MotorCyclist Customizes a '13

[Wlfman]

Aren't the outers the same as the 2012? You should only need to buy the cap(s) for the 2012 and then get the AK for the 2012, right?

The AK-20 will fit the 2013 right leg without modifications but it will take about $375 in parts to modify the left fork for a conventional AK-20 installation. I would rather spend $458 for an entire left fork assembly. It would be fully adjustable with the AK-20 and I could sell it later if I were to part out the AK-20s.

Will a '12 fork fit and work on a '13 without modifications?

 

[MCRIDER007]

Will a '12 fork fit and work on a '13 without modifications?

As far as I know, any GEN2 fork will work on the "13 without modifications and it may be possible that the 04-05 forks will also work since the brake rotors are the same size.

 

[MCRIDER007]

The new suspension is sounding more and more like a soup sandwich.

It certainly seems that way.....especially when it comes to upgrading with internal components that were designed for earlier models. Maybe we are looking at this the wrong way because, after 600 miles of riding a '13, I am very impressed with both the spring rate and the damping of the new forks. Maybe our after market suspension guru's should be developing components to improve the current design rather than converting the forks to the old design. The end result should be half the cost for the customer since they would only be changing one fork.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Will some 13 owners still feel the need for a fork brace?

 

[gixxerjasen]

Will a '12 fork fit and work on a '13 without modifications?

As far as I know, any GEN2 fork will work on the "13 without modifications and it may be possible that the 04-05 forks will also work since the brake rotors are the same size.

Except that 04-05 either didn't have ABS or had different ABS, so it would stand to reason that the mounts for the ABS might be different.

 

[gixxerjasen]

The new suspension is sounding more and more like a soup sandwich.

Maybe they want folks to fork out for the ES model.

I wonder if you couldn't use the upside down parts and add AK's to it to add to a non-ES bike. Seems like it'd be a nice upgrade for someone not needing the electronic bits but wanting better performance.

 

[Knifemaker]

Well lets see.....they sunk several thousands of dollars on "improvements" to the bike .....and now believe its "better"....

Uh....Duh.....You would certainly hope so.

 

[Wlfman]

Just talked to Traxxion

Basically all you need is the cap from a 2013 RH fork and put it on the LH fork, no need and a waste of money to purchase an entire fork leg. This will give you all the adjustability that's really needed. Traxxion will supply the cap for an additional $100 or you can supply your own. The price of the AK-20 kit for the 2013 and above FJR1300 is $1099.95 (with out the additional 2013 cap). $200 install labor plus cost of bushings and seals. And now thru the end of the year they have 10% off on parts and labor. Discount does not include shipped kits. So if you ship them your forks you can get AKs installed for $1170 plus shipping, seals and bushings if needed.

(cost of an entire 1012 LH fork, cheapest I've found new is $450 at PartShark.)

Max said the forks are fully adjustable straight out of the factory. With a good quality cartridge and valving they have more than enough adjustment range to speed up or slow down the compression damping or the rebound damping for tuning purposes.

 

[petey]

Will some 13 owners still feel the need for a fork brace?

Wheatie, IMHO no FJR really needs a fork brace (or a 6 speed trany)

...but, I'm sure some will feel the need...

 

[wheatonFJR]

Will some 13 owners still feel the need for a fork brace?

Wheatie, IMHO no FJR really needs a fork brace (or a 6 speed trany)

...but, I'm sure some will feel the need...

You said it, that's good enough for me.

 

[MCRIDER007]

Will a '12 fork fit and work on a '13 without modifications?

As far as I know, any GEN2 fork will work on the "13 without modifications and it may be possible that the 04-05 forks will also work since the brake rotors are the same size.

Except that 04-05 either didn't have ABS or had different ABS, so it would stand to reason that the mounts for the ABS might be different.

Good point if the ABS sensor mounted to the fork.....but it doesn't.

 

[MCRIDER007]

Just talked to Traxxion
Basically all you need is the cap from a 2013 RH fork and put it on the LH fork, no need and a waste of money to purchase an entire fork leg. This will give you all the adjustability that's really needed. Traxxion will supply the cap for an additional $100 or you can supply your own. The price of the AK-20 kit for the 2013 and above FJR1300 is $1099.95 (with out the additional 2013 cap). $200 install labor plus cost of bushings and seals. And now thru the end of the year they have 10% off on parts and labor. Discount does not include shipped kits. So if you ship them your forks you can get AKs installed for $1170 plus shipping, seals and bushings if needed.

(cost of an entire 1012 LH fork, cheapest I've found new is $450 at PartShark.)

