Repairing front end after crash (build thread)

[AlbatrossCafe]

As some of you may have seen, I recently got into an accident (I'm fine!). See here:

Assuming the bike is not damaged, I decided I am at least going to fix it. I may not commute all the way to work on it anymore, but I can at least ride it for errands or to get to the much closer Park & Ride. This thread will document my progress.

 

Step 1: Take off bad parts and assess Damage

Picked up a venom motorcycle lift stand for a decent price. Never used a moto stand before. This was super easy to figure out. Wish I would have gotten it earlier... would have made maintenance a breeze!

Started by noting where my bike laid down. Honestly, I expected more. The "funniest" part is that my frame slider was untouched lol. All the damage was on the bar end, exhaust, and my cargo rack that I just put on. Good news - plastics are pretty much untouched!

 

Next was to get it up on the lift and take off the wheel. Something I had never done before, but pretty easy after watching about 5 minutes of YouTube. Notice the first two pics were taken with the bar straight. The wheel is definitely not straight. And look at that fork bend - ouch!

 

After removing the rubbing brake calipers and fender, the wheel still spins true!

 

After that, I removed the forks, the plastic fork tube covers, headlight (also bent), and turn signals.

 

Now it sits on the stand. All that's left of the front is the triple tree and bottom mount (bottom triple tree...?).

 

That's where I got tonight. Things I need to do:

1. Inspect frame for damage (cracks, warping, bent tubes ,etc.)
2. Inspect triple tree (and lower triple tree - what the heck is that called?) for damage
3. Inspect wheel for damage (initial lookover seems OK - it is holding air at least)
4. Figure out if I can salvage brake rotors and calipers

The forks will obviously need to be replaced as well as the headlight. It would be optimistic of me but not unrealistic to assume that everything else could go back on... not sure if I would go that route though. Might end up replacing more than I have to for piece of mind.

I am at 30k miles with this bike. I always wanted to get a bike to 100k from new and I think this would be the one to do it. This is my "mule" that I used for bad weather, commuting, local errands, etc. I don't care if it looks nice. I actually kind of like it looking well-used - like it has a lot of purpose and is very well utilized. That gives me some leeway in how I want to rebuild.

Only problem is I would love to have ABS. But it doesn't sound like adding that in is easy (so annoying that it is only a $500 option on the newer ones). I would love to have it. Anyway - sorry for wall of text. Stay tuned....

[mossrider]

Stick that front wheel and axle, rotors and all in a simple V block. Using a pencil or something as a standard held next to the discs, give it a spin and check for out of round & run out. Easy-peazy, at least to see if you're close enough to work with or if you need new parts. 

I'd be surprised if the rotors or calipers are boogered. They may have rubbed in the bent forks but in new forks or a V block you might well be fine. I fix crash damage every year from the race track and can't remember tossing rotors or calipers. 

I always consider a little rash as character and part of a good life story. Good luck.  

[Thrasherg]

the Trees are called the upper and lower yokes!! If the forks are that badly damaged, I would be suspicious of the yokes, I know of no way to check them (to see if they are bent, cracks should be visible), maybe an opportunity to buy some trick aftermarket yokes!! If they are bent and you re-use them, you will never get it handling correctly!! Also you only need the chromed upper sections of the fork (Stanchions) but it might be best to replace the complete fork assembly (depends on your budget). As stated check the front wheel with a simple V-block and pencil, you will quickly know if its bent (left to right) or has a flat spot like a letter D.

[peteinpa]

With a hit like that check the steering stem (gooseneck) and steering head bearings VERY closely.

[cornerslider]

In a couple of the pics, it looks like you have a "cartridge kit" in the forks...... or, are those just aftermarket preload adjusters? (you didn't mention if you're the original owner). If those have a cartridge kit, it can get sorta pricey to replace. I think the cheapest kit runs around $600 + labor-

[AlbatrossCafe]

2 hours ago, cornerslider said:

In a couple of the pics, it looks like you have a "cartridge kit" in the forks...... or, are those just aftermarket preload adjusters? (you didn't mention if you're the original owner). If those have a cartridge kit, it can get sorta pricey to replace. I think the cheapest kit runs around $600 + labor-

You are right. Had a cartridge kit with stiffer sprints for my 220lb build. Andreani I think they were? Looks about right from the image below.

So do those run the entire length of the fork, which case I would have to replace the entire set? Seems like I should get a set of replacement forks, the cartridge kit, and take the pair to a shop to have them install.

Edited July 19, 2019 by AlbatrossCafe

[mossrider]

19 minutes ago, AlbatrossCafe said:

So do those run the entire length of the fork, which case I would have to replace the entire set? Seems like I should get a set of replacement forks, the cartridge kit, and take the pair to a shop to have them install.

Bang on.

[twf]

Maybe you could save those cartridges. Replace bent part.  

[Beemer]

Ouch! GL!

