888 forks

Phil911

Who knows the exact differences between the SHOWA forks GD.011 (Strada) and GD.061 (SP.5) ???
They look like similar externaly, except the feet color but what about internal parts ???
Have you ever heard about magnesium feet on SP.5 ???
Legend or truth ??????????

Phil911

hindsight

Phil911 wroteWho knows the exact differences between the SHOWA forks GD.011 (Strada) and GD.061 (SP.5) ??? They look like similar externaly, except the feet color but what about internal parts ??? Have you ever heard about magnesium feet on SP.5 ??? Legend or truth ?????????? Phil911

I recall reading somewhere else that the only difference is the colour.

Speedmade

I have had them both apart. The SP Showa forks are just brown anodized aluminium. Same forks.

Mr.R

Speedmade wroteI have had them both apart. The SP Showa forks are just brown anodized aluminium. Same forks.

+1 On this statement.

Steve R

RED

Jep, just colour Phil..

Phil911

Thanks all for these fast replies !!!

Phil911

griff851

Hi Phil, are you planning to put gold valves in or something?

Griff

Phil911

griff851 wroteHi Phil, are you planning to put gold valves in or something? Griff

No, no, no !!! 😄

My SP.5 currently fits an OHLINS FG.9050 and I don't want to change, of course !!

There's here (French forum) a thread open regarding the Strada and SP.5 forks.
To be honnest, I've never paid attention about these forks because I've always been disappointed with that SHOWA on such an icon ... reason why mine is out and away for long, replaced by Ohlins !!!

According to the above replies, my curiosity wasn't satisfied; reason why I decided to investigate. And I found the correct answers into my private documents, answers which aren't in accordance with the replies.

Now I can confirm that both forks have a couple a different parts I mean :

- Feet (because of the color)
--> Strada : 349.1.052.1A and 319.1.053.1A
--> SP.5 : 349.1.052.1B and 349.1.053.1B

- Spring !!!!
--> Strada : 347.1.010.1A
--> SP.5 : 366.1.012.1A

Now we can say that internally and externally, these forks are different !!

Case is closed ...

Phil911

griff851

Good investigating. I did have a quick look through google, and found a site that had spring kits, and they different title for Strada and SP5, but no part numbers. I wondered if the springs must be different. Now we know. Way to go Phil, as this question has been asked on other forums with out proper resolution.

Griff

Mr.R

So basically apart from the spring weight and the colour of the bottoms, we all agree that the Strada and the SP5 Showa's are the same!

Steve R

griff851

It appears so.

loony888

aren't the upper outer tubes a darker brown anodizing as well?

paul.
p.s, they are the same forks used on the FE 900SS of 97 as well.

desmax888

Hi Forum,
Here are the photos of a 888 SP5 that I have seen to the WDW 2002 !!!!!

the motorbike arrived from Holland .
Years after I have found other photos.
Here is the producer's name :
RPR Light Parts

Mr.R

These 'Drop Cap' fork bottoms were pretty standard fare on Endurance racers back in the 80's.
They allow fast wheel changes, rear wheels/swinging arms would also be modified to allow wheel changes without needing to disturb the chain or brake system.
Around the late 70's- early 80's Honda purchased the Patent from the ELF Racing team for the single sided swinging arm to allow even faster wheel changes.
They enforced this patent to stop Yamaha fitting a single sided arm to their original Genesis endurance racer, thus giving Honda a theorectical 2-3 min' lead in a 24 hour race.
Yamaha were none to pleased about this but swallowed whilst threatening to withdraw from the Bol Dor because of Honda's new 'Unfair' advantage.
When the 916 arrived Honda once again waved their patent at Ducati and threatened legal action.
Ducati called Honda's bluff showing that Moto Guzzi had designed a single sided swinging arm years before ELF developed theirs...
So Honda's patent wasn't worth the paper it was printed on!
I bet Yamaha wished that they'd had that knowledge.

Steve R