Abnormally stiff stock suspension

[Saml01]

So I went for a ride today with a fellow vmaxxer and got to sample his bike for about 20 miles. Its a 98 and to put it simply the ride on his bike was BUTTER. He sat on my bike and said "I think your suspension is bottomed out". After experiencing how another Vmax rode and thinking about his comment I came home and tore into my suspension to make sure I wasnt crazy. The suspension on my bike wasnt bottoming out thankfully but is just really effing stiff.

This is the spacer as it sits above the fork leg with the front wheel off the ground.


This is the stock spring with stock length.


Does this look normal to you guys? Sean tells me that the spacer should be flush with the top of the fork, though it "could" be stiff like that from the factory.

Anyone else come across this, is this normal?
Also, if someone has a spacer from an old bike laying around, could you please measure it.

Thank you.

 

[sdt354]

So I went for a ride today with a fellow vmaxxer and got to sample his bike for about 20 miles. Its a 98 and to put it simply the ride on his bike was BUTTER. He sat on my bike and said "I think your suspension is bottomed out". After experiencing how another Vmax rode and thinking about his comment I came home and tore into my suspension to make sure I wasnt crazy. The suspension on my bike wasnt bottoming out thankfully but is just really effing stiff.

This is the spacer as it sits above the fork leg with the front wheel off the ground.


This is the stock spring with stock length.


Does this look normal to you guys? Sean tells me that the spacer should be flush with the top of the fork, though it "could" be stiff like that from the factory.

Anyone else come across this, is this normal?
Also, if someone has a spacer from an old bike laying around, could you please measure it.

Thank you.

My 89 is exacly the same, 1 inch, but with after market progessive springs.
Steve-o

 

[Rhoy Carter]

Are you sure the springs are stock? when I put progressive springs in mine I could not tell the difference by looking at them.

 

[VMAX NV]

You must have not understood Sean(cuz is he ever wrong?) because about an inch popping up is correct, my stock spacer I just replaced is a little over 9 3/4" long.
(quote from old Sean post "The most critical part is the total preload when you get it together. I usually shoot for 1")

@Rhoy-Really? The Prog. coils are a lot thicker and more tightly wound towards the top, they were like night and day for me...did you buy it new, maybe they already had Progs in it?
(spring pic by Heretic)

 

[Ridin Dirty]

So I went for a ride today with a fellow vmaxxer and got to sample his bike for about 20 miles. Its a 98 and to put it simply the ride on his bike was BUTTER. He sat on my bike and said "I think your suspension is bottomed out". After experiencing how another Vmax rode and thinking about his comment I came home and tore into my suspension to make sure I wasnt crazy. The suspension on my bike wasnt bottoming out thankfully but is just really effing stiff.

This is the spacer as it sits above the fork leg with the front wheel off the ground.


This is the stock spring with stock length.


Does this look normal to you guys? Sean tells me that the spacer should be flush with the top of the fork, though it "could" be stiff like that from the factory.

Anyone else come across this, is this normal?
Also, if someone has a spacer from an old bike laying around, could you please measure it.

Thank you.

When I changed to Ractech springs, that exactly the amount of preload I had, and it worked out perfectly. Maybe, the springs were changed out for very stiff ones? Or, maybe the springs were changed and to much oil was added? The air space in the forks provides a place for the oil to go, when the fork is compressed, but also cushions the compression. Without enough air space, the forks could be locking up.

 

[Saml01]

When I changed to Ractech springs, that exactly the amount of preload I had, and it worked out perfectly. Maybe, the springs were changed out for very stiff ones? Or, maybe the springs were changed and to much oil was added? The air space in the forks provides a place for the oil to go, when the fork is compressed, but also cushions the compression. Without enough air space, the forks could be locking up.

This is an interesting thought and makes a lot of sense.

I read a thread explaining how to set the right fluid height. To confirm, I should compress the fork and fill with fluid to the point where it is 5 inches from the top?

You must have not understood Sean(cuz is he ever wrong?) because about an inch popping up is correct, my stock spacer I just replaced is a little over 9 3/4" long.
(quote from old Sean post "The most critical part is the total preload when you get it together. I usually shoot for 1")

@Rhoy-Really? The Prog. coils are a lot thicker and more tightly wound towards the top, they were like night and day for me...did you buy it new, maybe they already had Progs in it?
(spring pic by Heretic)

I believe I have understood him perfectly. The total pre load on the spring should be 1". With the spacer sticking out 1 inch plus the thickness of the cap, the total preload is more like 1.5 inches.

 

[one2dmax]

That's correct. Too much preload. I've seen it that much from the factory before but it's too much.

 

[Ridin Dirty]

This is an interesting thought and makes a lot of sense.

I read a thread explaining how to set the right fluid height. To confirm, I should compress the fork and fill with fluid to the point where it is 5 inches from the top?

It's better to fill by volume. I don't remember the correct amount of CC's. You should be able to search it here. Most motorcycle shops sell the measuring cups, graduated in CC's. The best thing to do is to drain the forks and refill them. Work the tube up and down, as you fill, to get the air out.

 

[Redbone]

The early forks (pre '93) oil should be 5.5" from the top.