This is good info for anyone thinking about the AK-20 option.....but my situation is a little different since I already have a set of AK-20s (that came out of a 07 FJR) and I live in Washington (so my shipping costs to Traxxion and insurance for a set of forks and the AK-20s is going to be higher than most). Traxxion quoted me $225 to install the AK-20s and modify the AK-20 that will go on the left side so I'm guessing my total cost with shipping will be in the $335-350 range. Its not that much more to buy the 2012 left fork and install the AK-20s myself....which is pretty easy when the fork is new and doesn't need new bushings and seals. The advantages of buying the entire left fork are that I will have 2 fully adjustable forks and if I decide to sell the bike I can put the forks back into their original configuration and have a standard (non-modified) set of AK-20s and a 2012 left fork leftover....both easy to part out if desired.

 

[Wlfman]

Just talked to Traxxion
Basically all you need is the cap from a 2013 RH fork and put it on the LH fork, no need and a waste of money to purchase an entire fork leg. This will give you all the adjustability that's really needed. Traxxion will supply the cap for an additional $100 or you can supply your own. The price of the AK-20 kit for the 2013 and above FJR1300 is $1099.95 (with out the additional 2013 cap). $200 install labor plus cost of bushings and seals. And now thru the end of the year they have 10% off on parts and labor. Discount does not include shipped kits. So if you ship them your forks you can get AKs installed for $1170 plus shipping, seals and bushings if needed.

(cost of an entire 1012 LH fork, cheapest I've found new is $450 at PartShark.)

This is good info for anyone thinking about the AK-20 option.....but my situation is a little different since I already have a set of AK-20s (that came out of a 07 FJR) and I live in Washington (so my shipping costs to Traxxion and insurance for a set of forks and the AK-20s is going to be higher than most). Traxxion quoted me $225 to install the AK-20s and modify the AK-20 that will go on the left side so I'm guessing my total cost with shipping will be in the $335-350 range. Its not that much more to buy the 2012 left fork and install the AK-20s myself....which is pretty easy when the fork is new and doesn't need new bushings and seals. The advantages of buying the entire left fork are that I will have 2 fully adjustable forks and if I decide to sell the bike I can put the forks back into their original configuration and have a standard (non-modified) set of AK-20s and a 2012 left fork leftover....both easy to part out if desired.

You can purchase the cap and drop in your 07 AKs just like you plan to do without having to spend the extra on the entire fork assembly. The 2013 LH internals are the same as the RH internals.

 

[gixxerjasen]

Will a '12 fork fit and work on a '13 without modifications?

As far as I know, any GEN2 fork will work on the "13 without modifications and it may be possible that the 04-05 forks will also work since the brake rotors are the same size.

Except that 04-05 either didn't have ABS or had different ABS, so it would stand to reason that the mounts for the ABS might be different.

Good point if the ABS sensor mounted to the fork.....but it doesn't.

Good point, but it does have a little doohickey to keep the black part in place.

 

[MCRIDER007]

Good point, but it does have a little doohickey to keep the black part in place.

I don't know if the doohickey is absent from the non-ABS models but it doesn't do much and I think it would be an easy work-around....the first thing that comes to mind in a small drilled bolt but there are probably better options.

 

[Fred W]

Same part number for '04-05 1st gens with ABS and without. So they all have the doohickey.

There is just an extra spacer where the ABS plate would be on the non-ABS bikes.

 

[gixxerjasen]

Same part number for '04-05 1st gens with ABS and without. So they all have the doohickey.
There is just an extra spacer where the ABS plate would be on the non-ABS bikes.

What about from first gen to second? The original comment was about using a gen 1 fork on a 2013.

 

[mcatrophy]

Words can be trickisy things to use well and what you think they mean may not be what I think they mean.

That is my world. I am a Technical Writer. I produce only two or three hundred words a day, but I have to make sure those words mean one thing, and one thing only.

As a writer of repair manuals, albiet for electronic goods, it is extremely difficult to acheive that clarity. The deeper one gets into a project, the easier it is to overlook something because of "assumed knowledge."

I will now wait patiently for Fred to make his observation, and report back.

[OffTopic]
Erm - did you, as a technical writer, write the word "acheive" to see if anyone actually read what you wrote?

P.S. I had a lot of trouble persuading my spell-checker I intended to write that .

[/OffTopic]

 

[ionbeam]

The old I before E except after C. Wait, is that an electronics formula or spelling rules? Sometimes my spelling makes my spell checker ill.

 

[Fred W]

Only dweebs like me got your (original) joke.

Just say it... Ω