[cleverriver]

I have an oem headlight if you are interested in it. I am converting mine to track so I don't need it. It has some scuffs from previous owner, and I am not claiming is perfect, but it is functional and cheap if you want it. DM if you are interested 

[Torqueriot]

She'll buff out just fine...

[AlbatrossCafe]

On 7/21/2019 at 10:00 PM, cleverriver said:

I have an oem headlight if you are interested in it. I am converting mine to track so I don't need it. It has some scuffs from previous owner, and I am not claiming is perfect, but it is functional and cheap if you want it. DM if you are interested 

Thanks for the offer, but ordered a new headlight. Wanted to try a new look. Picked up these and some LED bulbs, hoping it doesn't look too ridiculous:

[AlbatrossCafe]

On the forks - I don't really want to buy brand new OEM forks and a cartridge kit just to swap everything out if I can avoid it. It seems like a waste.

Does anyone know of any FZ-07 forks with a cartridge kit already installed? I'm not really picky. Just anything over stock really. Maybe I look at a fork swap instead.

[norcal616]

I think you could save some $ buy not buying a new fork kit by reusing the fork kit parts on a set of new forks...

To me the fork kit looks like a total drop in kit(no need to use OEM parts) to keep it simple... 

Why not reuse a few of the new fork bits such as the metal rod for the lower half and maybe make your own aluminum tube and swap over the upper fork kit parts and springs??? 

It's just an idea... 

 

[AlbatrossCafe]

Well I got the Ohlins Nix-22 front cartridge kit and brand new OEM forks. Just dropped them off at the suspension shop for install. I wanted to do myself until I learned I would need about $100 worth of Ohlins-specific tools (that I would never use again) so there goes $300 for someone else to do it for me

Anyway, new fenders, forks, and headlight are ready to go!

And I made my first official repair!

[sorkyah]

Gratz dude

Can't wait to see you back on two wheels

 

[AlbatrossCafe]

Thinking long & hard (pause) about how long I want to keep this bike. Really want ABS now, especially after watching a few videos of how it helps in the rain. I might start looking for a deal on an ABS-FZ and swap all my crap over at some point. But for the next year or so, this will have to do.

Got my forks back from the shop with the Ohlins cartridges installed! Even just compressing them by hand, it is a HUGE improvement over stock (I could pogo-stick with stock on the garage floor).

[AlbatrossCafe]

Well I got one fork in pretty easily but had a HELL of a time getting the 2nd fork into just the bottom triple tree on the other side.

The shape of the triple tree whole almost seems slightly oblong. I used a big flathead to pry it open and try to slide the fork in. On the North/South sides of the fork it was like there was not enough clearance. On the East/West sides there was about a cm of clearance on each. Then, after prying it open much too far I manged to squeeze just a little bit of the fork in. But I could literally see the ground between the fork and the triple tree (through a 5mm gap or so). On the side I fit, it looked flush.

I immediately took it out, but couldn't even remove the fork without prying the triple tree open. Also, that lower triple tree "clamp" is almost closed with no fork in there, where as the others are fairly open (if that makes sense).

This leads me to believe the bottom triple tree is just slightly bent on that side. Does that sound reasonable? I think I'll have to end up replacing it.

[1tondriver]

Sounds reasonable to me and probably needs replacing. I barely had to pry at all and they slid right out and back in. Good luck!

[AlbatrossCafe]

That's interesting to hear. Even the side I got in required a little bit of finagling. From this picture you can see that the forks bent right below the lower triple tree so I was hoping to get lucky, but I guess not!

I'll get a new bottom tree. Think it is worth replacing the top as well? Those seem pretty insulated from the bend in the forks.

I ask because the top tree seems like a much more involved install. Haven't looked much at the process though. Maybe you have to do both at the same time anyway.

Edited October 3, 2019 by AlbatrossCafe

[sorkyah]

Replacing the top only requires removal of the handle bars iirc, which is a 14mm(?) Nut on the bottom

It's pinched onto the steering head same as the bottom

[blackout]

Yup, good idea to replace the bottom triple.  It surely saw some good forces during the crash and is now fatigued, and as you found out, slightly bent.  The fork tubes should slide in easy.  Hard to say about the top triple.

[AlbatrossCafe]

Oh yeah, got my new lower triple in today. It slights right over the forks, even off the bike. I had to use two hands and it took about 10 minutes for me to get the forks OUT of the old one.

Now the question is... how am I, as someone who bought a triple-tree stand just for this project, gonna support my bike without the triple tree?

Edited October 10, 2019 by AlbatrossCafe

[DewMan]

15 minutes ago, AlbatrossCafe said:

Now the question is... how am I, as someone who bought a triple-tree stand just for this project, gonna support my bike without the triple tree?

 

 

Got any rafters in your garage you can hang the front end from?

[sorkyah]

I used a set of regular jackstands and put one on each of the frame sliders 

 

20151008_202358.jpg - Google Drive