Fork Improvements

[burtonbiker]

Have had my DL650 4 months now and I am looking to improve the front forks. I use the bike for commuting and pleasure, but the roads to work  ressemble a cart track. I find the forks dive a lot and it is very harsh over rough surfaces with lots of little ruts/imperfections. On a recent ride out I found they bottomed out entirley while banked over on a rather deep pot hole, and would like to improve these areas.

I can't decide between intiminators @ 122 delivered plus oil. (ebay from states)

Or fork springs seem to be about 90 to 110 inc oil.

My bike is 2010 GT, but I don't use the panniers and have changed exhaust which reduced weight hugely and seemed to help with the handling. I weight 12 stone only ride solo.

Any advise appreciated as I have been reading the forum for weeks now and going round in circles!

[kevshek]

I've decided to change my front and rear springs, I may go for both Hyperpro front and back, but Hagon do one for the front which from what I've read, are recommended.

For your 650 see
http://www.hagon-shocks.co.uk/catalog/p ... 400-308-01

they also do the kit with oil for another tenner.

[bencav]

Crikes Mr Shek, anyone would think you didn't like the trom, not much left on yours after such a short time

[kevshek]

, well it's is a few years old, just need to get her ship shape.

[hookie]

The best solution is to make sure that the springs are correct for your weight and also get the internal damping correctly adjusted as well. Most Japanese forks seem to come out of the factory with the compression damping set too hard, which is why the forks can feel harsh when you hit a bump or pot hole even if the spring rates are right. Changing the oil to a thinner grade may improve this but will also affect the rebound damping and this may not be desireable. As the Vstrom doesn't have any damping adjusters the ideal solution is to get the damping valves reset. This usually requires sending the complete fork legs away to a suspension specialist such as Maxton, Ktec etc who wil do the job and return them to you. You can buy revalving kits from someone like Racetech in the States and fit them yourself. If done properly it can transform the way the bike rides and handles.

[Piglumps]

It might be worth considering a fork brace too while you're a-tinkerin'...

[burtonbiker]

Thanks for all your help.

Has any one tried the intimnators, were they any good?

Looking at reducing the weight of the oil, hagon go with a lighter oil but some springs go with heavier oil so I'm a bit confused.

Will changing the springs reduce the dive or is that the oil

I'm trying to achieve less fork dive with better composure over poor surfaces.

What does a fork brace do to help?

Thanks in advance

(shes back to the dealers this wednesday as the low beam circuit has packed in so ill ask there advise)

[Juvecu]

I'd recommend new springs and 15W oil with a 170mm air gap. I have no experience with the Intimidators, but here's a thread with my ramblings on upgrading the suspension on my 650. It might have some info to help you decide.

[Sven]

Have fitted Hagon front springs & Hagon rear shock. Went with 7.5 wt oil in the forks ( which is what Hagon recommend) & am very happy with the results. They're not perfect ( compared to say, a sport bike) but are much better than standard. Fork dive under braking is greatly reduced. Also cheated & fitted them through the top (caps) which saves having to take the forks off!

[kevshek]

I'd recommend new springs and 15W oil with a 170mm air gap. I have no experience with the Intimidators, but here's a thread with my ramblings on upgrading the suspension on my 650. It might have some info to help you decide.

I take it that specific to the 650? The hagon site says my k3 uses 150mm air gap, and the bloke on the phone said that if the old springs and spacers totalled the same length as the new spring, I wouldn't need the spacers. does that sound right?

[Sven]

I think the 170 mm air gap that Juvecu refers to was for the Yacugar springs he fitted. I can't remember what Hagon recommend but am sure it was different to that ( 150 or 155 mm comes to mind ? My memorys not the best!)

[Juvecu]

Yep, 650 specific. Although the standard gap is 143mm for the Wee, but I went with the manufacturer's recommendation (funny, I think Hagon recommends 150 for the Wee too?) 20mm isn't that much difference anyway as long as there is enough. Air compresses more than oil, more air gap should give a softer ride (if my logic doesn't fail me?) I've had it with a 143mm air gap too and I couldn't notice much difference so you can stick at 150mm and not worry about it if you like. The Vee uses cartridge forks, the Wee uses a plunger (I can't think of the right word now, maybe that is the right word... )

I'm not sure about the spacers thing, IIRC my Yacugar springs were about the same length and there was no mention of any spacer changes so I used the standard spacer and I've pretty sure it works properly. I'd think that softer springs would compress more with the bike's own weight so better springs will ride a bit higher anyway. Either way, what he says seems to make sense, you want the springs to be approximately the same length. If the new springs are longer you can cut a bit off your spacers, else if they are too short you need longer spacers. You can probably make your own from some pipe with the same dimensions unless Hagon sells some at decent prices.

