Could someone please help me with this GL145?

[racefactory]

Hi all,

Got a 1988 Gl145. Front brake is toast and i can't find a new caliper for it. Forks on these bikes are also very bad and always leak, very hard to find fork that don't leak and without pitting. Tried many places.

I'm now thinking of just putting a new front end on it and be done with it. I really don't know how to do this though. I'm hoping some bucket racing folk with experience in this area will see this and help me out!

Basically, what's a good front end i can put on a GL145? What are the specs and things you need to know when swapping the front end of a bike around for something else?

Also, can I just change out the forks brakes and wheel without touching the rest of the front end? Ideally that's what i want to do.

Incase people are not familiar with the bike, it's a 18 inch 2.75 front with disc brakes, i think quite standard for light bikes so i'm hoping there are a lot of choices.

Thanks heaps eh

[racefactory]

http://images.dmldirect.com/bookstore/i/8303.jpg

[motorbyclist]

was this the crashed one? forks could well be slightly bent, thus the incessant leaks, and could be straightened for $60

otherwise make a swap for something that fits....

[motorbyclist]

what do you mean the brake is toast?

[racefactory]

no the forks are good and straight, it's just there are virtually no good ones left in the country, all got pitting and crap. the only semi decent pair i have will be on their way out soon with pitting and will be destroying fork seals to no end. so i thought may aswell not put off the inevitable.

the brake is rooted is what i mean. the seals gone to buggery and the piston rusted and seized. also i think the mounting bracket might be slightly bent as it put a huge scrape along the inside of the brake disc as it is skewed a little. the brake is actually the main problem, if anyone knows an alternate bike that has the same caliper as a gl145 please let me know.

when you say make a swap for something that fits, that is precisely the reason for my post... how do you know what fits and is not going to screw up the handling?

Can i just change the forks, wheel and brake caliper and leave the triple trees and rest of the rig alone?

Gn125s and gn250s are very popular, i'd imagine parts would be in the truckloads too... could I use the wheel brake and forks from one of those? How do you know what fits? How precise does it have to be, how much margin for difference and in what aspect? As you can see, i really dont know.... cheers!!

[motorbyclist]

considered getting the forks re-chromed? expensive but still an option


if you can keep the triple clamps that's ideal - just make sure the bike sits the same and you're all good - to keep the handling you really need identical parts, but at least keep the same size wheel/tyre

the GN is probably too long and too soft. perhaps look for other honda equivalents like the mb100 or xl125 or 185 - the chassis all appear to be nearly identical

[racefactory]

wow this sounds great, so there is really not much of a science to it?

To be honest i thought that dirt bike models like the ones you mentioned would be too long. also maybe differently constructed differently making them unsuitable for road use... i dont know.

So the width of the fork tubes dont have to be exact to the nearest mm or whatever? you just slide them up and clamp them in? If not, what do you need to take note of and how much margin do you have?

the only other unclear area i have now is about the brake mounting on the handle bar with the new reservoir and lines.... is it just an off with the old one, on with the new one kinda thing? they all fit each other pretty much?

Im asking maybe some pretty obvious questions but im overseas now and i cant see these things in person, not to mention how critical it is to have a front end that works and is not going to kill me eh.

might throw on a rg150 front end then, thats gotta be pretty decent and easy to find.

any other suggestions for different models that might work well? im gonna do some emailing to wreckers..

thanks dude

[birdhandler]

you may want to have a look here

http://www.motorcycle-parts.com.au/Std_Fork_Tubes.htm

BTW the pricing appears to be per tube!!

there is no listing for a GL145 but you could look at the data to find some possibilities do you know the fork diameter?
cheers

[motorbyclist]

wow this sounds great, so there is really not much of a science to it?

It's a commuter, not a race bike - as long as it performs the same it'll be ok, maybe better, maybe worse, possibly lethal

To be honest i thought that dirt bike models like the ones you mentioned would be too long. also maybe differently constructed differently making them unsuitable for road use... i dont know.

the mb isn't a dirtbike! the xl is a trail bike if not just a heavily built roadbike!

and dude the GN ones are miiiles long

it's the spring, general length (spring will account for a lot here), and wheel size that concerns you

So the width of the fork tubes dont have to be exact to the nearest mm or whatever? you just slide them up and clamp them in? If not, what do you need to take note of and how much margin do you have?

the tubes need to be of identical diameter and spacing - otherwise they'll be bent by the clamps, or simply not fit at all.

most front ends will come with the yoke, clamps and bearings anyway

the only other unclear area i have now is about the brake mounting on the handle bar with the new reservoir and lines.... is it just an off with the old one, on with the new one kinda thing? they all fit each other pretty much?

the banjo fittings should be standard and i imagine the amster cylinders of similar size..... otherwise swapping calipers between bikes is anyone's guess....

[racefactory]

the tubes need to be of identical diameter and spacing - otherwise they'll be bent by the clamps, or simply not fit at all.

most front ends will come with the yoke, clamps and bearings anyway

Will the yolks clamps and bearings be able to fit the bike without any modifications?

[motorbyclist]

Will the yolks clamps and bearings be able to fit the bike without any modifications?

depends on if they fit without any modification

[motorbyclist]

might pay to talk to the bucket guys as someone is bound to either have done a swap before and knows what fits, or has a GL front end in the back of their shed anyway