Shortening the front fork on the Honda Cafe Racer

This video shows how I shortened the forks on my Honda CB400 café racer. I had quite a struggle getting the fork apart as the oil seal was completely stuck, hope that my solution can help others facing the same problem.
00:00 Equipment's required
02:15 Taking the fork apart
03:49 Solve stuck oil seal
05:11 Shortening the fork
06:57 Assemble the fork
09:27 Testing the result
Music:
"Drive Away" - MK2
"Strut Funk" - Dougie Wood
"Say Yeah" - Topher Mohr & Alex Elena
#motorcycle #caferacer #diy

[@luisatpr]

NOW I understand the adding of a spacer and how it works....Excelente Video!

[@kihestad]

@@luisatprGlad my explanation made sense 🙏😊

[@shesmondhalgh9821]

Really clear demonstration. There are a couple of steps you can take at the start to establish how far you can go before it bottoms out, but other than that this is a great video.

[@kihestad]

Thanks ☺️

[@opm9460]

Best video ive seen of this on KZbin. thanks man

[@kihestad]

Thanks 🙂

[@enriquenunez2296]

Thanks, this was a really straightforward, well narrated video. As long as you take into account clearance issues, I've always thought that lowering the front-end looked cool, especially on bikes that were hardtailed, as a way rebalancing the bike's design.

[@kihestad]

Thanks for the positive feedback 😊

[@kennethaaronfernandez3944]

Brilliant really looking forward to the end product

[@kihestad]

Glad to hear that, already started on the next task /video 🙂

[@johnforrest4373]

Interesting video, your forks are missing the upper back-up ring that sits above the seal, but below the circlip. These originally were just zinc plated steel, and have seen the totally rusted away, and speculate that there could have been fragmented remains helping to block the seal removal. Honda upper ring originals are scarce, I had some laser cut from 1mm stainless, though a nice to have, rather than essential I think. I would be worried that on max compression, over perhaps a speedbump the top of the alloy oil lock piece, could potentially hit the bottom of the stanchion, you must have measured to a close tolerance 😀. Thank you for your video...

[@kihestad]

Huups, seems like a double post, I'll answer the other one 😊

[@avinmcmxcv]

Really amazing Great presentation 🔥🔥

[@kihestad]

Thanks 🙂 Happy to hear you liked it

[@cadecassels8659]

Love how the project is turning out! I am also working on restoring my 1980 cb400t into a cafe racer. I have the forks all apart and found no spacer however I had metal o ring and spring seat bolted (14mm hex key) holding my spring down two inches from fork cap. Would this be essentially acting as spacer? Or will I have to cut the spring and tubes as you said. Thanks

[@kihestad]

Hi, not sure if I understood it all. If you extend the fork to max / highest position, do you have two inches (=5cm) gap from the top of the fork tube to the top of the spring?

[@kihestad]

Ok, I found an illustration online for the fork. Seems like it is no spacer on top for these forks, just a washer (the metal o-ring). The spring should normally go all the way to the top of the fork tube with a small amount of preload. Just try to lower the fork with a pipe added to the damping rod and assemble the fork first without cutting the spring. You will then see if the spring is too long and needs to be shortened.

[@Apachefog]

I got here as fast as I could. It looks like you forgot the copper washer on the bottom bolt.

[@kihestad]

You are right, it does look like it 😳 I had already done a test install when I recorded it, so the washer was already in there 😏

[@Apachefog]

@@kihestad I figured. Plus it was 3 years ago, the issue would have come to light at this point.

[@kihestad]

@@Apachefog absolutely, and I can confirm: no leakage. Well observed and rightfully questioned! 👍👍👍

[@ro9ode]

Nice work 😀

[@biffogchilli]

Brilliant video👍

[@leonmadafaka]

Dziękujemy.

[@kihestad]

Thanks for the Super Thanks 😍

[@fabfafa]

Hello very nice video, can you please tell me the size of your tyres. thank you

[@kihestad]

Thanks 🙂 the tires are like this: Front: 110/80 - R19, Rear: 120/80 - 18. Both are Michelin Anakee Wild. This bike has Comcast rims, width: 2.15". Older CB400 has Comstar rims, they are slimmer and these tires might be a bit wide for them.

[@docteroperation]

How is this different then moving the forks up in the triple trees?

[@kihestad]

1) The handlebar goes across on top of the forks on this bike, so it is not possible to move the forks up (except some few mm), at least when using the original handlebar mounts. If using clip-on handlebars this is no problem, but I don't want to do that on this bike. 2) I added a bit extra preload to the spring inside the fork, it's old and has become a bit compressed over the years 3) I find it visually more pleasing, the forks are shortened but it looks as they are stock. Lowering the forks on the triple tree look a bit "home-made" in my eyes 👀😋

[@valmn_cc]

Hello, which pipe diameters did you use for the 38mm spacer?