[73bm73]

What does a fork brace do to help?

Thanks in advance

>>click me<<

[Countrysailor]

Also cheated & fitted them through the top (caps) which saves having to take the forks off!

Now that sounds like it might make changing springs a bit less of a drama. Would you be able to tell us what it involved, how you did it etc?

[Juvecu]

You loosen the top triple clamp bolts, remove the fork caps, remove the spacers, washer and springs. Then suck out the oil with a piece of aquarium air pipe or something similarly small diametre. Then it's just a case of putting new oil in to the right level, new springs back in (or your old ones if you were just doing an oil change), washer and spacer back in, top caps on (torque them properly) and then tighten the triple clamp bolts up again. All done

It'll be messy when you take the fork springs out, do it slooooooowly so the oil can drain off into the forks when you lift the springs. Probably a good idea to have cloths covering  things so you don't get oil everywhere. It's around a 30 minute job this was providing you can suck out the oil quickly and easily (but it'll take me an hour, I go slow )

[Sven]

Here's a copy of what I wrote when I done it.


Well, today I did it the 'lazy way'. Had a set of Hagon fork springs to fit & fork oil to change. Done it all out the top without removing the forks (as per my earlier post which was taken from SV650.org).
Had to loosen the handlebars to give enough room to remove the springs - otherwise was all very straight-forward.

Loosen caps, jack up front of bike, undo handlebars & remove caps from top of forks.
Remove spacer, washer & spring. (used a length of wire to remove spring)
Drain oil using a length of pipe & syringe. (Measured old oil & got about 475ml out of each leg).
Lifted front wheel to compress forks & re-filled with oil (to an air-gap of 150mm).
Replaced (Hagon) springs, washer, spacer & caps. Re-fitted handlebars.
Job done: total time taken about 1 hour 15 mins.

I had a litre of new oil & had a small amount left over. Each fork should take 524ml of oil. So there was a bit of old oil that I couldn't get out. But I managed to replace 95% so I'm fairly happy.
Obviously to do the job properly you need to remove the forks but I'm happy with what I've done.

Only had time for a quick run up the road, but the front end feels so much better. I'm very pleased with it


Here's the link to the full thread
viewtopic.php?f=24&t=7911

[Sven]

Also cheated & fitted them through the top (caps) which saves having to take the forks off!

Now that sounds like it might make changing springs a bit less of a drama. Would you be able to tell us what it involved, how you did it etc?

Countrysailor, your memory is worse than mine.....
See this topic
viewtopic.php?f=24&t=7911
     

[burtonbiker]

Thanks for all your help.

Still unsure which option to go for, but I will definatly use the cheating method for changing the oil, I can't believe there is no drain at the bottom , it was a quick easy job on my old cbf.

I'm tempted to try the intimnators, ill post if they are any good when I get round to doing it.

[burtonbiker]

Hi

I have bought the hagon springs from my local bike shop and will post what I think when they are fitted. Unfortunatly got a puncture so decided may as well replace the trailwings as a set, with anakee 2, as they seem to be the favourite trail style ones on the site, paid 207 fitted to bike at my local bike shop syd smiths Sheffield (really helpfull blokes).

What a difference, it steers so fast I almost hit the kerb coming of the round about. It just drops into corners so fast it is taking a bit of getting used too with so much grip. It also seems to have helped the suspension over poor surfaces. The puncture was in the rear so I asked to keep the front trailwing, when he bought it out it was utter junk the tread was unevenly worn round one side (roundabouts) and that's in 4000 miles of riding !

If anyone else is still on the trailwings get them of, best 200 spent on this bike by far

[kevshek]

After reading your post, I decided to find out where mine were which I ordered on the 23rd march.
Turns out they were delivered yesterday, and they were sitting in my porch and the missus signed for them. Thanks for telling me!

So heres my project for sunday afternoon.