Need new forks

[Rocinante]

After the crash last year I have suspected that Rocinante´s forks haven´t been quite well, so I took them off finally and together with the Øhlins rear shock, they were sent to a specialist who was going to rebuild them and insert an emulator as well.

However, his verdict was rather negative. They were bent like two bananas and the seals were worn so far down metal was grinding at metal. It was a mystery to him that they din´t leak. The banana shape wash´t easy to spot, but it was very clear when he took them apart.

So, I decided to give them up (or rather he decided it for me), and look for a  used set on ebay.

I found one set:
http://www.ebay.de/itm/Gabel-front-fork-Triumph-T-400-TIGER-1994-/230673085881?pt=Motorrad_Kraftradteile&hash=item35b52ff5b9#ht_9107wt_1006

This is the guy I just bought front sub frame, headlight and a lot more from, which all was in perfect shape. The parts, including the forks are from a 1994 Tiger.

Should I be skeptical? It does fit, right? Any alternatives?

[Sin_Tiger]

Looks a very reasonable price considering a complete assembly.

If you are not in a hurry and want to save a few EU, I have a set of tubes and sliders in bits I can let you have in the spring for 25 EU but I expect you'd want to be riding by then  

[Rocinante]

25 EU

Are you serious? Is that a complete set of forks?

[Sin_Tiger]

Just tubes sliders and the guts, not the triple trees, will pm a photo if you're interested.

If you are going to rebuild with emulators you'll need to save your pennies.

[Rocinante]

Yes please pm a photo when you have got the time. I think I can use the old forks until spring if the deal is as good as it looks.:)

[97tiger885]

After the crash last year I have suspected that Rocinante´s forks haven´t been quite well, so I took them off finally and together with the Øhlins rear shock, they were sent to a specialist who was going to rebuild them and insert an emulator as well.

However, his verdict was rather negative. They were bent like two bananas and the seals were worn so far down metal was grinding at metal. It was a mystery to him that they din´t leak. The banana shape wash´t easy to spot, but it was very clear when he took them apart.

So, I decided to give them up (or rather he decided it for me), and look for a  used set on ebay.

It you are not in a hurry, you might consider putting on a non-OEM front end.  Didn't somebody put on a KTM front end?  I don't know how many mods are needed to do that, but if the cost is right, not too many mods are needed and performance is significantly better, this would be the time to do it.  Especially if part availability is better for the KTM stuff.

[Rocinante]

I have considered the KTM option, and others for that matter.

The problem with KTM is that the forks are upside down, and the KTM triple tree is  wider and has an offset which makes the turn radius terribly large. Patrick Rielos Tiger has this option, and it works with a special made tube spacer of sorts, but he warned me about the radius. Having ridden for a long time with a much larger turn radius than originally on the Tiger due to bar raisers and screen intervention, I know how stupid you feel when you struggle to turn your bike in a tight space. The KTM forks are expensive and hard to get to.

So I decided against it. I don´t know of any other forks that would slide right into the triple tree as it is. Advice is appreciated.

Economy is a part of the picture as well. The bike is old and worn and I don´t want to spend a fortune on it. That´s why Sin_Tigers´offer was so tempting.

[97tiger885]

I have considered the KTM option, and others for that matter.

The problem with KTM is that the forks are upside down, and the KTM triple tree is  wider and has an offset which makes the turn radius terribly large.

That eliminates that as a future possibility for me.  I feel your pain...large turning radiuses can make life very difficult, especially on unpaved roads.

[Rocinante]

I´m going for the set I found on ebay. At 199 euro it´s a bargain with such a strong currency Norway has got for the moment. It came off a bike with 58Kkm no it, ridden on tarmac around Berlin, so it´s hardly broken in...:)

Sin_Tiger´s offer was very kind, but now I´ll get this done within a few weeks and can ride the bike this winter.