[@kihestad]

Hi, hmm - sorry but I cannot really remember it. I just found a pipe that had similar diameter as the spacer. The diameter is not that important, it just needs to be approximately the same size as the spring / damper rod so it fits in between.

[@kihestad]

My best guess would be 25mm diameter, because I have a lot of these - but I am not sure, just guessing 😌

[@mwtraining4310]

Be carefull handeling fork oil (especially old fork oil) without safety gear, its highly cancer harming. Good video though! 👍

[@kihestad]

Ahh, did not know that fork oil was any worse than other types of oil 😳 I could probably be more careful handling oil. I do have gloves made to protect from chemicals 😌 I do collect all old oil and deliver it the local waste collector, they have a separate booth for it (in other words: I'm not totally reckless - I hope... 😋)

[@avinmcmxcv]

Can we do the same thing with the USD fork?

[@kihestad]

I am not sure, but I would think so. This is how most forks is designed on old motorcycles. Newer motorcycles has upsidedown forks, I would guess they can be lowered the same way. Not sure about that though 🙃

[@nd7368]

Very cool instructional video! What wheels are on your motorcycle?

[@kihestad]

Thanks, glad you liked it 🙂 The tires on the bike: Front: 110/80 - R19, Rear: 120/80 - 18 - both are Michelin Anakee Wild. If you are planning something similar remember to check width of your rims. My bike has: "Comcast" rims, width: 2.15". Older Hondas have "Comstar" rims, they are not as wide and it might be that these tires are a bit too wide for them.

[@nd7368]

@@kihestad Great info! Thank you. I like how they looked bronze, gona get a set for my 78 Kawi KZ200 cafe project.

[@kihestad]

Cool 😎 I have decided to get rid of the gold color, I think the tires look more fat with a black or dark grey rim.

[@Bonkatronicks]

Can you just buy lower forks or...

[@kihestad]

I think it can be hard to find lower forks that fits to this old bike, but I have not really looked into it. New forks would be very expensive (I would guess around $1000 for getting a quality set). A set of used ones would not be that expensive, perhaps $200? If buying a used set they should be serviced, and then it would be about the same amount of work as just lowering the ones you have. You could of course end up with newer, better and cooler set of forks by replacing them. I like to repair and modify the original parts if possible, it is both more budget friendly and better for the environment 😊

[@ziondanny7081]

Nice way to trash the steering geometry

[@kihestad]

Not really. A lower bike = better balance, shorter wheelbase = more responsive, it works very well when paired with fatter and higher tires that makes the bike more stable/less responsive. It's quite possible to improve a motorcycle (it's the same for any type of vehicle) handling by changing it from how it was stock 😊 It's smart to be sceptical and do some research before changing stuff though, it is absolutely possible to make things worse than original as well 🥴

[@Siggi-Bear]

Konge video. Sku nesten vært en funksjon å kunne bytte språk så vi Skandinavere kunne sett på og

[@kihestad]

Takker 😊 Kanskje jeg skulle lagt på Norsk tekstning? Det er ikke all verdens jobb, jeg kunne gitt det et forsøk 😏

[@Siggi-Bear]

@@kihestad Nei tror ikke det ville vært nødvendig 😅 Vi forstår da alle Norweglish. Men er så få norske mc folk på youtube syntes eg. Hadde det gått å dubbet over videoen så man kunne valgt hehe. Men neida er helt forståelig.

[@kihestad]

Det var kjekt å høre 😊Jeg prøvde meg på å legge inn norske undertekster nå på min seneste video - som en test, det var ikke så veldig vanskelig. Den automatiske oversettelsen var litt så som så, må nok da rette opp litt manuelt i så fall.

[@ThirtyYearstoolate]

You lowered it. Not "shortened the forks".

[@kihestad]

Ahh, you are actually absolutely correct 😳 I need to rethink my title...

[@The9meister]

Scrambler

[@kihestad]

It’s almost looks like a scrambler, but not completely. I does not really fit into any category, I am more or less combining styles I likes. 😊

[@Mojokiss]

cafe saber

[@kihestad]

What is that? 🤔

[@johnforrest4373]

Interesting video, your forks are missing the upper back-up ring that sits above the seal, but below the circlip. These originally were just zinc plated steel, and have seen the totally rusted away, and speculate that there could have been fragmented remains helping to block the seal removal. Honda upper ring originals are scarce, I had some laser cut from 1mm stainless, though a nice to have, rather than essential I think. I would be worried that on max compression, over perhaps a speedbump the top of the alloy oil lock piece, could potentially hit the bottom of the stanchion, you must have measured to a close tolerance 😀. Thank you for your video...

[@kihestad]

That makes sense, one of the forks had a thin washer/ring under the circlip, but it was very corroded. Sounds smart to make it using stainless steel 👍 I hope the forks are not too low, I might add spacer on top to tighten the spring more. It could have been a bit stiffer. Thanks a lot for the feedback, I will add the missing washer/ring to the fork, will take it apart for painting anyway 👍👍👍