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[Peter 53]

Gentlemen/ladies?


I have bought a front end to help me realise my dream of a working front brake. It is a bit 'chunkier' than the stock forks/yokes and now I'm starting to wonder if it will a) advesely affect the handling and b) look a little odd. Yoke hole centres are approx 9.5" compared to the standard 6.75". Picture are here:


http://tinypic.com/m/fc8kdc/3


http://tinypic.com/m/fc8kdd/3


http://tinypic.com/m/fc8kdg/3


It will be interesting to compare your comments with those who lean towards more of a custom style!


Thanks in advance... (ducks out of the way whilst spanners are thrown in my general direction)

[Dennis C]

Unless the pictures are misleading they are also quite a bit longer than original in which case the geometry will be out and it will handle like an Asda shopping trolley, and yes it will look odd, but some people like odd looking bikes.

[Peter 53]

Yes Dennis the length is bigger, and obviously the forks will compress once the weight is on it. The other thing is there are slugs at the top, which I hope I can remove. Some people do like odd-looking bikes... that's a very discrete way of putting it!

[Craig]

Hi Peter,


Whats the Other Front end off?


Do like Your Plan Though...


About a year ago some one use to post on here who's Bike was Nicked' and when he got it back they had put some (Yam?) Jap front end on..It all worked ok but he was Looking for bits to put it back to std.


So Some Bits Do Fit No Doubt, Let us alll Know how you Get on as ONE DAY?, I would Like to do a Custom or Trail bike with a "Working Front End"... But Enjoy My Classics as they are....


 


Cheers all: Craig


 

[grunda 12]

peter what is the front end off ? i think by fitting it your bike will enter the custom scene,i doubt very much that when you fit it that it will compress too much but it looks a great idea hope it works all the best paul ,p,s do enfields handle ?

[Peter 53]

Cheers for your replies and comments folks... the 'donor' bike that this was previously on was an XS650 - the owner put some girders on it and hence sold me this front end. Do Enfields handle? Well compared to the other bikes I have had, which have all been 80s and 90s  Japanese models, I would say yes!


To be honest, I am both surprised and encouraged by the feedback so far as I expected a huge backlash of "Oh no, you CAN'T do that!" It seems that not all Enfield enthusiasts are "rivet counters" which is good news!


I'm still gauging opinion from a variety of sources and yet to make up my mind how to proceed but it is looking more likely that something will happen soon.