What is required to extend the front forks.

[Lost Cause]

I did a quick google search before posting and am here just to confirm.

QUESTION 1
When it comes extending your front forks (assuming they do not go so far as to run out your cables) you need.

-Extended fork tubes
-Spacers to make up the gap for the springs, created by the longer fork tubes
-Fork seal kit

Do I have this basically correct? Sidenote: I know this can affect handling, make it look like a praying mantis or rocket ship, that you should rake it out as well, etc etc. Right now I am just concerned with the actual technical requirements to do it.

QUESTION 2
Stock tube length is 23 1/16"
Stock tube width is 35mm

Would any 35mm fork tubes with the length I desire work? Are there any other issues to consider that would keep them from working on my xs? (An example: I go to a swap meet and find a pair of fork tubes that are 35mm and 2+ over stock. The owner cannot tell me what bike they were off of, or he does know, but its not an XS.) Again, my question is, could there be anything different other than length and width of these forks that would cause them not to work?

Thank you guys for your help, I really appreciate it.

 

[gggGary]

They need to be specifically for an XS650, mebby an SR500 or your parts won't fit.

 

[Lost Cause]

They need to be specifically for an XS650, mebby an SR500 or your parts won't fit.

Thanks for the help gggGary, greatly appreciated. Just for my own education, can you explain what might be different from one fork tube to the next to cause this? Just trying to learn as much as I can.

 

[nj1639]

Time and money.
If you know the extension you want and you have the Bucks, the simplest would be to order what you want from Forking by Frank's - Franks Forking. If your current seals are fine then you should be good, just needing the spacers for the springs.
Otherwise?
Getting into Frankenbiking.

 

[nj1639]

There was/is a list of all the 35mm forks that were "out there" on this site, but best to stay with the uppers and lowers they came with......then all the mounting of the accessories comes into play.....fenders, calipers, resulting rotors, speedo drives, axle diameter etc. ad nauseum.

 

[gggGary]

Thanks for the help gggGary, greatly appreciated. Just for my own education, can you explain what might be different from one fork tube to the next to cause this? Just trying to learn as much as I can.

Every Fork manufacturer uses their own proprietary damping mechanism and the use a model is intended for changes that also, so basically you need tubes that will fit with XS650 internals. a quick journey to partzilla reveals that the 78-83 fork tubes fit:

2F0-23110-00-00 INNER TUBE 1 fits the following models and components:

Yamaha Motorcycle 1981 SR500H Front Fork

Yamaha Motorcycle 1981 XS650H Front Fork

Yamaha Motorcycle 1982 XS650SJ Front Fork

Yamaha Motorcycle 1978 XS650SE-11 Front Fork

Yamaha Motorcycle 1983 XS650SK Front Fork

Yamaha Motorcycle 1981 XS650SH Front Fork

Yamaha Motorcycle 1980 XS650G Front Fork

Yamaha Motorcycle 1980 XS650SG Front Fork

Yamaha Motorcycle 1980 SR500G Front Fork

Yamaha Motorcycle 1979 XS650_2F Front Fork

Yamaha Motorcycle 1979 XS650SF Front Fork

Yamaha Motorcycle 1978 SR500E Front Fork

Yamaha Motorcycle 1978 XS650SE Front Fork

Yamaha Motorcycle 1979 SR500F Front Fork

Yamaha Motorcycle 1978 XS650E FRONT FORK XS650E E006501- F


So tubes for any other Bike are a crap shoot at best. the XS650 is at the top of the likely to have been "choopered" list so extended tubes are pretty easy to find. MikesXS used to sell extended tubes also. My experience has shown that aftermarket fork tubes are of inferior quality (Including forking by Frank) Won't even trod on the handling, "willowy long tubes" thing.

 

[nj1639]

Thinking back.....
I've had 4" and 6" over, found one on eBay and traded some stock length for the other. Willowy is a good term. Without a compensating rake you now have a tilted motor, changed handling and more wind resistance, each one a concern unto themselves, let alone compounded.
I had thought that a 2" rise would be ideal for just a bit of profile, though 2" is a rare bird from my searches. The best I found was a complete xs750 Standard conversion which added just under 2", or an easy rise of the tubes up through the triple to return to stock. Plus 36mm for a beefier front end - and that setup takes a smaller brake rotor, showing a little more front end spoke. It weren't easy......

 

[timbeck]

Years ago when you wanted extended forks you just screwed in some 6in slugs and off you went. They did however have a bad reputation for snapping at the screw in point. It just depended on how cool you thought you looked and measure the risk.
tim