 

[Ridin Dirty]

Saml01

I made a big mistake in my prior reply. My spacers were actually even with the top of the fork tubes. After screwing down the end caps, it gave me about 1 inch of preload. I used 630 cc's of 15wt oil( earlier forks probably require less cc's). I do remember the stock spacers popping up above the top of the tubes, when I did the dis-assembly. If your confident the springs are stock, perhaps the oil level is the first thing to check. If anything the stock springs should be too soft and bottom out easily, not overly stiff.

 

[Saml01]

Hows the ride on the progressive springs for those that have it?

While I have this stuff apart I think i might as well upgrade.

 

[4gasem]

Hows the ride on the progressive springs for those that have it?

While I have this stuff apart I think i might as well upgrade.

Worlds better than stock! I put then in my buddies bike and he was amazed and wondered why he hadn't done it earlier.

It WILL be stiffer than stock, but that's a GOOD thing. Stock IMO is dangerously soft.

Chris

 

[Rollie]

Hows the ride on the progressive springs for those that have it?

While I have this stuff apart I think i might as well upgrade.

Many have Racetech springs with gold valve certridge emulators . You can call them , give them your weight and riding style , and they will match you up for the correct model . They are very customer orientated .

951-279-6655
[email protected] unk:

VMOA members get a discount.

 

[Ridin Dirty]

Hows the ride on the progressive springs for those that have it?

While I have this stuff apart I think i might as well upgrade.

Either Progressive or Racetech springs and Emulators, will make a big difference. The Emulators make the job more involved, requiring you to disassemble the forks and drill out the metering rod holes.

 

[Saml01]

Worlds better than stock! I put then in my buddies bike and he was amazed and wondered why he hadn't done it earlier.

It WILL be stiffer than stock, but that's a GOOD thing. Stock IMO is dangerously soft.

Chris

Cant be stiffer than an overfilled fork with 2 inches of travel. Ha ha.

Either Progressive or Racetech springs and Emulators, will make a big difference. The Emulators make the job more involved, requiring you to disassemble the forks and drill out the metering rod holes.

Too rich for my blood. But a pretty innovative idea.

 

[85vmax]

Do you have the factory fork brace on or aftermarket?
I also have progressives in with 1 inch drop and its pretty stiff...you may not be stock.

 

[Saml01]

Do you have the factory fork brace on or aftermarket?
I also have progressives in with 1 inch drop and its pretty stiff...you may not be stock.

Factory fork brace A.K.A front fender holder?

See. I am not sure what pretty stiff means, I have nothing to compare too. All I know is my stock suspension was HARD and the other Vmax was butter smooth, I could bottom the bike out with my own weight, and im only 180lbs.

 

[ninjaneer]

@saml01
i just finished putting in a set of progressives yesterday (with a 1" drop and emulators i might add). they are ALOT stiffer. the most noticeable difference is braking--i don't dive as bad. the bike feels SOLID in the turns--like the bike was part of the road. in short am LOVING it.

@forum:
i think i have to tune because i don't like the small bumps at low speeds. based on my research i think i have too much compression damping. is this correct? if so, how do you suggest i lessen it--less preload on the progressives or on the emulator? for what it's worth, when i screwed on the fork caps, i was exerting ALOT (i mean ALOT) of force just to get the caps in the thread....is this normal, or is this a sign of too much preload? i measured it off just as the racetech install instructions suggest. i'm shooting for that "plush but firm" (of course).

 

[Ridin Dirty]

@saml01
i just finished putting in a set of progressives yesterday (with a 1" drop and emulators i might add). they are ALOT stiffer. the most noticeable difference is braking--i don't dive as bad. the bike feels SOLID in the turns--like the bike was part of the road. in short am LOVING it.

@forum:
i think i have to tune because i don't like the small bumps at low speeds. based on my research i think i have too much compression damping. is this correct? if so, how do you suggest i lessen it--less preload on the progressives or on the emulator? for what it's worth, when i screwed on the fork caps, i was exerting ALOT (i mean ALOT) of force just to get the caps in the thread....is this normal, or is this a sign of too much preload? i measured it off just as the racetech install instructions suggest. i'm shooting for that "plush but firm" (of course).

If the spacers were at the top of the tubes or just slightly above, you should have just enough preload.

What weight oil did you use? I think stock is 20wt. I used 15 wt, and like the feel. Some people use 10 wt. A lighter weight oil will lower the compression dampening.

The trick with the fork caps is to unscrew the air valves, otherwise your trying to compress the air in the tubes, as you press down on the caps ( it took me about a half hour to figure this out, then they were much easier), don't forget to put the air valves back on, or the oil will squirt out.

 

[ninjaneer]

If the spacers were at the top of the tubes or just slightly above, you should have just enough preload.

check

What weight oil did you use? I think stock is 20wt. I used 15 wt, and like the feel. Some people use 10 wt. A lighter weight oil will lower the compression dampening.

manuals say 10w, which i used. i thought weight had more of an influence on rebound dampening then compression dampening--like lots more to the point where compression dampening was neglected.

The trick with the fork caps is to unscrew the air valves, otherwise your trying to compress the air in the tubes, as you press down on the caps ( it took me about a half hour to figure this out, then they were much easier), don't forget to put the air valves back on, or the oil will squirt out.

ugh, that shouldve been obviously after some of the funnin' around i was doing. COOL Thanks.