'97 RM125 forks picked up today...what am I in for?

Gotanubike · Post by **Gotanubike** » 09:12 pm Dec 08 2014

$140 Cad

newbbewb · Post by **newbbewb** » 10:00 pm Dec 08 2014

nice cassette player

seems like a great deal for $140, I didn't know suzuki did red plastic

Gotanubike · Post by **Gotanubike** » 10:07 pm Dec 08 2014

They didn't buddy said "previous owner" plastidipped all the plastics and the tank

Oh and it's a Sony Cd/casette/FM stereo WITH an analog EQ fyi

newbbewb · Post by **newbbewb** » 10:15 pm Dec 08 2014

is that factory suzuki top clamp?

I say put a seat on it. trials style unicycle.

Gotanubike · Post by **Gotanubike** » 12:09 am Dec 09 2014

newbbewb wrote:is that factory suzuki top clamp?

I almost want to say..no

Good eye because a google image search of rm125 V triple clamps look nothing like that on the top one...hmm

And no handlebar mounts. Yikes

newbbewb wrote:I say put a seat on it. trials style unicycle.

osobad · Post by **osobad** » 06:29 am Dec 09 2014

noticed top clamp too. I am a big fan of these forks and every set that I have bought has had one piece top clamp( bar mounts are part of the clamp)

Gotanubike · Post by **Gotanubike** » 12:08 pm Dec 09 2014

Not 100% what this is all about, looks like an aftermarket upper clamp made by "Applied Racing". Fits and everything, but I will need to buy some handlebar clamps. The holes for the bar clamps looks like they were either threaded at one point and are completely stripped, or I am just seeing leftover marks from a threaded bolt that was secured on the underside by a nut...

Edit: Ok so finding some bar mounts should be no problem

Pic below you can see

Sullyfam · Post by **Sullyfam** » 09:37 pm Dec 09 2014

They don't look threaded to me. I think you are right in that they are transfer marks from the bolt.

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newbbewb · Post by **newbbewb** » 01:17 am Dec 10 2014

I know for a fact that the protaper adapters for 7/8 or 1 /18 will fit in there. sullyfam is right, those aren't threads, but witness marks.

http://www.powersportsplace.com/parts/t ... fgod3aAAXA

applied racing makes nice stuff. lucky you

Gotanubike · Post by **Gotanubike** » 06:42 am Dec 10 2014

Already ordered some. Not those, though. They are 1 1/8" fatty clamps

I have S/E ProTaper's

Will update on stem swap and knurling of the KDX stem I believe will be needed to press fit properly into the RM lower clamp. New stem bearings on the way too

Is there a proper way of pressing out the old the stem? From top out the bottom, I think? Can't seem to find anything online

Actionman · Post by **Actionman** » 08:00 am Dec 10 2014

I have those applied clamps on my kx250 and no threads. Also check those forks (you'll need to disassemble them) to see if the bottoming cup at the base is installed correctly. If it was (and it's easy to not install it correctly) then the damping rod cartridge hammers it every time the forks compress. I had a set that happened to. It's dangerous as hell if u don't catch it.

Gotanubike · Post by **Gotanubike** » 08:05 am Dec 10 2014

Actionman wrote:I have those applied clamps on my kx250 and no threads. Also check those forks (you'll need to disassemble them) to see if the bottoming cup at the base is installed correctly. If it was (and it's easy to not install it correctly) then the damping rod cartridge hammers it every time the forks compress. I had a set that happened to. It's dangerous as hell if u don't catch it.

Ah man I really didn't want to have to take these apart, the seals are in good shape. I think these forks were redone by a suspension group called "SLR suspension" that's what the stickers say on the outer tubes

Sullyfam · Post by **Sullyfam** » 08:12 am Dec 10 2014

Unless you know when the suspension work was done, it's probably best to take them apart now and change the oil anyways. I realize it's added work, but cheaper and easier to do now in all respects.

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Gotanubike · Post by **Gotanubike** » 10:18 am Dec 10 2014

Good point. Just looking for a 96-00 rm125 manual now so I can find the proper weight oil I will need. If 10w I can substitute ATF. I not, I will be ordering the specific weight oil from Royal distributing in Toronto and all is going to end up costing me too much...

osobad · Post by **osobad** » 05:12 pm Dec 10 2014

5 wt oil or 0w-20w mobil 1. They are twin chamber forks even though they are also conventional same procedure as usd showa tc forks. The 0w -20 mobil 1 is very slick I have used it and like it alot 10wt is too heavy for the inner chamber might get away with it in the outer chamber

Actionman · Post by **Actionman** » 06:23 pm Dec 10 2014

Those forks are easy as pie to disassemble. I literally could dis/reassemble them in three minutes. You'll see what I mean as soon as you take the first one apart.

Gotanubike · Post by **Gotanubike** » 08:56 pm Dec 10 2014

Here is the KDX and RM lower clamp and stem side by side. KDX stem visibly longer. About 7mm longer at 273mm and RM stem around 266mm.

The hole depth for the stem is around 7mm deeper on the RM clamp. So the KDX stem will need to be pressed up a little further inside the clamp?

The diameter of the stems at the bottom are nearly identical, but KDX looks a little smaller probabaly needing the knurling before pressing into the RM clamp

6 Riders · Post by **6 Riders** » 12:15 am Dec 11 2014

I do believe that the KDX stem will go farther into the lower clamp than the RM stem does. But, a little machining might be necessary on the top of the RM clamp to allow the bearing to sit down far enough. What is the length of the KDX stem that sticks out above the triple clamp?

Gotanubike · Post by **Gotanubike** » 06:29 am Dec 11 2014

The other thing was the tapered steel cups that the bearings are seated in/on. The All-Balls bearing kit includes the tapered bearing + seal for top and bottom but not the cups? Have to wait until the kit arrives

6riders wrote:What is the length of the KDX stem that sticks out above the triple clamp?

Like this?

(Numbers are likely not 100% accurate)

6 Riders · Post by **6 Riders** » 07:56 pm Dec 11 2014

Gotanubike wrote:The other thing was the tapered steel cups that the bearings are seated in/on. The All-Balls bearing kit includes the tapered bearing + seal for top and bottom but not the cups? Have to wait until the kit arrives
My kit has everything needed to replace the bearings.
6riders wrote:What is the length of the KDX stem that sticks out above the triple clamp?
Like this?

(Numbers are likely not 100% accurate)

Yes like that. Looks to me and someone else was posting about what they had to do for this swap. The upper part of the clamp, where the bearing sits, needs to be milled down a bit as well as the inner part of the bottom of the tree, where the stem seats, in order to get the length needed for the KDX neck.

OK, I just measured the KDX stem sitting in a 95 RM clamp and get 24.6cm, I think that is 246mm. So I could be wrong.

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