Z1OwnersClub GB

I've spent a long time lurking on this superb forum in awe of you guys' projects. Some are just jaw-droppingly gorgeous and really humbling, so please bear with me on the vision I have of giving me ol' thou a facelift.
I've had the old A2 for a long time now and been through various stages with her - varying from putting her back to bone original thru to street sleeper and even to selling. Close shave!!
Recently, I decided to take the plunge and go for what I've been wanting to do for ages: get some wide rubber & stick a pair of clipons on.
I'd really appreciate some advice on a few things I can't work out.
Here’s a photo of how she looked before: ace bars, 18" rims & tyre width restricted by original(braced) swingarm. Enginewise, basically, a 1045 gas flow, valves with Cam Motion cams & 29mm smoothbores & Vance & Hines.



These are the photos taken today which is pretty much in the ball park of where I want to be -Trying the keep it classic/old skool, non-bling and relatively understated with a splash of tail-up attitude.







Components are JMC swingarm and ZZR1100 forks/yokes(thanks Phil/KWACKERZ1). 17" rims on original Thou hubs - 180 rear 130front tyres.
Kept the brakes as I love the look of the floating Brembos & gold calipers.
The Konis are being replaced by some Ohlins piggybacks – hopefully the gold should work nicely with the other gold touches but think I’ll probably relocate the top mount to lay them down a bit.
I’m keeping the original clocks as I think they’re part of the original DNA but dropping them down so they don’t stick up too far above the top yoke.
Original light will be much lower with PMC mounts.

There are a few issues that I need to sort out and hopefully can draw on your huge collective knowledge:

1 - I can't find a suitable front mudguard. Was thinking chrome but can't find a good 17" solution. Can't find any solution in fact!! Heeeelp!!

2 - Pillion footrests: I need to take 'er indoors on the back from time to time so need them, but the standard mounts are starting to look wrong.
Is there a detachable kit that I can fit?

3 - Ground clearance. Probably the biggest issue.
Even with 18" rims the V&H pipes would grind out on right handers so need to get that sorted out now its running 17â€￾s.
Compounding that may be the forks – they’re shorter than standard but I like the way they give that ‘nose-down’ look. I may need to make some fork extensions.
I’m thinking of putting a black Marving Race 4-1 on which I think should give more clearance as the collector is flat under the engine + I like that old skool look.
Can anyone tell me the standard engine casing height from the ground for a Thou so I can get a clue on what to aim for? Been a long time since it had standard rims on it so afraid I can’t remember......
The clip-ons are above the top yoke at the moment which I’m not sure about, but may end up making some more top yokes to put the bars below.

Sorry if much of the above is ‘thinking-out-loud’ but any opinions/advice will be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
Hilton.

Hilton,
Good to see your cracking on with it. What discs do you have fitted to the front wheel?

When I had mine built with those forks and 17" wheels I measured the ground clearance to the points cover between mine and a standard one and the difference was 5-6mm I think. I'll dig out the measurements for you.

Mudgaurd wise look at a zrx or an xjr front mudgaurd old style but suite 17"s.

Cheers Phil,

Front discs are same as a Ducati SPS - can't remember the actual Brembo part ref. Nice n rattly

Are the ZRX/XJR guards steel? Thanks for the pointer.
Ideally would like the equivalent of the Z-Power shorty.

Cheers for the clearance details too - if only a few mms, then should be OK. 'specially with the Marving being flatter.

Like this alot! Going too look real cool when finished

Hilton,
Just noted your clipon-ons on the top of the forks when these were fitted to mine to achieve the ground clearance (noted above )the forks were pushed through. Yours will be lower with your clipon mounting on the top, if you want to keep the clipon's Harris do some offset hi-rise ones that you could put under the yoke but gain back an extra inch.

http://www.harris-performance.com/acata ... ebars.html

ZRX and xjr are plastic gaurds.

What rim widths did you end up with?

Niiiice looking bars! Thanks f'that Phil.
I'll have a fiddle & see if they'll suit me.

Rims are 5.50 & 3.50.....errr, or was it 3.00 Will check. Sorry.....getting old!

Really unsure whether to have painted or chrome front mudguard.
Those ZRX ones don't look half bad. They come in Carbon Fibre too but that may be a bit, ahem, modern

Thanks again.

Get a modern plastic guard and get it chromed

http://www.qppltd.co.uk/index.asp

Looking good.
Are those zxr750 or zzr11 forks ?
I have zxr forks and extended them 55mm to get the height back.
ZZR forks are even shorter.
It will be a tankslapping deathtrap over 110mph if you leave the front dropped like that, the lower frame rails need to be more parallel to the ground.

Good turn of phrase Will

Yes, they're ZZR11 forks - I'm prepared to get extemsions made if necessary, just not sure how much how much at the moment.
The top yokes aren't the most pretty so if I get rid of those then will definitely need extensions as the ZZR11 ones step down & will need to compensate the height.

BTW, looking forward to sticking your JMC decals on the swinger.

You got the wrong bloke.
Will is BIG FLUFF.
I am Rob but you can send payment for the stickers to me if you like

You are looking around 60mm ish for the zzr forks but it all depends on the height of the back end, just go for the lower frame rails being level-ish.

Before i extended mine i had a damper on it and wide bars and it still tried killing me at high speed. Was good in the twisties though.

To give you something to work with, my standard 1000 on a 19/18 std setup is 390mm from the floor to the centre of the rear 6mm cap head that holds the points cover on. (That's with me sitting on it up and measuring so might vary a couple of mm)

Standard forks are 31.5" long top to spindle centre, I think from memory ZZR ones are the same as zrx11 ones which are 30.5". So with your stepped yokes you'll be close to the same height if you push them through to their tops. At the moment you must be losing an inch with the clip-ons on top.

Doh! So sorry Rob! My brain's in Monday mode!!

Great info - just what I'm looking for - cheers.

In fact the bike's always tried to kill me at anything over 110mph - even standard! Consequently it's off to Motoliner this week to get the whole thing checked out so at least I can take bad alignment out of the equation.

Ohtherwise I stick to the country lanes

Phil - You're a star.

That really gives me something to work from. Thanks for digging up the info. Cheers

steve bowdler wrote:Get a modern plastic guard and get it chromed

http://www.qppltd.co.uk/index.asp

Wow, Steve - that's mental!

Great link - thanks!

I love those front brakes!
Do you stil have the brackets from when you had those calipers on origional forks?