less slack in them than with the old forks it sounds like you have, there's a chance you've just become the owner of the world's second-ever[1] choppered ZX9.

whoops i wasnt thinking bout that when i posted...after having a few beers wit the bike last night i realised why that y bracket thing on the brake lines couldent line up.

- yep got the axle with them...sleeve fits perfectly

Do the pads still line up with the rotors ok? Every chance I'm telling you something you already know, but it's too important to leave it unsaid. How much material needed to be taken off

pads fortuntely do line up fine...i thought that might be a problem (got a heap of washers to test)...i took a fair bit off of the meat on back of calipers, it now sits with bout 1/2 mil before i strt tking wy sections of the bolts. A little unsafe i guess but should only be short term. Unitl i can sort something better out.[/quote]